I consider myself a Brave person… and many who know me would say the same. I have had my share of challenges in this lifetime, (more than my share), and at the end of the day, I always choose to get back up, dust myself off and move forward. When I was laid off from my full-time job back in the Fall of 2013, I came to a fork in the road. I had always had a full-time job and did Acting and Voice Over on the side. My choices consisted of two paths:
DOOR #1:
Get a new full-time job with security, benefits, a weekly paycheck and a 401K.
OR
DOOR #2:
Jump boldly into the abyss of uncertainty & fear of the unknown.
Now Michelle ABSOLUTELY was going for DOOR #1, you see, I AM A SAFETY girl. I have lived through some pretty crazy traumas (including my house burning to the ground, some major health issues, 8 retina surgeries and other traumatic events that have made THIS GIRL crave a SAFE life). I am kind of embarrassed to admit that, it doesn’t sound very cool, fun or sexy to crave safety, but if I am honest, that is how I really feel. Add to the mix that in the Fall of 2013, right after being laid off, I had 2 new surgeries on my eyes (which is a story for another time). The result of these surgeries has caused a strobe effect in my vision field that never stops… even as I write this today almost 9 years later… it’s there, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. So, when I came to this fork in the road, DOOR # 2 felt SCARY AS HELL. This is where my husband Tony comes in. At this very crucial crossroads, which was a very difficult and challenging time for me, I was blessed to have someone in my corner to cheer me on, to push me to try the unthinkable and be BRAVE, to choose DOOR #2 and take that chance, even if I fail, with no judgement. The truth is, HE BELIEVED IN ME more than I believed in myself. I feel quite confident that I would never have taken this chance on my own. Around the same time, my mother gave me a beautiful bracelet that said, “Leap and The Net Will Appear”, another sign from the universe that I should take this chance…. So, I DID!!!!! I went ALL IN, and it has been a crazy ride. The truth is the first year was terrifying and the second year, was only slightly less terrifying. The third year I had a very bad fall and could not use my arm for many months and lost some momentum, and the year after that I came back strong. You should know, just like any new business, it took me a full five years to make what I was making at my full-time job… 5 years of working very hard every single day, nurturing relationships, building client trust, marketing, auditioning, grinding. The 6th, 7th and 8th year have surpassed all my expectations and I love what I do beyond measure…but I would never have gotten there if I had given up year 2…. THIS CAREER IS NOT FOR THE WEAK AT HEART… it really is FOR THE BRAVE.
Who would have ever known the crazy ride this job as a Voice Actor would take me on… the amazing projects I would voice, the interesting clients and colleagues and friends I would meet and work with. The countless beautiful cinematic videos, commercials, corporate videos, and live music shows I would lend my voice to… it feels like so much more than a job, it feels like a calling, and I may have missed that calling had I not had that support, that nudge, in the direction of uncertainty. This makes me ask myself, what other callings or opportunities does this “safety” girl miss… but most of all, it makes me grateful for those who push us outside of our comfort zone, who nudge us in the direction of our dreams.
Because sometimes BRAVERY needs a little PUSH.
When I worked at regular job for a regular company, there were certain things you could count on…Flowers on Secretary’s Day when I was an Administrative Assistant…A lunch out with cards when it was Bosses Day as a Manager…Holiday Parties and Co-Worker camaraderie……and, of course, your yearly meeting to discuss your goals and aspirations and if you met them. This meeting always felt so forced because it was usually at a job that I did not love….and therefore the dreaded question of: “Where do you see yourself in five Years” was always met with hesitation (and a monolog in my head that screamed “NOT HERE”).
My favorite noise coming from an acoustic guitar is that squeak that happens when the fingers hit the strings in a weird way. This noise is kind of a mistake and some people try to angle their fingers in such a way to make this noise less obvious. To me, this noise is what pulls me in, what perks my ears to want to listen. It feels intimate and personal and it is the imperfection (i.e. the brokenness) of it that allows me in and makes me feel like the song is just for me. The same holds true for when you fall in love. Have you ever noticed that when you fall in love with someone, it is never because they have a perfectly symmetrical face…it is the goofy laugh they have, or the space between their front teeth…it is something unique (and usually) imperfectly perfect about them. I find this to be true in my life as well as in my Voice Over Career. I cannot tell you how many jobs I have gotten because the producer “fell in love” with the imperfection in my audition, an unexpected laugh that wasn’t in the script, my voice breaking in a weird way that invited them in and made them feel like I was speaking just to them, or something intangible but imperfect that stood out to them. Imperfection makes you relatable, real, authentic, believable, dare I say “human”. There are plenty of Voice Talents out there who sound perfect and polished, but I am not that voice, and I am good with that. Perfection is over-rated and I think maybe, just maybe, you should embrace yours because it is beautiful. Instead of trying to sound perfect, try to relate to the copy and connect with the words and meaning in the script. Try to forget about “sounding” good, just bring the REAL you to the audition, because the “real you” in all of your glorious, unique, and messy imperfection, is EXACTLY what the world needs more of.
I used to get dressed up – EVERY day. I wore dresses and suits and interesting separates. I didn’t just get dressed, it was an art form: something I would plan the night before, lay out on the bed and thoroughly enjoy. You see, I LOVE fashion. As a child, I drew stick figures wearing unique high-fashion frocks that I created in my mind and transferred to paper. I was destined to be a famous fashion designer, with unique designs stomping down the runway in Paris and Milan. My style: classic with a sense of humor – a little surprise you didn’t expect. A pop of color, a retro edging on a modern design…Coco Chanel meets Hello Kitty. I even went to college for Fashion. It was my major, my life plan…or so I thought.
