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Let's Practice Mindfulness! · The Aligned Actor

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SPEAKER_00: Hello, friends.
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SPEAKER_00: I've decided to add a new element to the Aligned Actor pod tube stack.
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We're going to be practicing mindfulness together on a fairly
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regular basis because
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SPEAKER_00: mindfulness is a huge foundation of my work.
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I'm a mindfulness and mindset coach,
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after all,
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and mindfulness is the first part of that.
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And one of my missions with my business is to demystify
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mindfulness and make
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engaging in a regular mindfulness practice as accessible and
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easy as possible for
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SPEAKER_00: people.
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SPEAKER_00: Mindfulness is incredibly simple when you boil it down.
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It's a special way of paying attention to the present moment
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with curiosity instead of judgment.
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SPEAKER_00: Typically, we focus on our breath and then just notice
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whatever we notice within ourselves and around us so the
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physical sensation of
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breathing the thoughts that are present in the mind the
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emotions that you might be
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feeling within you the noise of that airplane going overhead
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and as you're
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witnessing what's present within you and around you one of
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those things might
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SPEAKER_00: decide to take center stage of your mind look at me look at me
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SPEAKER_00: Jazz hands!
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SPEAKER_00: And suddenly you're watching some solo show.
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SPEAKER_00: Sholo show.
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SPEAKER_00: You're watching a solo show.
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Rehashing something from your past or forecasting off into your
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future or,
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SPEAKER_00: I don't know,
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SPEAKER_00: imagining what it would be like to win an Oscar.
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The point is that you're no longer observing the present
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moment,
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but that's no big deal.
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SPEAKER_00: Cause when that happens and that happens to all of us,
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SPEAKER_00: you just kindly and gently guide your focus back to your breath.
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SPEAKER_00: It's no big deal.
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SPEAKER_00: Oh yes.
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I should definitely remember to thank all those folks in my
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acceptance speech,
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SPEAKER_00: but right now I'm going to lovingly guide my focus back to my breath,
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SPEAKER_00: back to my experience of the present moment.
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no need to curse yourself out there's no need to berate your
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wandering mind just
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let the orchestra play you off as you return your focus to the
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present moment it's
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simple it's gentle rinse and repeat as many times as needed
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during a mindfulness
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SPEAKER_00: session so let's go ahead and practice together now
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If you're driving or doing something that requires your full
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attention in order for
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SPEAKER_00: you and others around you to be safe,
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SPEAKER_00: please come back to this portion of the pod tube cast at a later time.
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SPEAKER_00: But if you're able to practice with us now, let's go ahead and settle in.
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SPEAKER_00: So find a comfortable position for your body.
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SPEAKER_00: You could be seated.
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SPEAKER_00: You could be standing.
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SPEAKER_00: You can have your eyes open or closed, it doesn't really matter.
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SPEAKER_01: Just start to tune in to the sensation of your breath.
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SPEAKER_01: Noticing the inhales and the exhales.
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Maybe even intentionally slowing down your exhale so that you
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can allow your heart
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SPEAKER_01: rate to come down a little bit.
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SPEAKER_01: And as you focus on your breath,
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SPEAKER_00: go ahead and take notice of whatever your body is in contact with.
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So for me,
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I'm sitting in a chair and I'm noticing the contact between my
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body and that chair.
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SPEAKER_01: If you're standing,
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Notice the contact between your feet and the floor or ground
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beneath you.
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SPEAKER_02: And just let your body relax as much as possible.
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SPEAKER_02: into whatever surface is supporting you.
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Even if you're standing,
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let yourself feel grounded and supported by the ground beneath
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you.
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SPEAKER_01: Continuing to focus on your breath.
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SPEAKER_00: Allowing your breath to relax your body.
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noticing the sensation of the inhales and the exhales,
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and then seeing what else you notice.
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Maybe there are thoughts that you can just let pass by like
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clouds in the sky.
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SPEAKER_02: Maybe there's an emotion present within you.
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SPEAKER_01: That again, you can just observe without attaching to.
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SPEAKER_01: Maybe there are sounds in the environment around you.
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And again,
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you can just mindfully observe with curiosity instead of
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judgment.
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And if any of these things that you're observing within you or
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around you decides
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SPEAKER_00: to take center stage of your mind,
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present a little show for you that completely takes you out of
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the present moment,
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SPEAKER_01: that's okay.
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SPEAKER_01: You can just acknowledge that.
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Gently choose to return your focus to your breath and to the
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present moment.
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And we just keep practicing in this way all throughout the
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mindfulness session.
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SPEAKER_01: Staying with the breath.
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noticing what we notice if we notice that the mind completely
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wanders away off into
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the past rummaging around or sailing away into the future
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anticipating things just
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SPEAKER_02: gently
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SPEAKER_02: Very kindly bring your focus back to your breath.
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Your breath is like a loving friend,
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always ready to welcome you back to the present moment.
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SPEAKER_01: Now we're going to bring this mindfulness session to a close.
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I invite you to just find some gentle movement that your body
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might enjoy right now.
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SPEAKER_01: And then whenever you're ready, you can open your eyes.
