Life With Genie

CHALLENGES

2012-02-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

"Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what makes you go beyond the norm." - Cicely Tyson

REACT VS. RESPOND

2012-01-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

When you react, you're doing so in a knee-jerk, automatic way. When you respond, you step back, take a breath and DECIDE how you want to proceed.
"When you live in reaction, you give your power away. Then you get to experience what you gave your power to." - N. Smith
Ponder this as you thoughtfully move through pilot season.

DESIRE

2012-01-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Do you know what you want? See it, feel it, imagine it, visualize it in exquisite detail. Know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything. - Napoleon Hill

PAIN

2012-01-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

"When the deepest pain in you becomes something that helps you to know yourself, your truth, your boundaries, creativity, wisdom and dreams - then that pain can become your greatest friend and teacher, so that when it shows up it reminds you of who you are, rather than who you are not. It can either take you further away into seeking an external solution because you judge it or feel like a victim to it, or it can take you into an internal one because you are giving yourself the gift of your awareness which can transform anything - Unknown

HAPPY 2012!!!

2012-01-01T15:35:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, loving, successful New Year! Here's a thought for 2012:
"You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without mch work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential." - Steve Garvey

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2011-12-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a wonderful holiday season. You're heard of "five golden rings?" Here's 24 golden hours:

"Every day you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure?" - Unknown

MISTAKES

2011-12-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

Some people cannot resist the urge to beat themselves up when a mistake has been made. Isn't that just part of being human? Think about this instead: "WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, DON'T LOOK BACK AT IT LONG. TAKE THE REASON OF THE THING INTO YOUR MIND, AND THEN LOOK FORWARD. MISTAKES ARE LESSONS OF WISDOM. THE PAST CANNOT BE CHANGED. THE FUTURE IS YET IN YOUR POWER." - Phyllis Bottome

ROLL THE DICE

2011-11-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Here's a thought to take with you into the holiday season:
"NEVER LET THE ODDS KEEP YOU FROM PURSUING WHAT YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART YOU WERE MEANT TO DO."
- Satchel Paige

TODAY

2011-11-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

You know what you want. You can easily delineate the problems and challenges in getting what you want. You bemoan your painful past and your murky future. But what about now? What about today? What about digging deep and using all your talents, skills, strength and courage to move forward, day by day - one step at a time. The great and wise Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that, " WHAT LIES BEHIND US AND WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE TINY MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US."

CHANGE

2011-11-06T17:20:00.000-08:00

"WHEN WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CHANGE A SITUATION, WE ARE CHALLENGED TO CHANGE OURSELVES." - Victor Frankl
So what are you needing to change? Your thoughts, your beliefs, your attitude? Do you need to let go of old self-defeating behaviors, or create new empowering habits? If you really want what you want, then do what you have to do!

SUCCESS

2011-10-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

"SUCCESS IS NOT FINAL, FAILURE IS NOT FATAL: IT IS THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE THAT COUNTS."
- Winston Churchill

So take a deep breath of courage and continue on!

A THOUGHT

2011-10-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony."
- Thomas Merton

TIME

2011-10-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've seen this. But it bears repeating:
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs

Food For Thought

2011-10-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

I think there is so much wisdom in the following quote by Norman Vincent Peale. Really chew on this one!
"We've all heard that we have to learn from our mistakes, but I think it's more important to learn from successes. If you learn only from your mistakes, you are inclined to learn only errors."

STAY IN THE GAME!

2011-09-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

"MANY OF LIFE'S FAILURES ARE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REALIZE HOW CLOSE THEY WERE TO SUCCESS WHEN THEY GAVE UP." - Thomas A. Edison

KEEP GOING!

