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Rock Star Squad: Charlotte-Ann

My newest member of the Rock Star Squad is Charlotte-Ann. I met Charlotte-Ann at a networking event and was taken by her warm personality and really cool career. She has a really great story about chasing her dream in the City of Angels! Enjoy…

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Charlotte Ann and I’m a voiceover artist (www.charlotte-ann.com) who also owns an event coordination company (www.bigdayyourway.com).  I was born in the Bronx, New York but my Mom got remarried when I was 8 and we moved to Columbus, Ohio.  Talk about two different worlds!  The people in Columbus like to think they’re in a big city but when I can see cows on the way to Target…well…it’s just not a big city to me.

In 2000 I moved to Los Angeles to attend the prestigious theatre program at the University of Southern California.  I graduated Cum Laude in December of 2003.

I quickly learned that I didn’t have it in me to do the “starving artist” thing so I got a job working at USC and pursued my acting career in my off hours.  After years of working towards an on camera career I decided it just wasn’t for me.  I took some voiceover classes and fell in love.

For me, voiceover is the blend of creativity and control that I was looking for.  I appreciate not having a career that’s mostly based on looks (as is an on camera career) and it’s wonderful being able to do most of my work from my home studio.  Plus, for a chatty cathy like me, talking for a living is a dream come true!

Did you go through a quarter life crisis? How was your transition into the “real world?”

Absolutely!  The transition was very tough for me.  For one, I felt like a failure when my on camera career wasn’t going anywhere.  I was disappointed that all my hard work in school wasn’t magically turning into success in real life.

I debated a lot about what I wanted to be when I grew up (and I still do!) and that led me to take a look at what I loved about acting and what I didn’t.  Once I examined it I realized that I loved being creative and having someone recognize my efforts.  I liked being the star of the show but I didn’t crave fame.  I would have been fine being a commercial actress and not a movie actress.  I also realized that I abhorred being kept waiting at auditions and driving around town all day.  I also hated being criticized for being a bit of a chunky monkey.  It’s hard enough not being a size two in L.A. but try being a plus-sized actress!

So, I started looking for career paths that had what I loved but left behind what I didn’t.  That’s how I began my event coordination company.  It allowed me to be creative and work on my own time (for the most part) and it also allowed me to draw on my compulsively organized nature.  I still love event planning and continue to do it but it wasn’t satisfying everything I needed.

Then came voiceover.  I took some classes just to see what it was about and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  I started to pour all I had into it as a career.

I can’t honestly say that I’m completely out of my quarter-life crisis yet (I’m 28) but having found something that I’m passionate about has made me less worried about what I’m going to be when I grow up and more focused on how to achieve it.

How did you overcome your 20-something crisis?

Haha, not really sure that I have.  I have days where I start to freak out about where I am in life with my career and family life (the in-laws want babies!) but I’ve tried to take baby steps.  Each week I try to accomplish something, be it for my career or personal life.  Feeling like I’m making progress always helps.  My life involves a lot of lists…it feels great to check things off!

I also really try (although it’s harder than it sounds) to keep from comparing myself to my friends.  I realize that everyone is on his or her own path and I’ll get to experience things that no one else will because of the unique road I’m walking down.

You have a really unique career – how did you first get into your profession? What do you love about it? What are the downsides?  What did you do to prepare, etc.

Well, I’ve already talked a bit about how I got into it and what I love about it but how did I prepare?  Classes, classes, and more classes.  Oh, and then throwing a little bit of money at it.

Being a voiceover artist can be expensive but as they say, sometimes you have to spend money to make money.  To be a successful voiceover artist it’s an absolute MUST that you have a great demo.  Demo’s cost a lot of cash.  So first I made sure that I took a lot of classes to prepare myself so when I did record my demo it wasn’t a waste of money.

Once I had my demo I invested in a home studio (and am currently building a better one, one nail at a time) so that I could audition for projects.

Lastly, even though I finally get paid for what I do, I still have to spend money on workshops to keep me sharp and now I spend a lot on marketing!

How are you now living life on your own terms?

Being a voiceover artist lets me work on my own time schedule.  I’m able to often submit auditions in the middle of the night if I want.  It allows me a ton of freedom.

I’ve also started to make sure I’m surrounding myself with encouraging and wonderful friends. I’ve cut out the friends in my life that weren’t true friends and having a great support network helps keep me focused on what’s important.

