Who would I be if I didn’t believe there was something wrong with me?

I was going to write a blog about money this week – fair rates for voiceover, unfair client expectations, valuing oneself etc… but then I listened to a wonderful talk and decided to do something different. Hey, money issues will still be around next week, I’m almost certain.

me and voiceover, intertwined like twineSo, this blog is barely even going to be about voice acting, except that voice acting is what I do and what many of you do so it’s our life and our life is it and it’s all intertwined like… twine.

 

I’ve been having a pretty hard time lately, mental health-wise. It’s nothing to do with the pandemic – I’m in a safe area with very few restrictions and no coronavirus so far and my family are all well and safe too. I just get stuck in my depression because I miss my children or because I struggle with daily demands or because I’m having a low work week. Then I get annoyed with myself for being depressed and then I go deep into really not liking myself and feeling like there’s something very wrong with me. I lash out at people who don’t deserve it and have no patience for people who need me, I don’t get anything productive done… really, I’m a bit of a messy little human being sometimes!

Hands up if you can relate to any of this!

You feel bad about yourself. You feel like you’re not a good person, like you’re not kind enough, not likeable, not successful enough, not fun enough… If you want to be specific: maybe you haven’t been booking much voiceover work, so you start to think you’re not a talented voice actor, you’re no good at business, you’re hopeless at marketing.

Well, here’s a question…

Is it true?

Really, is it?

I listed to Tara Brach’s most recent podcast yesterday in which she talks about the beliefs we hold about ourselves and the limits they create. She says that we tell stories about ourselves, and because we have very little objectivity about our own thoughts – we believe them. And when we believe that something is wrong, we ACT like something is wrong, and acting that way limits ourselves in every area of life.

The thing is that our thoughts are REAL, they are happening in our mind – but they are not REALITY. They are not the truth.

We don’t have to believe our thoughts.

And so, the next big question is – who would I be if I didn’t believe that there was something wrong with me? What would I be? Where would I be?

Isn’t this a FABULOUS question?!

Think about it – if you ACTUALLY BELIEVED that there wasn’t anything wrong with you, what decisions might you have made? Where might you have gone? What risks and steps and journeys might you have taken?

You can apply this to your voiceover career or other work life, or you can just apply it to yourself personally as a child, sibling, friend, partner, spouse, parent, acquaintance… stranger! Who / what / where would you be?

I’m not sure I dare to answer… but I think I’d be a lot more like the person I want to be. And just between you and me, I’d like to think I’d be a fabulously successful actress and voice actress making beautiful movies.

How about you?tell this microphone what you have believed about yourself

Please be brave: comment and let me know what you think and what kind of self-beliefs might have limited you in your life or career.

 

I’ll be back next week with more voice actor-y things! And money talk! And stuff! Go ahead and subscribe. I love subscribers!

Images by @blue_sky , @wanaktek and @arsen_petrovych  via Twenty20.

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7 comments… add one
  • Reece Sep 30, 2020 @ 11:50

    I love your work. That took courage. <3.

    • Sumara Meers Sep 30, 2020 @ 11:55

      Thank you honey. xo!

  • Joshua Alexander Oct 1, 2020 @ 6:27

    You are a bright soul in an otherwise dim world. That light needs batteries to run on. Sometimes the batteries need to be replaced. Replace ’em, enjoy that space between charges, breathe, and then shine brightly again. Nothing wrong with the space between. You are much appreciated!

    • Sumara Meers Oct 1, 2020 @ 9:39

      Thank you Josh! What an encouraging comment. Much appreciated. 🙂

  • Jon Gardner Oct 4, 2020 @ 6:06

    Sumara,
    I appreciate your vulnerability. It is a good question, if a little scary. I could easily get depressed about what might have been. You did give me a challenge to think about what can be. That is a great mindset to have.

    • Sumara Meers Oct 4, 2020 @ 12:49

      Thank you so much, Jon.

      You’re right that it can be scary and depressing. But it’s okay to be scared and depressed sometimes. Allow the feelings and then let them go, that’s what I think. 🙂

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