The Aligned Actor

In this episode we’re going to practice mindfulness of breathing. As the name suggests, we’re going to pay very close attention to our experience of breathing and I’m going to guide you in noticing different things about that sensation. This is one of the most basic, formal mindfulness practices and it often serves as the starting point or foundation for other mindfulness practices, which we will...

In this episode we’re going to really break down what’s happening in a formal mindfulness session so that you can see how simple the process actually is. Hopefully this demystifies mindfulness meditation for you and makes it feel even more accessible. In simplest terms, mindfulness is about focusing and noticing. We practice formal mindfulness meditation by focusing on the sensation of our breathi...

In this episode, we’re once again practicing mindfulness and in keeping with what we talked about in the episode about mindfulness misconceptions, I’m going to introduce you to a practice where your mind will definitely not be clear (we’re going to intentionally give it some very specific thoughts to think) and we’re only going to practice for less than 1 minute at a time. We’re actively dispellin...

In this episode we’re going to talk about Mindfulness Misconceptions. Because unfortunately there are some ways that mass media and pop culture talk about mindfulness that are not helpful for beginners and can lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration as you’re starting a practice. When I first tried meditation I would get super frustrated with myself because I would try to stay focused on my breat...

In this episode we’re going to practice what we learned in the previous episode — paying attention to the present moment with kind curiosity — which is the definition of mindfulness. So just listen and follow along as I help you pay attention to your current present moment. If you want to close your eyes, and it’s safe for you to do so, you can, but you certainly don’t have to. Practicing mindfuln...

It is my firm belief that mindfulness is a tool that can be like a balm for so many of the things that challenge us the most as actors, and one of my goals with my work is to demystify mindfulness and make it as simple and accessible as possible for you. To that end, we are starting a series on The Aligned Actor Podcast! In this series we’re going to do a deep dive on mindfulness. Mindfulness has...

Welcome to The Aligned Actor Podcast! I’m Amy Schloerb, your friendly fellow actor and mindfulness and mindset coach helping us all thrive in our full actor lives. This is the podcast were I offer practical mindfulness tools and mindset shifts to help you handle the roller coaster ride of being an actor, all the ups, downs, twist, turns, and sometimes full on loop-de-loops so that you can actually...

Raise your hand if you wish you could wave a magic wand and never feel nervous for an audition or a performance again. Well, you’re in luck because today on The Aligned Actor Podcast we’re talking about nerves — stage fright, audition nerves, performance anxiety — and I’m going to help you reframe your mindset around nerves and offer you a few simple techniques to calm your body and mind quickly....

If you’ve ever hit submit on a self tape or left an in-person audition and immediately started tearing yourself to shreds, this is the episode for you. Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Podcast. I’m Amy Schloerb your fellow actor, and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors, and this is the place where I share practical tools and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your craft and your...

Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Podcast on Substack. I’m Amy Schloerb your friendly neighborhood actor and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors and creatives, offering practical ideas and inspirations to help you thrive in your full #ActorLife. All too often, auditions feel “unfinished” until we know the outcome - did we book or not? In reality, an audition is finished, complete, d...

Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Substack. I’m Amy Schloerb your friendly neighborhood actor and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors and creatives, offering practical ideas and inspirations to help you thrive in your full #ActorLife. Last week we talked about letting yourself want to book the part and how acknowledging YOUR want can actually help you stay focused on what your chara...

Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Substack. I’m Amy Schloerb your friendly neighborhood actor and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors, offering practical ideas and inspirations to help you thrive in your full #ActorLife. Let’s Break Some Rules! I want you to break a BIG “good little actor” rule in your next audition. Want it. I mean REALLY WANT it. Let yourself feel how much you wan...

Hello and welcome back to The Aligned Actor Substack. I’m Amy Schloerb your friendly neighborhood actor and mindfulness and mindset coach for actors and creatives, offering practical ideas and inspirations to help you thrive in your full #ActorLife. I’m writing this article from bed because I am turning this publication into an OnlyFans. JK. 🤣 In actuality, I am a little under the weather at the...

