Welcome back, and happy 2024! Glad to have you here for the first time, returning as part of your (almost) weekly schedule, or maybe something in between! I don't know about you, but I really can't believe we're past the year 2015 or so, so saying that we're in 2024 is REALLY mind-boggling to me. For whatever reason, I was trying to talk myself out of having two back-to-back "Behind the Curtain" posts like this, as if there are rules to my own blog. There are no rules, I make the rules, this is a lawless place, so here we are! Let's just chat.
It is funny how the start of a new year comes with certain expectation of oneself as well as of others, that the resetting of the calendar means making new year's resolutions. Obviously, we all do our best to uphold those resolutions, but all too often, they get swept away in the tide of normalcy as we all return to the same-ol'-same-ol' following the holiday season. If I'm being honest, I really can't think of a single year in which I could recall my new year's resolutions even three months later. I'm not vain enough to say that this year will definitely be different, but I'm hopeful that by actually writing these things down for the general public to read (and for me to look back on), maybe I'll stick with them!
The most tangible resolution that I have made this year (actually not at all theatre-related) is to learn ASL, or American Sign Language. I have been absolutely in love with sign language since I was very young and learned a handful (no pun intended) of signs in school to accompany songs we sang in choir. Since then, ASL has taken a back seat in my life but has often come and gone with seasons (for example, I took two semesters online in college to replace a few general credits). I've retained little since I haven't actively kept at stretching that muscle, but I have been dying to get back to it recently. I know it'll be a challenge to make a priority when I don't have assignments or deadlines to meet as laid out in school, but considering that I've wanted to become fluent for years and that passion has never wavered, I owe it to myself to hop to it already!
Another resolution (that is also not theatre–related) is to go on more dates / adventures with my husband. Time is such a precious commodity, as we all know too well. Taking into account how often he or I will say, "We have to do this more often!", anytime we go out and do anything, I want to make a point to go try new things together. And this is one that I encourage you to do as well! Whether it be spending time with family, friends, or loved ones, make time with them this year (strike that -- going forward, period!) and go on adventures. They don't have to be big adventures nor do you even have to spend money. Go hiking, follow along with a YouTube yoga class, draw each other, go on a long drive to nowhere -- anything! Be with your people because life is short.
My other resolutions are a little more nebulous as they're ideas and tracking their progress will be difficult. One is to simply be kinder passing people on the streets of New York. It seems to be a general understanding that when walking Manhattan, everyone has somewhere to be right now, and you keep your head down and just go there. Living in Arizona my whole life, it was second nature to smile and nod or say hello as I passed anyone. Going back to Arizona this Christmas, I noticed it wasn't second nature anymore. And I hated to admit that to myself, that I was actively avoiding eye contact with people as I walked by. Goodness knows NYC could do with more kindness and understanding, so I'm going to do my part to reestablish that side of me and hopefully encourage others to do the same. And yet another resolution is to do better about differentiating my anxiety-born, unhelpful thoughts and my logical thoughts, silencing those anxious thoughts, and asking for help when I get overwhelmed by them. I think it's so critical to remember that EVERYONE is ALWAYS quietly dealing with something, so extending grace -- even the benefit of the doubt -- is the very least we can do for others. So hey, here's my reminder to check in with yourself and your mental health. No one should be fighting battles alone, so reach out if you need.
So those are my hopes for this year. You'll notice I don't really have any specific goals for my career because I feel like I'm in a pretty amazing spot, given how long I've been at this, and don't want to overlook the achievements I'm living right now. If you haven't seen on social media, I'm still working on a staged reading, performing at the beginning of February, but I also just announced my second Off-Broadway production starting at the end of February (head over to my Instagram for more on both of those: @heidilizjohnson)! Of course, I'm constantly auditioning, constantly submitting, constantly looking to what's on the horizon, but I don't want to wish for or expect to make even bigger strides in this new year -- I'm climbing the hill, and it's a marathon, not a race.
So when I'm not here writing the next blog post, you'll find me in rehearsal, in the holding room, onstage, or sneaking a few zzz's in the midst of all that (wish me broken legs).
I'll end this blog with a shameless plug promoting my amazing husband, Mychal. If you don't know, he's also an actor and just published his professional website on January 1st in light of one imminent, so-exciting-I'm-going-to-burst project on his horizon this spring. If you'd like to find out more and follow his journey, you can find him at mychalleverage.com. He just posted about that veryyyyyyyyy exciting project today, so if you want to follow his journey and get the inside scoop on another side of the industry that I'm learning about through his experience, be sure to subscribe to his blog and show him lots of love!
Thanks for reading, #DreamTeamHLJ, and here's to making 2024 a good one!
Comments