Movie Moments

I remember watching the movie “Keith“, and as Keith refers to the “goodbye scene” all I could think was HAH! See, it’s not just me! Other people see it too! Our lives are comprised of a series of movie moments! Do you know what I’m referring to? It’s those major, impactful moments in your life that are full of more emotion, more intensity than the rest of them – the birth of a child, the moment you realize you’re in love, your wedding, etc.

Think of movie moments as your peak experiences in life. They’re the emotional highs that you continue to chase and always feel a bit dulled in between. I like to create them, rather than wait for them though. I thrive when I’m living an emotionally intense life and you can’t do that if you’re just sitting around waiting for things to happen.

It seems like we’re going through a point where it’s almost trending right now to discover yourself and embrace who you are. Either it’s that or that’s all I’m surrounding myself with at the moment. One of the things that keeps coming up is that “you’re the main character in your story”. Well if I’m the main character, I want a plot that keeps the audience guessing and costars with enough complexity and depth that they themselves could be the twist in the story.

What kind of moments are you creating? Who have you been letting costar in your story? What do we want to happen next and what sort of ending are we working towards? If you ask me, I hope it’s a happy one. Yes, all puns intended.

Honestly, we have to be pausing to ask ourselves these questions constantly. Alright, so have to may not be the right word because I managed not to for the vast majority of my life. What I mean, though, is that if you want to create a story – live a story – that is “turn me into a major motion picture” quality, you have to be asking yourself those questions constantly. Each second, each decision, each scene counts more than you know. To reach success we must consistently work towards the goal, the final scene.

Do you know what final scene you’re working towards? Have you decided how your story ends? Sure, you never know what can happen in life and not everything will always go as planned but if you haven’t confidently decided where you are headed you certainly won’t be able to make a map to get there. Dream up your perfect ending and write it out down to the smallest of details. Get solid on what kind of impression you want your closing scene to leave otherwise there’s no way you’ll make it happen. Don’t let the fear of flopping stand in your way when comebacks make the best stories!

The more time that passes and the more I experience, the more I truly believe we create our reality. We decide what emotions our story will invoke and how fulfilling the lessons will be. No you can’t pick and choose what’s happening around you, but you have an incredible ability to control your perspective if you teach yourself how. You simply have to decide where you’re going to put your energy and then stick to it.

I create my movie moments by first carefully deciding who I give my energy to – who I spend time around. The perfect characters can make or break even the best of stories and sometimes you just have to admit that even though you just LOVE all of the little quirks someone carries, they’re not going to be a good fit for the role you have to offer.

I know I’ve found the perfect character when my excitement and anticipation begins to naturally build. Sometimes, when I meet someone, the possibilities immediately start flowing through my mind. As I get to know them, as their character develops, the perfect opportunities for their role in my story present themselves and we run with it – sometimes you just have to embrace a little improv.

I look at roadblocks in life as plot twists, as lessons, as the protagonist’s next major conflict. Carefully decide from which angles each scene needs to be taken – this is where perspective comes in. Just remember, you’re the whole production team right now and you’re going to have to trust your instincts on this one. No pressure, deep breath.

I’m closing in on the part of the story where my leading lady finally starts seeing the incredible things that happen when she pushes on forward and keeps dancing her way through each big number no matter what’s going on around her! What scene are you on? What’s your angle? There’s always an angle.

Stay tuned as we transition to the next scene, I hear it’s going to be an important one.