*Note: If you watch the video, keep in mind that it is from 2023, the year that I thought using cute GIFs to illustrate my points was the most brilliant idea ever for going viral on YouTube. Oh, Amy…. I think we’re all grateful that I’ve moved on from that phase. 🤣 We’re on the messy side of my office today because the sun is being weird on that side where my backdrop is pretty, but we’re just go...

*Note: If you watch the video, keep in mind that it is from 2023, the year that I thought using cute GIFs to illustrate my points was the most brilliant idea ever for going viral on YouTube. Oh, Amy…. I think we’re all grateful that I’ve moved on from that phase. 🤣 I’m wearing my ‘SAG-AFTRA Strong’ shirt so that I can tell you about the day I almost quit acting. It was the middle of the pandemic....

*Note: If you watch the video, keep in mind that it is from 2023, the year that I thought using cute GIFs to illustrate my points was the most brilliant idea ever for going viral on YouTube. Oh, Amy…. I think we’re all grateful that I’ve moved on from that phase. 🤣 “I try not to let it bother me.” Have you ever said that to yourself? Some kind of situation has happened in your life, it clearly bo...

Last week we talked about why it’s important to stop asking the question, “Why didn’t I book?” That question just keeps us stuck in a cycle of shame and self-doubt, which is no way to approach future auditions or our acting career in general. The subtext of that question is usually, “ Why wasn’t I good enough? How can I be better? What do I need to fix about myself?” Instead of assuming we did som...

There’s an unhelpful question that many actors ask. “Why didn’t I book that role?” When enough time has passed that we know we didn’t book the role, our brains start to get desperate to find out why. We yearn for feedback, thinking there might be something we can fix about our craft or audition technique. But we will never know why we didn’t book. The question will never be answered. And brains HA...

We’re gonna be talking more about auditions in March so it felt appropriate to re-release this article as a jumping off point. Enjoy! *Note: If you watch the video, keep in mind that it is from 2023, the year that I thought using cute GIFs to illustrate my points was the most brilliant idea ever for going viral on YouTube. Oh, Amy…. I think we’re all grateful that I’ve moved on from that phase. 🤣...

Last week we talked about core desired feelings and you started figuring out how you want to feel as an actor as you engage in your career, in your craft, and in your life in general. This week, we’re going to do a guided audio exercise to help you explore and embody those feelings even more deeply. This type of work is meant to be fun and inspiring. You may get new ideas of actions to take in you...

Go to episode on Substack --> https://open.substack.com/pub/thealignedactor/p/how-do-you-want-to-feel-as-an-actor Let’s talk about goals. What are your goals for yourself as an actor? Maybe you want to be on a certain show, maybe you want to work with a certain director, maybe you just want to book more work — Hey, don’t we all? Goals are great, but you know what’s even better? Exploring the feeli...

Last week, I presented the “What’s On Your Plate?” Exercise and you looked at everything you have going on in your life — all the stuff that requires energy from you and everything that’s stressing you out. Likely, you have a lot on your plate and maybe that exercise even left you feeling a little overwhelmed. Well, I have good news for you. There’s a tool we’ve been practicing here a lot and that...

Before we get into our work today, I want to pause and acknowledge the horrible situation going on in Minnesota. If you have been feeling powerless, here are a few actions you could take. Even if these feel small, every action matters and will move you out of powerlessness. * Go to the website (or download the app) 5 Calls . It will get you in touch with your representatives so that you can demand...

Last week, I presented the “What’s On Your Plate?” Exercise and you looked at everything you have going on in your life — all the stuff that requires energy from you and everything that’s stressing you out. Likely, you have a lot on your plate and maybe that exercise even left you feeling a little overwhelmed. Well, I have good news for you. There’s a tool we’ve been practicing here a lot and that...

Acting is a unique career that requires A LOT of energy. Sure, it’s fun to play characters expressing all kinds of emotions, but it’s also exhausting. Not to mention the 4:30am call times and overnight shoots. Additionally, many of us have full time jobs in addition to our full time career, and we all have general life stuff going on too. That’s a lot to juggle! We need energy for our FULL Actor L...