Happy Anniversary!

Hard to believe it's been three years since I fled corporate America to pursue acting and writing full time.

Am I glad I did? Yes: I'd wanted to devote more time to these creative careers and make them my day job for years. No: I still miss the daily camaraderie and paid vacation.

As they say, time does fly when you're having fun. I've really enjoyed building my voiceover and on camera career. Several industry sources said it takes three years to gather momentum. Which has proven true: last year I worked far more than ever before, and had more returning clients. I'm getting auditions for bigger projects with bigger clients.

All this doesn't mean my work is done. Especially in this economy, I can't sit back and relax if I want to keep that momentum growing. So I'm updating my materials and will embark on a marketing campaign.

There have been challenges and setbacks. I need to not stress out as much if I don't have any auditions or bookings on the horizon. Not to get into the whole The Secret thing, but I have to believe if I lay the ground work opportunities will follow.

Writing-wise, though I've completed two more manuscripts and a non-fiction proposal and added more writing contest finals and wins, I still haven't sold. It's hard to keep believing each new manuscript will be "the one." But thanks to many supportive friends, and knowing there are authors who wrote even more books and accumulated more rejections than I have before they sold, I won't give up. And think what a great story about persistence and handling rejection I'll have when I do sell.

Some people are optimists by nature, some pessimists. I am a worrier; ruminating is easy for me. But I'm working on not worrying about the things I can't control so I have more mental energy to focus on the things I can.

Here's to happy anniversaries, living in the moment and taking things one day at a time.