I'm Going to Be A Star And This Is My Plan

                                          Said by every actor….ever. 

Oh Show Business. No matter if we "make it" and we are a star, at some point in our career, we all feel the same sense of not being enough, questioning our talent, and deep down just wanting to be accepted. Struggling or full blown stars……we are all the same aren't we? Our careers go through massive highs and lows, feast and famine, that would make anyone else's head spin. Show business brings heartache, and many of us allow that heartache to rob us of our every day happiness and forget the joy that comes from doing what we do. 

So how can we be a happy, fulfilled, confident, blissful? Deep down, its a choice, really. But here's some tips I found in my career that help me. I hope they will help you too. 

Love Acting. It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised by how many actors focus on the negative and allow the indifference of the business to validate that self-deprecating voice in their heads. "If you didn't get the callback you must suck." No, you must focus on the art and love it. You do this by engaging in the joy of acting on a regular basis in classes, in scripts you write and shoot, and in the work you do on stage. If the extent of your acting is in an audition room a couple times a week for 10 minutes at a time at best, you're not choosing to fall in love with it. Love it for it's own sake.

Get a Life. You need a day job. Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Meryl Streep all have day jobs. Yes, I said have. Whether it's child advocacy, Sudan, parenthood, music, or women's issues, they all have passions that extend beyond show business. Sometimes their day job is acting! The point is they all have full lives that keep them engaged in their communities in ways that are fulfilling. If auditioning and occasional acting on set is all you do, you probably have a more narrow view of the world than an artist should. You're limiting yourself and your art. So, get out there. Get a job. Volunteer. Make time for friends and family. Travel. Experience. Your art is bigger than the business, and it requires fuel or else it gets stale. Living a full life is your power source.

Care for you instrument. You must eat well, sleep well, and – during at least one workout a week – engage in exercise that isn’t driven by vanity but by the desire to connect your mind and your body. This business is stressful. It requires constant self-care. If you're putting things into your body that deplete your physical and emotional energy, the artistic expression that comes out of your body will reflect that depletion. You won't be able to do the work you need to consistently do. This goes for spiritual engagement as well. You have to be feeding your soul – whatever  that means for you. In a town where business is our master, we have to find ways to nurture our spirits and find something bigger than the industry and ourselves. You can only find joy and engage in deeply connected work if your heart, body, and spirit are tuned.

Let go of the drama. The drama is on the page and in the work, but not in your life. There'll certainly be struggles, disappointments, and big feelings. But don't turn that into drama. Live simply. Don't create chaos. That's wasted energy spent in avoidance. Deal with what's right in front of you: the work. Everything else is in the way of the thrill of your artistic exploration.

Comparison is death. You're not Jennifer Lawrence. You’re not Daniel Day Lewis. You're not Octavia Spencer. But they're also not you. Comparing your career to another actor's career is not the work of an artist. You are a unique actor with a unique set of experiences so your path will be unique. Likewise, comparing your bank account to that of the kid you grew up with who went to law school, undermines your unique journey and prevents your experiences from being expressed through your art. You are like no one and no one is like you. 

Find your gratitude. Appreciate what you have; it's a lot. Every morning and evening, in the shower, in traffic, at the post office, etc. – Identify three things for which you're grateful. Let that become a practice. It keeps you out of the muck that actors can wallow in. "She didn't bring me in on that part I'm perfect for." "That other actor got the part." "I'm too old, too fat, too insignificant, too, too, too…" Gratitude leaves no room for the negative voices that don't have your best interests in mind. Even when those voices pop up in the waiting room as you're about to walk into the room. Be especially grateful then!

Be gentle and kind to yourself and to everyone around you. Nobody deserves to be beaten up. Begin with yourself. Forgive yourself for anything you think you did wrong. Treat yourself as you would a new lover. Go out of your way to be generous. Be compassionate. Be mindful – to the casting director, the other actors who always book your parts. Be kind. It will create space for happiness.

9. Meditate It is not a religion. It is an exercise in stillness. By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort, and so we will experience true happiness. If we train in meditation, our mind will gradually become more and more peaceful, and we will experience a purer and purer form of happiness. Eventually, we will be able to stay happy all the time, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Namaste my friends, 

Merie
xoxo

Drink water straight out of the garden hose!

This video is everything I am for and about.....simplicity, strength of character, accountability, and authenticity. 

Aside from my kid having the sugary sodas on a regular basis, um, no.  Sorry, any fizzy drink that is used to clean blood off a highway isn't going in my babies body if I can help it. But aside from that, I agree with this videos ethics. I think we should all go back to what I call Old School Parenting. 

Drinking out of the garden hose, reading a book, drawing with crayons on paper and staying outside and playing until the streetlamps are on....

That is how I roll. This is how I want to raise my Maxwell. 