2011-09-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

"CHARACTER CONSISTS OF WHAT YOU DO ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH TRIES." - James Michener

IMAGINE

2011-09-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

We don't have to be the products of our past - no matter how painful. We can learn from it, we can choose to do things differently, we can make different decisions. You are artists, you are creators. Therefore, "LIVE OUT OF YUR IMAGINATION, NOT YOUR HISTORY." - Steven Covey

SURPRISE YOURSELF

2011-09-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

I hear so much fear out there. Afraid to make that phone call, send that e-mail, take that workshop, write that scene. Try to remember that you're no worse off after having done the dreaded task, than if you had done nothing at all. Anytime you do something you don't want to do, or are afraid of doing, you become empowered. And living and working from your place of power, can only benefit you. Henry Ford said that "one of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do." So what are you afraid of? You can start small, that's okay. Just do it! Surprise and delight yourself!

CHEW ON THIS

2011-08-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

I just came across two incredible quotes that feel both timely and powerful. Thomas Jefferson said, " Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
We keep seeing it everywhere. If you want to change your life, you've got to change your mind.

And this one really moved me:
Never tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon." - Unknown
So think big thoughts, always be aware of what you're telling yourself, and take one small step at a time as you walk towards your dream.

COURAGE

2011-08-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

A client was just telling me that she's afraid of making that call, or sending that e-mail because she's scared of rejection. Consider fear a natural part of your process, just don't get stuck there. Take action and do what you need to do, since "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon, writer

COMMITMENT

2011-08-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Are you truly committed to your goal? Is it an INTENTION rather than a want or desire? Are you all in? And when the going gets rough, do you slink away into the night and pull the covers over your head, or do you double down and recommit? Someone once said, " aging puts wrinkles on the body. Quitting puts wrinkles on the soul."

IT'S AN INSIDE JOB!

2011-07-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

The great Western disease is, 'I'll be happy when...When I get the money. When I get a BMW. When I get this job.' Well, the reality is, you never get to when. The only way to find happiness is to understand that happiness is not out there. It's in here. And happiness is not next week. It's now. - Marshall Goldsmith

POWER!

2011-07-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

In 1597 Sir Francis Bacon said that "knowledge is power," and yes, it still is! You will find it enormously helpful to know how you work and what makes you tick. When (and to whom) do you give away your power? What do you need to become the best you? What are you telling yourself as you move through your day? Who do you want to be as you pursue your dreams and goals? Become acutely aware of your thoughts, feelings and actions. Keep in mind that, "KNOWLEDGE OF ANY KIND...BRINGS ABOUT A CHANGE IN AWARENESS FROM WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE NEW REALITIES." - Deepak Chopra

MOVING FORWARD

2011-07-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."-Maria Robinson
So, what do you want to do differently? How are you going to change your approach to whatever it is you hope to achieve? Have a strong picture in your mind of your desired OUTCOME. The past is past. So how about creating a new beginning TODAY!

GAME ON!

2011-06-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

An actor client is taking off like gangbusters. He said he really gets that, "LIFE'S A GAME - IT'S ALL HOW YOU PLAY IT!" So go on! Get in the game! Play hard and play smart!

REGRET OR REJOICE

2011-06-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

We've been talking about perspective, and I think it's so vital to continually realize that you get to choose how you perceive the events in your life. An Unknown Author develops this idea with "For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; And for everything you gain, you lose something else. It is about your outlook towards life; you can either regret or rejoice."

PERSPECTIVE

2011-06-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

You get to decide how you want to perceive the events in your life. I love what Winston Churchill says and I think it's worth chewing on: "THE PESSIMIST SEES DIFFICULTY IN EVERY OPPORTUNITY. THE OPTIMIST SEES OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY DIFFICULTY." Who do you want to be?

OPRAH!

2011-06-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

What an incredible humanitarian, communicator, and Renaissance Woman. I came across this Oprah quote which has tremendous wisdom in its brevity: "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." So what do you need to acknowledge about yourself, your life? Nothing is too small, you know. Give yourself a pat on the back every once in awhile.

OTHER WAYS

2011-06-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's really easy to get in our heads that there is only ONE WAY to get from Point A to Point B. How about being open to exploring various options and stretching your mind, yourself, your very being to see other ways, other paths, other roads? After all, "minds are like parachutes; they work best when open." - Lord Thomas Dewar

BRANCHING OUT

2011-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

We've been talking about taking risks; going beyond your comfort zone, pushing yourself to do what needs to be done, trusting your intuition and taking chances. Author Frank Scully put it in such a colorful (and nourishing) way when he said, "Why not go out on a limb? Isn't there where the fruit is?" (Chew on that for awhile and forgive me for the irresistible puns!)

