Tag: Blogging

The Key to Happiness: Find Joy In Where You’re at RIGHT NOW

Here’s a lesson that I only learned recently in life.

Find joy in where you’re at RIGHT NOW.

For far too long I put off happiness while in pursuit of my goals.

When I was in Law School, I completely put my life on hold.

I remember telling myself, “just put your head down and accept being miserable for three years. You can be happy after.”

So that’s what I did.

I focused all of my attention on my studies. In all fairness, Law School is extremely hard work and given my course load, a lot of my attitude was warranted. But I was constantly thinking about the future.

I NEEDED to graduate and pass the bar in order to start my life and be happy.

I actually performed well in Law School. Graduated with a 3.5 GPA. Passed the Maryland Bar on my first try. Despite this success, nothing changed.

I was still obsessed with the future.

I remember thinking…

How could I start my life when I don’t have the PERFECT job?

I couldn’t be “happy” until I was making at least six figures, right?

I never gave much thought to what I ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO – especially outside of the law.

So now officially in the working world, I put my head down and started to grind. I started with my father’s law firm, then at a judicial clerkship, then an investment bank, then another law firm, until finally two years later I circled back with my father’s firm.

Why did I jump around so much? Because I started to follow my gut.

I wasn’t happy in any of the jobs I had. I didn’t enjoy the work, the subject matter, none of it. Something just wasn’t right.

During my time practicing law, practicality ruled my life.

Leaving the law wasn’t an option. You can’t just casually walk away from a legal career after taking the LSATs, being admitted into Law School, spending three years studying, graduating, and then passing the bar – right?

It wasn’t until I started working at my father’s firm for the second time that I started to think about what I ACTUALLY wanted to do.

I’d always had a passion for film and entertainment.

I’d always wanted to be an actor.

I’d always wanted to write creatively.

But these passions had been suffocated by PRACTICALITY.

At this point, I had also just gone through a breakup.

Although difficult at the time, it helped me put things into perspective. It opened up my eyes and forced me to focus on myself. And that’s when I finally said fuck practicality…

I moved to Nashville and dramatically changed careers!!

Did anything change? Did I break my habit of putting happiness on hold until I reach some hypothetical goal?

NOPE!

When I first moved to Nashville, I set goals and put my happiness on hold until I achieved them.

I immediately signed up for acting and improv classed. I got headshots. I started auditioning.

After I gain success, I thought, only THEN will I allow myself to be happy.

And that’s how I lived my first six months in Nashville.

I was considerably in a better mental state, having made the career change. BUT something was still off.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized my mindset wasn’t conducive to the life I wanted.

I no longer wanted to put off happiness.

So I changed.

I didn’t stop setting goals. I didn’t work any less. But I did switch my mindset.

I started enjoying the little things. I started finding joy in my journey. I started finding joy in my study of acting, in my writing, in my side jobs, in my social life, in everything.

This tiny switch dramatically improved my well-being.

I now no longer feel as if my life is on hold. I’m more motivated to pursue my goals. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. I am happier than I’ve ever been. Why?

Because even though I have BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS goals, I understand that my happiness is not determined by whether or not I achieve them. Instead, my happiness is derived from whether or not I try.

Do yourself a favor and find joy in where you’re at RIGHT NOW – this second.

If you do that, I promise you, you’ll be infinitely happier because of it.

September 13, 2019
I’M BACK!! And Dabbling in Screenwriting
This is my first blog post in freakin FOREVER. I’m talkin months – like many many months. Not sure why exactly I stopped in the first place. Probably a time thing if I’m being honest. That’s such a lame excuse though. Whatever I’m making it anyways.

I really want to start blogging more and I have a free half hour so here we go…

I’ll start with a brief little update about what my life has been like the past five or six months. Here’s a tidy list that you can feel free to skip past if you want – I won’t be offended…
- Acted in two short films and one commercial.
- Recorded several new podcast episodes for The Millennial Lawyer podcast.
- Was on a dating show which I lost (sheds tear)
- Discovered that I live down the street from the best taco stands in Nash, and have been taking full advantage.
- Directed a short film.
- Started giving ghost tours in downtown Nash.
- Still working at the lemon
- Went on a two-month hiatus from Planet Fitness (SMH).
- Am now back on my Planet Fitness game (#HealthIsWealth).
- Went to Destin, FL for literally 24 hours (it was well worth it)
Yup – that about sums it up.

Anyways, I recently went on an Amazon Prime book buying binge and started reading all about writing screenplays. I’ve written a few short screenplays in the past but if I’m being honest, they all kinda sucked. I’d give them a solid C+ and that’s being generous. I originally wanted to write a short screenplay that I could produce myself and act in so that I could add the footage to my acting reel. But once I realized that my stories were lacking, the lawyer in me went into research mode and I started combing the web for information.

