support your friends
Happy Monday! Last week I wrote a post called “to thine own self be true,” which discussed being yourself as the foundation for everything you approach in life, as well as a post called “it all comes down to respect,” which was a post about exactly that! Following a Friday video recap, I’m happy to say it’s been a great weekend full of improv comedy, fun, friendship, and relaxation! And that's what it's all about, baby!
The world is a relational place. I’ve written before about the world being small, and it grows ever more true the longer you stay in any given city or community. I just started a new class at The Groundlings this weekend, which is another improv school in Los Angeles. I’m still continuing classes at UCB, but it’s good to get a fresh, different perspective once in awhile.
While in my new class, I realized that the man sitting next to me had written and performed in a play I’d seen at Second City a couple months ago called "Jim and Sharon's Lap Dance." The play starred the guy in my class and a friend I’d met through a guy on my basketball team. It’s really important to support your friends and encourage their creative projects. People are often quick to go out and buy the latest product a celebrity is promoting but are often hesitant to pay the $5-$10 to see a friend’s show. It's important to remember that everyone starts somewhere and that you should always reach back to help someone up when climbing the ladder of success in life.
Support your friends. Sometimes the stuff you go see won’t be that great, but other times you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy what you see. Everyone has an off night once in awhile - even celebrities - so it’s important to keep supporting your friends even when things might seem off. You wouldn't be able to appreciate the really great shows if it weren't for the not-so-great ones.
The past two Sundays I’ve gone to see a few of my friends perform in their UCB Performance Class Shows, doing a two-dunnit mystery called “Murder Murder.” It was incredible to see so many people I know and love pull off such a fun show premise, creating a mysterious atmosphere and ambience from start-to-finish. From the three-piece band playing while the crowd filled the theater to the entire improvised production of the murder mystery, it was truly something special to see come together.
The people you spend the most time with in your life end up being the people you become the most like. That’s why it’s so important you surround yourself with people who share similar interests to you and who enjoy similar lifestyle choices. When you find people like that, hang onto them. It’s not always easy living in a city and pursuing such an unpredictable career path, so it’s important to nourish your relationships and support your friends. They can often end up feeling like family more than anything else, and it takes a village to build something great.
Thank you so much for reading, and, as always, if you have any pressing questions or if you want to discuss something further with me, feel free to subscribe below or reach out to me on the “contact” page. I’m so grateful you're here and that I’ve been getting a lot of really challenging questions and even better feedback from a community all over the world. I couldn’t do this without you! So THANK YOU! I’m here for you, and I love hearing from you, too! You’re the best, and you have everything you need inside of you! Please believe it! Starve your ego, feed your soul - and follow your heart!