RISK

2011-05-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

One way to free yourself from feeling stuck in both your behavior and thinking is daring to risk. You can break through old comfort zones and walls as you become more empowered. "To try is to risk failure... the greatest hazard of life is to risk nothing." - Leo Buscaglia
Remember, "only those who risk going too far can know how far they can go." - Unknown Source

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

2011-05-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORMS TO PASS. IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.
Vivian Greene

IMAGINE!

2011-05-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Albert Einstein says that "your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions." A challenge seems to be that if we really want that new shiny new car, that great relationship, lotsa money in the bank, etc., and we don't have it, we invariably focus on what's missing in our lives. We need to learn to focus our imaginations on what it is we do want - not what's lacking. An unknown source may say it best with "change is created by those whose imaginations are BIGGER than their circumstances." So imagine it, see it, feel it, know it! Have fun with this!

ALL ABOARD!

2011-05-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

President Obama told the nation that capturing bin Laden was more evidence that Americans "can do whatever we set our minds to." That sort of belief in ourselves leads us to go after our dreams. But the fact is, often, our minds are divided, conflicted, with unconscious negative thoughts sabotaging us. The key to success is bringing those self-sabotaging thoughts to the surface, so they can be examined with a critical eye and, when appropriate, discarded and replaced with empowering thoughts. After all, if we're going to put our minds to accomplishing some major undertaking, why not have our ENTIRE minds on board?

SLOTHDOM?

2011-04-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Clients have been beating themselves up telling me how
LAZY they are and that's why they're not a "success." I hate that word. I see you guys doing lots, rushing around, taking classes, workshops, mailings, calls, etc. etc. If there's something more to do, then do it. And please stop calling yourself LAZY! Terrible message!! If you're pretty much working at capacity, how 'bout this instead:
"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." -
Jules Renard, Author

RESENTMENT

2011-04-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Some of you aren't thrilled with pilot season. Feelings of 'why him and not me," "it's just not fair," envy, etc. are popping up. Try to keep in mind that filling yourself with such thoughts and feelings are extremely toxic.

I came across this quote and thought it was genius:
"RESENTMENT IS LIKE TAKING POISON AND WAITING
FOR THE OTHER PERSON TO DIE." - Malachy McCourt, Author

Rather profound, don't you think?

QUESTION

2011-04-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

Here's something to ask yourself:

IF I WERE COMPLETELY FREE, WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY TODAY?

And then how about doing it? Just a thought...

JUMP IN!

2011-04-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

How are you doing on the enthusiasm meter?
Are you lagging, sagging, exhausted, overwhelmed? Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us that, "Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm." If you're not feeling much right now, then fake it 'til you do. A very wise actor once said, Life begets life, energy begets energy. It is only by spending oneself that one becomes rich." - Sarah Bernhardt

DREAM IT, DO IT!

2011-03-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here's an experiment from supercoach, Michael Neill. Pick your dream.

You know what it is. Do at least ONE thing in the next 24 hours that makes your dream palpable, tangible. It's not how BIG the action is that you take. Rather, it's about whatever action you take, is done with your full conscious awareness that you're making your dream come true - one small step at a time. Do this every day. Do it, feel it, see it, claim it!

Go for it!

Launch Your Dreams

BE, DO, HAVE

2011-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

I think we've got it backwards. We believe that if we HAVE more stuff and more money, we will be able to DO more of what we want. And then, we'll BE happy and fulfilled. Consider, if you will, that this actually works in REVERSE:
"You must first BE who you really are, then DO what you love to do, in order to HAVE what you want."- Margaret Young
And the great news is that since life is a creative process, we can CREATE who we want to be! So go to it! Start creating and remember, Be, Do, Have!

