Manifestation or Madness? (An Actor Prepares to...Lose it)

 Let's get one thing straight: acting is already an extreme sport in pretending. So, when someone says, "just act like you've already made it," I'm like -Babe, pretending is my profession. You want delusion? I've cried on cue in a public restroom for a self-tape and called it art. I am delusion. 

But now, as a grown adult with bills, rejection emails, and a resume that includes both Shakespear and "Girl Screaming #2", I've started exploring that magical little concept called:

Manifestation.

Or as I like to call it: Method acting for the role of Booked, Blessed, and Bicoastal.

The Daily Delusion Routine

Every day I wake up and channel my inner award-winning actress. Not because someone cast me lately (unless you count that experimental Zoom reading with three people and a cat), but because the role "Booked and Busy" requires full commitment-even when you're broke and booking nothing but background gigs and emotional growth.

I say my affirmations like I'm preforming for the Academy:

• 'I am a working actor.' (Technically accurate-I work on acting.)
•  'My talent is undeniable.'(Except, apparently, to every casting director this week.)
• 'The industry is lucky to have me.' (And one day it'll realize that-preferably before I'm playing someone's meemaw.)

Manifesting = Acting off-set

Here's the thing: Manifestation isn't a scam- it's acting with no audience. It's stepping into the character of your future self before anyone hands you the role.

You embody the part. You rehearse your lines- "even if you're developing nothing but unhealthy obsessions with checking Casting Networks. You build the character. You stay in the movement. You find the trust in the fiction.

We already lie convincingly for a living. So, lying to ourselves until it becomes real? Honestly, method.  

But is it Madness?

Absolutely! You're rehearsing your Oscar speech in the mirror while brushing your teeth. You're staging fake press interviews while driving in your car. you're walking through life with main character energy when the only thing you booked this week was a commercial callback that ghosted you harder than your ex. 

But you know what else is madness? Choosing this career in the first place. 

And yet, we do it-over and over again. Why? because the dream won't let go. And neither will we.

Final Scene 

Manifestation is madness, and magic. It's acting without a script. Rehearsing for a part no one's promised you. Crafting the illusion so powerfully that eventually- inevitably-someone believes in you. Even 

yourself.

So go ahead, be a little unhinged, Dream out loud. Play the role of a lifetime like you already booked it. 

Because if this whole thing is just one big performance? You might as well own the set!

Your turn

Are you currently acting like you've already booked it? What role are you playing until it's real? Drop it in the comments-I wanna cheer you on (and maybe borrow your affirmations).

And if you're into delusional optimism, dramatic monologues to the universe, and brutally honest behind-the-scenes of the actor life-hit the follow button and stay tuned. We're just getting started.

This Week's Spotlight: Fake it, Read it, Book it

Each week I'll be sharing a handpicked Amazon finds that tie to the Fake it 'Til You Book It life-tools, reads, and hidden gems that help you keep the dream alive. 

This week's pick:

Acting as a Business, Strategies for Success by Brian O'Neil

This one isn't just about the craft- it's about mindset, marketing, and manifesting your way through the chaos of the industry. A staple for every actor who's serious about making the leap from 'aspiring' to 'working'. Plus, it reads like a business-savvy giving you the tough love and tactical advice you didn't know you needed. 

Read it, highlight it, pretend you're reading it on set between takes- manifestation starts with information, darling.