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SPEAKER_01: Welcome back.
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SPEAKER_00: And now,
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as we're all sort of enjoying the afterglow of that little
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mindfulness session,
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I want us all to remember that there are so many great benefits
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of mindfulness for
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SPEAKER_00: both humans in general and actors specifically.
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SPEAKER_00: Practicing mindfulness,
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SPEAKER_00: tuning into your breath,
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observing the present moment with curiosity instead of judgment
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can really help you
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SPEAKER_00: relax and relieve stress from your mind and body.
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I know I feel infinitely more relaxed after having guided us
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through that session.
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It can calm your nerves before a big scene that you might be
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doing for an audition
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SPEAKER_00: or you're about to be called or invited to set.
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It can help you stay more present in your work,
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both in auditions and on set.
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SPEAKER_00: You're really staying there with your scene partner,
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SPEAKER_00: really listening and reacting moment to moment.
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It can help you get out of your head in auditions and stay
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focused on what your
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SPEAKER_00: character wants and those specifics in that scene.
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It can help you notice when your inner critic is being really
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mean to you and driving you nuts.
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SPEAKER_00: And then you can start to practice, oh wait,
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SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to engage with that.
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I'm going to gently and kindly come to my breath and be a
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little bit kinder to
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SPEAKER_00: myself and practice kindness towards myself.
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SPEAKER_00: It can help you become less judgmental of yourself and others generally.
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SPEAKER_00: And it can also help you start to question,
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SPEAKER_00: gently question,
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SPEAKER_00: if some of your dominant thoughts,
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SPEAKER_00: some of your mindset
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the way that you're approaching things in your career or in
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your life in general,
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if any of that might actually be limiting beliefs that are
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holding you back.
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SPEAKER_00: All this and so much more.
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SPEAKER_00: A regular mindfulness practice, even just 10 minutes a day.
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I always start my day with 10 minutes of mindfulness and it
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really helps set the
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SPEAKER_00: tone for my day.
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SPEAKER_00: These benefits then, as we practice more and more,
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SPEAKER_00: These benefits become more accessible to us.
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SPEAKER_00: I always like to say that the benefits of mindfulness are cumulative.
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SPEAKER_00: So the more you practice,
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SPEAKER_00: the benefits like compound on each other,
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like the practice kind of snowballs and you get better and
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better at all of this.
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SPEAKER_00: And it's a really great thing for humans, for actors, for everybody.
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SPEAKER_00: Actors are humans too.
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SPEAKER_00: Newsflash.
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You find it easier and easier to do all of these things that
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I've mentioned.
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SPEAKER_00: And you reap more and more benefits of mindfulness.
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SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, that's why we're here to do it.
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That's why I wanted us to be practicing together because it
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just takes practice.
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You just have to keep showing up and doing it and trying it
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again and again and again and again.
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SPEAKER_00: And that's why I decided that we're going to do this more.
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SPEAKER_00: And that's why we're here to practice together.
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And I even have a very special mindfulness meditation that I
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created for you as an
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SPEAKER_00: actor,
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SPEAKER_00: specifically for actors.
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Unless you also,
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as a non-actor,
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get auditions for things,
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but I doubt that.
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SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
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SPEAKER_00: Maybe it would work for something else.
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SPEAKER_00: But I have a pre-audition focusing meditation.
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It's a free meditation that's going to help you get out of your
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head and into your
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SPEAKER_00: character so that you can rock your next audition.
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And it's going to help you calm your nerves,
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let go of any distracting thoughts.
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SPEAKER_00: Like how many of us spend most of our time with our audition being like,
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SPEAKER_00: yeah,
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SPEAKER_00: but what does casting want?
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SPEAKER_00: How could I book this so I can make my insurance?
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SPEAKER_00: Like,
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we're going to let go of that stuff that we don't really have
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control over and
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SPEAKER_00: instead bring our focus back to what our character wants,
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SPEAKER_00: what's going on in the scene,
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so that then we can present our best work to casting and to
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production and be ready
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SPEAKER_00: to rock and roll in that way.
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SPEAKER_00: So I have links where you can get that in the show notes,
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SPEAKER_00: in the Substack post notes,
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SPEAKER_00: in the YouTube video description.
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SPEAKER_00: It's everywhere.
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SPEAKER_00: You can go and find it.
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SPEAKER_00: It's also on my website, thealignedactor.com.
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SPEAKER_00: And if you want to transform your actor mindset in general,
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SPEAKER_00: if you want help with mindfulness,
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and then also start to look for maybe the limiting beliefs that
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your mind is
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SPEAKER_00: putting in your way,
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SPEAKER_00: or you want help with quieting your inner critic a bunch more,
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SPEAKER_00: I'm ready to help you with that.
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And I offer a complimentary session and rest assured,
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this is not a sales call.
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SPEAKER_00: I am not Alec Baldwin and Glen Gary, Glen Ross.
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SPEAKER_00: In my world, ABC means always be celebrating.
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So we'll probably do a lot of celebrating of you during that
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session,
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during that free session.
