I spent some time thinking about the topic for this month’s article. My intent in writing these articles is to assist those who are in the performing arts with issues which affect their mental health, and thus how they feel about themselves and what they are trying to pursue. The first thing that came to mind was how does one deal with rejection? This is an issue that is difficult to handle, no matter what kind of work one does. It affects people in personal relationships, as well as in families. How do you deal with rejection? It is something that affects everyone in one way or another, but can be brutal in the entertainment business.
How do you feel when you participate in audition after audition, and do not get chosen? Do you question your talent? Do you become angry, depressed, discouraged? These are all real reactions to what happens time after time in the life of an artist. Does it make you more determined than ever to keep on pursuing your dream, or do you get to the point where you just give up because you are tired of the constant rejection?
Most people who are successful have sustained many failures in their lifetime. What makes them successful is that they don’t give up. They keep trying, perhaps making some changes in what they do and how they do it, but with the belief that they will succeed at some point. Most people know when they go in for an audition that it is often not about how good you are, but what they are looking for. You may have the wrong look, the wrong sound, the wrong height, the wrong whatever. It does not mean that you have no talent. It simply means that they were looking for something other than what you have.
The important thing to hold on to is your sense of self. You are not defined by how many times you fail. Rather, you are defined by your character, by your integrity, by how well you are able to handle situations that arise that are not pleasant, or do not go the way you had hoped. Know who you are and stay true to yourself, always. Remember that you often do not have control over what happens. However, you do have control over what you do with what happens. Your attitude means everything, no matter what the situation. Think positive, act positive, and you will be positive. How you feel about yourself is due in large part to what you allow yourself to think, not necessarily what others think about you.
You control your destiny!
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THE MINDSET
Dr. Sue
By Dr. Sue
Pg.21