Because childhood should be simple. Right now I think there are just too many choices, toys, IPads, cell phones. My son has a Leap Pad Ultra and all these electronic toys….and I give him time limits. Time limits on the television. He's 20 months old…but I'm already seeing that I have to pull in the reigns on this electronic age….take him outside, playing in the park and in the dirt with other kids. 

I know its a sign of the times, and we all have to adapt a little, but I feel like the simpler the better. My childhood was filled with imagination, exploration, hiking, camping, dance class, music class....you name it. I rarely was inside playing on a computer or a video game...and when I was it was for a brief time with my friends or siblings. 

There is an isolation that is happening with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I mean look at me right now? Blogging for god sake. Up on my soap box about how things should be simpler, less electronic….on an electronic thing. Staring at a screen.  

But let's not get off base here. ;) 

My friends and family will tell you this. I make an effort to have face time with people. Not IPhone Face Time, but sit down, have a meal, chat and laugh time. Its important to physically interact with your friends and family often. Facebook, Twitter, texting, and all should be to keep abreast on what friends are doing, but not replace your time with them. 

And if this is what WE the adults are doing....no wonder the kids are following suit. They don't know any better. They don't know about the garden hose. 

So, let's lead by example shall we? Kids do what we do. So next time you feel like you are on overload of "electronica". Stop, Drop and Roll. Do nothing, breathe deep, get out in the sun and take a walk, play in the park, get dirty (you know what I mean…but you can do that too!) just get away from our computer, tablets, and IPhones….and yes, maybe even drink out of the garden hose. 

It tastes good.

xo
M

My Secret to Simplify Life

Life is simple. 

It really is. 

It's us who make it complicated. 

I know what you are saying, 

"Yeah, right. You don't live my life. Its complicated!" 

Ok, ok. I hear you. Just take a deep breath, sit for 5 minutes, and I will let you in on my little secret on how to simplify. 

Many years ago I was introduced to a book called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I honestly can't remember who told me about it first, but random people kept coming into my life and saying I should read this book. Well, when that happens I take it as a sign that I should listen so finally I gave in, and went into a Barnes & Noble picked the book up off the shelf and started reading it right there in the store.  An hour later, I finished it, I couldn't put it down and I have found myself quoting it to friends, family and colleagues for years ever since. 

The book reveals a source of self limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering in our lives. If we all just followed what this book suggests, life would be incredibly simple. 

Let me stop trying to explain and just let you decide for yourself. 

The following is straight from the jacket of the book. 

1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. 

2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering. 

3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

Find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. 

4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret. 

Simple right? But incredibly hard to follow. Especially #2 and #3...for me anyway. 

The book is a fast read. Each agreement is a chapter, but Ruiz also talks about the domestication of the planet, breaking old habits, how to have heaven on earth...

Don't be afraid. This isn't a religion. It is wisdom of his family. He was raised in rural Mexico by his mother and grandfather, who were healers of esoteric ancient Toltec knowledge.  

No more explaining. Experience it yourself and try to follow it. I'm still trying. I have the above jacket cover framed in my house. 

Know this...if this isn't the first time hearing about this book, take it as a sign and find a way to get it & read it.

This is my gift to you. 

Simple. 

Namaste, my friends. 

10 Habits That Steal Your Happiness

Happiness - its what we all strive to find and keep, even when its as elusive as ever. Nobody is happy all the time, but some people are definitely more fulfilled than others. Studies reveal that happiness has little to do with material goods or high achievement, but the habits of happy people mostly come from within. 

Being happy is a choice. Its habitual. 

You ultimately become what you repeatedly do or think about.  If your habits of thinking aren’t helping you, they’re hurting you.  

Here are a few examples of the latter that will steal your happiness if you let them:

1.  Focusing on everyone’s story except your own.

Don’t be so satisfied with the success stories of others and how things have gone for them that you forget to write your own.  Unfold your own tale and bring it to life.  You have everything you need to become what you are capable of becoming.  Incredible change happens when you decide to take control.  This means consuming less and creating more.  It means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and deciding for you.  It means learning to respect and use your own ideas and instincts. Believe in them, follow them. 

If you want your life story to soar to new heights, you’ve got to clear a path, reduce the time-sinks and burdens weighing you down, and pick up the things that give you wings.  Keep your best wishes and your biggest goals close to your heart and dedicate time to them every day.  

If you truly care about what you do and you work diligently at it, there’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish.

2.  Waiting for the perfect moment.

Don’t buy into the myth of the perfect moment.  Moments aren’t perfect; they’re what you make them.  So many people wait around for the stars to align to do what they’re here to do.  The perfect moment, the perfect opportunity, the perfect state of being, etc.  Wake up!  These states of perfection are myths.  They do not exist.

Your ability to grow to your highest potential is directly related to your willingness to act in the face of imperfection.  You will come to succeed not by finding a perfect moment, but by learning to see and use life’s imperfections perfectly.  

