Befriending Fear For Actors

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Befriending Fear For Actors

by Sally Vanderpump

Type

guided

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Everyone

As actors and performers, we face fear often. It can show up in many forms, including procrastination and avoidance. Let's see what happens if we befriend fear, take a good look at it, and allow it to be present without taking over. Beautiful soothing music by Smoky.

Fear Anxiety Self Compassion Visualization Breath Awareness Grounding Positive Affirmation Relaxation Fear Management Visualization Technique Grounding Technique

Meet your Teacher

Sally Vanderpump

London, UK

Meet your Teacher

Sally Vanderpump

London, UK

Transcript

There's a phrase I've heard and I'm not entirely sure where it's from, But I've seen it around and it says, Fear is not the enemy, It's a doorway. And as an actor or performer we face fear all the time, We feel fear about putting ourselves out there, We're afraid of judgement or auditions or on stage or on screen, We can be afraid of failure, We can actually fear success. Sometimes we push through it because we know that what's on the other side of fear is worth it, It's going to bring us something amazing, But sometimes fear can be paralysing and can hold us back. Sometimes, And I know this to be true for myself, Fear shows up as procrastination. If I don't actually do the thing, I can't be judged for the thing and so I won't do the thing. But then I judge myself harshly for not taking the action that I could have done. And I know when I have taken action in the past, Often things have come out of it that have been so worth it. It's really worth pushing through fear and taking the action that's going to get you to where you want to go. So let's get friendly with fear and see what happens. Okay, When you're ready, Find a comfortable place to sit down or lie down if you can. Take a moment to pause and get comfortable. If you're sitting, Keep your posture upright as much as you can and your feet flat on the ground. Take a moment to feel connected to the ground. If you're lying down, Take a moment to feel the surface that you're lying on. You can close your eyes if that's comfortable or lower your gaze if you prefer. So let your breath soften and deepen. So let's bring to mind something that you're afraid of as an actor or an action that you're not taking. Let's start with something smaller, Not your deepest fears immediately, But maybe a role that you'd like to take on but feels big or something that feels uncomfortable but that you can manage. So bring your focus to your breath. You don't have to change anything, Just feel where the breath is coming in through your nose or where your stomach's rising and falling as you breathe. And then in your mind's eye, Bring that fear to your mind. And imagine holding it like something very precious or delicate. Perhaps that fear is a small creature or a very delicate glass object. Something very precious. Perhaps it has a color and a shape that you can imagine. So hold it in your mind's eye with tenderness and look at it with curiosity. Fear wants to be felt. It doesn't have to be obeyed. So notice the shape and any sensations. Is there any heat with the fear? Is it fluttering? Gently inhale and exhale. Can you stay with the fear? Can you sit here with it? You can keep breathing gently, Observing the fear and you can gently remind yourself, I am safe. I am capable. And as you acknowledge fear, You might find that it starts to change shape. It could morph into something else, Allow it to move and flow and gently dissipate. The fear has just been trying to protect you, So if you feel like it, You can just say thank you. Thank you for trying to protect me and then let it drift away. You don't need it anymore. So bring your attention back to your breath, Wherever you feel it, Whether that's in your nostrils or your chest or your abdomen, There's no need to change anything. Just gently bring your attention back if your thoughts wander. And you can imagine a beautiful light gently bathing you like sunshine, Gently shining on you wherever the fear was, Dissolving and dispersing, Replacing fear with calm. Breathe in the light, Breathe out, Breathe in the light and feel it spreading around your body and giving you a sense of peace. Whenever you're ready, Bring your attention back to the breath again and then start to sense the space around you again. If you can hear sounds in the room around you, Then you can start to bring some movement back into your body, Wriggling your fingers, Moving your toes, Gently blinking your eyes and coming back into the room. I hope that short meditation has given you a little bit more confidence and a gentle permission that you need to take action. I wish you really good luck and please let me know how you get on.