It's your journey - shouldn't you enjoy it?

I am full of optimism for 2021. Not because the political world is changing or that we have a vaccination for COVID-19. Although they both are true. I like to see the future as a blank page. An artist’s canvas. You can’t change what happened in the past, only learn from it. The future, well that is where you can do things that can have an actual effect on outcomes. That is so exciting.

How do you feel about 2021? Having an optimistic frame of mind is not easy sometimes. The world has a way of putting obstacles in your way. Some are small bumps in the road, and some are great big, walls with barbed wire on top. Some things are within your control, others are things you can’t control. You must take solace though, in the fact that you have made it to where you are today. You have overcome many giant obstacles to get to where you are now, and you will figure out how to navigate any future bump in the road. No matter how big.

Can you change your mindset? YES! I truly believe you can. There is also a huge amount of evidence that supports this. How you do this is such a personal thing though. Many have found that reading well known self-help books can help. This has worked for me. Not because they are full of amazing advice that just by reading will change your life by osmosis! No, it’s a mindset thing. If you spend time reading positive literature, it lifts you. The opposite is also true. If you spend your time watching the 24-hour news cycle, it will drag you down.

What else can help? Meditation. We live in a busy world where we are connected 24 hours a day with our devices. This can take a toll on you mentally. Having a daily meditation routine can really help you step back and understand that it is all just noise. I find using an app on my phone that takes me on a guided meditation journey works best for me. I use the Breethe app which takes you through a daily routine and teaches you how to meditate. Yes, meditation is a skill you need to learn!

Speak to people. We speak into a microphone all day, why do I need to speak to people? One of the biggest things that helps successful people is having a network of friends and colleagues who support what you do. The voiceover industry is full of supportive people. We are well known for that. If you don’t already have an accountability buddy – get one. If you aren’t part of Zoom groups – join some. If you don’t go to conferences (hopefully post COVID-19) then go to one. It is good for the soul. Having people around you who understand your passion for this industry and are going through the same things as you is essential.

You can change the future. It is unwritten. No one has control over it but you. Are you going to allow the world to dictate what life has in store? Or will you grab life by the balls and take it for the rollercoaster ride that it really is. The great thing is that you get to decide which ride to take.