• David Lindsay-Abaire Interview

David is an incredibly gifted writer whose credits include the plays Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, Rabbit Hole (for which he won the Pulitzer Prize), and last year’s Good People (which premiered with Tate Donovan, Frances McDormand, and Estelle Parsons); the Broadway musicals High Fidelity and Shrek the Musical; and the upcoming films Rise of the Guardians (for DreamWorks Animation), and Oz: The Great and Powerful (Disney’s prequel to The Wizard of Oz, starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz).

Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart in Rabbit Hole

Rabbit Hole was translated to the screen with stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart a little over a year ago (it was beautiful and heartbreaking!), and this interview occurred on the eve of its release. Outside of sharing the challenges he faced in adapting his own play into a film, David talks about a wide-range of subjects, including making the stylistic transition from absurdism to realism; the process involved in writing a big-budget, Broadway spectacle; and the difficulties involved in working in the Hollywood studio system. It’s an insightful and inspiring talk, and I’m honored to be able to share it with you. Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day is here, and whether you have a significant other in your life or you’re single, whether you love the holiday or just can’t stand it — no matter what you have going on in your life — I have a gift that I think will have a major impact on you. It’s a TED Talk (my absolute favorite!) by Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability.

The first time I saw this I was absolutely bowled over. It hit me in the deepest way possible and I wanted to share it with those closest to me. I think one of the reasons that it moved me so much was that I deal with human vulnerability every day in my job as a coach. Whether I’m doing one-on-one private coaching, teaching a Path Class on goal setting, or speaking to a group of artists about their careers, one thing is always present: vulnerability.

Think about it: this is a tough business with no guarantees. People put their hopes and dreams on the line every day with no assurances of success; they bare their souls in the form of auditions, novels, music gigs, art exhibits, stage performances — you name it — and put the fruits of their creative labor into the hands of strangers. Trust me, it’s a pretty amazing thing to witness over and over again.

So, for those of you who find the courage every day to put yourselves out there and aim for the horizon, consider this video a testament to all that you do. Whether or not you’re down with Valentine’s Day, this is a message from the heart that I think you’ll love.

Assuming success is exactly what it sounds like: believing deep down that you will accomplish what it is that you set out to do. Period. I know, I know, right now you’re probably thinking, “Uh, Betsy. That’s it? There must be something you’re forgetting, right?” Well, my friends, that IS all there is to it, but the simplicity of it can be a little deceiving. Otherwise, we’d all be assuming success and wouldn’t have to talk about it.

The thing is, it can be difficult to assume success for a variety of different reasons. Some people think they don’t deserve it. Others think they’re not ready for it. And there are those that just never even considered success as a real possibility. Whatever the reason, they all come down to playing it safe because you don’t have to move outside of your routine and comfort zone — you can just keep on doing whatever it is that you’ve been doing. However, when you assume success, you’re setting yourself up to achieve it and that switch in perspective can often times push you into some new territory. While that territory can be a little disconcerting at first, believe me, it’s a VERY empowering place to be!

Call your shot. And back it up.

Once you get used to the feeling you’ll find a newfound sense of confidence, which will affect every aspect of the way you run your business (not to mention the effect it will have on your life as a whole). You’ll want to make those phone calls that you were a little too timid to make. You’ll charge forward with that creative project that you thought might not appeal to the masses. You’ll take the disappointments in stride because you know that they’re just bumps along the road to the success you’ve envisioned for yourself. This is about having your Babe Ruth moment: pointing to the center field bleachers to say, “That’s where this ball is going,” and having the confidence to back it up.

So…I’m going to leave you all with the challenge of assuming success for yourself. It can be for something big or small — I don’t care what it is, as long as you dig deep and really, TRULY believe that you can accomplish it. It may feel awkward or uncomfortable at first (or not!), but just see it through. Trust me: a simple change in perspective can change everything.

1)  When you first started working with Capes Coaching, what were your goals?

