As in theatre, so also in life... 8 Questions.

The following article appeared in the Huffington Post on July 21, 2014 under their blog, "GPS for the Soul". I have copied it here because the following life questions can be applied to the art of theatre. I take no credit for the views and content expressed. However, I do feel that these questions should be asked, and asked frequently....

8 Powerful Questions That Will Change Your Life

By Jonathan Alpert

As a psychotherapist over the past 15 years I've seen countless patients from all walks of life. I've worked with patients ranging in age from teenage to elderly. I've seen students, blue-collar workers, professionals, entertainers, billionaires, and some of the brightest and most talented business leaders and entrepreneurs of today. Regardless of the demographic, educational level, or bank account, there have been questions and things I have asked patients to think about that have resonated and served as a catalyst for them to make impactful changes and improvements in their lives. Many of the questions are explored in my book Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days.

For now though, take a look at the questions below and start to make powerful changes in your life:

• Imagine your life one year from now. If it's the same as it is right now, will you be okay with that? This question is designed to get you to think about what you're doing now and how you'd like life to be. It puts your current life smack dab in your face and asks you to consider if it is what you want life to be like one year from now. If not, then the question can be a catalyst to change.
• What are your strengths and what are you good at? So often when people are anxious, depressed, dealing with relationship issues, or going through a life transition, their thoughts linger on what isn't right, their faults, and perceived weaknesses. Redirecting your attention to what you're good at and your strengths is a powerful step to bring about change.
• What is truly important to you and what do you value? Before knowing what you want from your career or relationship, you have to know what you deem to be of great importance and value. For example, in a relationship, one might value good communication, honesty, and shared passions.
• What are your goals? Similar to the question above, one must know what they want to accomplish before they can take steps to change. Knowing where you want to go will tell you where to step.
• What can I control? Frequently people who worry and who are highly anxious think about things that are way beyond their control. For example, they might check the weather forecast obsessively if they have to go out. Will checking it change the weather? Probably not. Can we really control the weather? No, but we can control how we might dress if it is raining. By directing energy towards what is within our control we'll get to a solution more quickly than if that energy is exerted on things beyond our control.
• Ask yourself: what's an alternative explanation? People often jump to erroneous conclusions. They explain away things without any evidence or support for their thoughts. For instance, if your spouse comes home from work at the end of the day and is in a bad mood, rather than personalizing it and thinking that he/she is mad at you, consider alternatives: he had a bad day at work; he isn't feeling well, he is tired. The simple act of not personalizing, but rather, exploring other explanations can help to prevent a lot of anxiety.
• Suppose I do, then what? This is a powerful question to ask yourself if you're trying to eliminate an unhealthy behavior. I'll often pose this question to patients who are trying to get past an ex and obsessively check that person's Facebook page or other social media. They realize there is no positive outcome from checking. Another example -- someone who might reach for junk food to deal with stress. The question might trigger them to realize how unhealthy the behavior is and lead to exploring more healthy ways of managing stress.
• If I gave you a million dollars, could you figure out a way to make a change? Money remains a huge motivator for people and can lead people to dig in deep and think about how they may come up with solutions. Remember when you were younger and your parents offered you a few dollars if you washed the car or did some chores? Without the incentive you probably wouldn't have done it. Well the hypothetical million dollar offer works the same way (of course it's never paid out). It does though trigger a line of thinking that can be productive.

So, next time you feel stumped, stuck, or unsure where to go, ask yourself these powerful questions that will serve as an impetus to change.

For more tips on how to change your life check out my book BE FEARLESS: Change Your Life in 28 Days.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-alpert/8-powerful-questions-that_b_5601865.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000031&ir=GPS+for+the+Soul

I hope that you have found this to be informative. Until the next time, I will...

Exit, Pursued by a Bear... 

The Theatre Community (and vice-versa) - Part 1

I just read a very interesting article. I'd encourage you to take a moment and read it yourself.

Go ahead, I'll wait....

http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2014/01/is-your-theater-a-community-or-a-clique/

There... see! Not too painful I hope.

This article got me thinking about the community of theatre in the theatre community (or the lack thereof) that I have seen. Made me think about some of the theatre 'experiences' I've had over the past 20-odd years.

Some of it wasn't pretty... especially when I started out.

I believe I had much the same starting experience as many others had. I came to theatre a bit later than most, being a band geek for the majority of my high school career. When in college, I joined the student theatre group that was producing comedies and musicals and, unfortunately, due to poor grades, was unable to audition for the fall show my sophomore year. It was a small production of "George Washington Slept Here", an older comedy/farce, with a rundown home of historical significance as the show centerpiece, which slowly breaks its new owners. Think "The Money Pit" with Tom Hanks, but for the stage.

Without naming names and pointing fingers, I can say that it wasn't a great show. It actually had quite a few difficulties. Originally written and produced in the early 1940s, the script need updating to be a bit more current and the transition to fall of 1990 was not as clean as it could have been. Most of the cast was composed of the incoming freshman class, and the rest were completely new to Harrington Theatre Arts Company. It was a transition show, as many of the "Old Guard" had just graduated. It was somewhat profitable and many years later people still laugh about how bad that show was.

But that show was the "clique builder" for the next 3 years of my college theatre career.

And I wasn't in it....

If you were not in the cast or on the crew of that groaner of show, you were an outsider. That horrible experience was the common touchstone for the movers and shakers of the student theatre company from that point forward. It was the show were everyone met and bonded. If you were an 'outsider', you became one of the people NOT chosen to be a significant part of any shows that were to follow.

And this was my path for the next several years. All of college in fact... and even a little beyond.

It was a hard lesson to learn as a member of the only group producing musical theater. The only way I was able to crack that mold, even a little bit, was by auditioning for the only other student theatre group, E-52 Student Theatre, and land a staring role as Pale in a production of "Burn This". That show both shocked and surprised many of my peers, as most were unaware of what I was capable of. Truth be told, so was I, until that show. Through the character of Pale, my rage and frustration were on full display. Which may have made me even MORE of an outsider...

Even a great performance can do so much. And that break was not enough. Or maybe it was even too much. And some of the 'lessons' I learned while in college were very hard to unlearn as I moved out into the arena of community and regional theatre, once I graduated college.

Take a moment and think about your current theatre experience... how is that working for you? Are you an insider or an outsider? Leader or follower? Is your theatre a clique or a community? Nothing is truly black and white, so take another look at the article tagged above. If nothing else, I hope it starts a conversation.    

More on cliques and community and theatre later... for now, I will simply...

EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR...