Some good advice, actor or not, we can all use!

I just read a wonderful blog by a terrific actress I know - I copied some of the info here for your reading pleasure because I found it so useful! Here ya go:

Happy + People = Work
Check this scenario out:

You meet two guys. One is hunched over and looks tired and lethargic. You feel your life being sucked out of you by this black hole. You ask him: "How are you?" and he takes a swig of his vodka, a hit off his joint and whines: "It's so hard. It's just not fair. My boss won't give me a chance. And it's just gotten worse with this economy..." You want to run away from this person as fast as you can.

Then you turn to his friend. He's confident, stands straight up and is at ease with himself. You feel a warmth and happy glow emanating from him. You ask him: "So how are things?" He smiles and says: "I'm really happy, things are going well." You want some of that, don't you? Yes of course you do, everyone wants to be around happy, positive people.

Are, are you happy? Or are you straining so hard you feel like your eyeballs are going to pop out? People can feel that. Yes the business is based on appearence but it's all based on inner beauty as well. You will be sitting on set with people for 14 hours straight. People don't want to work with attractive, talented soul suckers. They'd rather work with someone who may not be the most talented but a wonderful person.

As an actor, you must trancend being any race/gender/religion/being.
Yes, in your career you will be pigeon-holed and the roles you get may have you playing stereotypical characters. But it is your duty as an artist to push beyond that and define who you are on your own terms.

People who have done this: Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Mae West. Smart, pragmatic and in control of their careers. Those stars who didn't: Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley. Beautiful and talented but who gave up their power to others. The results are tragic.

Remember, it takes a while.
It takes 10-15 years to make it. Have you been working in the business that long? If you've been doing it 13 years, are you going to quit right before you "make it"?

Connect to a higher power.
Whoever or whatever gives you higher purpose and who inspires you to push forward with your art on a deeper level. Otherwise, the wind in your sails will die, you will stagnate and probably peeter out.

But you're different, right? Yes of course you are, you have the light of God in you...so shine like the powerful little spirit that you are, darnit! ^_^

(disclaimer: I'm not really religious so take "God" with a grain of salt)