Finding Inspiration in 20 Minutes of Meditation

Recently, a journalist at Fast Company Magazine decided to put meditation to the test as a tool to better manage stress, improve health and inspire wellness.

The article, entitled How 20 Minutes of Meditation a Day Helped Me Deal with My Anxiety, is a wonderful read for any professional, student, athlete or entertainer who seeks empowerment.

Here are a few quotes from the text I wanted to share:  

And while "mindfulness" has become more of a cliché than a real call to action in the business world, the core message to quiet your mind and focus on the present sounds like the perfect solution for a more productive workday.

Meditation does not come naturally in the beginning. For starters, when meditating first thing in the morning I found it difficult differentiating between sleepy time and meditation time.

I found this meditation to be extremely effective at quelling my anxiety. Throughout the day life’s stressors would often quickly signal a churning in the pit of my stomach and shorter breaths, but after I started meditating I gradually found over the week that my triggers took less of a hold on me. I was able to face things like looming deadlines, wedding planning, and general money-budgeting with more ease than usual. Everything was still real and in-focus, but the negativity associated with each was less oppressive.

While making the time to meditate and embracing the fact that life is full of distractions is no easy feat, this is a habit that I think I'll try to keep. I plan to continue to meditate for at least 20 minutes a day--for sanity's sake.

When an Audience Smiles

Members of the Welcome Club of Northern Virginia enjoyed my entertaining anecdotes.

In the two years that I have performed my Hypnotic Experience show I have had the pleasure of participating at community festivals, street fairs, charitable fundraisers and parties with a group of exceptional entertainers.

I’ve shared the stage with comedians, musicians, dancers, clowns, magicians, puppeteers, sword swallowers, jugglers and…yes…even mimes.  The best of the lot have two things in common:  1) they are professional and well prepared; and 2) they know the audience.

I have taken this to heart and follow a well defined process when gearing up for a show:

1. Schedule a prep discussion with the event host to confirm logistics, audience demographics and size, and expectations.  For instance, the organizer of tomorrow’s “J Fest” at the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia spent 30 minutes on the phone with me to ensure I am well set for success.

2. Based on the prep call, I map out the structure and content of the Hypnotic Experience show.  I’ll identify which jokes to use, skits to incorporate and, if needed, write new material.  I spiced up my recent hypnosis demonstration at Walter Johnson High School by writing a couple of “in good fun” jokes about a rival high school.

3. Prepare for the unexpected.  I sweated through my mid-July show for Professionals in the City because the temperature touched the high 90s.  At the Bradley Farm Haunted House show I encountered an audience younger than I anticipated.  There are curves at nearly every performance and you have to learn to roll with it. 

I love to perform and find positive feedback to be incredibly gratifying.   

However, the most important lesson I’ve taken away from other performers is that a successful show is about the audience.  When they come away with a smile and having enjoyed themselves, then it’s all good.