I have been appreciating this whole new “first world problems” meme that’s been circulating, hearing it a lot from clients as they tell me about an audition that went awry or and agent acting crazy.
“I know,” they say. “First world problems.”
Before I go on, let me say that there’s nothing wrong with needing to fix a first-world problem. If you cut your finger, you don’t forego a bandaid because somewhere else someone’s bound to have lost an arm.
But with that said, I think it’s really important as artists to see and appreciate all the blessings that we stand on and live our daily routines completely blind to.
For starters: health, food, shelter, breath, sight, hearing, speech, the computer or handheld device you are reading this on, and indoor plumbing.
A big ole trap that we creative types can fall into (especially if we live in one of the big metropolitan areas where narcissistic neuroses are in fact encouraged) is to get really focused on ourselves and how well our career/artistic development/professional life is or isn’t going.
If I could give you one sure-fire recipe for internal hell, it’s to think about yourself all the time.
That’s the real first-world problem, our crazy self-focus.
We sleep-walk and assume that our health, food, shelter, and DVR’s are givens. We’re surrounded by so much abundance in this country that we become desensitized to it and start to think we are self-sufficient. It’s not real.
No matter what your spiritual world view is, we all have to admit that we are not currently making our hearts beat, our lungs breathe, and our cells subdivide. There is mysterious, miraculous stuff going on, and we walk around completely emptied of our sense of wonder. We get lulled to sleep by the very gifts around us that could make us grateful.
So, the point to all this is if we want to be happier, more peaceful, more joyful human beings (and thereby more productive artists) let’s be grateful for every little thing we can.
Next, let’s turn our focus outward to one another. Who can you pick up the phone and call today and say, “You were on my mind. How are you?”
Third, let’s just remember that the fact that we can even take a voice lesson, an acting class, attend an audition, means that we have been given so many benefits that have led us to this new place and the challenges we have the privilege to contend with.
We are not self-sufficient. We are dependent every moment on the gifts we have been given. My hope for me and for all of you is that we live and work out of that place of wow and gratitude.
Have a great May everyone!