I was struggling, as many new moms do, to find the balance between motherhood and career. I came to Capes Coaching for some guidance in figuring out how – and if – I could “have it all.” I was surprised, after having kids, to learn that though I am completely nuts about my children and absolutely love being a mother, my motivation to have a full professional life in the theatre had not dwindled in the least. In fact, having children fueled my passion even more! Afterall, now I have these little people to teach to dream big and follow their dreams! I felt like I wanted — and even needed — to be modeling that sentiment in my own life.

2)  What have you accomplished since then?

My goal was to find a balance between life as a mom and life in the theatre. Since meeting with Betsy, I somehow managed to completely merge those two things! I wrote a show, called Rated P…for Parenthood. It’s a sketch comedy musical that I wrote with Dan Lipton & David Rossmer, about the joys and lunacy of raising kids. Next month, it is opening Off Broadway at the Westside Theatre! I’m beyond thrilled! I wrote this show during nap times and on the nights and weekends when my husband could watch my boys. I took my love of being a mom and turned it into theatre. I’m not sure I’ll ever really find “balance” (is that really a thing parents can find?!?) – but this show is the closest I’ll probably ever get!

3)  What has been your biggest career challenge and how did you overcome it?

Honestly — childcare. I had a whole session with Betsy JUST on childcare! The stress of finding someone I could reliably trust plus managing the expense of it, was equating to me not really having a career at all! I learned to prioritize reliable childcare as a job requirement for me. If I was going to audition successfully, I had to know that my children were well cared for and I had time to do my hair. I booked my first Broadway play when my younger son was not quite 2. I had found a babysitter that the kids loved and that I trusted. I had gotten myself a job teaching improv — 1 day a week after school — that covered the expense of my childcare completely, so I eliminated my guilt about the expense of it! I was able to memorize my sides and put on my makeup. Knowing that my children are well cared for, allows me to focus on my work without stress or guilt. That has made all the difference in the world!

4)  What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

Nothing. I have enjoyed figuring this all out! (Well, actually it would have been nice to know that NO ONE POST PARTUM should EVER attend a Jerry Mitchell dance call — but other than that…really, nothing!) Seriously, it has been navigating this career without a map that has forced me to create my own opportunities and sort out my own path for myself.

5)  What are you currently working on?

Rated P…for Parenthood and parenthood itself are my two big projects right now. I am fully consumed with both! And actually, I am also the Co-Artistic Director of Midtown Direct Rep, the theatre company that developed Rated P over this past year. We are in the midst of our second season, so I am also managing that! It’s a busy time – but also tremendously exciting and satisfying.

6)  Anything else you feel like sharing?

I feel like sharing a thank you to Betsy! I came to Betsy with pregnancy pounds and weepy eyes and she helped me to see that a professional life after children was attainable, manageable, and acceptable – so long as I was prepared to set myself up for the support I needed to succeed. My son was in the back seat of our cross-over vehicle (it is not a mini-van!) with his buddy, and his friend asked, “What does your mom do?” Isaac answered, “My mom sings in grocery stores.” (see this video to understand his response) It was a perfect answer. Thank you Betsy for helping me to see that I can “sing in grocery stores” even with 2 little guys waiting for me at home!

Also — please come see Rated P…for Parenthood! Friends of Capes Coaching can use the code RPBUS44 for 50% off tickets purchased before February 29th! Previews begin February 8th! Click here for tickets and more info

Before we go any further, let’s take a quick second to define what I mean when I’m talking about resources. In this context, resources are people, places, things, even attitudes and philosophies — anything that you have at your disposal to help get you closer to reaching your goals. I’m a firm believer that you already have most of the resources that you need to get what you want, it’s simply a matter of how you choose to organize and utilize them. That’s a pretty empowering idea, isn’t it?

Meryl knows that she doesn't need to buy more chickens for her dinner party. Why? Resource list!

