Two weeks ago, my in-laws came to town from New York for a wonderful visit. It was idyllic, actually.
We ate brunch at Paradise Cove and relaxed on the beach in Malibu, while they enjoyed watching our kids surf.
We had long + lovely outdoor dinner conversations in our backyard, as the kids laughed and played in the pool.
They sat in our soothing spa, soaked up the sun while napping on the lounge chairs, and then took the kids to Toys R Us for a special shopping spree – grandparent style.
My mother-in-law said so many times what a perfect weekend it was, and thanked me for the blessing I have been in her son’s life.
She even told me that she looked at a picture of my own late mother on our bookshelf, and thanked her for bringing me into the world.
I know it was a soul to soul moment, where they connected, mother to mother, feeling the gratitude that they both had done an amazing job of raising their children.
I can only imagine what a gift that would be, to one day see your own children thrive as adults, and witness the beautiful lives they lead.
She told me how content, peaceful and joyful she felt.
The next weekend, while back at her home in upstate New York, she suffered a massive stroke, and on Monday, June 11th, she passed away.
I am still in shock, and even in tears, as I write this now.
My mind doesn’t quite comprehend how quickly someone you love so dearly can be here, enjoying life, and then be gone, in an instant.
But it happens. Every single day. Without warning.
Even though it’s only been a week now, and I am deeply saddened, Fran Cox is now helping me to live a more present life.
I hold on tighter to my children. I play with them longer, before saying, “I have to go make dinner.”
I sit in my backyard and listen to the birds. (She loved birds, and could name them all.)
I take more time to give thanks for my health, my home, my husband, my boys and the life I live.
I remind myself that today is a gift.
Because it’s really all we have.
And we have a choice, each and every day, how we spend our precious time + where we focus our attention.
It may sound like a cliche, but it really is the truth. Today is a gift.
Connect more deeply.
Notice the abundance that surrounds you.
Give thanks more often.
And if my mother-in-law’s sudden passing can somehow teach me to live more fully, then I hope it can also be a gift to you. (more…)
At my sons’ elementary school this past week they put in a “Buddy Bench.” This is a bench that someone can go to if they feel lonely, left out, sad or depressed.
Others know that when someone is sitting on the bench, that they want to be asked to play, and the children are encouraged to invite whomever is sitting there to join them.
Not only does this teach compassion and empathy at a young age, but it also lets our youth know that it is okay to feel these feelings and let others know about it.
Gifting this Buddy Bench to our elementary school brought tears to my eyes, for the message of inclusion and hope it will now bring to those who are in pain.
It made me wish more adults had a Buddy Bench. (more…)
Has scrolling through social media been bringing you down lately? Does this sound familiar?
Check social media before getting out of bed.
Scroll through Instagram, click on Instagram Stories, check Facebook, look at Twitter (telling yourself you just want to be updated on the news).
Brush your teeth. Make your bed. (Do you make your bed? It’s a good habit.)
Sit on the edge of your bed. Check the phone again.
This was me last week, all before 7am: Click on Jennifer Lopez’s (JLo) Instagram Stories feed.
Watch JLo talk to you from inside a private jet, then see a gorgeous picture of her on the set of her latest video, swipe up to watch the Dinero video, go back to IG stories, and watch as she tells you how to get the JLo glow and introduces you to her entire new makeup line, then see her on the red carpet in a gorgeous gown, then looking flawless at a magazine photo shoot for Emmy Magazine.
Go to your profile. Notice that you don’t have 75.3 million followers….or a makeup line.
Get dressed, look in the mirror, notice a new wrinkle, compare your skin (and career) to JLo’s + feel like you’ve done absolutely nothing with your life.
Notice how heavy all this mind-chatter feels…almost like lead. Try to motivate yourself to do something productive, while telling yourself you suck.
Yep, this was me last week. Fun! Can you relate? Don’t get me wrong. I actually love JLo. She is one ambitious hot mama and her work ethic is nothing short of (more…)
Happy Memorial Day! In the United States, we celebrate this holiday to remember the sacrifices that brave men + woman made to bring freedom to this country.
Growing up as the daughter of a Navy veteran, I was taught to have immense gratitude for the freedoms that we so easily take for granted.
My late father was a World War II Air-Sea Rescue pilot who helped to save those who were shot down in the Pacific Ocean. He was a hero to many, and especially to me. I lost him when I was 27.
When I volunteer in my son’s first grade class, I can barely get through The Pledge Of Allegiance without tearing up.
Seeing a group of 6-year-olds embody joy, love and freedom, so purely, gives me hope for our future.
Last week, I had an actress in my private Spotlight Club community admit that she was struggling with stress and feeling a little burnt out.
She was ready for a break and wanted to take a day to herself, but was feeling really guilty about it. Ever been there?
Do you ever tell yourself these things:
If I’m not working 24/7 on my career, then success won’t come to me. If I’m not putting in a lot of extra effort, then I don’t deserve success. If I take a break, it feels like I’m just being lazy.
Do you realize, that these are all just false beliefs that you’ve been telling yourself?
When your mind, body + soul are asking for a break, that is because (more…)
The thing that keeps you from what you want (is not your agent, the casting director, or other actors in the waiting room at your audition, etc.) but it is actually something that you can control: Your thoughts.
Sometimes we know that we should be talking to ourselves more lovingly, but we just can’t find the words.
Other times we’re so ingrained in old habits of negative self-talk, that we literally don’t know what self-compassion even sounds like or where to begin?
Today I’m offering up 9 mindful mantras for returning to love.
