Inside the Tarot Actors Studio
I love the program, "Inside the Actor's Studio," don't you? Maybe it's because I'm such a fan of old movies. Stage acting and movie making have always fascinated me.
There is an old rehearsal practice that actors use that I've found to be very useful in real life. You might find it useful - or at least amusing.
It goes like this.
Once the actors have memorized their scripts, they throw them away and, in character, speak the absolute truth in each scene.
[Script] Helen, I've met someone else.
[Truth] You must have figured it out by now!
[Script] Oh, no! What's her name? Is she pretty?
[Truth] I guess I owe it to him to pretend I didn't know, and that I cared about him.
This can be a very useful exercise in real life. Why? Because sometimes sustaining and maintaining a romance requires so much hope, so much optimism in the face of discouragement, that we throw ourselves into the adventure heart and soul. We dare not even consider unpleasant truths, for fear they might thrive with attention.
I encourage anyone who is waiting - waiting for a phone call, waiting for him to get over his old girlfriend, waiting for him to learn to trust again, waiting for him to get a divorce, waiting for him to answer your e-mail - to do this exercise.
And this is why: to stay in touch with your reality. To remind yourself that you're doing and saying certain things that a touchy situation demands. But that is no reason for you to lose touch with yourself. When you lose touch with yourself, it makes you even more open to manipulation.
C'mon - it's easy! When that phone call comes in, you know what he is going to say. Whatever it is, you know it isn't going to be deeply emotional.
So say whatever your half of the script demands, but tell yourself the truth.
[Script] Sorry I haven't called, but I've been busy.
[Script] That's okay. No big deal.
[Busy, huh? You have a phone, e-mail and text. I'll be gracious about "busy," but we both know it was something else.]
Why do this?
So that at least one person in your life will always be telling you the truth. And hearing the truth every day informs a person and helps her make the right decisions.