Be Your Own Biggest Fan

by | Sep 12, 2016 | Blog

My first TIFF (Toronto International film festival) experience this past weekend was incredible, to say the least. But of course not without its insights and wisdom.

When I was first asked to go to TIFF my mind went a few different places. In the spirit of being authentic as fuck I struggled with the idea of getting dressed up (which I rarely do) to go to an event sponsored by many companies I do not support full of crazed fans over celebrities I don’t care too much about, aside from the fact that they are human and that makes them important in their own right; however, knowing that the experience would be so much more than my qualms, I went, and I do not regret a moment of it (not even the alignment shifting, feet murdering heels, or my Jeep getting hit in a parking lot).

After the incredible movie we watched we walked around and checked out some red carpet arrivals, for the final one it was pouring rain but we stayed for the fun of it. There were some crazy fans and this leads to the point of this post.

Actors, although talented, rich & famous, are just humans like the rest of us.

It is meaningful to admire someone for their work, their talents and skills and more importantly the work that they do off screen (Hey Leo  😉 ).

But when such an emphasis is placed on idolizing an actor for their beauty, or their fictional characters on screen, we stand to lose a part of ourselves, our power and our unique qualities.

I saw a girl literally hyperventilating, I saw people snapping pics with cameras that could take a sweet pic of the grand canyon from a rooftop patio in Vegas, people were screaming actors names as well as shows they have appeared in. I get that this is a part of the culture here, I understand that people thrive on obsessing over stars.

I did this as a young girl, I idolized actors like drew Barrymore and singers like Mariah Carey, and as I grew older I realized why. These people were doing what they loved and were inherently good at or at least worked damn hard to be good at. They were living their passions, their truths and shining in a way that the whole world could admire. That is the lovely thing about film & television, it gives people a platform to expand their reach, far and wide.

I saw in these people on my television screen and heard through my speakers a voice and a light that could not be dimmed. I felt moved by those living their dreams, and I still do, whether they are famous by societies standards or not. But when you put someone on a pedestal, you are the one who risks the fall when they don’t turn out how you expected them to and how unfair it is to put those expectations on someone else anyways. You also take away from your own uniqueness, talents, gifts and possibilities.

When we worship other people we give away a part of our-self, we lose some of our own authenticity.

It is beautiful to recognize someone else’s greatness but also very important to remember that the greatness you see in them is also very much alive within you too. Everything you admire in someone else, is possible for you. We are all only human here and we all possesses the same ability to move forward  towards our dreams, towards hard work, towards changing the world and changing lives. We are all just one decision away from a completely different life.

These people who have been placed on pedestals are the same as you, they have just chosen their own path and moved towards living their dreams they are truly not different from any one of us and believing that they are can really hold you back.

Forget about what could be possible if you had “that” life and create the life you truly desire, everything is possible if you just believe and worship your own self enough to make it so.

You are worth being your own biggest fan and it’s about time you started!

Cheering you on XO