New Year: Know Your Value
12 Tips For Actors and Artists To Know Their Value and Worth
After many of us have spent time with family, I think it’s a good reminder that you can never be good enough to evade others projections and judgement. You already are good enough! After this seemingly endless year (or two), if there’s one thing I can take from it, it’s to know my worth and have the discipline to act on my worth. Those who don’t see my value can get lost with 2024. I’m interested in creative collaboration, not those who seek to be competitive with me. Any energy sucks like those competitive frenemies have got to go. Let them do and say whatever they like without you. If that’s not an option, for whatever reason, like you work with them or they are your family and you don’t want to cause any unnecessary drama, that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t waste your energy or time getting bent out of shape trying to change their mind. They are stuck on their own journey, probably unable to see their own insecurities and inadequacies. Let them figure it out. Their words and actions speak for themselves and no matter how much you love them, you can’t speed up their growth. When we waste time with people who are negative for us we not only waste our time, but we create neural pathways - the more we do it, the harder a habit it is to break. This is true for positive habits and positive relationships as well. Choose your tribe and your habits with intentions that align with who you are and the life you wish to create.
12 Tips For Actors & Artists To Know Their Value & Worth
Don’t compare yourself to anyone. You are here because you have something unique that the world needs and you are on a different timeline than everyone else.
Make a list of what you’re good at.
Make a list of what you’re not good at and know that it’s perfectly OK! How can we be good at anything if we try to be good at everything? Knowing this will free you up to delegate tasks and focus on what is most meaningful to you. Don’t let fear of not being good at something stop you from doing something - collaborate with others who are good at what you are not.
Make a list of what you accomplished, big or small, in 2024. Maybe you made a film or maybe your accomplishments are more spiritual like you were kind to strangers. If you did nothing but survive 2024, know that in itself is a huge accomplishment!
Follow what lights you up! Pursue what you are good at but also pursue what you are most passionate about. You may not be good at what you are passionate about… yet… but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. If you find mentors and teachers who are experts, show up weekly, dedicate yourself and collaborate with others, you’ll get there one day. You may not always be motivated to do something you’re not an expert at and that’s why it’s important to stoke the fires of your curiosity and not compare yourself to others. I find watching other artists talk about their process inspires me. It reminds me that we all have our own artistic process that is unique. Listening to other artists opens up my mind and encourages me to embody my own process and follow what drives me to create with my own unique voice and point of view.
What do you value? Do you value responsibility or do you value freedom? Do you value excellence or forgiveness? Or all of the above? There are no wrong answers. If you’re struggling to find your personal values, look up a core values list to help clarify your values.
Find your tribe. If you don’t have any friends or family that share the same values as you, join groups that do, like Women in Film and Media or an acting class with a thriving community. Or create a group! I recently became an Intimacy Coordinator and have discovered that all my new IC friends are aligned with my values. Hanging out with people who share my values is reaffirming, fills up my cup, inspires my work and therefore empowers me. It’s good to have a wide variety of friends so we have a more vast perspective, but if we hang out with people who have different values too much, it winds up feeling isolating and we can forget who we are and why we have value.
Get valued for your work. Accept jobs that either pay you your rate or an honorarium that makes you feel valued for your time and expertise. I find that if it’s free, they often don’t value you. Most can find the money. If this is a new position for you and you wish to gain credits, only you know what is enough of an energy exchange for your time and knowledge. Maybe the project has a director you really want to work with, maybe the story is important to you, or the project will bring you exposer that will help you with future work… Get clear on what your boundaries are when it comes to your value.
Upfront your needs and expectations so no one is confused and so everyone has the opportunity to upfront themselves. Others may not be as comfortable being as clear and concise as you, but if you are clear about what you need to do this job, or what you expect in this relationship, then you will either get those needs met or get closer to getting them met. People will most likely be grateful for your clarity and you will feel good for valuing yourself.
Put your devices down and arrive to the moment. Make a point of taking a break from your devices each day. It could be an a hour or a few hours, but put it down for your friends, your work and yourself. Whether you get an audition, are writing a script or meeting a friend, be curious. Be curious about your surroundings and who is in front of you. If you’re working on an audition, be curious about the story, the characters and the given circumstances. To truly listen to others or to ourselves we must give our attention to the other person. We need to be invested in what we are doing by tuning in and observing with curiosity. How can you do that if you’re constantly somewhere else or with someone else on your phone?
Take a break and get out of town. If you can’t do that, read about new lands or learn something new that is completely unrelated to your pursuits. It could be going horseback riding, hiking, learning about bee keeping, cooking, gardening or another hobby. You could read about other lands or ancient history. You get it. The point is to get out of our head and away from what we are pursing so we don’t get bogged down in the weeds. Lift your head up, take a breath and look around. When you return to your life and work, you’ll find you’re rejuvenated and can now go forth with a fresh perspective.
Finally, do this in time or pick and choose what works for you at any moment. The idea is to know our value and your worth. You are on your own journey and may have other tools that work better for you and that’s fantastic. I hope that I could add a little value to your life and artistic pursuits.
Happy New Year!!! ✨
✨ May your 2025 be filled with peace, creativity, abundance and joy! ✨