PICKY

2011-03-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

We care about stuff that may not be so important in the greater scheme of things: 'will he call me, does she like me, does he think I'm a good actor/writer/mermaid, you name it, does Mr. X think I'm good enough, do I have on too much makeup, too little makeup, why do I care so much about what other people think?'-- you get my drift. "You're picky about the car you drive. You're picky about what you wear. You're picky about what you put in your mouth. We want you to be pickier about what you think." - Abraham-hicks.com

INNER WORK

2011-03-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

I have an actor client who is wild with joy!
Why? She's doing the inner work. She's doing way more than mailings, drop-offs and workshops. She e-mails me daily that she's doing her powerful mantras, visualizing the outcome she desires, a daily gratitude list, reaching out to people who can help her, and telling 3 people a day her goal - booking a tv credit by the 43rd of Soon. It works, guys! What are you doing?

AWARENESS IS EVERYTHING!

2011-02-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

A client was telling me that what's making the biggest
difference in her life is awareness. She pays particular attention to painful thoughts and feelings, and then can decide if she wants to stay in that place. She no longer feels stuck. Smart choices come from the knowledge that you really are in charge of your thoughts and what you choose to focus on. "Knowledge of any kind... brings about a change in awareness from where it is possible to create new realities." - Deepak Chopra

BE YOURSELF!

2011-02-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'm hearing some actors carry on about wanting to be who the casting director, producer, director wants you to be. Give it up, guys! First of all, how do you know? Not to mention that second-guessing them is going to do you absolutely no good! I don't know too many functional crystal balls these days! So just be YOU! Your beautiful, magnificent, unique, talented, YOU! After all, "what you must dare is to be yourself." -
Dag Hammarskjold

SATISFACTION

2011-02-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

I think where so many of us get hung up, is wanting what we want and at the same time focusing on what we DON'T have. We can want that cool red sports car, but if we're moaning and groaning everytime we get in
our old, sputtering truck, we're enhancing our vibration of lack. In other words, "If you don't feel really good on your way to there, you can't get there. You have to be satisfied with WHAT IS while you're reaching for more." - abraham-hicks.com I know it can be challenging, but please attempt to appreciate your situation RIGHT NOW AND, at the same time, look forward to what's coming. You may want to try visualizing and feeling what you want for 15-minutes a day. This is is a powerful, vibration-shifting exercise.

AN INSIDE JOB

2011-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed how easy and natural it is to think that the problem is out there? It's somebody else, something else, having nothing or little to do with us. Wanna rethink that? "If you start to think the problem is 'out there,' stop yourself. That THOUGHT is the problem. - Stephen Covey
Worth pondering, don't you think?

FEAR VS. TRUST

2011-01-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

Many counsel that fear lies underneath our need to be in control. What kind of fear? You name it! It can be fear of loss, of rejection, the unknown, not handling something well, saying the wrong thing, looking like an idiot... As we try to control more and more and don't succeed, fear takes root and grows. "Trust, on the other hand, is a quality of the soul. While control is a tool of the mind, trust and faith are aspects of the HEART... When we trust enough in life to give up our need to control, we can relax and open to the flow of energy in our lives." - higherawareness.com (check out their INSPIRATIONAL messages!) You get to choose. What'll it be? FEAR OR TRUST?

BURIED TREASURE

2011-01-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

So many of us tend to look outside ourselves for peace, happiness and joy. Yet great teachers and mystics remind us that these treasures lie inside of us. So maybe you get that guest star role, or sell that screenplay. But if your foundation is based on vast reservoirs of insecurity and opinions of others, what you call success can be difficult to sustain, let alone achieve. Sufi poet Rumi says it so simply:
"You wander from room to room

Hunting for the diamond necklace
That is already around your neck!"

PERFECT NO MORE

2011-01-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing too much wailing lately about the need to be PERFECT.

Noted author John Updike believes "perfectionism is the enemy of creation." He understood the need to be perfect stops the forward march of any creative undertaking. In my considered opinion,there is nothing useful about striving for "perfection." Carried to extremes, it's toxic as well as paralyzing. Maybe it's about working to be the best you can be -- a work in progress. There is no perfect - only a better you. "And who is to judge what is 'perfect' anyway? What I have judged full of flaws so many others have called terrific. Maybe the definition of Perfection is something that actually gets done." - - Neale Donald Walsch

CREATIVITY

2011-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties."- Erich Fromm So how about asking yourself what you need to let go of to enhance and augment your own creativity?

