How to Kick the Post Closing Blues

Hey friend,

I’m going to level with you. I’ve been having a weird week.  I’ve been having trouble sleeping, my focus has been scattered, and I’ve been interpreting interpersonal interactions less than generously.

(What does that text mean?! DOES SHE HATE ME NOW?!?!)

…You get it.

Nooooooot my best self.

And until this morning I couldn’t figure out what was going on.

Then it hit me…

The Post-Closing Blues. 

I closed “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on Friday and like clockwork come Saturday morning I had that creeping “you’re-never-going-to-work-again” anxiety.

So what do we do to combat the post-closing blues?

Here’s my checklist:

STEP 1. DO THE THINGS THAT MAKE ANY HUMAN FEEL BETTER.

I know these may seem painfully obvious, but when we’re spinning out sometimes we needed to be reminded about the very basic things that make all human beings feel marginally better. This is my step-one when I feel the creeping tide of the post-closing blues:

• Drink some water
• Get some sleep (If you struggle with sleep this may mean turning off all screens at 9pm)
• Call a friend
• Go for a walk
• Get some sunshine
• Exercise (if that makes you feel good)
• Meditate for 10min

STEP 2. DO THINGS TO SOOTH THE ACTOR IN YOU.

You are going to work again. Really, you are. But if you’re still having anxiety after all the activities above sometimes a little project can help. These can include:

• Reading a play
• Taking a dance class
• Scheduling a voice lesson
• Seeing a live performance
• Participating in a reading
• Going to some auditions
• Redoing your website

*NOTE: Please don’t do ALL of these activities. Launching into 18 different projects directly after closing a show is not generally suuuper helpful for easing anxiety.  Not that I’ve tried it or anything…

STEP 3. GIVE IT TIME.

I know. I hate me for writing that too. The last thing I feel like doing right now is sitting with my anxiety.  But at the end of the day, it’s a feeling I know I’m going to have to get comfy with if I want to continue to be an actor.

There WILL be more contracts. 

But that also mean there will be more closings. 

If you allow yourself to wrap your self-esteem around whether-or-not you’re currently in a show, burnout will come for you FAST.

And I want us all to have long lovely careers that we are able to ACTUALLY ENJOY because we aren’t too anxious to take notice.

That’s why I chose to share this with you today.

I’m with you 100%.

Now go drink some water.

Much love,

Sara

P.S. These are just my own strategies for dealing with minor anxiety.  If you are dealing with depression or debilitating anxiety please know that my heart goes out to you and I am aware that “Go for a walk” is not a realistic solution. 

Sara Glancy is an NYC actor and the founder of Audition Rep Matchmaker, a service that helps match actors with the audition materials that will book them jobs.

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Originally published on saraglancy.wordpress.com on April 24th, 2018. Photo by Jessica Osber.