I’m POSITIVE I am not trendy.

Forgive me, readers. It has been 2 months since my last blog post.

My part of Australia (regional NSW) has finally decided to be trendy and caught up with the whole Covid-19 lockdowns thing. Which is not very nice. I don’t think I like being trendy. Except when it comes to using trending audios on Instagram Reels, because that is fun.

Fun = good. Virus-related lockdown = bad.

So anyway, as a consequence of lockdown life feeling rather like swimming through barely-wet cement, I’ve not been terribly productive lately. I’ve noticed the same amongst some friends and colleagues.

We all have shit days. Right? Sometimes shit weeks or months. It happens.

Sometimes we sit in our warm little home studio just staring at the padded walls because ugh, this is hard. And then sometimes we do a little happy dance and punch our padded walls with glee because wow, this is SO GREAT.

Here’s a few tips to keep the voiceover ship leaning more to the SO GREAT side of the… ocean… wait, ignore that metaphor…

They apply to anyone, obviously, but I shall call them tips for voice actors, because then I say voice actor a lot which is handy for SEO. Voice actor SEO. On my voice actor website, for people looking for fabulous voiceover from a fabulous voice actor.

Sorry, not sorry.

Here they are, The “I’m a POSITIVE voice actor” Tips For Feeling Better:

ONE:

Laugh! A comedy film, your hilarious best friend, your ridiculous stinky dog, terrible reddit memes, the hilariously insulting name a friend just called you (hands up if you recently called someone a “fungus-eating spawn of The Outback”) I’m sure you can find something to laugh at. 

TWO:

Be grateful! It works best of you actually write down some things you’re thankful for. There are actual scientific studies showing that people who wrote down three things they were grateful for, for between 15 and 30 days, were happier. Magic!

THREE:

Dance! I prefer the kitchen, with loud music, but balconies also work well.

FOUR:

Have sex! Yes, I said it! It should be said more. It’s so good for you! If you’re alone and in a locked-down area, I recommend erotic fiction and your very own lovely self. 😉

FIVE:

Meditate! Either sitting quietly by yourself, or search for a free meditation app. I use Insight Timer and mostly do Transcendental Meditation but there are lovely guided ones available. (Admittedly very snobby voice actor tip – try not to get annoyed at the sub-par audio quality of some of the recordings. Annoyance and meditation don’t go together…)

SIX:

Exercise! Doesn’t matter if you are very fit or not, some movement or a lot. Even just some good stretches will make your body feel better. Especially if you’ve been sitting or standing in your voiceover booth all day.

SEVEN:

Clean! I mean it! If your health is up to it, clean a room and see how satisfied you feel after! When was the last time you vacuumed the acoustic panels in your studio? (NB this tip is a big fat NOTE TO SELF: Sumara, go get the darn vacuum cleaner.)

EIGHT:

Hug someone! Again, if you’re alone and locked down, maybe a video call will do the trick.

NINE:

Do some gardening! If you don’t have a garden, you could get some herbs or succulents for a window-sill. (Here in NSW, hardware stores and nurseries are still open during lockdown). Such good vibes – plus bonus oxygen! My home studio doesn’t have a window so I’m very sad I can’t have plants in here, but I have many in other rooms.

And TEN:

Just remember how awesome you are. Go on, say to yourself “I am awesome.” Or an adjective of your choice: Fabulous, wonderful, clever, amazing, friendly, loveable, worthy, fun, smart, … heck, say ‘em all! Because you are, you fabulous talented voice actor, you. Just look at you go. Wow.

I hope I’ve made someone feel more positive today. Or given you a reminder for next time you need some cheering up. The global voice acting community is generally such a kind, supportive world to hang out in and I hope I’m adding some extra smiley goodness to it!

If you’ve got any other fabulous tips for getting the positive vibes flowing, let me know. I LOVE COMMENTS.