Re_________ Yourself

Reinvent, rejuvenate, reorganize... these are the words I tend to think of when summer rolls around. For most in the industry, May/June provides a bit of a lull... and for many of us, it couldn't come at a better time. Not only is the warmer weather a good excuse to relax, but after a stressful pilot season (either from too many auditions, or not nearly enough) some time "off" can be a welcome relief.

Personally, I was burnt out for a few reasons. Bookings that didn't work out for reasons beyond anyone's control, too much work from all sides, and not enough forward momentum to name a few. Top it off with the unexpected passing of my very beloved dog, William, and I was a girl very much in need of a break.

So, I took a few.

If you live in LA, I highly recommend making use of our close proximity to a variety of "weekend trip" spots. One of my favorite things about living in California is that you can be in a desert one minute and a lush mountain setting the next. I spent the past month taking some quick trips, and allowing myself a bit of a break from acting-related work.

What's really nice about taking a little break, is that if you really love acting you very quickly remember how much you care about it once you take that step back. I found myself coming up with new ideas in places I'd been stuck before, and taking action on a few things I'd been putting off for far too long.

The first of which is that I'm getting back into class, and in addition to acting class I'm going to be taking some non-related (and yet still related, because what doesn't relate to acting...) workshops in things like dance and cooking. I also moved forward on a long-term volunteer project that has been in the back of my head for years.

Now that I'm SAG-AFTRA, I'm also taking advantage of the great programs that the SAG Foundation and SAG conservatory have to offer. I've been to several really great programs, and I'm so impressed with how well-run these programs are.

I did a representation push and just today settled on a new theatrical rep, right before we head into episodic season. Last but not least, the web series pilot that I created will be screening at VidCon this weekend in Anaheim.

My point is that I'd been holding off on many of these projects for some time, mostly because I was just so burnt out from other work. The only thing that made me get back into gear was taking a step back and just living a little bit. You know the old, and true, saying that once you leave town you get a truckload of auditions? I think the same holds true for other aspects of an actor's career, too.

So, if you get the chance for a weekend or even a day, take a little vacation and re_______ yourself.

-- Laura Hunter

(Photo: Jason Mitchell)