BUMPS IN THE ROAD

2011-01-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

People talk about being on their "path." But it's never really a stick-straight road with well illuminated signs, is it? So, if you get discouraged, remember that " the road to success is always under construction." - Lily Tomlin

Resolved.....

2011-01-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

A client said to me that she doesn't believe in New Years resolutions. She thinks it doesn't make sense to wait until the beginning of January to do what has to be done. So...... what has to be done? You know the answer to that. You know what you're putting off and avoiding. So reach down and JUST DO IT!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2011-01-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

Wishing you a wonderful, productive, amazing year!
"If a man does only what is required of him, he is a slave. If a man does more than is required of him, he is a free man." Chinese Proverb

HOLIDAY STRESS

2010-12-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

Okay. We all know holidays can be stressful.... real stressful. So here are a few ideas so you can let go of some of it and become more centered, more relaxed, and make it through the holidays. Here we go:

TAKE A DEEP BREATH, call a friend, laugh often, ask others for help, take breaks, prioritize tasks, visualize a peaceful scene, massage tense muscles, reward yourself, meditate, count to 10, enjoy small pleasures, believe in yourself, be kind to yourself, cry if necessary, play games, play with animals, take bubble baths.
Also, TAKE ANOTHER DEEP BREATH, take a walk, get organized, do neck rolls, stretch often, learn to say "no," don't sweat the small stuff, reflect on the good stuff in your life, see problems as challenges, stop and smell the roses, build a snowman, screen your calls, give hugs, seek out positive people, read a good book, listen to your music, remember your successes, laugh often, pull our your gratitude list, AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH!
Come up with some of your own. Take good good care of yourself!

Rain or Shine

2010-12-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that if you wake up moaning and groaning, and think it's gonna be a crap-on-a-stick kinda day, you're probably right? Mike Dooley, founder of Notes from the Universe and tut.com, tells us to choose good thoughts since "our thoughts become things and the proof is in the lives we lead." It's about using your mind to work FOR you rather than AGAINST you!

AN OLD FAVORITE

2010-11-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

I watched the Wizard of Oz the other night for the 9 millionth time. I was struck by the simple message of this brilliant movie: Everything we need is already inside us. The scarecrow was a natural leader, the Tin Man was kind and loving, and the Lion led the charge to the witch's castle. Our brain, heart and courage is already intact. Sometimes all we need to do when we're feeling discouraged is awaken ourselves from the field of poppies.... lovely poppies as the Wicked Witch of the West would say. It's the Gremlin who tells us "I'll get you my pretty and your little dog too!" You have the brains, heart and courage to neutralize your Gremlin - so you can do what you have to do to get what you want. So put down the broomstick, throw water on that "cursed fool" Gremlin, and realize that all you want and need is already there.

ICED TEA

2010-11-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

What seems to be working for my clients is that they aren't just committed. They are taking ACTION -- every day -- rehearsing, writing, e-mails, drop-offs, networking, workshops, phone calls, etc. and then FOLLOWING UP. Yes, read that again -- FOLLOWING UP. So you want something, you commit to it and then you take bold, decisive action. You're probably familiar with the famous Goethe quote. But here's part of it again: "...the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred...Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, BEGIN IT. BOLDNESS HAS GENIUS, POWER AND MAGIC IN IT. BEGIN IT NOW." Seriously folks, I'm seeing this happen over and over. Seemingly unrelated events and situations unfold into this beautiful tapestry of achieving. You may desire that glass of ice tea, but the glass of tea isn't going to magically float over to you as you lie semi-comatose on your couch. You actually have to GET UP AND OPEN THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR!!! Commitment PLUS action PLUS total BELIEF in yourself. Do it. Be it. Own it. If not now, when?

BE DARING!!!!

2010-11-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

'BE DARING! BE DIFFERENT! BE IMPRACTICAL!
BE ANYTHING THAT WILL ASSERT INTEGRITY OF PURPOSE AND IMAGINATIVE VISION AGAINST THE SLAVES OF THE ORDINARY. - Cecil Beaton

FEEL GOOD! REAL GOOD!