3.  Working for nothing more than a paycheck.

Work without interest is imprisonment.  Even if you aren’t super-passionate about your work, you’ve got to at least be interested in it.  When you design a lifestyle in which your work is something you suffer through daily strictly to pay your bills, you end up spending your entire life wishing you had someone else’s.

Think about it.  This is your life; your work will fill a large percentage of it.  It’s not all about the money; it’s about you.  Ignore the propaganda, especially from people who say, “Don’t let your work define you.”  Reverse this message and mediate on it:  “I will do work that defines me.”  When the essence of who you are defines at least some slice of the work you do for a living, that work generates fulfillment.

Bottom line:  Interest in your work puts quality in your output and happiness in your mind.  Don’t settle for a paycheck.  Shuffle around until you find work that interests you. That feeds your soul.

4.  Harboring feelings of hate.

As Martin Luther King Jr. so profoundly said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  Truth be told, when we harbor feelings of hate, it eventually gets the best of us.  It takes control of us.  We forget why we hate, what we hate, and whom we hate – we simply hate for the sake of hating.  And then, naturally, we begin to hate ourselves too.

Everything and everyone you hate rents permanent space in both your head and heart.  So if you want to eliminate something or someone from your mind, don’t hate.  Instead, disconnect yourself, move on, and don’t look back.  

5.  Holding tight to worries and fears.

Someday when you look back over your life you’ll realize that nearly all of your worries and anxious fears never came to fruition – they were completely unfounded.  So why not wake up and realize this right now.  When you look back over the last few years, how many opportunities for joy did you destroy with needless worry and negativity?  Although there’s nothing you can do about these lost joys, there’s plenty you can do about the ones that are still to come.

You will find that it’s necessary to let some things go simply for the reason that they’re heavy on your heart and soul.  Let go of them.  Don’t clamp shackles to your own ankles.  It’s incredibly easy to enjoy more of your life right now, no matter what the situation.  It’s just a matter of letting go of the layers of nonsense that are weighing you down.

Let go of your worries and fears, of your rage and jealousy, of your need to always be right and control others.  Let go of your pretentiousness and your need to have everything your way.  Underneath all these layers of nonsense there is a happy, productive person.  When you start peeling them off and simply appreciating everything for what it is, life can be wonderfully fulfilling.

6.  Dwelling on difficulties.

A bad day is just a bad day.  Choose not to make it anything more.  Times of adversity will inevitably affect the conditions in which you live and work; yet you don’t have to let it affect who you are and where you’re headed.  Take note of the setbacks and adjust to them, but don’t expand on them by making them a bigger part of your life.

Every day brings new lessons and new possibilities.  There is always a way to take the next step forward on the path you’ve chosen.  Events may be terrible and inescapable at times, but you always have choice – if not when, then how, you may endure and proceed onward.

7.  Constantly seeking fleeting contentment.

There are two variations of contentment in life – fleeting and enduring.  The fleeting type is derived from instants of material comfort, while the enduring type is attained through the gradual growth of your mind.  At a glimpse it might be difficult to decipher one from the other, but as time rolls on it becomes vividly obvious that the latter is far superior.

Enduring contentment sustains itself through life’s ups and downs, because through them your mind remains confident and at peace.  On the other hand, when life’s fleeting changes have the ability to ruffle your mind into a frenzy, even the most elaborate physical comforts won’t make you any happier for very long.  

8. Trying to make a big difference all at once.

If you want to make a difference in the world, start with the world around you.  Making a big difference all at once is usually impossible, and the process of trying is extremely stressful.  However, instantly making a difference in a few lives is entirely possible and usually fairly easy.  You just have to focus on one person at a time and start with the one closest to you.

Work to make a bunch of small splashes, and let the ripples spread naturally.  If you want to change a person’s mind or mood, sometimes you have to change the minds or moods of the people around them first.  For instance, if you make one person smile, their smile just might make others smile too.  In this subtle way, you can touch the masses with your thoughtfulness without stressing yourself out.

9.  Holding on to someone who hurts you.

Sometimes you have to walk away from people, not because you don’t care, but because they don’t.  When someone hurts you time and time again, accept the fact that they don’t care about you.  It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s necessary medicine.  Do NOT strive to impress them any further.  Waste not another second of your time trying to prove something to them.  Nothing needs to be proven.  Do not act with any thought of them ever again.  

10.  Over-amplifying the importance of physical attractiveness.

Infatuating yourself with someone simply for what they look like on the outside is like choosing your favorite food based on color instead of taste.  It makes no sense.  It’s innate, invisible, unquantifiable characteristics that create lasting attraction.

There is an undeniable, magnetic draw that attracts you to the qualities of certain people, places, and things.  That is the authentic truth of what reels you in and creates the very hinges that hold you together in the long run.

Namaste, my friends. 

Summer A Glow Glow

In Show Biz you HAVE to look your best. 

You have to have glowing skin, and have a healthy instrument (your body & mind) for longevity. 

