Surrounded by Lies

In my experience as a lifelong theater artist, discouragement seems to lurk around every corner! Those of us who are called into the arts face a daily battle as we pursue our craft—auditions, go-sees, casting calls, and competitions present countless moments for rejection and disappointment. There are so many places for lies to creep in. And it doesn’t end! In my experience, artists who have been working for years, or even decades, face this struggle as much as those who are just starting out. 

In the face of so many disappointments and setbacks, I have a question for you. How do you feed your spirit? We all understand the need to feed our bodies and our minds, but what about your spirit? You know, that part of you that includes your intellect, your emotions, your fears, your passions, your creativity . . . how do you feed it when you've gone out on audition after audition, but you don't get the part you were hoping for? Or, what do you do when becoming a principal dancer in the company seems far beyond your reach at the moment? How do you keep yourself committed? 

Negative self-talk can have us spouting things out of our mouths like, “I suck!” or “They said I had a gift, but they must be wrong,” or “Look at all the time I've wasted on this!” 

Tell the Truth

The first thing we have to do is tell the truth. We need to stop, take a deep breath and ask ourselves: 

• Is it really true that “I suck,” or am I just feeling this way because I measured myself against the competition and placed myself at the end of the line? 
• Is it really true that I'm not as good as they said I was, or am I just feeling this way because I am not confident? 
• Is it really true that I've been wasting time by investing in my voice, investing in my skill, investing in my talent, or am I feeling this way simply because I am not where I thought I would be by now? 

Get the point? Truth is present even when your feelings are screaming all over it, and in some cases, almost drowning it out. Feelings can be so deafening that sometimes, they feel like facts. But the more you let your feelings dictate your mindset, the harder it can be to think clearly and act courageously. Before you know it, you get to the point where you can't hear the truth, you can't see it, and you can't sense it. Here's what you should know today: feelings are not facts. Your feelings are not the truth. 

What's the moral of the story? You'd better get your feelings in check–they're lying to you! 

Speaking of lies, I want to leave you with a GREAT TRUTH for today: 

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. (Proverbs 4:23 - 27)

How about you? In what areas of your life do you need to put your feelings in their place so you can keep striving forward towards your passion and calling? 

This is part of Engage Art’s series on hope and resilience for creatives pursuing their calling. Explore “Keep Creating” and “Letting Go of the Past” to read more. 

About the author: Cynthia Garcia is the Founder and Executive Director of Exalted Arts, a non-profit theater company based in Houston, Texas. A lifelong lover of theater arts, Cynthia has performed internationally, with ten years’ experience writing and producing original work as well. Cynthia is a graduate of New York’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Texas Southern University, Inspire Women’s Life Purpose Academy, and the University of Houston, where she obtained her MA in Arts Leadership.