The 9th installment in my Monday Mantra Series: I am a success at all I do!

"I'd rather us try and it not work than to regret us never trying."---Tommy Braden (my husband)

I don't like the word "failure". I used to believe in failure, but now I do not. I now believe in this: "It works or it does not."

My husband, Tommy, and I have adopted habits over the years in trying a bunch of things and waiting to see what works or what doesn't. We do not ever want to regret not trying something. Who wants to live with regret? I believe humans should try to do anything they want to do. If it doesn't work out, try to steer clear of calling it a "failure" and just say "it' didn't work", learn a lesson, and try again in a new way.

My husband and I were in a couple of talent agencies years ago. We got a few jobs here and there (Tommy was in a commercial for a cell phone company and modeled for a bank catalog, I did a gig for Nintendo where I was Mario, we were both in a Tim McGraw music video, I did voice over work for a jewelry commercial, etc.) but our acting side jobs weren't turning into careers. We both could have quit our day jobs and went to every single audition we were requested for, but we didn't want to do that. We knew we were in the wrong market to get any kind of big jobs so we just picked and chose some things to participate in, had some fun and then several years into it, we called it a day.

Neither of us call the acting experience a "failure". No, we didn't become big, huge stars, but we both felt drawn to do it. We knew it was a part of our life path. We took the experience and learned the lessons we needed to learn.

What were the lessons?

#1: Move out of the mid-west if you want to be an actor. There just aren't enough acting jobs in the mid-west to do very much. If you want acting to be a career, move to an area known to other actors as "the place to be".

#2: Rejection gets easier. The more and more jobs we auditioned for, the more the "no's" came our way. After a while, you just say "okay" when you get the no, and then move on and keep going. Having "no" said to you over and over and over again as an actor really helps you in the real world. Yes, all the no's can get to you over time (and you can cry if you need to when they  add up), but if you really want to do it, you have to keep going. I guess that's why we quit. We just weren't ready to give up our lives for it at that time (we didn't feel the need to continue doing it in our hearts), so it wasn't meant to be. (Oh, and the talent agency closed too. That was a big sign.....).

I write "I am a success at all I do" in my journal every day to remind myself that I am, in fact a success at all I do. If I feel something is right in my heart, I keep trying until it works. I've done a lot of cool things that have worked, so why would I think that I can't keep the cool things coming by trying some more? I figure, if I learn from every "no" and make a few tiny adjustments and try again, I'll be a success in time (because I know success takes time). Also, if I didn't try, then I'd regret it and regret is not fun. Except for when funny sayings like "Shoulda, coulda, woulda" come from it. (Thanks Sex and the City writers). :)

Backstory on my mantra series:

A mantra is a word, phrase, or sound that is repeated to aid in meditation. You could also compare it to a sort of prayer. I feel my journaling and writing of my mantras is a form of meditation or prayer. It calms me and helps me make better sense of my feelings and all the thoughts swimming around in my mind.

I believe saying or writing something repeatedly, as you already have it, aids one in attaining dreams and goals. If you write something as you already have it, it makes you feel, somehow, as if it is truly happening no matter how drastic or scary it may seem. It's like a trick to help your brain catch up to what your heart desires.