What’s the hardest part about following your dream? What was the easiest?

The hardest part is to keep going after my dreams when I feel like I’m being rejected all the time.  I only land about 5% of the jobs I audition for but that’s just the nature of the business.  Sometimes it’s really hard to remember that it’s worth fighting for when I feel like a really great audition of mine got turned down.

Easiest part?  Deciding that this is what I want to do with my life.  Once I really got into recording auditions and booking jobs I realized how much I love it and knew that this is what I wanted to do.

Do you have any advice for anyone trying to conquer a quarter life crisis?

Shut your brain off.  I was sure I wanted to be an on camera actress.  It’s what I’d worked so hard for, for so many years!  But when I finally let the world take me where it wanted to, I landed into a voiceover class.  It wasn’t something I would have consciously thought I would like, so try new things and don’t let your brain tell you what you will and won’t like.  Sometimes it just doesn’t know.

Anything else?

A quarter-life crisis is less about conquering something and more about the journey.  Enjoy the “crisis.”

Thank you Charlotte-Ann! I love her last line – it is totally true that we all should sit back, relax and Enjoy the Crisis. Extremely well put. Be sure to check out Charlotte’s site if you’re looking for event planning or you need voice work done.

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Are you taking your life by the reins and living on your own terms? Then I want to feature YOU! Email me – nblades[at]gmail[dot]com – if you’d like to be the next Rock Star in our Squad.

Let’s Get Authentic!

So, I have big, exciting news for you all! A lot of you took my survey (Thank You!!) and you told me what your biggest issues were. And so I spent weeks in my lab – mostly Starbucks & Borders’ cafes – creating a tool to help fill your need. I’m launching my very first online workshop called The Authentic Happiness Guide! AHG – as I fondly call it – is a unique home-study program that allows you to delve deep into what really makes you tick and helps you craft your ideal life. It’s 4 power-packed weeks of thought provoking exercises, journal prompts and worksheets. And because I know that soul-searching can be difficult, I’ll be there to guide you along. You’ll gain access to an exclusive online Polka Dot Coaching community where we can share & support each other. The ultimate goal? Uncover your true passions and begin working towards your best life.

Who should care about the Authentic Happiness Guide? YOU should! Well, you should if you’re a passionate 20-something or 30-something woman who is ready to live your best life. Whether you’re facing a full blown quarter life crisis or you just need a tiny – or massive – kick in the ass, The Authentic Happiness Guide will help unlock your true passions so that you may begin living your life authentically. Everyone deserves a life in which they are utterly and completely satisfied – The Authentic Happiness Guide can help you get to yours.

And just so you know, if you were one of my beloved newsletter subscribers you would have gotten the full skinny on the program a week ago. Not only do newsletter subscribers get to hear about it first but they’ll also be receiving exclusive discounts and bonus materials. Don’t be left out, join my mailing list today!

Be on the look out in the coming weeks for more juicy details. I can’t wait to share more with you!

One last thing – I want to get this program into the hands of all you awesome quarterlife woman out there. I’m opening myself up to any and all ways of getting the word out about The Authentic Happiness Guide. I need your help. Want to interview me for your blog, YouTube channel or podcast? I’m down. Want me to come out and speak to your group about the quarterlife crisis? I’m there! I’ll accept any requests you can throw at me. Just email me at nblades[at]gmail[dot]com or hit me up on twitter. I’m ready to start a movement – Let’s start one together!

Rock Star Squad: Alexandra Franzen

The next member being inducted into my Rock Star Squad is Alexandra Franzen! Alexandra is a writer+editor+organization freak who is incredible at crafting a personal brand, hammering out a resume and creating a kick-ass cover letter. She designed a ‘Nailah Blades’ logo for me, which I love and helped me to simplify my resume so I didn’t sound like such a scatter brain. She’s super fun and I know you’ll enjoy this interview…

Tell us a little bit about yourself

Well, I was recently referred to as “Spock, but with a sense of humor. And better hair.” Ha! That’s pretty accurate, I suppose. I’m a writer + editor + organization freak, and my focus is on promotional webcopy, creative resumes and personal branding. I have a blog called Unicorns for Socialism, where I chatter about LGBT civil rights, style, travel, freelance adventures … and RuPaul.

Did you go through a quarter life crisis? How was your transition into the “real world?”

