Commercial Success

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.” Wayne Dyer In one of my many incarnations, before I became a hypnotherapist, I was a children’s talent agent. I represented child actors from ages 5 to teen. It was my job to get them auditions. Some auditions were for TV shows but most were for TV commercials. During this process, a casting director would call me, the agent, asking me to send the child out to read lines or, sometimes, just to chat and be put on tape. If the casting people liked the child, he would be called back one or two more times until he or she was booked or dropped. The disappointment of not being chosen was keenly felt by these little actors even though there were a lot of factors effecting these decisions that have nothing to do with the child’s attractiveness, talent or acting ability. One of my very young clients, however, always maintained a sense of confidence, joy and excitement when going out to auditions. I later found out that after each audition his Mom would congratulate him for doing his “commercial” and they would celebrate by going out for ice cream or Mc Donald’s. In his mind he really had done a commercial. He read his lines, he talked to the camera, he gave his all. He didn’t know or care whether the commercial he did would be aired on TV. He had done his job; he was having fun and was being rewarded for it. He was enjoying the journey. That was over 20 years ago and I often think about that joyful little boy and the wisdom of the parents who gave him a foundation of appreciation for the success he was creating each and every moment. They encouraged and rewarded each step he took. For many of us, by the time we’ve reached adulthood, we’ve buried the joy of what we are doing under the burdens of expectations. We criticize and judge ourselves against what we perceive to be the greater success of others. We set a goal and then berate ourselves for not achieving it or achieving part but not all of it. We judge ourselves and worry about being judged by others. We lose sight of the purpose of self expression. The purpose of self expression is just that: expressing ourselves. It’s not about how much money you can earn from it; or how many awards you can win; or who you can impress. How often do you recognize your small triumphs? When was the last time you acknowledged yourself for a project still in process? When have you noticed each step on the way to a goal? You can feel just as joyful as that innocent little boy. The funny thing is that the more you acknowledge each triumph, the easier it is to take the next steps. Self expression is fun. Congratulate yourself for something today. Don’t just think it. Say it out loud. Look at yourself in the mirror and speak to the creative child that is still alive behind your eyes. Literally, pat yourself on the back. Your subconscious mind will hear your words; see and feel the loving touch. It will remember the praise. Today, how will you celebrate how wonderful you are?