Episode 199: Gaining Perspective as an Actor
"Too often, we try to gain a clear perspective before it is time. That will make us crazy. We don't always know why things are happening the way they are. We don't always know how a particular relationship will work out. We don't always understand the source of our feelings why we've been led down a particular path. What is being worked out in us? What we are learning. Why do we need to recycle? Why we had to wait? Why we needed to go through a time of discipline, or why a door closed? How our present circumstances will work into the larger scheme of events is not always clear to us. And that is how it needs to be. Perspective will come in retrospect. We could strain for hours today for the meaning of something that may come in an instant next year. But let it go. We can let go of our need to figure things out. And we can let go of our need to feel in control. Now is time to be. To feel. To go through it. To allow things to happen. To learn. To let whatever is being worked out in us just take its course. In hindsight, we will know. It will become clear. For today being is enough. We have been told that all things shall work out for good in our life. We can trust that to happen. Even if we cannot see the place, today's events will hold in the larger picture."
I cannot tell you how many times I have tried to force a decision.
"Time, thou shall untangle this, not I. It is too hard a knot for me to untie."
That will allow me to have perspective. Unfold before me instead of me trying to unfold it.
"We don't always know why things are happening the way they are. We just don't. I don't know. I haven't got a clue. But sometimes it's best for me just to say; you know what? I don't know. And you know what?
There's no shame in saying you don't know. There's no shame in it. You don't have to know everything.
All you have to do is suit up and show up and do the very, very best you can.
The time that we need in order to gain perspective.
It's not something that we can force, but what we can do while we're waiting for that perspective is we can take care of ourselves.
"We do not always know how a particular relationship will work out. We just don't. But we can ask for guidance. Guide me. Show me what you need me to do in this particular relationship. We don't always understand the source of our feelings.
"We don't always understand why we've been led down a particular path. Guide me. Show me. Show me what you need me to learn on this path. Show me what you need me to learn in this particular day."
Lessons are recycled in us. And when I just kind of say, yeah, I'm not going to deal with something, or I'm not going to take responsibility for whatever this particular lesson I'm being taught in life is, I find that that lesson recycles. It recycles with just a little more urgency and just a little more; I hate to say it, pain because pain is an excellent motivator.
Along with perspective and waiting for perspective on your life, I find that takes a lot of humility. And humbleness. Because to gain perspective, we need to say, "I don't know." And to obey a higher power or a universe, we need to say, "I can't. You universe can. So I'm going to let you universe take over."
If you have discipline, you can do anything. And that includes waiting to gain perspective.
And this question, Why did that door close?
"Look back, don't stare."
And again, remember, forgiving is not forgetting. It's letting go of the past.
Perspective will come in retrospect.
"Now is the time to be. To feel. To go through it. To allow things to happen. To learn."
To be curious.
"Let whatever is being worked out in us take its course."
So that is the challenge I put before you today. And listening to this podcast is to implement those tools of asking for help and asking for guidance in trying to gain perspective in your life and in your acting career.
