Hey there,

Good morning and happy Sunday to you!

Well, my daughter Kyla found a place to live her first day in New York City and I am so incredibly grateful once again for all of your help and support in making that happen for her.

As a way of expressing my gratitude please join me as my guest for a free one-hour webinar on Saturday, October 8^th.  I will address questions for actors, directors, and filmmakers, but our newsletter family has grown to include all kinds of dreamers from all over the world so we can talk about whatever you want as well.

The details are at the bottom of this newsletter so I hope you’ll join me. In fact, I’d love it!

How was your week and what are you grateful for since the last time we hung out?
(don’t read any more until you answer this please!!!)

WHAT I LEARNED DURING MY SUMMER VACATION

We reopened our school a few weeks back after our Summer break and what a break it was for me.

I had many highs and lows during my time off but something happened the other day that was without question the highlight of my summer and I wanted to share it with you because it taught me a lot and I hope it can help you.

A little perspective first.

If you read these newsletters consistently then you know I wasn’t able to raise the money to shoot my film this summer. To say I was bummed doesn’t come close to capturing how I felt because I was positive it would happen. And my confidence wasn’t because of me or the script being good, it was because something bigger and better than me told me was a done deal.

Call it intuition.
Call it God.
Call it life force.
Call it whatever you want but one thing I know, it called me and told me, “It’s done. You will shoot this film this summer.”

So when it didn’t happen I was shocked, stunned, and a little pissed because I felt betrayed by life/God/whatever you want to call it.

Since I wasn’t going to shoot the film that freed up a lot of time for me so I decided I would produce and direct two plays instead. These were productions I had already cast but I had told the actors, “Since I’ll be doing the film in August/ September we’ll have to wait until the Winter to do the plays.”

They were fine with that but once the funding didn’t happen I reached out and told both casts, “We’re on for the Fall.”

They were thrilled to hear the news and even more so on that first day of rehearsals. I, however, was still bummed (and now pouting) because when I walked in for rehearsals I didn’t want to be there because being there meant no film.

And then the highlight, the gift of this film not happening came to me because after less than a half hour with this ridiculously talented, committed cast, there was no place I’d rather be than with them.

And as I drove home from that first rehearsal I surrendered to the truth that this is where I was supposed to be.

I had been so focused, so committed, and so myopic about “what I wanted” that I was closed off to even thinking there might be more or something better waiting for me.

I came to these plays kicking and screaming and these beautiful actors gave me the gift of healthier acceptance and surrender.

THE GIFT OF BEING A TEACHER: YOUR STUDENTS

As I walked into the room to teach these first classes back from the break, I shared what I had learned during our time away from each other – the importance of trusting and surrendering so you’re not strangling your dream because you think you know how it should unfold.

Trust and surrender.

Hard to do when you’re full of passion, determination, and belief but I’m doing a bit better these days because of all this.

Trust and surrender.

How are you doing with trusting and surrendering the details of how your dreams and life are unfolding?
What works for you? What doesn’t?!!! Please let us all know by going to our Facebook page or share it with just me by hitting reply. Either way, I’d love hear from you so please do.

As always, thank you for your time. I greatly appreciate you.
Always,
Jim