The Courageous Actor Podcast

There's so much stress, anxiety and judgment out there right now that stems from this pressure of “shoulding” all over ourselves. What if we all just took a step back and gave ourselves a break and gave ourselves just 10% more grace?!

Sometimes it's important to do things “just because.” No goals. No production quality obsession. No multiple takes. Just singing or dancing for the sake of doing it. We are artists. I learned the hard way what happens when I deny myself that gift of creating art for too long.

After a long hiatus from social media and content creation, I share what I learned, and how I'm trying to find time for art every day. Plus, what's in store for future episodes of this podcast.

Our furry friends can teach us a lot about life, leadership, auditions (yes, you read that right) and balance. In this episode, dog behavior expert, Doug Poynter, shares how he helps his clients to have better relationships with their dogs, and what that can teach us about how to show up in the world as the best version of ourselves. I will be using many of these ideas the next time I walk into an audition room! Get a free gift from Doug: https://betterdogbehaviornow.com/

Special shoutout to “The Dreaded Question” podcast and Lili Torre for the inspiration for today's episode. We are so much more than just what we do for work. Especially now, labels on what we “do” are not always helpful. They can put us in a box that someone else can understand, but that greatly limit someone's understanding of who we are.

As actors, we are trained to "dream big" and "always have a goal" - but during these unusual times, I've found tremendous freedom and powerful ideas by letting all that go and giving myself some SPACE. When we clear our minds and/or our calendars of things that are not serving us in the current reality, it opens up possibilities we may not have seen before! Follow me on Instagram at http://instagram.com/theseancarroll

I stand with #blacklivesmatter and I am using my platforms as one way to be the best ally I can be. In this episode I share some thoughts about how we as actors are uniquely qualified to make a positive difference more than ever. I know I am far from being the perfect ally, but I am committed to learning, improving and taking action consistently.

This week is short solo episode where I share about “decision fatigue” and my predicament which is the opposite of that - not making enough decisions. No one has the best formula for you, but my hope is that this episode helps empower you to make a few choices right now that are right for you.

In this episode, we talk with Haile Ferrier, who is an incredible performer and someone I've respected immensely since the moment I met her on a contract several years ago. We take a deep dive into topics such as goal setting, mental health for performers, perfectionism, and so many more things that we actors deal with on a daily basis. Haile's motto is "Follow Your Bliss" - but don't get it twisted. She works harder than most people I know in the industry. She just wants us all to remember WHY we got into this craft in the first place, and to never lose sight of the JOY this art form can bring us all. Follow Haile on Insta at http://www.instagram.com/haileferrier

You all know I love a good sports analogy, and Shannah Rae did NOT disappoint. In this episode, we talk about how to just keep taking small, steady steps in life, and not try to score a touchdown on every play. In other words, let's "move the chains" - which is a football term for gaining just enough yards to get a "first down" and keep possession of the ball. We talk about her bold move from Texas to NYC and how she got her vocal studio to thrive online so she could keep serving her students and also continue to pursue her musical theatre career. Also, how Shannah creates just enough structure in her life to give her more freedom, without beating herself up if it doesn't go perfectly. https://www.shannahraevocalstudio.com/wail-with-shannah-rae.html http://www.instagram.com/shannahraenyc

Kristen Robinson is the Lead Generation Specialist of KRD Marketing where she helps online entrepreneurs generate more leads for their launches and promotions using Facebook Ads, live streaming, and social media. Kristen is also a military spouse. Her husband, Lamont, serves the United States in the Marine Corps. In this episode we talk about how she navigates constantly moving around the world, and how she and her family navigate deployments. She also talks about the 2 year journey of starting her business when they had very little money, and how becoming an entrepreneur has been one of her greatest decisions in life. Find Kristen online at www.Instagram.com/KRDMarketing or www.Facebook.com/KRDMarketing

In this episode, Pamela Zimmer, entrepreneur, speaker and self-care concierge shares about how her 6-year struggle with severe postpartum depression led her to find her purpose and the valuable lessons of self-care. She gives some valuable tips for actors on how to deal with the emotional highs and lows, and how to "bookend your day" with self-care at the beginning and end of each day. How to find Pamela Online: Main Website: www.PamelaZimmer.com Her self care retreat: www.PermissionToBe.Me Instagram Profile www.Instagram.com/pamelakzimmer Daily Devotional Book (also search her other books on Amazon): https://amzn.to/3axhkoh

Joy Cheriel Brown is a Screenwriter, Playwright, Director and Producer who has a truly inspiring story. She wrote the short film: "N.O.S." which is based onher own experience with schizoaffective disorder. You can rent it the link below. We discuss navigating uncertain times with gratitude, courage and humor. Also, Joy shares her personal philosophy of "The Universe Will Meet Us Halfway" if we do our part. Links: N.O.S. Short Film (rent for 99 cents) Book: The Secret Life Through Screenwriting Book: The Surrender Experiment

Having lived and worked through both the tragic times of 9/11 and the “Great Recession” of 2008-2009, I share in this episode what I've learned from those times and how I lean on that experience to help me navigate today's global pandemic and economic shutdown. I hope this helps you today to give yourself a break and allow yourself to be a human being during this unprecedented time.

