For those of you who don’t know me, I am a planner. Like months in advance, daily and monthly planner, typed up schedule on my computer, google calendar, sticky notes, meal plans, reminders in my phone, and excessive lists, next level planner. Some may call it obsessive; I prefer to use the term highly organized. I plan out literally EVERYTHING. From when I wake up to when I go to bed, my life has been written out. Even my free time is often planned.
Odly, for someone who loves plans and organization, I am pursuing a career that calls for last minute rehearsals and auditions, job instability, and unconventional hours. Not to mention within the walls of the audition room, directors and choreographers will ask you to do the most strenuous and unconventional things and if you want to show them how much you want the job, well you better just go with it. This summer, I had the opportunity to attend a dance intensive that enabled me to work with many Broadway performers, some were even Tony Award Winners. Often times during this intensive, my peers would ask them “How did you know you when were Ready?”. Of course they all answered something unique to their individual journey, but for the most part all of their answers were along the same lines of the fact that they most definitely didn’t feel ready in the slightest but they just took that jump and hoped for the best. Sometimes, yeah, they fell flat on their faces, but they peeled themselves off the ground, rebuilt their confidence, maybe learned a few things to become better for their next chance, and when the opportunity presented itself they jumped again. And they usually landed on their feet after their second (or thirty-second) try. Simply put, to be “ready” similar to achieving perfection, does not exist. It is impossible to be completely prepared for an audition, a job interview, a relationship, an exam, starting college, or just life in general. There are too many people in this world and too many unknown and ever changing variables. So don’t even try to fool yourself into believing you can be “ready” for anything, and that if you’re perfectly prepared that you’ll never be hit with an obstacle ever again. No matter how much you train, how many hours you spend studying, how many drafts you write, how many books or articles you read, you’ll never be ready for this life. You can not prepare for life, you have to simply live life. Yes, that means you’ll do poorly on a few tests, get a few rejections from jobs or universities, go through a couple breakups, and feel a lot of pain. But that also means you will ace some exams, get hired for the job of your dreams, get accepted to the school that is the perfect fit for you, find the love of your life, and feel overflowing amounts of joy. But if you sit around making lists of how to prepare and plan out when you’re finally going to go on that date, sign up for that audition, or send in the application you’re going to keep pushing that date back and eventually all those opportunities and dreams will fade away. For example, this blog is something I’ve been thinking of starting for over a year now. And here I am, just now attempting to write my first blog post??? I kept planning and waiting for when would be the “right time” to start it, or when I would be “ready”. I would come up with excuse after excuse, “I don’t know how to make a website”, “No one is going to read it anyways”, “I don’t have time during the school year”, “I’ll run out of ideas to write about”, “I’m only nineteen how am I supposed to give advice” etc. And yes all of these statements are true. I didn’t know how to make a website, but with the help from some friends and a couple late nights, I figured it out. It’s a very high possibility that no one will read this blog, but that’s not why I created it. I created it as a creative outlet for myself and something I can be passionate about outside of dancing. My school year is pretty busy, but I’m going to set aside time specifically for this project because I care about it. I may run out of ideas, but until that day comes I’ll keep writing and posting. I am only nineteen and don’t have a lot of advice, but I’m hoping to share what I have and to share how I grow and learn along the way. So here I am, trying something new that I’ve never done before, that I’m not totally “ready” for, and that might be a total failure, but I can’t wait around anymore. I’ve just got to jump. Ps. I challenge you to pick something, big or small that maybe intimidates you a little bit, that you don’t feel ready for, but you’ve been curious about for quite some time and to just quit waiting and just do it. Love Always, Jen
3 Comments
Skylar Hardwick
9/1/2019 07:41:28 pm
This is so cute!I’m so proud and I love you so much!❤️
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JoJo
9/1/2019 09:18:33 pm
Love this! You’re such a light!!
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Ashley
1/19/2020 08:26:44 pm
Wow! I am so going to try this! Thank you! You are so special!
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Jenavieve Anna CapriHey There! I just wanted to pop in and let you know a few things about me. I'm a Commercial Dance major at Pace University. I nanny on the side to help me afford living in this beautiful city. I live by the three Ts - Trader Joes, TJ Max, and Target. If it's salted caramel anything, I will gladly put it in my mouth. In my eyes Disneyland is the OG and Disney World will never compare. Hopefully, you'll choose to continue to get to know me more through these blog posts and my social media. Connect With Me:
Instagram: @jenannacapri25 |