smagik

That. Was. A. Year.

How was your 2023?

I am trying to sum it up and WILD is the only word that comes to mind.

After a couple of years feeling stuck in the mud and as though the world seemed to have opened back up but I hadn’t, that mud began to dislodge in unexpected ways this year and for that I am grateful. And, actually, I am proud of myself. It was through a series of small changes and decisions that my energy began to move and a lightness returned.

January-I had a panic attack in a hot yoga class to start out the year. Uh Oh, I thought. This can’t be how this year goes. I never went back to hot yoga and joined a gym instead. The rowing machine and elliptical became a daily routine. I discovered podcasts (late to the game on that one, I know!) Watched the Cranes at Bosque del Apache bird refuge.

February- Traveled to LA for the Costume Design Guild Awards where my friend Jenny Eagan won for Best Contemporary Film Costume Design for Netflix’s Glass Onion. We all wore floral jumpsuits. I ate at Sqirl in Los Feliz for the first time since Covid and hiked in Griffith Park in the rain. It was fun. Enrolled in a six week Screenplay writing class through UCLA Extension. Also fun.

March- Went to San Pancho in Mexico and ate fish, read a novel, and watched my boyfriend surf. Worked on a character development assignment for my class. That was hard. Started work on an HBO mini series when I got home that was supposed to shoot through August. It didn’t. Got a mind blowing Astrological reading with Heather Roan Robbins. She told me it was a good time to look at real estate but to look out for issues with mold. She also told me to move my energy and take dance lessons.

April-Put an offer in on a cute house and decided I would rent my house out to film workers. I worked a lot.

May- I worked a lot. I pulled out of the real estate deal when mold showed up in the inspection. That was the same day the show I was working on got shut down because none of the cast or crew would cross the WGA picket line. That was a wild. Glad I didn’t end up with a second house with no film workers to rent it.

June- I decided to go on a quick trip to NYC and then to visit family in Cape Cod. Thought maybe the WGA strike would conclude by the time I returned. It didn’t. I started going taking swing dance lessons. Then I started two step lessons.

July- Instead of reaching an agreement, SAG joined the WGA in a strike. I settled into a summer vacation I hadn’t been expecting but also began to wonder how long I should go before considering a real pivot. I continued to dance. I stopped eating gluten and felt better. I stenciled the floor of my front porch.

August- I continued to dance and to sell vintage clothing on knockaboutvintage.etsy.com. There was no end to the strikes in sight. I had lunch with my cousin (a business coach/consultant) and asked her if I should pivot or start over or WTF should I do because even if and when the film industry comes back, it’s not going to be the same. Pivot. Never start over. She reminded me that I come with 20 years of work experience and there is no such thing as starting from scratch. “Check out this course on using AI to do personal branding,” she said. Wait, what? But, not knowing what else to do, I did. It changed everything.

September- I joined that woman’s membership, began lessons on personal branding, built my own website www.smagikstudio.com, and basically had my world blown open. I also began to learn Balboa swing dance.

October- The strikes continued and began to appear unending. I continued working on my website, started creating images for friend’s companies, dressed up as Weird Barbie, and carved some pumpkins. I continued to dance.

November- The strikes came to a sudden close and I received seven calls for work in one day. I finished my website just in time to head back into film, knowing my new enterprise would be waiting and that it was in good shape to begin again as soon as I had more time. I went back to the job I had been on when we got shut down in May. I began to make new friends in my dance classes.

December- I worked and remembered how exhausting film hours are. But, I am grateful for this job that allows me time and money to continue with all of the other non (as of yet) paying interests I have. I know there is money to be made in personal branding and image creation and that I have that to look forward to and work on in 2024.

2023 Take-Aways

I surprised myself regularly this year. Pivot was a big word. Through a series of small moves I totally shifted my energy and created change rather than waiting for the world to force it upon me. It was a fun, unexpected and good year. I began 2023 with the phrase “What If” (astrostyle’s word for the year) at the forefront of my mind and it worked! What if everything works out and is better than expected, even when nothing goes according to plan?

Looking Ahead to 2024–

Integration and Integrity are my words. I want to be Whole and to stop compartmentalizing. I want to have Fun, to be Joyful, to choose the Adventure and Pivot rather than get stuck in fear. To find the Beauty in chaos and to ride the waves through a life I am slowly realizing and accepting may never calm or settle down.

Blessings to you and yours for 2024!

Peace.