If Only
Have you ever had one of those tossing and turning nights where you just couldn’t sleep? If you haven’t, I’d love to know what your secret is. I think we’ve all been there. In fact, I think we are a sleep deprived nation, but that’s a subject for another time.
I found myself experiencing one of those nights last night. I began thinking about the last audition which I sent to one of my agents, and I thought, If only I had read that line this way instead of that way. That was my first mistake. I kept going on from there. I went on to more if only’s.
If only I had chosen another major in college. If only I had started acting lessons when I was 10. Just think of where I could be now that I’m, well, we won’t go there. If only I wasn’t a procrastinator. If only I was making enough money to take my dream vacation to Brazil.
We’ve all had times like this, and we could go on and on and on. Right?
In this business, I’ve learned that auditions are going to come and go, and you cannot take anything personally. I’ve learned that when I don’t get the job, I am not the one who is being rejected, but that they are looking for a different type of voice and that it may have nothing to do with my read.
When I first entered the voiceover business, I never realized what a challenge it would be, but I love the challenge, and besides that, it’s fun. I would tell any newcomer to this business, just do the best you can, and then let it go. When you stop having fun with it, maybe it’s time to go on to something else. You just can’t take yourself too seriously.
I believe that the words that we say to ourselves are vital. When you start saying words like If only or What if, you can eventually make yourself crazy. I think that finding a peace with what we are doing in our lives and where we are at right now is what’s important.
So by the time I got myself to say, Oh well, tomorrow’s another day, and there will be more auditions to come, I finally went to sleep. But there was just one If only that I couldn’t get out of my mind. If only I had enough money to take my dream vacation to Brazil!