It's a part of the job. 

So let's invest a little in ourselves shall we my fellow actors? (Non Actors are allowed to look fab too, of course)

A little word association: I say "glow" and you say..."skin", right? 

Radiant skin is a sign to yourself and to the world that you are healthy, blood is flowing, and joy is in your life. A glowing complexion needn't be flawless, it should just look well cared for. 

Let's face it, we all wanna appear "lit from within" 

Today's blog is about giving you tips to help you achieve that glow. 

So let's get to it! 

FACE

Simple as this: Moisturized skin reflects light. Nourish it and the "glow" will come. 

Arbonne's RE9 Masque

Exfoliate A luxurious cream can't do a thing slathered onto flaky skin. Dead skin cells have an uneven surface that dulls the complexion. Our favorite exfoliates are Arbonne's Intelligence Thermal Fusion Masque & RE9 Cellular Renewal Masque. 

Nourish Spread a dime sized dollop of cream over your face and neck. Skin has five layers, so rub in the product for two full minutes in a circular motion to help it penetrate and improve skin's circulation. We love Arbonne's Anti Aging RE9 System that has no mineral oil so it sinks into and nourishes your skin. 

Enhance Sometimes you need a booster shot of bronzing powder. Wait at least five minutes after moisturizing, then apply loose bronzer where the sun would hit naturally: the cheekbones, forehead, bridge of the nose, and chin. Finish with a dusting on the clavicle. Greatest bronzer ever - you guessed it, Arbonne. Non toxic and best of all non glittery. ;) 

BODY

Spread the love - glow from tip to toe

Scrub The matrix of dead skin cells is thicker on the body than it is on the face. The most effective way to remove those cells is to brush your skin while its dry. A dry body brush is ideal before stepping into the shower. Or, you can use a sea salt scrub with essential botanical oils. To use, step into the shower to get wet, then scrub the sea salt from head to toe and rinse with warm water. No need for lotion after that, your skin will drink it in! Our fav is Arbonne's Lemon & Coriander Awaken Sea Salt Scrub.

Soak A warm bath is one of the best ways to get water into your cells, leaving them plump and radiant. Adding mineral salts revs your skin and body, opening up congested skin to healing toxin removing minerals. Sprinkle some of Arbonne's Sea Source Detox Mineral Soak in a bath that is nice and warm at least once a week.

Hydrate For dewy skin, reach for creams and oils right after the shower or bath, while the skin is damp to lock in moisture. Massage the oils and lotion into your skin to get your blood flowing, it brightens dull skin. 


HEALTH - Sloughing will only get you so far. Most of the effective glow-getters are surprisingly easy....water, diet, exercise 

Diet A recent study from the UK found that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day imbues skin with a glow that's more attractive to others than a tan. Thanks to the carotenoids, a class of antioxidants that gives foods such as sweet potatoes and tomatoes their colorful hue. Basic rule: Eat a colorful diet, have a skin that glows. Eat a color-less diet. Look bland. Don't take our word for it. Try it. 

The Big O  Arbonne's Omega 3 Plus, are clear vegan capsules filled with flaxseed oil and vegetarian DHA derived from algae, providing essential omega-3 fatty acids, who's anti inflammatory effect within the body leads to calmer skin and a healthy glow. 

EXERCISE

Last but not least, glowing bodies are active bodies. When you move more, you breathe more, which brings added oxygen and nutrients to every cell. It also stimulates the bodies lymphatic system (charged with the unsexy task but critical task of waste removal) So you'll rid the body of all that gunk that's bogging you down and blocking your glow. 

Yoga While any exercise will help - Yoga, with its deep breathing, twists, inversions, and heat-building sequences - has first dibs on imparting radiance. It boosts circulation, respiration, and detoxification, and because it emphasizes calm, yoga can sooth the nervous system and settle the mind. (And we could all use that in the entertainment industry, right?) 

So get some face & body cream, do some yoga, drink some water, have some veggies and take a bath. 

And let us know when that glow starts to show! 

Namaste, my friends

Meredith

**To order all Arbonne Product please visit www.merie.myarbonne.com or email MeredithBrayley@gmail.com to ask about how to get 20% off**

What I Wish I Did While I Was On Broadway

The Tony Awards are coming….or as I call it "Prom night for the Theater World". ;)  

This time of year reminds me of my 42nd St cast mates. Remembering the time we all performed on the Tony's in 2001, how exciting it was to come from our Sunday matinee to the theater to run down the isle in our tap shoes and dance on stage at Radio City! We were all living the dream! 

Being on Broadway is truly amazing....but....for some of us....we know if our show is struggling and our show didn't win a Tony award there is this fear of knowing your closing notice may be posted soon. Notice goes up Tuesday that says you are out of a job on Sunday afternoon. Not even a true week's notice. 

Crushing. Been there. 