Why is it so important that you take stock of your resources before you put together your action lists? Well, imagine that you’re going to throw a huge dinner party and the first thing on your list of actions is to go shopping for everything you need. If you didn’t stop to look at your resources beforehand, that shopping trip would likely be somewhat of a disaster. You would buy ingredients that you already have and you’d miss those that you didn’t. You might find out too late that you don’t have the right cooking utensils and that you’re short on serving ware, or you might overlook supplies that you could repurpose and waste money buying things you don’t need. In other words, before you can even begin to DO anything, you need to know what you’re working with. I’ve said it before and I will undoubtedly say it again and again: it all comes down to awareness before action.

The best way to compile your list of resources is to start with your goal at the top of the page; that way, you can always reference it for inspiration. Then it’s time to brainstorm. The key here is to not hold back and judge your list — give yourself the freedom to conjure up all that you can. This isn’t about perfection and only writing down things that you know you’ll use; this is about casting your net as wide as you can and seeing what you catch in it. You can always throw back the things that you don’t need.

Let’s say that your goal is to redesign your website so that it represents you as best as possible. A quick brainstorm might include these resources: your computer, your camera (to take photos), your reel or writing samples, examples of websites you admire, Facebook (for recommendations, etc.), a friend of yours who writes and edits copy, people whose opinions you trust for feedback, a positive attitude (things won’t always go the way you want them to!), etc.. You want to get as many resources down onto your list as possible – you can never have too many. If your dad pops into your mind for whatever reason, write him down on your list – if you realize later that he can’t really contribute to your goal, it was no loss to simply include him. That’s not to say that you should include everything in the world on your list, but if something comes to mind while brainstorming, don’t throw it back.

If it helps, set a time limit on your brainstorming sessions just to give yourself a structure and to make sure that you don’t keep yourself from actually coming up with your action list in order to infinitely build your resource list. Once you’re done and ready to move onto your to-do list of actions, you’ll get a huge boost in the form of all of your resources. You’d be surprised by how many actions you come up with that you wouldn’t have even considered before, simply because you have a list of everything available to you staring you in the face. Funny enough, your resource list becomes a major resource in and of itself. And when all is said and done, by taking a little time to get organized before you start putting your plan together, you’ll be in a much more powerful place to work towards your goals!

He's smiling because he figured out what he really wants. And he REALLY likes them apples...

Here we are…third week of the New Year, feeling pumped, ready to go for it…whatever IT is. So, “How are you going to get your goals?” is the next logical question, right? Wrong.

The most common way I see artists self-sabotage when it comes to goal setting is by getting too caught up in how they will get their goal while they are creating the goal itself. Goal setting is a two-step process, and the first step — actually coming up with and defining your goal — must come before the second step, which is creating the plan for how to achieve the goal. And the truth is that the second part is not a prophecy, it’s not an absolute; it’s a guide, a structure. But you will never know exactly how anything is going to work out. I see so many artists hedge their bets on their goals, because they’re afraid of the unknown. Just remember that when creating the goal itself, you’re answering the question, “What do I want?” not, “How will I get what I want?” There’s a world of difference between the two.

As I said, the first part of goal setting is actually coming up with a goal. For some of you, this is the easy part; you have something definitively in your sights and you’re ready to make a go at it. For others, however, things aren’t so cut and dry. If you fall into the latter category, you may be wondering where to start when setting a goal. The answer, which I learned during my coaching training and had a huge impact on the way I approach goal setting, is this: Your goal is already inside of you. That’s right; it’s the project or idea that you keep coming back to or that keeps coming back to you. It’s a gut feeling. What compels you? What are you ready to go after? What feels “right”?

That’s really the trick — turning your attention inside and listening to what’s going on there. This isn’t about what’s going on in your head; you can’t think your way to your next goal and expect it to feel authentic. You also can’t rely on others to inform your goal. It’s not about living up to someone else’s idea of success — not your parents, or your friends or significant other. You have to strip everything else away and get to the heart of what matters to you. This is about digging deep, being honest with yourself, and taking ownership of what it is that you truly want for you and your career.