2010-10-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Many of you are familiar with the concept of being a vibrational match to what it is you desire. How can you get what you want if you're in a funk? "All the resources you will ever want or need are at your fingertips. All you have to do is identify what you want to do with it, and then PRACTICE THE FEELING-PLACE of what it will feel like when that happens...There is nothing holding you back, other than your own contradictory thought. And your emotion tells you you're doing that. Life is supposed to be fun - it is supposed to feel good! Savor more; fix less. Laugh more, cry less. Anticipate positively more; anticipate negatively less. Nothing is more important than that you feel good. Just PRACTICE that and watch what happens." - abraham-hicks.com
So how are YOU feeling today?

GRAY TWILIGHT

2010-10-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you are telling me about what holds you back in moving towards your passion and you goals. 'If I move forward, take risks, work REALLY hard and then NOTHING comes of it, I will have failed - big time. But if I do just a little, the bare minimum, then when nothing happens I won't feel as bad cuz I never gave it my all.'

Really? This is how you want to live? Think on this: Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twillight that knows not victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

In my opinion, the only way you will NOT have regrets, is if you give it your all. So push forward, take risks and enjoy the journey. What else is there?

NO MORE EXCUSES

2010-10-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

A client told me that he's tired of waiting for THE MIRACLE to float down from the heavens and land on his doorstep. Eager and motivated, he wants to:

- redouble his efforts
- work harder
- do what he can do
- give up excuses!

"Nice words. But what about now?" I said. So, while on the phone with me, squirming and groaning, he took a deep breath, and did 3 tasks that he REALLLY wanted to avoid. And he survived. Bravo! So what are you putting off? Better yet, what are YOU going to do today? No more excuses. Do it now! If you don't, who will?

A Clean Slate

2010-10-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

A director client, weeks away from shooting, was convinced his film would end up on someone's 'worse movies of all time' list. He was so busy catastrophizing that he was blind to the progress he was making as a filmmaker. Paralyzed by fear, he wasn't taking the necessary steps to avert the disaster he dreaded. He now realizes that it's important to love the process and the learning that comes from the making of his film. He really got it when he said, "today is the joy of my project." There's much joy to be had in the details of today. So go claim it - today!

DO IT ANYWAY

2010-10-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

The brilliant playwright Samuel Beckett reminds us to "Try again. Fail again. Fail better." It's really about just recovering faster. How 'bout looking at it this way? "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

So enthuse up and keep going for it!

ACTION

2010-09-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Take action. What have you been putting off? What can you do today? A call? An e-mail? A workshop? After all, "You'll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind." - Irish Proverb

THE ROOM

2010-09-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

When I start working with clients, I hear about your auditioning fears and anxieties and shakes and quakes and nausea. Please know this: THEY - the ones watching you in the big, bad scary room - WANT YOU TO DO WELL! Yes they do! Really! They have absolutely no interest in falling on the floor laughing when you blow it. The CD wants you to do well. She doesn't want death stares from the producers when no one fills the bill. She doesn't want to have to find more actors when she thought the ones she found were terrific to begin with. She doesn't want to look bad. So you can make her look good. Very good. Believe in yourself!

C'mon! They want you to succeed! Truly! Take it to the bank! You DESERVE to be there. You deserve to blow everyone away with your brilliance. It's okay to be confident and have fun in the room. So just be yourself. Look, you're getting a chance to do what you love. So enjoy your opportunity. Love the process. Be fully present, have fun, really listen, and let go.

THIS OLD THING?

2010-09-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever received a compliment and replied, "oh, this old thing?" Or do you roll your eyes while emitting an enormous ear- splitting sigh conveying that the other is a complete and total moron. You gotta start accepting ALL COMPLIMENTS with a simple THANK YOU!!!! So grit your teeth and paste a smile on your face. Why? When you reject a compliment the message that you're giving YOURSELF is that you are not worthy of praise. Start a new habit today! Suck it up, take a deep breath, and JUST SAY THANK YOU! And keep practicing. It will get easier the more you do it.