Me (front row in lavender) and my 42nd St Cast

Not only does that kind of news suck for anyone....it also means you don't have that fat paycheck coming in anymore. And.... you start searching for the receipts to return all that new furniture you bought for your expensive NYC apartment. ;) 

This is where I hope I can help. With some advice on what I wish I did while I was on Broadway. 

For those of you who aren't actors, let me school you a little. "Survival jobs" are what actors call the jobs we get "in between gigs". Some people are fortunate enough to never have to work one, but those of us who do have been through a myriad of side jobs. Me personally? I have coat checked at The Rainbow Room, Hostessed at The St Regis, Catered in Hollywood, I have even done singing birthday grams as Marilyn Monroe (there are pictures somewhere). All and all, ok jobs, but nothing that made me a lot of money or money that made me feel like I could then choose to take a job in the theater world or not. Sometimes we take some gigs just because its money...right? Imagine if we didn't have to do that and be out of NYC when the next Broadway audition came up. 

So a few years back I was racking my brain to figure out what I could do to build income. Start my own line of tap shoes, make jewelry? Uh.....not really interested in having a jewelry factory in my apartment and designing tap shoes is exciting but I have no capital to start that kind of a business.  

Me with Kathleen Marshall in Princess Diaries II

Early on, I realized that Film & TV actors get paid residually as well as on the days that they work. (Um, yes please!) This is what I want. So I luckily started to do some TV and Film and got some nice money and even residuals coming in from work I did years ago. I still do. Princess Diaries, Law & Order SVU, and even Person Of Interest just paid me. I filmed those jobs over a year ago and PDII 10 years ago. I love this kind of paycheck!  But as we all know, those jobs aren't in our control to book and as much as I love the checks, they pay some bills, but not all right now. So where does this leave me? Needing more checks like that.  

I also am a new Mom. I love my son and spending time with him is precious to me. Most every mother feels this pull. I want to be active in the world, contribute financially and otherwise, but also spend quality time with my baby. 

So...with all this adding up. I know I wanted a "survival job" that pays me residually, leverage my time so I am not away from my baby boy, allows me flexibility to audition when I need to, gives me purpose and is social, I can do from anywhere (since I may be working in NYC or LA) and makes me good money. 

Doesn't exist right? That's what I thought. But it does. Read on my friends.

Its Network Marketing. 

I know what you just said. "OK, thanks Mer! See ya! Not for me. Scam. Pyramid Scheme. Blah Blah. Nope."

Please don't stop reading because that is everyone's first reaction. And this is where I feel actors and performers don't understand how this is the only job they could do and do very well during gigs and in between gigs that will make them residual income. Trust me. Some of you know me. I am a stickler for looking at things with a fine tooth comb. 

Trust me. This is a real job and can make you real money. 

I also said I'm not going to sell some product and be known as the "Avon Lady". Then I thought, fine then I'll just be known as the broke and cranky hostess, the bartender, the catering and struggling poor actress who never has any money. Cause yeah…that's appealing. 

Or worse yet, my child never see's me because I'm always working outside of the home and I turn around and he's grown up….and I missed it. 

I am so not the "salesy type". I hate being "salesy" and frankly being sold to. 

But...when a network marketing job was presented to me I went through all these thoughts and had all these reasons why I shouldn't do it. 

Pride. Ego. Fear it was b*llsh*t, etc. 

But I then looked at my acting life. I have had so much success and have been so lucky. Yes, I could be famous & rich with a great TV gig or star on Broadway again. But in the meantime, I'm a working actor, like a lot of us, who's always in fear of not having a paycheck. 

I hate the feeling of being poor and powerless more than my pride or ego about doing network marketing. 

The longer I'm in the entertainment business (over 15 years now) the more I want security for me and my family. And being "salesy"? Please! I'm doing it all day every day with my acting business! I'm selling myself. Which I feel is a lot harder than selling an external product. And I'm always, for years, investing a sh*t ton of money in head shots, resumes, buying new audition outfits, make up, hair, getting a website set up, travel to NYC or LA, and paying an agent 10% of my income. The list goes on and on. 

And I haven't even got to the part that makes the most sense. Are you ready!? 

As an actress, it is part of our job to look and feel good. So…we pay other companies to take care of my health & wellness needs when we buy their make-up, skin care, vitamins, detox, etc. More investment and money we all don't have right? But we have to take care of ourselves. 

So connect this. Your survival job can be where you invest in your health, beauty and wellness. You invest back in yourself and your business. 

Confused? 

So....let's get on with explaining it shall we? 

Network Marketing is just a form of marketing to your "network". Or people you know. That's it. (Example: Your Facebook Friends are your Network) Its like recommending a good restaurant you love. You practically do it every day anyway. Do you get paid for that? No.

