Updated insider information by Chellie Campbell, author of “The Wealthy Spirit: Daily Affirmations for Financial Stress Reduction”
235-August 23
“Turning it over in your mind won’t plow the field.”—Irish Proverb
In response to fans’ complaints about plot developments on the television show La Femme Nikita, the producer said, “They should get a life.” The fans swarmed like angry bees on the Internet web sites devoted to the series, in response to his statement. I chuckled over the following message board post:
Fan #1: “This girl will get a life when she’s darn good and ready to!”
Fan #2: “Life? We don’t need no stinkin’ life!”
Fan #3: “I have a life. What I want is a good fantasy!”
Fantasies are fun. We all indulge in them. Sometimes we turn our fantasies into goals and our goals into reality through planning and action. But all achievements begin through the dream—the delicious vision of a possible reality; something we imagine will be fun, exciting, thrilling, surprising, swooning, ecstatic.
Theater, movies, television, and books give us vicarious thrills of exciting adventures we may never actualize in our real lives. Perhaps we will never really be a spy, never hold a gun (let alone shoot one), never be super-model gorgeous, never wear a fabled diamond necklace, never fly a plane, never cut our way through the Amazon jungle.
But we can hitch a ride on someone else’s dream: Our bodies and minds can ride an emotional roller coaster for an hour or two, and experience much the same feelings we would if we were actually having the experience. I celebrate living in this rich world where these things are possible. I thank the dream merchants who invite me to enter their worlds and forget reality for a time. Through them I live many lifetimes beyond my own.
But fantasies of a fire will not keep us warm and fantasies of rich food will not feed us. Enjoying other people’s dreams will not give us what we seek in real life. From the dream-time we must pluck out those things that we feel most strongly about and actualize them. When we work for someone else we are helping them to actualize their dream. It takes less attention, focus, and energy to assist someone else than to carve your own dream on the mountain.
But then don’t complain that it’s not your face on Mount Rushmore.
Today’s Affirmation: “My dreams become goals and my goals become reality!”
When fantasties become realities and dreams come true, it is such an exciting, emotional experience that it’s fun to even watch it happen to someone else.
One year I was watching “The Glee Project” on Oxygen, as the writers and producers of the hit TV show “Glee”, led by Ryan Murphy, searched for young new musical stars for parts on their continuing series about high school misfits. The winner was to be written into the show in a 7-episode guest-starring role. It had been a wonderful series, filled with drama, great singing, emotional highs and lows, but most of all, great heart and lots of soul.
I fell in love with the show almost immediately when I happened across an early episode when I was channel surfing. The casting director, Robert Ulrich, and his team were holding auditions and looking at videos of aspiring singer/actors from across the country. Robert cared so much about these young performers that he watched some of their videos dozens of times, and he was always so kind and loving towards each of them. I loved watching him because he loved what he was doing so much.
In typical reality show contest format, one contestant was voted off each week by Ryan Murphy and his team (which included musical director Nikki Anders, and choreographer Zack Woodlee) after the bottom three gave a last chance performance. All were given compliments on what they did that was good, and tips for improvement. It felt almost like you were watching acting classes at Juiliard where the good of the students was the highest priority; that it was a learning environment and the teachers were dedicated to helping exceptional students grow and improve. There was virtually nothing catty, or rude, or humiliating, or demeaning about anything in this show. What a relief! What a pleasure!
And in keeping with the heart and soul of the show thus established, the finale was spectacular. I loved all 12 of the performers who made the cut from 40,000 and were part of the show each week. The final four who competed on the finale were all adorable and extremely talented: beautiful leading ingenue Lindsay Pearce with the gorgeous voice, huggable Alex singing big songs in cross-gender styles, Irish cutie Damien McGinty who might not have had the best voice but certainly the most charm, and Samuel Larsen, handsome in dreadlocks, whose smoldering passion illuminated every song.
Who would win?
They all sang their hearts out to standing ovations from the cast of “Glee” who had made guest appearances as mentors throughout the series and the previously eliminated eight participants who were brought back for the finale. Lindsay was thanked and told she did not win, as was Alex.
Damien and Samuel stood alone in the spotlight. Both were praised for their talent, dedication, and spirit. Then Ryan Murphy said to Samuel, “You are the winner of ‘The Glee Project'” and the cheers and tears erupted in the room as this young man’s dream came true.
After a pause, Ryan turned to Damien saying, “And Damien, you, too, are the winner of ‘The Glee Project’!” and the room went crazy with everyone jumping up and down and screaming! When things calmed a little bit, he said, “And Lindsay and Alex, you two are so special you’re going to get something too – you will both receive a 2-episode arc in “Glee” written especially for you” and pandemonium erupted again.
Ah, winning all around!! Four winners, not just one – fabulous!! I loved it. A fitting, triumphal end to a wonderful show. But then, it wasn’t over, because I couldn’t wait to see these kids in their parts on the next season of “Glee”…What a great idea for a great program. Loved it!
