26 - Just Because...

There’s so much stress, anxiety and judgment out there right now that stems from this pressure of “shoulding” all over ourselves. What if we all just took a step back and gave ourselves a break and gave ourselves just 10% more grace?!

Sometimes it’s important to do things “just because.” No goals. No production quality obsession. No multiple takes. Just singing or dancing for the sake of doing it. We are artists. I learned the hard way what happens when I deny myself that gift of creating art for too long.

After a long hiatus from social media and content creation, I share what I learned, and how I’m trying to find time for art every day. Plus, what’s in store for future episodes of this podcast.

Our furry friends can teach us a lot about life, leadership, auditions (yes, you read that right) and balance. In this episode, dog behavior expert, Doug Poynter, shares how he helps his clients to have better relationships with their dogs, and what that can teach us about how to show up in the world as the best version of ourselves. I will be using many of these ideas the next time I walk into an audition room! Get a free gift from Doug: https://betterdogbehaviornow.com/

Special shoutout to “The Dreaded Question” podcast and Lili Torre for the inspiration for today’s episode. We are so much more than just what we do for work. Especially now, labels on what we “do” are not always helpful. They can put us in a box that someone else can understand, but that greatly limit someone’s understanding of who we are.

As actors, we are trained to "dream big" and "always have a goal" - but during these unusual times, I've found tremendous freedom and powerful ideas by letting all that go and giving myself some SPACE. When we clear our minds and/or our calendars of things that are not serving us in the current reality, it opens up possibilities we may not have seen before!  Follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/theseancarroll

I stand with #blacklivesmatter and I am using my platforms as one way to be the best ally I can be. In this episode I share some thoughts about how we as actors are uniquely qualified to make a positive difference more than ever. I know I am far from being the perfect ally, but I am committed to learning, improving and taking action consistently.

This week is short solo episode where I share about “decision fatigue” and my predicament which is the opposite of that - not making enough decisions. No one has the best formula for you, but my hope is that this episode helps empower you to make a few choices right now that are right for you.

In this episode, we talk with Haile Ferrier, who is an incredible performer and someone I've respected immensely since the moment I met her on a contract several years ago. We take a deep dive into topics such as goal setting, mental health for performers, perfectionism, and so many more things that we actors deal with on a daily basis. Haile's motto is "Follow Your Bliss" - but don't get it twisted. She works harder than most people I know in the industry. She just wants us all to remember WHY we got into this craft in the first place, and to never lose sight of the JOY this art form can bring us all. Follow Haile on Insta at http://www.instagram.com/haileferrier

You all know I love a good sports analogy, and Shannah Rae did NOT disappoint. In this episode, we talk about how to just keep taking small, steady steps in life, and not try to score a touchdown on every play. In other words, let's  "move the chains" - which is a football term for gaining just enough yards to get a "first down" and keep possession of the ball.  We talk about her bold move from Texas to NYC and how she got her vocal studio to thrive online so she could keep serving her students and also continue to pursue her musical theatre career. Also, how Shannah creates just enough structure in her life to give her more freedom, without beating herself up if it doesn't go perfectly.  https://www.shannahraevocalstudio.com/wail-with-shannah-rae.html http://www.instagram.com/shannahraenyc