There are many companies out there to choose from, and I encourage you to research them. The company I chose has the product and philosophy that  I fell in love with. Its called ARBONNE (named after a town in Switzerland). Its a certified vegan, botanically based, environmentally conscious health & wellness company that has the best skin care products I have ever used. Plain and simple. I won't sell something I don't love. You shouldn't either. So find something you love first and foremost. And it should be consumable (repeat sales) and something that has a market need. Most everyone wants to feel and look good, has skin, hair, and a stomach (we hope). 

There are many true and real Network Marketing jobs out there and product. The Direct Sales Association is where you should look to make sure they are legit. 

But I digress....so how does this tie in with Broadway Actors? 

Here's how. I love my theater community. I have always wanted to find a way for all of us to support each other financially as we do emotionally. Money = Power & Freedom. 

Arbonne Make Up Line. My Jam! 

I started selling Arbonne backstage in-between shows to my cast of "White Christmas" on Broadway in 2008. I was only on Broadway for 2 months, so I wish I had done that when I was in 42nd St. But I didn't know about it then. Bummer! And it was super easy and nothing "salesy" about it. 

I didn't use the traditionally used MAC Make-up on Broadway, because it tore up my skin and bank account. So I started using Arbonne Make Up for the stage...still do. People started asking me what I used on my skin, what protein shakes was I drinking (in-between shows I drank them and even during to keep me fueled for my dance numbers)...people asked me what it was, and I just told them. They said "I want that!" and I helped them order.  

That was as "salesy" as I got. 

First Show Poster I was on. Dream come true! 

For November & December I got a checks in the mail from Arbonne for up to $600. I wish I had a copies of those check stubs to post for you. So you can see that it is real money, real commission, and a real job. Just trust me. Its real people. 

I am building my Arbonne business now with my husband Dustin, and we love it. It doesn't happen over night, you need a client base like anything, but we are building and it feels great to have control and power over our financial life. 

So this is my advice to performers out there. Do something like Arbonne while you are in your show and have money to invest in it. Its not a huge investment. I can show you how to get started. Put the money you make in a savings account for when you don't have a job. Build up your client list and every time they order from you, collect that residual check. 

I'm not the only Broadway person doing Network Marketing. My friend, David Eggers (who has been in an impressive 10 Broadway Musicals. Nice Daddy!) is doing a Network Marketing Gig too. He is a distributor for Shaklee. I had a chance to talk to him about his thoughts on Network Marketing and he was happy to contribute to this blog. 

Stay with me. I know this is a long blog, but its important. Stop surfing Facebook for a sec. ;) 

I’m a music-theater actor and choreographer in NYC. I started working on Broadway in 1999, and in the 14 years since, I've performed in 10 Broadway musicals, and assisted or was associate choreographer for 3 other Broadway musicals. I continue to work as an associate choreographer now, having begun work on two workshops of upcoming Broadway musicals, and a film to be released in NYC next year.

But 8 years ago, I discovered a way to augment my income while working, and to keep me afloat between gigs.

I had considered bartending, I had thought about getting certified as a personal trainer, and there was always the dreaded waiting-tables option. But none of those fit my needs of wanting to work on my own flexible schedule, wanting a residual income of some kind, and wanting to ultimately be my own boss. I didn’t know it at the time, but the perfect fit for me was Network Marketing.

I, like most people, really knew very little about Network Marketing. What “knowledge” I had was based on things I’d heard (pyramid) and on an experience my parents had with a company when I was in grade school (they joined a company, filled our garage products they didn’t really like, and made no money).

But I knew someone, another actor about my age, with whom I’d worked, who was getting involved in a Network Marketing company. I liked and trusted him, we’d become friends. If he was getting involved in a Network Marketing company, then there had to be something to it. It had to be legit.

So I started doing my research. Within a few weeks, I’d discovered enough that I joined a company as a distributor (not the same one my friend chose), and I began my 2nd career, in the Network Marketing industry. Eight years later, I’m still at it, I am enjoying extra income, and I continue to be a student of the industry, learning and sharing whatever I can with others, and helping them get started in Network Marketing, too.

The one thing that makes Network Marketing unique and prosperous is: leverage.

Leverage is what you get when you have systems that work for you. It’s why the rich get richer, and why a business owner is most often better off than than the employee.

Stocks and investments are one type of leverage; they make money for you, without you doing any work. Owning real estate and rental properties are also sources of leveraged income. Writing a book that’s purchased for years to come, or being in a movie or commercial that’s played for years, are ways of creating a leveraged income (though these are sources of residual income, which is a bit different than leveraged income; residual income often decreases over time, whereas leveraged income has the ability to increase).

I don’t know about you, but I never felt I had enough money to invest in anything other than a checking and savings account. Owning extra real estate or rental properties was definitely out of the question. Though I wish producers were busting down my door begging me to do commercials or movies, that’s not happening. Nor am I penning the next great American novel.

The remaining form of leverage - the one that’s available to anyone and everyone, the one that’s affordable, scalable, and potentially without limits - is Network Marketing.

