Hi there,
Good mooring and happy Sunday to you!

I’m so grateful to be a teacher of actors and for every single one of our students at The Meisner Technique Studio because it was an absolutely beautiful week of work from them and an honor to witness their growth.

Man, am I blessed!

What are you grateful for this morning? What one thing over all the other blessings of your blessed life really stands out?

Celebrate the hell out of that, please!

So, as many of you know who’ve been around me for a while I am a HUGE fan of Bruce Springsteen.

HUUUUGE.

And for so many reasons as well.

The last time I saw him was a few years ago. The night after the concert I came in to my classes and taught off what I had learned the night before by watching this enormously talented dreamer (here’s the link to part 1 of 3 if you’re interested –  http://themeisnertechniquestudio.com/meisner-trained/page/3/?post_id=10692)

He has a new tour out right now and the entire show is a step back in time because he only plays the songs from The River, an album he debuted over 40 years ago.

Last night I watched a film that was created for his tour entitled, The Ties That Bind (it’s on HBOGO if you’re interested). It has a lot of wonderful old footage from the original River tour but the best part (for me) was Bruce just sitting there talking about The River songs and their journey out of his heart and soul and into music.

But the coolest thing he said came at the very opening of the film:

“By the time I was 30, I was thinking about all these things that were holding society together. These imperfect ideas of how people connect and relate to one another or don’t. These ties that bind, ya know. How does that happen? How do people come together, fall apart?

So I wanted to be a part of that exchange.  I didn’t want to be on the outside looking in. I didn’t want to be just a commentator. I didn’t want to be the audience. I didn’t want to be the observer. I wanted to be active part of it in some way through my gifts and talent. But up to that point in my life I really hadn’t had the courage to do that. I had always tried and failed so quickly that it didn’t add up. Part of The River was trying to find the courage to put my feet in, to jump in with both feet and experience those things myself.”

NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL YOU MOVE

Even though I jumped into my dream with both feet 29 years ago Bruce’s words really hit me because I remember VIVIDLY the courage it took to “jump in with both feet” and the courage it takes today to continue to stay in with both feet.

But hey, the only way out IS through so here I stand, looking right at my next big fears (next weeks newsletter topic for sure!).

TODAY’S QUESTIONS FOR YOU

Where are you in the “pool of your dream?”

The deep end?

The shallow end?

Cruising, floating, or drowning somewhere in the middle?

Or maybe you haven’t even jumped into your dream yet.

No matter where you are, going after any dream is going to activate these voices inside all of us – unhealthy disempowered, fear-based voices – telling us what we’re doing is crazy, wrong, stupid, irresponsible, and impossible.

Where did this start? When did we start doubting our brilliance?

This dream-killing beast was created from holding on to every single one of our failures along our way through life and then treating these experiences like facts so this toxic voice SCREAMS, “Who do you think YOU are to dare do this?!”

I’ve touched on this topic before and I know I will again because these newsletters are for anyone with a dream and fear kills dreams and all of our wildest dreams to come true.

THREE QUESTIONS I’VE BEEN ASKING MYSELF

I’m going after something that’s stirring all kinds of fear these days and here’s what I’ve been asking myself that’s really helped:

• What is the next thing I truly want to do in my life/career/dream?
• What scares me about it and/or what am I most afraid of?
• What’s my strategy to transcend it?

These steps have helped me greatly especially when I ask, “What is my greatest fear about the next phase, chapter, or next step of my dream?

Once I answer that I can begin to do something today that brings me closer to my dreams becoming a reality.

So, what scares you about “what’s next?”

What’s the worst thing that could happen if you turned things up just a little?

I really want to know so please, let m know by either hitting reply or for those of you willing to risk a bit more, go to our Artistic Family Newsletter Facebook page (it’s private and closed btw) and share. I’m positive it will help your fellow family members.

Thank you for hanging with me today. I’m always so grateful for your time and support.
My very best,
Jim

(… this is not my last newsletter but it’s the start of something – I’ll explain next week if my theory is right and even if it’s not!)