Are you physically and mentally ready for success? For many actors and creative people, their health is an afterthought. In fact, society perpetuates this notion of the starving artist, hustling to bring their dream to life on late-nights, long hours and caffeine. But in order to enjoy your success (now or in the future), you’re going to need to establish long term healthy habits.
Actors and artists are not so different from professional athletes. Your body is your instrument. Your ability to focus, learn your lines, dive into your character, improvise when necessary, your physicality, your endurance when it’s crunch time are all important elements of your creative craft. When you feel sick, tired, or distracted (or just plain unwell!), it’s going to show in your work.
And just like an athlete training for a major competition, you need to make your health and wellbeing a priority in order to be ready for any opportunity. It’s as much a part of your job as learning your lines and hitting your mark.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an A-lister with a team of trainers, nutritionists and gurus to start workin’ on your fit-ness.
Read on for three simple changes you can make right now that pay big dividends towards your long term health.
You don’t have to get ready when you stay ready, my friends. When Scarlett Johansson was between Marvel movies, she adopted the phrase “three weeks to the suit”, which basically meant she always wanted to stay within three weeks of exercise to her peak condition.
After 12 years with her trainer Eric Johnson, co-founder of the New York-based fitness company Homage, she says, “I am stronger and more capable now than I was 10 years ago, which is so awesome to be able to say.”
While it may seem easier said than done without a studio footing the bill, her transformation wasn’t overnight. It was after a decade of commitment and consistent focus on her health. Why? Because it’s part of the job.
So here are three simple commitments you can make this month to start seeing big results over time – in your performance and in your life.
Move Every Day
When you’re shooting self tapes inside all day, it can be easy to forget to move your body. But there are SO MANY benefits to maintaining a regular exercise regime.
The most obvious is your physical appearance. It’s definitely the one people think of first, there is also a huge correlation between physical activity and our brain function.
Exercise helps our minds get the nutrients it needs to run efficiently, understand and communicate information, and regulate our mood. As a result, we work smarter, sleep better and look and feel like the rockstars we truly are.
Plus, it’s Mother Nature’s mood booster! Even if you’re out of shape, we’re talking about long term healthy habits here. Slow and steady can still win the race, and even low impact exercise can be as beneficial to your health as traditional workouts.
If you want a gentler start to getting in shape, click here for exercises that will engage your brain as much as your muscles.
Get Enough Sleep
You get a last-minute callback, and you have to be ready early in the morning. It can be so tempting to stay up late and cram, or to try and distract your anxiety with a little TV or maybe going the opposite way and planning the day ahead down to the last detail. But being rested is also important for your performance.
Scientists are just beginning to scratch the surface of why sleep is so important, but they know that we cannot survive without it. In addition to keeping your mind and memory sharp, a regular night’s rest helps stave off a host of health issues, such as weight gain, diabetes, inflammation, depression, stroke and heart disease.
So don’t skip the beauty sleep!
Make Your Mental Health A Priority
Chronic stress can weaken your immune system, increase blood pressure and inflammation and diminish your concentration. If it’s a serious struggle for you, it is imperative that you pay attention to it. Not just for work, but for your quality of life!
Kathryn Hahn, who’s having a major Marvel-ous moment right now, has shared a lot about her self-care routines to help deal with her busy acting career and taking care of her family.
She told Parents Magazine that diving into deeper self-awareness has made it easier for her to take time for herself when she needs to refill her proverbial cup: “[It’s about] just giving yourself a little bit of air when you start to recognize you need some space.” Kathryn also uses a daily gratitude practice and meditation/breathwork to help stay centered and calm.
If tradition isn’t your thing, don’t be shy about getting creative with your stress relief. Kathryn turns her journals into art: “I use them for collages, too, with cut outs of art that my kids make and images from artists that are a turn on for me.”
Here are a few other out-of-the-box ways to help relieve stress.
BONUS: Stay Away From Chemicals
Especially nowadays it should be obvious why it’s important to reduce your exposure to bacteria, viruses, added chemicals, carcinogens and even alcohol. Your body does its best to flush out harmful toxins, but that’s no reason to take it for granted.
This healthy habit is all-encompassing. I’m talking about the food you eat, the products you put on and in your body, the medicine you take, the cleaning products you use and even the items in your house. Of course, exposure to some germs is inevitable (and not all bad for you), but the more natural and organic you can go, the more long term benefit you will see.
So what long term healthy habits have you committed to implement in 2022? Let me know in the comments below!!
LOVE + happiness!
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