As we enter week 4 of the corona quarantine, I've noticed some behavior in myself in how I consume news and social media. In this episode I share some observations and resources to help us stay connected and informed without becoming mindlessly addicted to news, social media and negativity. Resource I mentioned: “News Feed Eradicator”

Merle Livand is a world class competitive swimmer, successful entrepreneur and an advocate for sustainability and clean oceans. This episode will empower you to be your own superhero by taking steps every day to make a difference in your own life, and in the world. Here are some links for learning more about Merle: https://vikingbeauty.com/ ( code MERLEVIKING) Swimming products: in EUROPE www.finisnordic.eu. in USA www.finisinc.com (Discount code: merle ) www.merleliivand.com Instagram : https://instagram.com/aquamjerle Facebook - https://facebook.com/merle.liivand Twitter https://twitter.com/mjerle

We've all heard “The Joy is In The Journey” or “Progress not Perfection” or “The Creative Process is Not a Straight Line” - yet so often I've felt pressure to only share the “finished products” with others. During this global “pause” what would it look like if we all became just a little more willing to share more of our creative process at all stages? What would be possible if we all allowed ourselves to be more imperfect on purpose?

During uncertain times there is no shortage of advice about what we “should“ be doing. The reality is that no one really knows. I brought on Kimberly Faye Greenberg because I'm so inspired by how she lives her life. She strikes a wonderful balance between being proactive with lots of hustle, and making sure she's taking time to keep her heart and soul fulfilled. Learn more about Kim at www.TheBroadwayExpert.com and www.KimberlyFayeGreenberg.com

As the corona virus pandemic grips the globe, we are facing unprecedented amounts of fear and uncertainty. I share some ways I've stayed grounded through this, and also offered an invitation for my fellow artists to step up in this moment and create more than ever! My “why statement” was co-created with the coaching of Becca Brunelle (google her and tell her I sent you for a “why discovery” session)

Constantly stretching our comfort zone and being vulnerable can lead to tremendous growth, but it can also burn me out! Today I riff on my theory of “vulnerability fatigue” as inspired by the great Brene Brown's work on this important topic area. Is it time to take a “rest day?” from being so vulnerable, just like we take rest days from working out? If so, how do we know when it's fatigue and not fear? Hmmmm.

Have you ever been given the advice as an actor to “take more risks” in your work? What does that even mean? What is a “bold choice” exactly? My experience has been that this well intentioned advice is often given without any context. I used to get so frustrated when I would get this advice, because usually the person giving it to me would provide no insights about how to actually do it. In this episode I share some experiences of taking risks from my creative path and entrepreneurial path, and how I think we can navigate this in the audition room, rehearsal process and on stage.

We've all heard that one of the best ways to be happy in life is to focus on gratitude. But what does that actually mean? How do we actually DO that on a daily basis, especially when life keeps throwing us punch after punch after punch? In this episode I share some very simple things I try to do on a daily basis that I believe help me to stay more grateful, more grounded and more balanced emotionally. In the audition room or at the theater, I believe I do my best work when I am consistent with my gratitude practice. Check out http://www.gratefulpeoples.com for the amazing gratitude journals I mention in this episode!

A crucible gets so hot, that it melts metal. In life, we have many of these moments that feel like we are melting, but in fact that's where our courage gets formed. I share some lessons from my toughest moments in my own “crucibles” of life and why I think times of crisis can shape us, teach us, and help us to actually generate courage both inside and outside the acting arena.

So often we hear the phrase “making it” or even “making it big” when referring to how we measure success as actors. It's time for us as actors to claim our power and decide for ourselves what “making it” means and how we measure success for ourselves. Sean shares a personal story about how he responded when someone first asked him if he was good enough to “make it” and also how he realized he was chasing someone else's version of acting success. The goal is that you'll finish this episode feeling empowered to define success as an actor (and as a human) on YOUR terms.!

Kaisha Huguley sits down with Sean in between shows on a contract and she shares how she had the courage to quit her steady, well paying government job to pursue acting as a career. She opens up about how she “trains her village” to support her and how she handles the many mental, emotional and practical challenges of being a performer in New York. She is a wonderful professional actress, content creator, teacher and brilliant businesswoman who is making things happen on her journey to Broadway. Find her on Instagram at @kaishacreates and online at kaishacreates.com

Do you ever find yourself feeling guilty for feeling tired, lonely, frustrated or even exhausted. Or feel like you're just “not supposed to say it” or “not supposed to feel it?” because you're an artist? In this episode I share some personal experience and some viewpoints for how to handle this and why it's 100% ok and human to feel these emotions as creative artists, even though we love what we do.

Confessions of a new podcast host and how we can get past those moments when fear makes us procrastinate. What you can expect from this podcast, and also two key themes that are at the heart of what I think it means to show up with courage as an actor and a human.