Ok. So it may sound a bit like an infomercial. And maybe it is, but I had the pleasure of recently filming a Zipfizz commercial and I am convinced that it is the nice girl's answer to energy.While my reasons for believing so may have nothing to do with the need for B12 and everything to do with my need for a shot of humility, I still think it's a story worth sharing.
Booking an acting job can sometimes feel like winning the lottery. You spend hours mentally preparing, going through several different call backs and then await the results. As an actor (I use the term loosely since I am not of the DiCaprio caliber of course), you constantly second guess your ability and your intuition. Even if you are told that you have done a wonderful job, you still have a sneaking suspicion that the shoot date for said job will come and go without so much as a nod in your direction.
The process sounds much more dramatic (no pun intended) than it actually is. But for a SAHM, local acting gigs are rare and beautiful gifts of creativity. I can step outside the title of mommy for a few hours and revisit a passion I still love. And most importantly, this particular job taught me a valuable lesson that applies to nice girls everywhere.
You are only as valuable as you are humble.
When the day came for me to find out if I had booked the job or not, I checked my phone incessantly and had butterflies all day. As 8 am turned to noon and then dwindled to 8pm, I knew the handwriting was on the wall. But still holding onto a shred of hope, I emailed my contact to get the official dismissal.
Within minutes I got a "regret-to-inform-you" email. I had lost this job, and it was painful because it was just between myself and one other girl. An ego bruising coupled with a loss of funds I could have desperately used, I drew a hot bath, poured a glass of red wine and cried. Yep, I cried.
So how in the world did I go from the tub of tears to the set of the Zipfizz commercial? I had what I now affectionately call, a Lazarus Leap.
A few days after I had let it go and allowed the disappointment to die an honorable yet mopey death, I got a call from my father. "Some woman from this media group is trying to get a hold of you."
Could it be?
I called the woman back and lo and behold they offered the job to me, instead. Why? The number one girl had tried to negotiate for more money. So as a result of her, dare I say, greed and pride- I was able to safely slide into the number-two-is-as-good-as-number-one-in-my-book spot.
The truth is that I learned more from the girl who didn't get the job, ultimately, than I learned from myself. Yes, I can honestly admit there was some pride to be swallowed and a sliver of embarrassment to be banished, but it was worth it.
I was chosen because I honored the agreement that I entered into when I saw the financial and time commitments for the project the first day of auditions. I was chosen because some girl out there decided to kick humility to the curb and try to up her worth on paper- in dollars and nonsense. I was chosen because God wanted to give me a gift that mattered to me and He wanted to let me know that prayers (even silly, first-world problem ones) get heard.
So my fellow nice girls here's your take away. Honor your commitments. Don't ever give up on a job well done. Don't be too prideful to gracefully accept second place. And don't ever think that a prayer-soaked hope is gone, ever. The impossible can happen.
In my book, Zipfizz has some dang good energy and will always be my go-to drink when I need a little pick-me-up. Besides, it tastes good too.