For a moment, put aside everything you think you know about Network Marketing, and allow me to explain what it. Network Marketing is when a company pays the consumers of it’s products or services to enroll additional consumers. Consumers enroll consumers who enroll consumers, who enroll consumers, and on and on it goes. And you can get paid on all the purchases from all the consumers, throughout the entire network of consumers, whether you directly enrolled them or they were enrolled by someone who was enrolled by someone you enrolled (etc.). That’s powerful leverage. Because it is potentially limitless, it can keep going, even without any effort on your part, and your income can continue to increase. Some people in Network Marketing are thrilled with a few extra hundred dollars per month; others have created six-figure incomes for themselves, with no end in sight.

It’s not tricky. It’s not scammy. It’s not even new. Network Marketing was started back in the 1950’s. And it’s legit. There are regulations and laws that govern the industry. And yes, it is a whole industry, that in 2011 accounted for $29 Billion in revenue in the U.S. alone. It’s so relevant now, in today’s world of struggling economies and shaky job markets, that more and more traditional companies are moving into the Network Marketing field, because they see the growth potential, and they know people are hungry to create better lives for themselves. Here’s a growing list of top traditional companies that now own Network Marketing companies: L’Oreal (The Body Shop at Home); Product Partners, LLC (P90X, BeachBody); Unilever (Hindustan Unilever); Gallo (Wine Shop at Home); Bertelsmann (Penguin Random House consumer book publishing company); Hallmark Cards, Inc (Blessings Unlimited); Blyth (Partylite, ViSalus); Jockey International (Jockey Person to Person); Activated Holdings, LLC (Shaklee); Mars, Inc. (Dove Chocolate Discoveries); and Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (The Kirby Company, Pampered Chef, World Book).

In a traditional job, you trade your time for money, creating value for the person you work for; in Network Marketing, you get paid for your time and efforts and for all the time and efforts of everyone you enroll, and you are directly rewarded for all the value you helped create.

If you’re an actor, too, and the jobs aren’t coming, or if they are, but you’re still not making enough money to live the life you’ve imagined...or if you’re not an actor, but you're working hard in a career that’s eating all your time or not providing the money you wish for...there is another option. You don’t have to live your life by someone else’s rules, on other people’s schedules, making money based on limits set by someone else. You don’t have spend your life barely getting by or making due with what you can make at a job.

You can create a better life and brighter future for yourself by getting involved with a solid Network Marketing company, one for which you’d be happy being a consumer, and start enrolling other consumers...some of whom will continue to “pay it forward” by enrolling further consumers, some of whom will enroll further consumers, etc.

It’s not complicated.

And it’s out there, ready for the taking. You just need to know that it’s there. Do your research. Decide.

To learn more about Shaklee, their opportunity and their products, visit David’s Shaklee website: http://hwliving.myshaklee.com. And feel free to contact David directly through david@hwliving.net.

Thank you David. Brilliant.

So my Broadway friends....as you are watching the Tony's or performing on them....just think about your Plan B, whatever it may be.

My Arbonne website is www.merie.myarbonne.com

That's some advice from this Broadway Baby to you.

Happy Tony Season!!!

Namaste, my friends

Meredith

xo

  

Stress sucks for trying to get Preggers 

Did you know that taxing your adrenal glands (those little organs that sit atop your kidneys)—with too many stimulants (like caffeine!), stress, and not enough sleep—could be affecting your fertility? Trying to start or expand your family can be stressful enough, but if your adrenals are taxed, that can make conceiving that much more difficult. Tired, worn out, overtaxed adrenals can affect both men and women’s fertility (this isn’t just about us ladies, gentlemen!).

Adrenal Fatigue or Exhaustion and Fertility

When adrenals are overtaxed, it can contribute to reproductive issues in both men and women. The high levels of cortisol production from ongoing stress snowball into hormone imbalances, a feeling of constant fatigue, and even more stress and anxiety once fertility problems show up.

A study showed that stress and anxiety contribute to infertility in women partially because they increase the amount of cortisol in the blood. When cortisol levels remain elevated for an extended period of time, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) falls out of balance. That goes on to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadotropic axis (HPG), which can “affect the hormonal profile in critical stages of the fertilization process.” 

When your hormones aren’t balanced, your fertility is compromised.

While the adrenals are working so hard to produce cortisol in response to ongoing stress, they’re dropping the ball on secretion of the other hormones necessary for fertility. The production of estrogen, progesterone, and DHEA takes a hit. Remember, cortisol is meant to be released short-term, in response to stress (fight-or-flight situations), so it wouldn’t normally interfere with these other hormones long-term, and fertility wouldn’t suffer. Chronic stress throws all of that out of whack. Eventually, the adrenal glands become too exhausted to keep up with the body’s cortisol demands and production of that drops off to lower than normal levels.

