An Opportunity

Well, it's been some time since my last blog, time to get another one out there on the interwebs. A lot has changed in the world but also for me. I sit here in relative peace as my two-week-old son sleeps peacefully, looking out the window to a city in heavy lockdown while I try to find motivation. 2020 has not been the year many people had hoped for (there is a chance someone did hope for this, every new years eve they have wished for that global pandemic, this is your year) but for the most part. This year has been challenging for a lot of people unless you're Jeff Bezos, then you are absolutely smashing this Pandemic Period. Across the world, there is a lot of struggles, and it can take its toll mentally on everyone, which is entirely understandable. For me, it has been an interesting time, just when I landed the perfect casual gig while my acting school was teetering on the edge of some significant growth, the pandemic hits. I find myself with no job or studio to run my school from while trying to navigate the world of online zoom classes. As the business took a 60% downturn and the casual job was unable to keep me on (Hopefully when the world gains some normality I will be rehired). I was also fortunate, Falling back onto the family business to keep me afloat financially, while our government has been able to support my small businesses to some extent. But more importantly, I have been able to enjoy the birth of my child. Which being in heavy lockdown has meant I have been able to share so much time with him and my amazing partner. Always a silver lining.

However, silver linings are hard to come by for many people. With all these lockdowns and restrictions, it seems to breed a lot of negativity. This negativity manifests in many ways, but I would like to look at how it is shaping people and their productivity. What seems to be the common mentality is that with everything shut and the world coming to an almost complete standstill, what is the point or why bother. I know, for the most part, the acting world is moving at a snail's pace. There are very few briefs coming through, while all acting schools have shut down and why these restrictions in place it is almost impossible to feel inspired to create and work hard on our craft. However, this actually could be the biggest blessing in disguise. We must adapt, and those who can adjust quickly are the ones that can continue their progress even through this whole shemozzle.

Remember, there is always going to be winners and losers. When the world stops moving, it's easy to place everything on hold in 2020 and patiently for 2021 to get here. This attitude can set you onto the losers bench. Right now this is a perfect opportunity to either get ahead or play catch up. Become a winner, when the world starts spinning again, give yourself a head start. I know that's easier said than done. I have always found it very easy to keep motivated and juggle all my odds and ends, yet when my routine became disrupted, it has been much harder to stay focused. The first round of lockdowns came for us in Melbourne. I told all my students that this was their time, a chance to work on their acting skills or get their profiles up to scratch, ready for the auditions when they start coming in. A couple of students embraced this concept, while others have fallen into the CBF'ed category like the majority of us.

Myself, when lockdowns weren't extreme I was ready, my life still had relative structure, my teachings had switched to online, and I found a few gaps in my schedule. It was perfect! My never-ending goal to get the splits became a possibility, I would stretch four hours a day (in my gym sessions and at home) I was writing new projects and planning for greatness. Though as the restrictions tightened, I lost my job and had to find a way to keep afloat. Those gaps that I had been excited about vanished as I ended up back at the family business which would ride the COVID wave with minimal stress; being classed as essential. But for me, the routine was gone, and the downtime became a negative space. I stopped training. I stopped writing. I stopped all things productive and decided to catch up on video games. Now there is nothing wrong with having these vices the brain needs time to recharge. However, just like a great diet, it all comes down to balance. I lost all sense of balance. My life was work, come home, cook dinner, and then game.

I know I am not alone here as I read articles on the internet about people' clocking' Netflix. With nothing to do, we just binged the fast food of life. I remember telling myself it was ok, as I never give my self a break and mentally, I needed to relax and take that time. I'll do something tomorrow, next week, next month, screw it we have all the time in the world now, it doesn't matter anymore. Then things started to ease up in my city. Panic set it. I wasn't ready for the gears to start turning. I had just had two months of 'recharge', and I was now prepared to get working. Though now it was too late. My chance to get ahead was over. I missed an opportunity. At the same time, other actors in my age bracket may have gotten further away from me. All I could do was blame myself. I sat on the losers bench. A potential once in a lifetime opportunity, gone, slipped through my fingers while I gave myself excuses.

Now we sit in our second lockdown, even heavier than before. While I still find time to relax, there is also the little curveball that is a newborn's sleeping schedule, but it's time to start getting that balance back. I am not going to be sitting on the losers bench again. That once in a lifetime opportunity has reared its ugly head a second time this year. And this whole situation is horrible, but it's about finding the positives. So it's time to get things in motion, starting with this here blog. If you are feeling flat or struggling with your creativity as I have been, it's best to start small. Firstly work out what it was that kept you motivated during a pre-pandemic world. Hell, you might even have struggled with motivation back then as well, totally cool. For me, it was routine. I am not much of a planner, I don't use diaries or the like, but I am a creature of habit. Knowing your individual needs is where we can start to turn this pandemic around in our favour. So understanding what helps me stay motivated is a great start, I also need to think about what it is I would like to be achieving. With those two essential points, it then becomes about starting small. Not to overwhelm and put too much pressure but at least start building and adding towards my daily routine. Ideally, I would want to get back to some form of physical training (even with the gyms closed), a physically active Robin is more inclined to keep that flow going into the creative side. A tricky habit of getting back as mid-winter here in Melbourne, Australia is not a fun place to train outside. However, having a young child forces me to get out and walk, which I have slowly been turning into a run. The mornings he sleeps, I can now use my two weights and resistance bands, indoors. So step one, check. Now the focus is creativity, working on my writing, acting and future projects. Again nothing extreme, I am not doing those days of 10+ hours of writing. But I am trying to look at an hour or more every day/second day where I work on something creative. Examples are this here blog, writing a new project, or tweaking finished scripts that I am looking to shoot once things kick back up, or learning how to do more as far as editing and colour grading, maybe even special effects. While I also make time to relax, either with a video game, some painting, or just watching some tv.

I hope anyone who reads this and feels they are also a bit flat in this current climate can look at how they can get their creativity back on track. This year is a strange time for all, and it's effortless just to shut up shop like everyone else. But easy isn't always right. Take this fleeting moment in time that has bought the world to its heels and make it work for you. Don't wait for the perfect time. This is an opportunity, are you going to take it?