Inspiration

Me and Rosa Blasi on the set of Strong Medicine. This was my very first tv job! I was SOOOO excited. Ok, let me explain the make up. So get this, I get cast as "Myrel", which wasn't ethnic specific in the script. Just a patient. I get to the make up trailer, and the make up artist takes one look at me and says "I know what I want to do with you!" - and thus, I have my first tv appearance looking like a resident from East LA. (No offense) I don't get why they see a Latina actress and think gang banger or chola.
Just means I have to change that frame of thinking!

Well, I am the creator of an inspiring quote! Can you believe that? ok, so let me explain...
A woman from Actorsite emailed me wanting to chat about the business and pick my brain over dinner one night. I agreed and we met last night. I had met her before, but only in workshops. Anyway, we had a really nice long chat - over 3 hours long - about life philosophies and the business. I told her my story and basically gave her the steps in how I did everything in my career from the start.
I always said to myself that this business was so hard for me when I first moved out, when I didn't know a single person or thing, and I wanted to be the kind of person that didn't have a problem helping other newbies out. Giving them the information that I was searching for when I first got here. I wanted to make it a little bit easier for other people. It's tough enough out here!
Well, towards the end of the conversation, I summed up my advice to her in one sentence and she copied it down on paper. And when I saw it quoted with my name attached - I thought that was pretty cool. I've never been the author of an inspiring quote.....so now I will share it with you. (Now, if you've heard it somewhere before - please don't tell me - that would just crush me! haha)

"Always ask for what you want and never offer what you don't want to give" -Lydia Blanco

The idea stems from not being afraid to go after what you want and asking for it. Sometimes people just hope for the best. Hope that things will just fall into their lap - and that's not always the case. Actually, its hardly the case. You need to ask for what you want.
And the second part, don't offer what you don't want to give - sometimes people overextend themselves to be nice, but end up kicking themselves later for it. That's silly. Be true to yourself and only give what you want to give. That way it's a true gift. Not something out of obligation...am I making sense? It made sense last night! :-) So, there, that's my inspiring quote! And I just kinda fell into saying it! Pretty funny how that works!
She also asked me about my life philosophy, and I don't think I have ever been asked that - or thought about it specifically. But apparently it has a lot to do with balance. I think balance is very important in life. I was stressing to her the importance of being focused in this career - but also being balanced, and not making this career your whole life. There are many things happening around us that we miss because of our tunnel vision sometimes. And I definately believe in appreciating your surroundings and enjoying LIFE. What good is a thriving career when you don't have much of anything else? family, friends, spirituality...etc?
And I also believe in greater reasons for the paths we choose. There's a reason why I came out here, there's a reason why I've played these roles, and there's a reason why I don't have my own sitcom yet. This is the way things are supposed to unfold. This was the life I was supposed to lead. And the people I have met, the lessons I have learned along the way, are all for a reason. I trust in God and believe that whatever is supposed to happen - will happen. Whether its what I want, or what I THINK I want, or not.
It's all about staying positive! :-) Which I try to be...no matter how hard it gets.
And no matter how many jaded, mean spirited, negative, fake, selfish people I may run into out here in LA, that doesn't mean I have to turn into one of them. Because for every one of those I meet - I recognize the many I have in my life that are the complete opposite. And that's what makes life good. :-)