I’m sure all of you remember that famous scene from Good Will Hunting when Robin Williams’ character asks Matt Damon’s character, Will, what it is he really wants, and Will, who is a genius, just stands there with this blank stare because he never had the courage to really answer that question. Well, that movie didn’t win an Oscar for best screenplay for nothing. Just like Will, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t know what you really want to do with it or if you don’t take the time to explore the possibilities, your talent will go to waste. I challenge you right now to go one step further and sit with this question a little bit longer than you normally would. Something worthwhile just might show up.

In my next post, I’m going to help you with the “HOW” – so make sure you’re good to go with the “WHAT” before then. And don’t forget to come back here and share! You all did such a great job of sharing your gifts during the Giving Challenge, and I’d like to keep that going in 2012. So, bring your goals back here and share them with us. Sure, putting it out there for the world to see can be scary. But, you’d be amazed at how empowered you’ll feel once you take your goal out of your head and make it concrete. It’s actually kinda awesome

1)  When you first started working with Capes Coaching, what were your goals?

Well, when I first started working with Capes Coaching actually starts with when I first met Betsy, over ten years ago when she was working in casting at MTC and I went to an EPA — she was so receptive to my audition and we just vibed. I remember her saying, “Oh, I wish you came in earlier, we just cast this part, but will definitely keep you in mind.” Next time the role became available for tour, I contacted Betsy through a mutual friend and found out she no longer worked at MTC but she still put in a call for me and helped procure that appointment, which I then got two callbacks for (and helped solidify me with my first NYC agents). It’s all connected. Betsy kept her word, but she also had enthusiasm about the work and about me. I identified with her. I don’t like to ask for favors — I shy away from it — but Betsy made me feel welcome and it certainly paid off, not in that job, but with that casting office, that agent, that experience, and of course my relationship with Betsy. I attended her first seminar and found that I was organically doing the biz practices she espoused. It wasn’t until 3 or 4 years later, when my career got to the next level and I visited LA, that I was at a loss for how to help myself next. I met for a one-on-one with Betsy and she asked the right questions. One other thing I will never forget: ignore the negative voice we all have in our heads.

Jump to two years later: I was doing good but I was craving more from my representation relationship, wanted a manager, and felt trapped in a cycle of thoughts. I met with Betsy and she said, “Talk to your agents. Why not ask them for manager recommendations?” It was so simple and brilliant. I had pitted the two ideas against each other, and when I put them together, it worked. I even wrote all my agents saying the manager is not an obstacle to your work but an asset to our work, and then had a thrust of energy and work afterwards.

Jump ahead a couple years: I booked my first pilot, and then it didn’t get picked up. At the same time, I was up for lead in a major feature, and after a long, drawn-out process, that didn’t happen. The one-two punch knocked me down more than I realized. And the thing is, I knew what my priorities were, and I knew these were all great experiences. In my head I knew these things. But my heart hurt so much, couldn’t deny it, and I knew I was not myself, so I sought out Betsy. That was a very special session, I mark that moment as a turning point in my healing process, and haven’t looked back since. We talked not so much about career or strategy, but about how to take care of yourself personally in this biz. It was bizarre; the following week I booked a huge job, and it was like the energy shifted.

So Capes Coaching has been a place I go to reset my thinking when I feel I am heading south, or feel I am at a loss for the tools to take care of my career and, more importantly, myself. Sometimes one needs a vacation, or a workout, or a massage, or to be around love ones; and sometimes, you just need a one-on-one personalized session with Capes Coaching

2)  What have you accomplished since then?

Well, when I wanted a manager and a clearer relationship with my agents, I got one. When I wanted to test for a pilot, instead I booked one. When I wanted to heal, I began healing. Recently, I revisited a play I love, not for career benefit, but simply because I love the piece and cast. I also just guest starred on FX’s American Horror Story, (where I had a three-page scene opposite Jessica Lange! And she is the real deal — an unforgettable experience!). Also, I recurred on Showtime’s Homeland, which will hopefully continue

I have a few more projects in the can, coming out soon, as well. Additionally, I directed a few theatre workshops, and continue to audition and hustle when I can. Even though I am based in LA, I stay connected to the theatre. And most importantly, I take care of myself. Health, fun, love. I would encourage everyone to make sure you take care of your personal life and loved ones as much as you do your career, because they feed each other!

