Ahhh the holidays. 

The perfect time to sit back, relax with friends and family, and let you brain go fucking haywire contemplating whether it was a good year career-wise. FUN.

We are all guilty of this. Christmas time is usually spent with family who doesn’t really get what you do (you may need this to get you through it…and booze) so you spend hours explaining why you’re not on TV yet. Then New Year’s rears it’s {almost across the board disappointing} head and you’re supposed to evaluate your past year vs. your goals and then make new ones all while paying $75 for “A Champaign Toast At Midnight!”

Honestly….

Here is why this is a problem. 2017 was ROUGH you guys. No matter which way you spin it. But along with all the meme’s reinforcing how fucking bad it was, you’re still forced in that weird end-of-year way to review your victories…and reviewing career victories as an actor is REAL hard.

I used to define my winnings with big overarching things: a booking, a new agent, um….well that was pretty much it. 

Yes, those are the best things! Hell yes I want more bookings (maybe not more agents…) but counting those is like counting the amount of times it rained in LA in the past year: totally out of your control. PS- roughly 19 inches of rain if you’re curious. 

We have to stop doing this to ourselves. I am just as guilty. I was on hold for a few things before the holiday shut-down and my mind immediately feels like “it will be a MUCH happier Christmas if maybe just maybe I film something before I leave town”. Fun fact: I did not. Funner fact: I’m going to have a fantastic holiday regardless. 

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Here is what I am letting myself count as victories this year, to settle my mind and put me in a place of chill:

• auditions: we disregard these if we don’t book, but SO MANY actors would kill to just go on an audition. Huge victory. 
• holds/avails: holy shit, you not only did your job well, but you happened to fit into a role?? Congratulations, you are not only talented but you are also relevant to the acting work being made. Who cares if you didn’t get it (I know I know, I do too).
• personal projects: did you make a short film? Write a script? Curate your Instagram? Yes my friends, this all counts. 
• keeping your head in the acting game: headshots, updated reel, classes, workshops, dealing in any part with LA Casting via phone or email (do they know it’s 2017?) – working on your career without having a project coming up is EVEN MORE admirable in my opinion. It proves you are committed and growing AND that you belong in this crazy world. 

Did you get some point on the score board now? I bet you did. Enjoy that! Those are the small victories that will carry you on to an even better round next year. Now go get some egg nog and calm down. We’re all doing FINE.