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It's really just a chance for us to connect and for you to walk
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away with some
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specific actionable ideas that you can start applying right
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away to start shifting
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SPEAKER_00: gently your mindset
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SPEAKER_00: and strengthening that mindset overall.
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You can even maybe think of it like an audition where you're
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the production team.
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And so I come in to audition for you and I show you what I do
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in the role of coach
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SPEAKER_00: by actually coaching you.
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SPEAKER_00: And then we leave each other and you get to decide,
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SPEAKER_00: hmm,
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SPEAKER_00: does my production need a mindfulness and mindset coach right now?
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SPEAKER_00: That's question one.
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SPEAKER_00: And then question two is, is Amy the right person for that role?
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SPEAKER_00: Maybe I am, maybe I'm not.
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SPEAKER_00: We just kind of see where we go from there.
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SPEAKER_00: Sounds kind of fun, right?
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So you can get that complimentary session by going to my
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website,
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thealignedactor.com.
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SPEAKER_00: There are also links everywhere you would expect to find links.
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There's a little form for you to fill out that asks you some
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very basic questions.
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And then I send you an email so that you can get on my calendar
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and we rock and roll from there.
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SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna have a lot of fun doing that.
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And then the third thing I wanna tell you about is that if you
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are stressed,
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SPEAKER_00: you should be practicing more mindfulness,
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SPEAKER_00: first of all,
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SPEAKER_00: which is really gonna help.
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And then also I have an ebook of even more mindful tools and
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life hacks that I use
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SPEAKER_00: all the time when I'm stressed out.
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SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't require that you like sit in meditation for a while,
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SPEAKER_00: although I have some bonus meditations as a part of that ebook.
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SPEAKER_00: But the book itself,
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SPEAKER_00: Accessing Calm,
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SPEAKER_00: is super simple mindfulness life hacks that I use every day.
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SPEAKER_00: These are tools that help me release tension from my body.
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They help keep my mind from spinning out of control with
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frustration and worry.
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They help me during the morning rush when I'm trying to get my
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kid off to school.
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They help me calm down before a big audition and get present
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there without having
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SPEAKER_00: to do like a big formal sit down mindfulness meditation.
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SPEAKER_00: And they help me deal with the stress of the world overall.
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SPEAKER_00: And the world is mighty stressful right now, folks.
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SPEAKER_00: Yes.
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SPEAKER_00: It's a really quick read.
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SPEAKER_00: And it has video demonstrations of all the tools.
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SPEAKER_00: And like I said, there are also some regular length.
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SPEAKER_00: I think they're like,
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SPEAKER_00: they range between five and 15 minutes,
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let's say mindfulness meditations that you can also use as a
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part of that.
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It's all just $7 and you can go pick up a copy for yourself on
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my website and all
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the links are everywhere you'd expect to find links as you are
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probably getting
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SPEAKER_00: used to by now.
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SPEAKER_00: So that's a good time too for you to go get that.
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uh and then finally i have some upcoming workshops on
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mindfulness coming up in
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october and november specifically and exclusively for members
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of the sag-aftra los
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angeles conservatory so you have to be a member of sag-aftra
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the union and you have
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to join the los angeles conservatory which costs 45 a year and
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then you get access
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SPEAKER_00: to all kinds of continuing development
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uh classes for actors i think there's like acting classes and
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businessy type
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classes and there's like a producing class and there's just a
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ton of stuff but the
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stuff that i teach the workshop that i'm teaching in october
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and november is
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SPEAKER_00: mindfulness 101 empower your craft and your career with your presence
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You can come learn about mindfulness and the many advantages it
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offers performers,
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SPEAKER_00: experience a guided mindfulness meditation,
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SPEAKER_00: much like we did today,
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and explore the benefits of developing a daily mindfulness
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practice and learn some
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SPEAKER_00: quick centering tools to use in auditions and on set.
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SPEAKER_00: It's a really fun time.
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I have taught this a few times at SAG-AFTRA LA Conservatory and
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people seem to
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SPEAKER_00: really like it and I'm excited to bring it back there again.
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SPEAKER_00: So again,
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SPEAKER_00: if you're a member of the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory,
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you can head to the calendar on their website and sign up and
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find the workshop
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SPEAKER_00: there.
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You can't always find it just because I think it has to be
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within two weeks before
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SPEAKER_00: it's released.
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SPEAKER_00: So I think the October one would probably be ready.
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And the November one wouldn't be on the calendar quite yet,
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but keep an eye out for it.
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SPEAKER_00: And if you're not a member,
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SPEAKER_00: I encourage you to join because like I said,
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SPEAKER_00: it's $45 for a full year of workshops and classes for actors.
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SPEAKER_00: It's good stuff.
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SPEAKER_00: All right, that's what I have for you today.
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SPEAKER_00: Take care, folks.
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SPEAKER_00: Be practicing mindfulness,
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and we're going to practice a lot more mindfulness on the Align
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Doctor Podstube
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SPEAKER_00: stack.
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SPEAKER_00: There we go.
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SPEAKER_00: Nope, that's not how you say it.
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We're going to practice more mindfulness on the Align Doctor
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Podstube stack in the future.
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SPEAKER_00: Take care.