Jessica Lange and Amir Arison in American Horror Story

3)  What has been your biggest career challenge and how did you overcome it?

Well I discussed many of them above, but I would say the biggest impediment to success is negativity. People operate differently: I’m aware of some very successful people who are sticklers, and I know the nicest people in the world who can’t get to the next stage. But as I see it, if negativity wins, there is no real possibility, and one can forget to enjoy the fact that they are living out their dreams, passions and goals. It’s just like an acting scene: don’t live in the results; have an intention, goals, but be in the moment — you never know where it can go, and that’s the exciting part. You might surprise yourself. Be present.

So I guess I would say my biggest challenge is avoiding negativity, wherever it breeds, in oneself and in others. There’s a lot of bitterness and gossip out there. But there is also incredible talent and inspiring people/projects. Seek that out. I’m also lucky in that I have a pretty amazing mom; she’s a constant source of inspiration, joy, and positivity.

4)  What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

You know this is a funny question. I actually don’t wish I knew then what I know now, because it was my naïveté that allowed me to enjoy paying my dues, if you will. The hard knocks of EPAs and children’s theatre are something I really have no interest in now, but at the time, I couldn’t believe I was being paid to act or that I could stand in a line and audition for a Broadway show. (And don’t listen to the naysayers: I booked two of my first equity gigs from EPAs, and one of them was a Pulitzer finalist, off-Broadway play in 2003.).

I guess one thing I sorta wish I knew, or I know now, was to relax a bit. I was so driven to do the best work possible and move ahead, and if I didn’t feel others were doing their best (agents, directors, fellow actors, etc.) it would drive me bonkers. And I think that was probably visible and not helpful to my process or my relationships, and it got in the way of enjoying the art. What’s the point then? But that’s part of being in your 20′s — things are just so much more relaxed and confident in my 30′s, but I don’t know that I would have gotten to this point without those 20′s experiences.

5)  What are you currently working on?

Got an audition tomorrow

6)  Anything else you feel like sharing?

Well, I’m flattered that you asked me to share. I truly believe in the Artists In Action program and private coaching. It’s like career therapy! Conan O’Brien gave this incredible commencement speech at Harvard last year about how he thought The Tonight Show was the end-all-be-all of his career goals — he wanted to be Johnny Carson — and after that all fell apart, he realized that he has his own journey. Ever since, he’s been having the best time of his life. This hit me, because I always thought I had to do a sitcom series, and then I booked one and shot another, and neither of them turned into a series. It was incredibly gratifying to touch my goal, but then it didn’t fully pan out. Maybe it will happen again, or not, but I realized that along the way I’ve worked with artists like Jessica Lange, Theresa Rebeck, Raven Symone, Richard Jenkins, and Betsy Capes, and I’ve played The Old Vic and The Public Theater. The journey is still being written and these people and experiences are priceless, and I am having a great time

It truly IS a wonderful life when giving is a part of it.

Now that the 29-Day Giving Challenge is over and I’ve had time to let it all sink in and take stock of the experience, here’s a list of the 5 best things (or gifts, if you prefer) that I got out of the challenge.

1. Identifying My Inner Critic

As I look back over 29 days of giving, I can’t help but notice one of my Inner Critics, good old Perfectionist Patty, telling me that I didn’t do it “perfectly.” Full disclosure, there were 2 days that came and went without a gift. I am sure I could finagle a way to look back at those days and find something I did that could count, but honestly, I was too wrapped up in my life at the time. So, Patty dear…27 out of 29 — not too bad, especially when I reflect back on the gifts that I know I would never have given without this challenge being on my mind everyday and the lives that were changed because we each took some extra time to do things for others. In her roundabout way, Patty helped me see that a challenge is not a competition. This was not about winning or doing it perfectly. If I only gave one gift over the 29 days, that’s one more than perhaps I would have given otherwise.