Man, I think I have an Annual Existential Crisis! My most recent crisis was firmly lodged in the career realm … I had a terrific job at a public radio network, but I was so unfulfilled. After months of soul-cracking, I realized that I’m just not a cubicle person. End of story. So, I made the shift into self-employment. So far, it’s rocking along nicely!

How did you overcome your 20-something crisis?

I made an investment in my happiness. I got a career coach. I bought a couple of life-shifting books + tools, like The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine and The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte.  I made a concerted effort to connect (and re-connect) with people who inspired me. Basically, I decided that muddling through life and feeling underutilized was unacceptable.

You recently quit your job to pursue your own venture – can you tell us more about that transition? How long did it take? What did you do to prepare, etc.

I handed in my resignation notice in January, and worked out an arrangement with my boss that allowed me to continue working full-time ’till April. That gave me a healthy window to broaden my professional network, save money, and get emotionally prepared for freelancedom. It was a beautiful transition, actually. I felt light and productive. I had a chance to train my replacement and tie up loose ends. I left my department in better condition that I found it, which was really important to me. I like to keep my bridges un-burnt, whenever possible.

How are you now living life on your own terms?

The most thrilling thing is that I’m geographically mobile — I’ll be in NYC in August, LA in September, and back in the Twin Cities for the fall. As long as I have my laptop and some Wifi juice, I’m golden! Not being tied to a specific office is epically awesome.

What’s the hardest part about following your dream? What was the easiest?

Instability is hard for me. So far (knock on wood) I’ve had puh-lenty of writing / editing / design assignments. But there’s always that wiggly voice in the back of my head that says, “yeah, but what about NEXT month?” Learning to roll with the ebbs and flows of freelancery is a tricky transition. The easiest part about following my dream is … the unexpected sparkly perks! Getting interviewed by bloggers I respect (like Ms. Nailah Blades!), getting invited to speak at cool venues, getting fan mail (whuuuh?), and getting noticed and high-fived by people I admire. Swoon.

Do you have any advice for anyone trying to conquer a quarter life crisis?

Everyone is different, but I think the key is giving yourself “space” to answer the tough questions. Maybe that means taking a leave-of-absence or a spontaneous vacation. Maybe it means going on a weeklong Internet fast. Or maybe it means setting aside twenty minutes every night to read and journal. Sometimes we jam our days so full of busyness, we don’t leave any energy for progress and purpose-setting.

Anything else?

I’m currently putting together a book proposal based on a recent blog post: What’s Your Plan Z? The central question is: professional speaking, what’s your worst-case-scenario? Not Plan A, or Plan B … but Plan Z? I’m collecting responses (hilarious, tragic and somewhere in between) and working with an illustrator to create a graphic novel. I’d love to collect a couple dozen more Plan Zs … so send ‘em my way, pretty please!

I recently updated my portfolio website, so check that out … and my Twitter page is a ceaseless stream of amusement (for me, anyway!).

Thanks so much Alexandra! See, isn’t she a ton of fun? If you’re looking to revamp your resume or need help with a cover letter I HIGHLY recommend reaching out to Alexandra. She’s also available for webcopy editing and personal brand development. Lastly, if you have a good Plan Z you want to share I suggest you holler at her!
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Are you taking your life by the reins and living on your own terms? Then I want to feature YOU! Email me – nblades[at]gmail[dot]com – if you’d like to be the next Rock Star in our Squad

View From Above

Photo Credit: {pranav}

I have a love/hate relationship with flying. On the one hand, I hate take-offs. And as a moderately tall person, I’m not terribly fond of being cramped in a tiny seat for hours on end. But on the other hand I realize it is indeed the fastest (and safest) way to travel. Combine that with a serious wanderlust and a family that is scattered all throughout North America and I get to the realization that flying is my best bet pretty quickly.

The one thing that I really do enjoy about flying is its ability to take me out of the fray of life so that I can get a 30,000 foot view of things – both literally & figuratively. When you’re flying way up high, everything on the ground is so simple. Tiny freeways intersect multicolored patches of land. Matchbook cars putter around itty bitty cities. And it’s absolutely quiet, except for that roar of the airplane engine of course. It really puts things in perspective for me. Plus there’s usually nothing to distract me up there so I get a lot of my best writing/reading/thinking done.

