As artists we all have heard at some point “everyone has their own path.”

Its very easy to say when things are going well but hard to accept if things are not going the way you hoped.  Having a theatre career is tough for anyone.  It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and persistence.  Sometimes your path can be smooth and sunny and then it suddenly turns into a complete labyrinth.    We all have ups and downs, so how do we keep positive about the path we are currently on if its not exactly where we want to be?

That is a tough question.  We can look behind us and get stuck on the places we have come from, we can be faced with forks in the road and not know which way to go,  or we can plainly fall into a hole and not know how to get out.  I know I have had my fair share of roadblocks, some of the major ones were dealing with being bullied growing up, my father having Early Onset Alzheimers and passing away when I was 21, and my mother having Multiple Sclerosis.   So many things have happened (not all bad of course, I have had some great adventures too,  I did meet my love and get married, and have worked with many wonderful people).   My path so far just did not allow me to start focusing on my theatre career until I was 29.  And then just when it seemed like things were taking off….I decided it was time to start a family.  I certainly thought I would have had my career well on the go before having a family.  But things don’t always happen how you expect them to, but how they are meant to.  I am a true believer in “everything happens for a reason.”  We just might not know the reason when its actually happening.  So how do we accept where we are in our path?

TRUST! Trust that the universe knows what its doing.  Trust in yourself that if you WANT something and if you keep doing what you can to advance yourself even in the rough patches that when you get to the other side what you want will be waiting for you.  Trust in your gut.  If you feel something is right, then do it (or keep doing it).  If you feel somethings wrong, it probably is (and its time to re-evaluate things).

I understand now that if I hadn’t gone through the things I did, I wouldn’t be the person I am or have the people in my life that I do.  So I have to keep reminding myself of the things I have to be grateful for, and make a plan to continue to manifest what it is I still need and want.  No one said it would be easy, but I am determined to have a both a theatre career and a happy and healthy family.   So if I have any advice at all,  it is to keep putting one foot in front of the other and breathe.  As long as you know what you want at your destination, as long as you are moving forward (no matter how fast or slow), you will get to where you want to be.

“when you reach the edge of all the light you know and step out into the unknown of the darkness, you have to have faith that one of two things will happen.  either you will have ground to stand on or you will be taught how to fly”