2. Getting out of my own little bubble

I guess I could have done this on my own, but it was so much more fun with all of you! Knowing you were out there also giving something every day for 29 days kept me going on the days when I know I would have just thrown in the towel. It really helped to feel like I was a part of something bigger that we all created by saying YES to this challenge. Your comments throughout the month were more inspirational than you could possibly know!

3. More Joy than EVER during the holidays!

Oh, you know, that nice, warm, fuzzy feeling of having done something nice for someone else. Not because I had to but because I wanted to. Quite simply, my days are better when I do things for others.

4. Getting to Know Each of You!

As you all know, Cami Walker’s story and the work she has done with 29gifts.org inspired me to create our own version of the giving challenge. Honestly, we thought it would be a fun way to bring in the holidays, give some gifts on our end, and maybe 10 or 15 of you would join in with us. It is beyond our wildest dreams that we ended up with over a hundred participants, and that so many of you were really in it for the whole ride! Your interest in this challenge and the commitment we witnessed from so many of you is a real testament to the awesomeness of our community! Every day I was excited to visit our blog and see how you all were doing with your gifts. Each of you brought this challenge to life by sharing your gifts and connecting with each other over the course of the 29 days, and I loved seeing some of you, too, over the holidays and hearing your spontaneous stories of giving. So, I thank YOU for making this challenge such a pleasure to organize and participate in!

5. I Got the Giving Bug

As happy as I was to get to Dec 23rd (I was REALLY ready for some vacay!), there was a part of me that was sad that the challenge was ending. I wanted to keep giving! Did anyone else find themselves still in the habit of giving even after the challenge technically ended? This was the greatest gift I got from this challenge – the reminder that I have SO much to give and that I don’t have to stop just because the challenge is over! The possibilities for giving are, and will continue to be, endless. I wrote a blog not too long ago about the power of rituals and creating habits…if you do anything for 29 days it starts to feel habitual, so let’s all do our best to carry over this habit of giving daily into 2012. Who needs a holiday to give a gift anyway?

My guess is that at some point throughout this challenge we all experienced the power of what it feels like to do something meaningful for someone else and really make a difference in someone else’s day. And what a difference that makes in ours! For years, I’ve been teaching that the spirit of generosity can make a major difference in your career — the more you put out there, the more you will get in return. It should’ve been obvious to me that the same would hold true for life in general, but it took this challenge to really make the point stick, and now I’m a true believer. In fact, Jodie and I are already talking about setting up the challenge again for anyone who wants to do it next year!

________________________________________________________________________

By now, everyone who qualified to receive the Artists In Action Inner Balance package should’ve received an email from us. If you haven’t, make sure to check your spam/junk mail folders, and if you still haven’t, you can email us at events@capesco.com to let us know.

It’s also my pleasure to announce that Katherine M. is the recipient of the 6-session private phone coaching package – I can’t wait to start working with her! As I mentioned in the email, it was a VERY difficult decision to choose only one person, as I received so many wonderful and heartfelt submissions. I want to thank everyone, once again, for participating in this challenge and for really putting themselves out there. I hope you enjoy the Inner Balance program and I’d love to hear about the work you do with it!

So, with that, I’m going to close the book on this giving challenge. But, as I mentioned before, that doesn’t mean that the giving has to stop — I hope the spirit of this challenge has found a permanent home in each and every one of you, just as it has in me. I truly believe that generosity can change not only the world within us, but the world around us as well.

The thing about the beginning of the year is that we usually swing into it with a lot excitement and some pretty high expectations. And I think it’s great to be excited about a fresh start and motivated to make the most of life. But, January 1st can also come with a little bit of pressure. You know what I’m talking about if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by everything you just heaped onto your aspirational plate at the end of the 2011. There’s so much you WANT to do, but when it comes to actually making those aspirations a reality you start to wonder if your eyes weren’t a little too big for your stomach.