Adopt any (and all) that feel good to you this week as a way of practicing loving self-acceptance by choosing better thoughts.
You may just find that beginning here, with the thoughts you think and the things you tell yourself, make it easier to start seeing your life (and your career) through the lens of love.
Or as the late great Wayne Dyer stated, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
So become aware of what you say to yourself today, and in each present moment, practice returning to love.
Have you spent most of 2018 condemning where you are?
It’s okay. I’ve been there. In fact, I spent most of my 20’s + early 30’s in “never enough mode.”
Yep. No matter what I was doing, (even when I shooting 26 commercials a year as a campaign spokesperson, or shooting great guest-star roles on TV), it was still never enough.
And when I wasn’t working, that “never enough” noise got even louder. Like screaming in my ear, loud.
Maybe you can relate? Maybe you’re “shoulding” on yourself right now?
It sounds kind of like this:
I should be further along by now. I should have booked a pilot by now. I should have been a series regular by now. I should have been in major feature films by now. I should have a boyfriend/girlfriend by now. I should be married by now. I should have had kids by now. And on, and on.
As I look back, I realize how much time I actually wasted “shoulding” all over myself.
Those “should” statements always come from a place of fear, and are always driven by the ego-mind.
The ego loves making you feel like what you are doing is never enough. And these days, add a few scrolls through social media to the mix, and you might just be in full meltdown mode.
And guess what? It never ends, unless you take control of your inner life + create a new daily practice that empowers you.
What happens when you are in “never enough mode,” is you are training your brain to look for (more…)
I have found that the hardest part of manifesting is learning to let go of my attachment to the result.
As a recovering type-A doer, my biggest frustration has been after I’ve done all the visualizing, taken all the inspired actions, committed to the daily work, and things aren’t manifesting on the exact timeline I want.
I’ve come to realize that underneath all the frustration, is usually a massive attachment to how I think it all should go. (And how I need these desired results, now!) Can you relate?
So often, when I really surrender, the Universe surprises me with something even better than I could have ever planned.
So if you’re thinking about what else you can do to create what you want, it just might be time to let go of when, how and where you think it will show up.
When I find myself over-checking for a result, I always come back to this daily mantra: I trust that the Universe has heard my every wish and knows the time, the place and how it will all unfold.
For so long, I used to think “What else can I do?” And now I realize, the better question is (more…)
To manifest anything in your life, whether it is a relationship, a thing, an experience, or even a next level role, you must do this one thing first:
You must be able to imagine it.
Look around you right now.
Everything you see (even the phone or the computer that you are reading this on) first began as an idea in someone’s imagination.
They didn’t just think about it once and forget it. They gave their devoted attention to bringing their vision to life.
And it all began with the imagination – (hint: this is the actors’ greatest tool!)
Yet sometimes we can create a character more easily than we can create our own success.
But here’s the good news:
“Your imagination is able to do all that you ask in proportion to the degree of your attention.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer. Here are 7 questions to discover what degree of attention you are giving to your desires… (more…)
I BOOKED TWO ACTING GIGS IN THE SAME WEEK BECAUSE I HAD HER CD ON REPEAT!
"I listen to Wendy's guided meditations pretty much every chance I get. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have her amazing voice in my ear keeping me empowered, inspired + in the right mental space to persevere day in and day out. I booked two acting gigs in the same week because I had Wendy's Creating Powerful Auditions album on repeat. Thank you WENDY for your positivity + light!"
I'VE TURNED A SLOW STREAK INTO A BOOKING STREAK AND I FEEL REALLY EMPOWERED.
"Wendy is so generous with her knowledge and understanding of the deeper, inside work that goes into living a healthy, happy, well balanced actor life. Her daily inspirations mean so much to me...and I'm grateful for the custom guided meditation she wrote for me. I've turned a slow streak into a booking streak & I feel really empowered."
2013-11-25T02:34:15+00:00
Community, iCarly, Good Luck Charlie
https://actorinspiration.com/testimonials/bartag/
Fernanda Torres
SINCE LISTENING TO YOUR GUIDED MEDITATIONS, I BOOKED 2 FEATURE FILMS
"I bought Creating Powerful Auditions and I listen to it every morning. "Empowering Myself" is my absolute favorite meditation, sometimes I put it on repeat until I fully and truly feel every declaration. Since I've been listening to your guided meditations I booked my first feature film + also recently booked the lead role in my first horror film. Thank you for coming into my life!”
YOUR AFFIRMATIONS ALLOWED ME TO STEP OUT OF THE FEAR AND BE PRESENT IN THE ROOM.
"I just returned from an audition after listening to your guided meditations. Your affirmations allowed me to step out of the fear and be present in the room. As I waited for my audition I envisioned the session being successful and feeling empowered afterward. And it was and I did."
I BOOKED THE JOB! LISTENING TO CREATING POWERFUL AUDITIONS MADE A DIFFERENCE!
"Been listening to your "Creating Powerful Auditions" mp3 daily since purchasing about a week ago. Listened to it on the way to an audition...took a few moments before leaving my car to do the visualizations. I walked into the audition room feeling totally empowered, feeling light. I booked the job. I feel your album made a difference. Thank you, Wendy."
YOUR CREATION IS...VERY POWERFUL, IT CALMED ME, PREPARED ME & FOCUSED ME + I BOOKED JOBS.
"Since I began using your guided meditations I have now, in only a few months, booked up an entire year of work. Your creation is truly a blessing + very powerful. Before every audition I have done recently I have listened to at least 3 of your tracks and it has calmed me, prepared me and focused me."
