Recalibration

We just dropped the latest issue of The Voicemonkey Dispatch – Blumvox Studios’ quarterly newsletter – and for this one I chose the theme Recalibration.

Why Recalibration? Because just when I thought I kinda had it all figured out, everything changed!

Have you had that conversation lately?  Yeah, me too.

In past blogs, I embraced the change and just took it in stride, using my trusty tools to negotiate it all. I made it through without too many scars, but these last several months in quarantine, it’s gone to an entirely different level.

Like so many of you, I’ve felt challenged in every area of my life – like never before.  Even with all of my tools, sometimes it’s really hard to keep it together!

From overwhelm to overcome

Rather than become overwhelmed, it occurred to me that everything we do can be grounded – or go completely to caca, based on our perspective.  So rather than looking at the chaotic monster as a whole and trying to fight it, why not take bite size pieces?  Why not take a breath and recalibrate a little at a time?

Kinda like a mechanical puzzle or an old gummy carburetor – if you take it apart, identify what’s not functioning properly, then clean and replace each piece, place it where it needs to go, then fine tune it – eventually the entire machine will be stronger, more accessible, more efficient and more well equipped for the next challenge.

Make a plan and Recalibrate

Retooling takes time and effort, but what I learned in the last few months is that true recalibration also requires planning.  Most things I’ve done in my life were done somewhat by the seat of my pants.  Including creating this website!

After more than three decades of practice, I’m really good at voiceover, but creating a school, constantly creating accessible, high quality, useful content for my students, making it sustainable for my staff and marketing that stuff?  Holy crap, that’s hard!  It requires meetings, research – and a lot of planning.

Personally, I hate meetings.  I hate planning. But I’ve paid the price over and over for not doing these things!

So if you’ve never done something before, like professional voiceover, how DO you plan?

Research

I’m also inherently lazy, so research has never come easy to me.  The older I get the more I find value in benefitting from others’ experience.  You guys have the benefit of the internet and can watch “How To” videos on pretty much anything with a click or two.  Take advantage of this!

Every step, every blockage, every hurdle you will encounter in this business – or any other – has probably been dealt with before, and somebody has shared their process of working through it. Use that to help yourself recalibrate.

My ideas and techniques have worked for me, and hopefully many of them will work for you too, but obviously, you’re a unique being and you might and probably do function differently than me.

I highly recommend seeking out information wherever you can find it.  My goal in creating this platform was to be a nutrient rich launchpad so you can figure out what works for you, to help you shed the blocks you’ve been shlepping around  – and to help you get creative, while hopefully avoiding predators and wasted time in the process.

Recalibrating to a new Point A

I believe doing anything new requires a clean, fresh start.  That doesn’t mean throwing away everything.  It simply means re-evaluating what has and has not worked for you.  I suggest taking the time to sit down and write those two lists!  When you do that, it helps to clarify and compartmentalize the things that have helped you, and hindered you, on your journey.

Next, take the stuff that works and build on it.  The crap will always be there.  You can visit it if you want to, but at least this way you get to choose if you become more aware of what doesn’t work or what doesn’t bring you joy.

Find that new point A.  Then, Recalibrate and make a plan to work toward a new point B that will make you happy and feel fulfilled.  One where you can be of service, maintain integrity and explore your unique gifts.  I’m still on (and will always be on) that journey right along with you.  Let’s wave as we go and cheer each other on.

I gotta go recalibrate for the next thing. See ya on the road, and in the booth!

Steve

PS: I often use meditation to recalibrate, and my dear friend Anikiko from Australia has some wonderful offerings here on her site – music “nutrition” as she calls it, that can help you focus, recalibrate and feed your soul.

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