Even HE can't do everything at once. Patience can be your superpower.

Thinking big is great, even necessary. But, rushing to make everything happen is not. In fact, it’s a quick way to self-sabotage. The solution? Ease into 2012. I know, I know – you’ve got ALL THIS ENERGY and you want to capitalize on it! And I agree: you SHOULD capitalize on it. But do so smartly. At this time of year we’re in danger of making hasty and rash decisions based purely on adrenaline and a rush of optimism. The challenge is to keep the adrenaline and optimism while slowing down to take everything in before making decisions.

This is all about being informed – awareness before action. By taking your time to think things through and weighing your options, you can turn your excitement into progress. Additionally, you’ll save yourself a lot of angst and anxiety when you start to realize that you can’t possibly squeeze everything you want to do into the narrow pipeline of time that you actually have to work with. So, in a way, this is also about balance – balancing the lofty with the practical. I never want you to feel that you have to sacrifice the former for the latter. But learning how to balance the two will make the journey that much more easier and enjoyable. I think that’s something we can all be on board with, right?

So, in the next few weeks, instead of diving into the deep end of the pool, why not wade in and test the waters, first? Get a feel for things and then take the plunge once you’ve got your bearings. Instead of being overwhelmed, you’ll feel in control, and that’s the best way to go after all that you want — with enthusiasm and confidence!

I'll miss you most of all, my new friends...but I'll be back in 2012!

Wow, I can’t believe it’s here already! The 29-Day Giving Challenge ends tomorrow, which also means that the holidays are literally upon us. I don’t know about you, but the time just flew right by for me (in the best possible way – I had SO much fun!), and now I’m getting ready to take it all in and reflect on the experience. Before I go on, though, I want to take a moment to recap the giveaway requirements, just so we’re all on the same page.

• If you haven’t already done so, make sure you share one of your gifts in the comments section of this blog by the end of the day tomorrow. You can do it at the bottom of any Challenge blog post (including this one), just make sure you get it in by tomorrow.
• Email a list of all of your gifts to events@capesco.com by Sunday, January 1st. You don’t need to go into detail for this list — a brief summary of each gift will do just fine. If you have gifts of a very personal nature, just do your best to get the idea across.
• To remain eligible to win the 6-session phone-coaching package with me, you must also submit a paragraph detailing why you think you would benefit from private coaching. Simply include this at the bottom of your gift list email.

Sometime during the first week in January, we’re going to announce the winner of the coaching package, and all of the participants who meet the challenge requirements will receive their free copy of the Artists In Action Inner Balance package.

Like I mentioned above, I plan on taking some time over the next week to relax and reflect, and I want to encourage you to do the same. Think about not only what you learned from the Giving Challenge, but also what 2011 brought you personally and professionally. What resonated with you most? What are you most proud of? Where were you especially challenged? What lessons can you take with you into 2012? The trick here is to be open and understanding with yourself – this isn’t about regretting the mistakes you made or opportunities you missed. It’s about taking everything at face value, learning from the good and the bad, celebrating your successes, and knowing that it’s one chapter in a much larger story.

Most of all, make the closing days of 2011 about you and those you love. Practice self-care as if it were a gift to yourself. And if you’re spending time with family and friends, be as present as you can be and enjoy the little gifts that they give you each and every day. Above all, have FUN!

On this end, I’m going to take my own advice and sign off until January. Before I do, let me just take a quick moment to say how much I’ve enjoyed sharing my experiences with you through this blog. I can’t tell you how proud I am of what we’re building here – it feels like the community is growing on a weekly basis (if you need proof, just check out all of the comments here), and I have a feeling that amazing things are in store for all of us in 2012!

Can’t wait to catch up with all of you in January! Enjoy the holidays and have a Happy New Year!