CLIMB OUT OF THE WELL

2010-09-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

As summer draws to an end, it's time to take stock. I hear about actors going into the "room" and freaking out cuz Susie is taller, shorter, blonder, fairer, prettier, better hair, killer eyes.... you get my drift.
Do yourself a favor and put down the whip called COMPARE/DESPAIR. If you continue to play the comparison game, you will, I promise, continue to feel like crap. So change your internal dialogue. Make it a game. When you see buff Bobby immediately compliment him in your mind.... Don't let yourself slide into the rancid well of comparing. Climb on out. Remind yourself that you're fabulous! You're unique. You're special. Know it!

YOU VS. THE MOUNTAIN

2010-08-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Edmund Hillary, the first person to get to the top of Mt. Everest, said, "it is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." Sure, set your goals, dream your dreams, make your plans. And, make sure you take a good long look at yourself - from the inside out. Ask yourself is my magnificent mind working for me or against me? Am I getting in my own way? How? What can I do differently? Do I truly feel deserving?

BACK TO THE PRESENT!

2010-07-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Many of you struggle by continually asking, "where's my success?" Where's my lead role in a series?" etc. You struggle with where you are now vs. where you want to be. You spend way more time in the future than the present. Abraham says it best: "You think that the goal is to be over there, and we say the goal is the Journey over there; the goal is the FUN you have along the way on your way to over there." abraham-hicks.com

PILOT SEASON

2010-04-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

So pilot season didn't go your way. Yeah, it sucks. So what are you gonna do now? Bitching and moaning won't get you anywhere. You gotta pick yourself up, dust yourself off and just keep going.

Lance Armstrong said that "pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." If you go to an audition with a bad attitude, you're quitting. If you blow off class with a "why bother" attitude, you're quitting. If you make that scary phone call in a timid, anxious way, you're quitting. C'mon you're actors. So act CONFIDENT during that phone call. If you don't believe in yourself, who is going to? Your negative poor-me scenarios aren't helping. They're just dragging you down. You've had time to feel your disappointment. Great! But let's get past it. Make another choice. A better choice. Choose yourself - not those negative voices swirling around in your mind. You can't control who the producers decide to cast. You can control what you tell yourself about it.

Spinning Out

2010-01-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

I love watching figure skating. The great skaters have a powerful combo of athleticism, immense technical ability and soaring (no pun intended) artistry. Scott Hamilton, who won a gold medal and is now a commentator, said something on a recent telecast that really struck me. After a skater landed on her butt, he made it clear that it's not that you fall, it's what you do after you get up.

So actors, can you apply this to the excitement/anxiety of auditioning? Let's say you mess up. Do you pull the covers over your head while smoking hoping to do yourself in? Do you drink yourself into oblivion? Do you allow the negative voices to mercilessly berate you saying you should give it all up and go home to Arkansas where you belong? Or do you pick yourself up, feel the disappointment, ask yourself what you can learn and what you might do differently (without obsessing) and MOVE ON? Please don't beat yourself up until you're a bloody mass of insecurity and despair. Hey it's all about Recovery. Put down the whip!

Scott Hamilton must have fallen on his butt thousands of times. And over and over and over and over he got up, made adjustments as necessary, kept going, and eventually won the gold. The guy knows what he's talking about. You can keep skating on thin ice, or you can train your mind to work for you, rather than against you. You can recover faster - and more intelligently. Really!

2009-12-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

Qualifications

2009-12-20T20:19:00.001-08:00

On set as an A.D./Stage Manager, I promised anxious actors that the giant python wrapped around the lead actor’s neck had absolutely NO interest in hunting them down and swallowing them whole while they were learning 11 pages of rewrites 15 minutes before air. And I’ll never forget the wrap party for a cancelled series where I looked on in amazement as the disgruntled, disappointed star waltzed off the stage with a pricey floor lamp and whatever else he could stuff under his long coat. Then there was the time the ceiling opened up on Stage 21 covering everyone and everything in a coat of dust and debris. I can still hear the screaming.