Even in men, an elevated rate of cortisol production can decrease fertility. In another study that looked at 60 subjects under fertility screening, the ones with the lowest sperm counts and motility were also the ones who had elevated cortisol serum levels. They had been under psychological stress for a prolonged period of time and their adrenals were working overtime to release cortisol. Adrenal fatigue can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep at night, and a study in the Journal of Epidemiology showed that sleep disturbances, too, can alter semen quality. (As a side note, not getting enough sleep can contribute to adrenal fatigue, too, because it increases the production of cortisol, creating a vicious cycle.)

Signs of Adrenal Fatigue

In addition to infertility, there are several other signs of adrenal fatigue, including:

• Fatigue, no matter how much sleep you get
• Still feeling tired first thing in the morning, so it’s hard to get up
• Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night
• Junk food cravings (especially sweets and refined carbs!)
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Weakened immune system
• Need for stimulants, like sugar or the caffeine in coffee, to get through the day
• Decreased libido
• Brain fog
• Low tolerance for stressful situations

How to Give Your Adrenal Glands a Break

In our society, where it sometimes feels as if everyone is “on” all the time and rushing from place to place, fueling yourself with the right foods and allowing yourself to relax and get a full night’s sleep each day may seem impossible. The last thing you want to hear when you’re all stressed out and struggling to get pregnant is, just relax! You probably want to shout at them, shut uuup!, even though that is one part of healing the adrenals and may help you get pregnant. To reverse the effects of adrenal fatigue, you need to nourish your body, mind, and soul. You have to train your body to slow down in order to keep moving forward, not run harder.

• Yoga, tai chi, walking, or any other gentle exercise you enjoy can help. This isn’t the time to start incorporating high-intensity interval training into your workout routine. That would do more harm than good, as that level of difficult activity would just further stress the adrenals. I’ve personally love yoga, and consider my practice essential to the balance of my life.

• Breathing exercises/meditation will also soothe your mind and naturally decrease feelings of stress and anxiety. If you’re just starting out, you’ll be amazed by what even short periods of quiet will do. It is a practice, so you have to work on it to get better and better. Focus on breathing deeply. Concentrate on those breaths so no nagging to-do list will sneak in and ruin your moment. You can also work to learn some definite yogic techniques. I have a great Guided Meditation CD from Terri Cole. Its brilliant and perfect. 

• Give up the caffeine and sugar. When that afternoon sugar and coffee craving hits, try going for a short walk instead, or try consuming a Arbonne Fizz Tab ( with B12 Vitamin). Caffeine and sugar stimulate the adrenals, and though it’s a quick fix for a few hours, it’s doing nothing for you over the long run. 

• You gotta change your diet. There ‘aint no way to get around it!  Cut out the refined carbs and other junk food. When your adrenals are taxed, you may be clinging to these but your body needs and deserves a highly nutritious, nurturing diet. The Health Living Essentials Diet from Arbonne fill you up with the vitamins and minerals you need to recover; they don’t rob you of beauty, energy, or health the way the sugary, fatty, salty foods you crave when your adrenals are exhausted will. Over time on this diet, you’ll realize that your energy levels are maintained throughout the day, not up and down depending on what you last put into your body. Bananas are especially good for keeping anxiety to a minimum, which in turn relieves your adrenal glands.

• Don’t drink or at least greatly cut back on alcohol. I realize it’s not realistic to expect everyone to cut it out completely. When dealing with adrenal fatigue, you may want to avoid even the occasional glass of wine, at least until your body has had time to heal. Alcohol stresses the adrenal glands just like coffee and sugar do. You may be used to having a glass of wine here and there at dinners, get-togethers, etc. But if you make a conscious decision not to drink, at least for a period, you’ll surprise yourself that you don’t need those drinks as much as you think.

• Skip the scary movies. My husband knows I hate them. Anything that makes you feel like you’re on the edge of your seat, anything that makes you feel stressed by watching or reading it (that includes the news!), should be avoided. You know those scenes in horror movies aren’t real, but your body still reacts as if they are. That also goes for “scary”, drama-filled reality shows, ala Housewives of blah blah blah shows. You know what I mean!

• Unplug. When you get home, turn off the computer and the phone and just unwind from your day. Eat a healthy meal, invite a friend over to relax by the pool, go for a walk in nature if the sun’s still up, read a book, and just do the things that help you recharge. Work will follow you around 24/7 if you let it. It’s up to you to take charge and set boundaries. 

Relaxation may not be a switch you can flip the way those well-intentioned people seem to suggest when they find out you’re suffering from infertility, but making changes to your life will change your feelings of well-being overall. When you nourish yourself this way, by being careful about what you put into your body (and mind) and giving it time to rest and recuperate each day, you’ll find that you did “just relax” after all. It’s not exactly that simple because it may involve making some huge adjustments to your lifestyle, but teaching yourself to live a healthier, more balanced life will result in more happiness overall–and fertility in all areas of your life- including manifesting all your goals and dreams.

Namaste, my friends

Meredith

Merie@MerieInc.com