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Reinventing Rita
I’m a firm believer in re-invention. I believe we never stop evolving.
Reinvention One: From Civil Servant to Actor
My first re-invention began over 10 years ago when as a regular 9-5 civil servant I jumped ship on a Friday afternoon after 9 years service in Belfast and found myself in Drama School in Dublin the following Monday morning.
I was a ‘mature’ student and one of the oldest in the class. I was a quivering wreck with absolutely no self-esteem and a seriously dodgy attraction to seriously dodgy boyfriends - but that’s another newsletter entirely!
I remember saying to my head tutor “I can’t believe I’m here, I really can’t believe this is happening”. I expected him to smile and tell me how brave I was. He didn’t. With a stern look he replied, “Well if you continue to think like that you might as well go home and not waste your money”.
The penny dropped fast and I realised that in order to carry through my re-invention thoroughly, from civil servant to actor, I had to re-invent my attitude as well. I had to start viewing myself differently. Yes I was there, yes it was happening and yes I deserved to be there regardless of my age.
That was then and this is now and my re-invention is still in motion.
When I met Fiona I remember thinking "Wow! What is it about this person?"
It didn’t take me long to figure out her attitude to life was one of the reasons she is who she is. And she is someone very special. Again, I was reminded that re-invention involves expanding my thinking on what it is I believe I can achieve. It isn’t simply about changing how you look, and yes I have certainly achieved that, I had even gone through expensive and extremely painful cosmetic dentistry to complete the new look, but in working with Fiona I have achieved a re-invention much, much deeper.
Reinvention two: Escaping the office!
Before I met Fiona I was the archetypal “resting” actor earning a crust in a convenient office job. But this convenience was draining my soul and the dry rot was setting in. I felt like I was dying.
It was time to raise myself up from the dead again. I had to expand my thinking, and seriously re-invent my attitude. Old habits and old negative belief patterns bit the bullet and before long I had re-invented myself yet again from “actor/ office worker” to “actor/performance coach”.
Amazing! I had finally given myself permission to have another career which complimented my acting career beautifully. I finally allowed myself to see myself as I wanted to see myself. This would never have happened without the realization that anything is possible and without me adopting a belief in myself and my purpose, which was slowly evaporating as I sat in the office. Fiona gave me back that belief.
The office had to go. It no longer served me. Yes, it had served a purpose and I am grateful for it but it just didn’t suit the new me, it just didn’t “fit” me anymore. I “wear” my new career with pride and passion made possible by the wonderful people who come through my door committed to “up-grading” themselves and embarking on their own personal re-invention.
My true re-invention has come from how I feel inside and my attitude towards myself, and how I handle new challenges although I have to say the new teeth and the new hair have worked wonders!
Good luck with your re-invention. You deserve it!
Rita