So whether you’re an actor, writer, agent, producer, manager, studio executive, casting director, actor, writer or disgruntled gopher, I know your world. My exhaustive hands-on experience makes me uniquely suited to help steer you through your Hollywood experience and any changes you may want to make – personal or professional.

What Does Genie Know About Life?

2009-12-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

After way too many years of parking space paranoia, last-minute colored revision pages, and 3 am shoots, I turned in my parking pass, moved to Santa Barbara and became a licensed psychotherapist. (Please note that I will be working with you as Life Coach, not as a therapist. For example, we will NOT discuss how traumatized you were at age 10 when your mother made you dress up as a turkey at Thanksgiving and tap dance for your snickering cousins who enjoyed seeing you humiliated.) As an extra special bonus, given my 10 years working in the field of domestic violence, I can provide helpful pointers on anger management, stress management and communication skills. These tools will prove particularly useful for anyone involved in a conversation that includes the words, “We’re going in a different direction.”

Reviews

2009-12-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

Please check out a sampling of my reviews. Yes, they are REAL quotes from REAL people:

"Genie is a Genie! She is warm, welcoming and so in tune with actors and how they are wired. I am excited to see what new perspective and possibilities I create with Genie's help."

"Genie Kahn is a modern day Merlin. Through her wisdom and intuition, I have been able to pull THE SWORD (ME) from the STONE (MY CRAP) and wield it with precision and power."

"First, let me say how thankful I am for Genie Kahn. This woman is amazing, lovely, generous, insightful, funny, true... In the beginning I expected rejection, the life of the starving artist, the pain, the suffering, and never really quite achieving all of those hopes and dreams I had as a child. But Genie armed me with a tool box, with a new language that gave me the power and the confidence to change those belief systems. She helped me clear out the weeds and to stop minimizing my accomplishments -- she truly was the key ingredient in this rebirth of my career. Genie made me realize that the message I was putting out into the world about myself and my art is in my control. I don't have to let the network executives, the casting directors, or my team be in control of my validation as an artist. I'm in the driver's seat. She has brought me to truly trust myself to be myself in every aspect of my life. But one thing I am most grateful for and has stuck with me on a daily basis, is that when I meet my own need for approval, I never have to fear rejection. Call her -- it wll change your life in exciting, unexpected ways."

“Since working with Genie I have more awareness about what holds me back and more tools to deal with the ups and downs of the business and of life in general. Genie has helped me have a clearer and calmer mind, set priorities and take meaningful positive action towards my goals, personal and professional. I highly recommend Genie as a Life Coach.”

“From day one, Genie was enthusiastic, supportive and has a beautiful, gentle way of pushing you to find the answers for yourself. I would send anyone who wants to make major shifts in their life to her. It is not too dramatic to say she changed my life. I have gained confidence through the work with her and feel fulfilled and happy in a new way that I never knew before.”

“Genie’s coaching has been invaluable to all parts of my life. My relationships, my career, my confidence are all better and more effective because of the insight and changes that Genie has helped me achieve. I was once wary of telling people I had a life coach. I felt it was too Hollywood. Now I want to shout it from the rooftops. My life is better and my life is fulfilling, and it’s because of my time with Genie Kahn. I can honestly say it has been the most transformational four months of my life.”

"Thank you for referring me to your sister. I've been working with her for a month now and she's amaaaaaazing! I LOVE HER.

"I just had my first life coaching session with your sister and I just wanted to say she is great! I already feel so empowered! I have a clear direction of what I want to and will accomplish this week, but in no way feel overwhelmed. Thank you so much for recommending her!"

“She is so loving, supportive, made me feel very good, secure, and like I was really discovering things about myself. I felt so proud and positive after talking with her. I have my own resistance to the idea of needing this, but while I was in the conversation with her, it felt right. I LOVE that there is not any talk of why I do and think the way I do but instead [just a] focus on how to move forward. . . . To have someone talk with me about it in such a direct way and in a way that really encourages me to come up with it all with the addition of being held accountable is exactly what I need.”

Rates

2009-12-20T20:16:00.001-08:00

Give me a call and we'll discuss!