Defrosting: Or, Pacing Ourselves as We Begin to Gather Again

This past holiday weekend, it was with tears in my eyes that I watched my older daughter, Zoe, reunite with her cousins and grandparents after so much time away, and my toddler, Lucy, experience her first full family gathering. While it was glorious to watch all the cousins run around in our backyard (city folk finally have a yard!) I was also aware of how much overstimulation was happening for some of us.

Lucy & Zoe

It got me thinking - this past year has been all about meeting ourselves where we are: setting goals for who we are right now and being gentle with ourselves if they take longer to get done. And the same case can be made for reuniting with our people. Many of us have been away from each other for almost two years - changing, growing, adapting, coping, working on ourselves, finding new ways to create and gather, and simply surviving. As we defrost from the long quarantine and begin to gather again, let's expect a learning curve as we come together.

I'm wishing you so much time spent with loved ones this holiday season - let your tanks be filled, your hearts energized, and your whole self be nourished by the connections you've been missing. But, please remember to pace yourself and stay attuned to what you need!

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Thank You, Mr. Sondheim

I had the honor of meeting Stephen Sondheim twice: first when I was helping to cast Pacific Overtures at The Roundabout Theatre Company in 2004 and again 2 years ago when my husband Marc produced a concert with him and Jason Robert Brown at Town Hall in NYC.

I could go on and on about what a giant we've lost and how he's touched the lives of anyone who has ever been moved by the theatre. But, in light of his passing on Friday, I'm compelled instead, to share how he has shaped me as a coach. It's this lyric, from Sunday in the Park with George, that echoes in my mind so often:

“I chose and my world was shaken, so what? The choice may have been mistaken, the choosing was not.”

Being a creative - and a human! - means committing. It means making a choice in order to make a better choice. My philosophy as a coach is basically this: choose to commit, be in alignment with your values, fail big, and get ready to course correct if and when the choice isn't necessarily the right one. And the magic? Well what if the choice IS the right one? Buckle up for that, too.

They Have Life Coaches for That?

It's a question we get asked all the time: wait, there are life coaches for that?

Most people are familiar with the basic concept of a life coach - someone who's in your corner for support and resources. A coach can help keep you accountable, work on strategic goal-setting, and support you in achieving your vision for your best life. What most people don't understand, however, is how there could possibly be a coaching company that specifically understands the ins and outs of the entertainment industry - a company geared toward navigating what it means to be a creative professional.

That's where we come in. The entertainment industry isn't one with a linear path to success, financial stability, or frankly even an accepted definition of what success looks like! We are proud to be the longest-running coaching company for creatives and entertainment professionals. We help you approach the business of your business with the same passion you have for your art, no matter what stage you're in (or on!). And sometimes, that totally means knowing when to put yourself and your mental health first, as Path Alumni and coaching client Sasheer Zamata so eloquently speaks to in her interview on Marc Maron's WTF.

In this 90 second clip, Sasheer shares about how we prepped for her exit from SNL, in a coaching session.

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Cape’s Coaching’s Own Jenny Made a Movie!

Many moons ago when I first met Capes Coaching Assistant extraordinaire, Jenny Lester, she was already hard at work on the very beginnings of this film called What She Said. Which is why it was SUCH a thrill to be able to finally attend the premiere last week in NYC!

For all of you who know Jenny as our fantastic Capes Coaching assistant, you might be wondering how she ever found the time to write, produce and star in a full feature film... well, she has killer time management skills, of course! (Also, we think she must be cloned or something...I will keep you updated on that...)

But truly, Jenny does so much to support us at Capes Coaching, I want to take a moment to give her a shout out and support this beautiful film that she and her team made. Supporting all artists is our passion, and we know that independent work needs a little extra boost of support and help to spread the word. Jenny is no exception, and I can't say enough about this film, so be sure to check it out for yourself!

What She Said is now available to rent or own on your favorite platform. Every download, review, and repost helps sustain the life of a little film made by an almost entirely female/non-binary crew. To learn more or contact Jenny's team, please visit the Shallow Graves Website.