Life on the ground can get complicated. Everything is fighting for your attention all at once. It’s noisy and it’s confusing and it can get seriously overwhelming. Whenever I feel like life is getting a tad bit too heavy for me, I try to step back and ask myself: What would this look like from a bird’s eye view? What’s the bigger picture here?’

More importantly, will this matter in a year or a few months or even tomorrow?

It’s so easy to get sucked into the craziness that is life sometimes which is why it’s super important to take a step back and take a look at things from a 30,000 foot view. Things are usually a lot simpler up there.

What about you? Do you find it difficult to look at things from a bird’s eye view? Better yet, does anyone else hate take-offs as much as I do or am I alone on this one?!

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Enjoy this post? There’s more where that came fromSign up for the newsletter or join the Facebook Fan Page!

In So Cal? Then join our brand, spanking new Meet-up group: The Polka Dot Connection. Being a 20-something in LA is hard. Add a quarter life crisis to the mix and you’re likely to be on the edge. The Polka Dot Connection is here to help by providing a way for 20-something women to connect, learn and grow so you can kick that quarter life crisis to the curb. Check us out!

Dream Killer

Photo Credit: David Blaikie

Want to know the easiest way to suffocate your dreams? Start comparing yourself to other people. Start measuring yourself up to others who are where you want to be. Begin longing for what they have. Start kicking yourself because they’re bigger, stronger, faster, better than you.

Comparison kills.

It kills our motivation, our hopes & dreams. It annihilates our mojo and shoots our moxie dead. When we continually try to measure up, we constantly fall short. And that’s a sure fire way to get nowhere.

We’re all guilty of it – God knows I am – but the only way to really make a mark in this world is to be uniquely you. Sure, it’s important to have role models and mentors – people who set a good example and who you strive to be like. But you’ll never get anywhere if you are constantly trying to measure up to someone else. Besides we often have no idea what that person did to get to the place they’re at now. Perhaps they were in the very same position as you a month, a year or a decade ago. When we focus on someone else’s success we lose focus on our own journey.

And that puts us on the fast track for getting lost.

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Enjoy this post? There’s more where that came fromSign up for the newsletter or join the Facebook Fan Page!

In So Cal? Then join our brand, spanking new Meet-up group: The Polka Dot Connection. Being a 20-something in LA is hard. Add a quarter life crisis to the mix and you’re likely to be on the edge. The Polka Dot Connection is here to help by providing a way for 20-something women to connect, learn and grow so you can kick that quarter life crisis to the curb. Check us out!

Are You Brimming With Joy?

Today is an awesome day. I just feel so inspired and filled to the brim with joy. I’ll be honest, I don’t always feel like I know what I’m doing. Sometimes I doubt if I’m a good coach or if I can really pull this whole thing off. Sometimes I feel like I should just pack this whole little business up and work a regular job. But lately I’ve really been feeling like I’m realizing my calling. I’m living my dream. And I’m inspiring people. I’m helping people – which is all I’ve ever wanted to do.

In the last week, I’ve receievd several messages from people who I’ve helped – whether I was doing it on purpose or not. The first one came following my July newsletter on “Cutting Yourself Some Slack”

I really needed to hear this right now….so thank you.

The next, a random Twitter message:

I like your positive messages and I pointed a friend to your blog and twitter stream

Both were super simple message but both made my heart soar. I’m not a super emotional person – I don’t cry at Disney flicks and I’m a rock at weddings. But as I write this I can just feel the tears of joy filling my eyes.

If you know what you’re meant to do, do it. Do not wait. Figure out a way to make it happen. Figure out a way for you to be absolutely in love with your life. The world would be a much better place if we all just followed out hearts. If you need help, ask for it. Don’t let anything stand in your way. If you don’t know what you’re meant to do, that’s ok. Today is your day to start figuring it out.

Have you been feeling the same way? Are things clicking into place or are they still a little fuzzy? What do you need to start living your dream right now?

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Enjoy this post? There’s more where that came fromSign up for the newsletter or join the Facebook Fan Page!

In So Cal? Then join our brand, spanking new Meet-up group: The Polka Dot Connection. Being a 20-something in LA is hard. Add a quarter life crisis to the mix and you’re likely to be on the edge. The Polka Dot Connection is here to help by providing a way for 20-something women to connect, learn and grow so you can kick that quarter life crisis to the curb. Check us out!