Don’t worry – this won’t be a long boring post about how to write a good screenplay. I wouldn’t even know how to do that. I’m only two books into the ten I purchased from Amazon. So yeah basically an expert.

This post, on the other hand, is mainly about PREMISE – and how having a solid one is critical to writing a good story.

After reading The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri, I realized how important it is that every story have a solid premise. None of my screenplays had a good premise. Are you surprised? I already told you they were pretty JV squad. They had cool stories and characters and scenes but no concrete premise.

The premise of a screenplay is essentially the central idea or theme of the story. AKA what is the point?? Some examples given by Egri are..
- Foolish generosity leads to false gaiety
- Ill-temper leads to isolation
- Dishonesty leads to exposure
- Egotism leads to loss of friends
After reading Egri’s book and fully understanding the importance of starting with a premise, I started writing with purpose and towards a goal. I basically just automatically became the next Aaron Sorkin. Just kidding. Sorkin is a legend – mad respect. Plus, I’ve still got eight books to read. I’ll probably post additional writing epiphanies as I learn more about the craft so be forewarned.

To sum up this post, I found the brief but important nugget about premise extremely helpful. It was on my mind this morning so I thought I’d share my thoughts. Cheers to my next screenplay being better than my last! Well – hopefully.

Have an AMAZING DAY!!

~Brendan
August 7, 2019
My First Improv Class!

Improv

Is

So

Weird

YET

So

Awesome!

For those that don’t know, I’m pursuing the dream here in Nashville, Tennessee. I am consistently producing written, audio, and video content with the goal of breaking into the entertainment industry.

Ever since moving here in October, joining an Improv class has been near the top of my to-do list.

Last week I finally went to my first class.

I was a little unsure of what to expect. I took some acting classes in college so I figured it would likely be similar to that.

It was weird – but in the most amazing way possible!

Watch me break it down for you…

November 11, 2018
Influencer Marketing 101
If you’re active on social media, you’ve likely noticed that a lot of well-known personalities have started “selling” or “endorsing” products on their social media channels.

They aren’t doing this for free.

Companies are paying these “influencers” for advertising.

So what makes a person an “influencer” and what exactly is “influencer marketing?”

Let me break it down for you…

What Makes a Person an Influencer?

Influencers are Internet celebrities.

They have large followings on social media and naturally carry influence over their followers – hence the name influencer.

Most influencers have a niche personal brand.

They could be fashion bloggers, photographers, movie critics, fitness coaches, cooks, or video gamers – literally anything.

As long as they have a large following, they’re influencers.

The Basics of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing isn’t a new concept. In fact, it’s almost identical to celebrity marketing.

In both influencer marketing and celebrity marketing, marketers take a well-known person who carries influence over their target market, and they pay them to advertise their product.

The only difference between traditional celebrities and influencers is that influencers have niche “followers” and wield their influence on social media platforms.

Side note- many traditional celebrities now carry influence on social media as well, further blurring the line between influencer marketing and celebrity marketing.

While traditional celebrities tend to have a broad audience (everyone loves Brad Pitt), influencers have a more tailored audience (mainly gamers love Ninja). This is what makes influencers so attractive to marketers.

Companies can now reach their target demographic through a trusted influencer on platforms that aren’t yet oversaturated with advertisements.

Influencer marketing sounds great in theory. But does it work?

Let’s Look at the Data…

According to Social Media Today…
- 67% of marketers believe that influencer marking campaigns help them reach a more targeted audience.
- 61% of consumers rely on social media as the most important source of information when shopping.
- Influencer marketing can generate up to 11x the ROI of traditional advertising.
In addition, the Digital Marketing Institute reports …
- 70% of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities.
- 86% of women use social media for purchasing advice.
- 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations
- Influencer Marketing Campaigns earn $6.50 for every dollar spent.
The numbers speak for themselves. Influencer marketing is here to stay.

The next question you probably have is, “how do I get in on this sweet action?”

How to Get in the Game

You can either approach influencers yourself or pay a marketing company to do it for you.

Hiring a marketing company will make your life a lot easier. Marketers know the best way to contact influencers, how much to pay, what sort of campaigns are successful with your market, etc…

But most small businesses don’t have the resources to hire a big marketing firm.

The good news is that you can get started on your own.

Here’s an example…

Say you’re a barbershop owner who’s looking to increase business with influencer marketing. What’s your first move?

You need to slide into a few DMs!!

Find local influencers on Instagram and send them Direct Messages.

Ask if you can pay them to come to your barbershop, get a haircut, and then post about their experience. You may have to do some negotiating with price but that’s all it takes.

Conclusion

The Internet has turned millions of people into influencers. Social media is the new Hollywood and marketers have taken notice.

The marketing opportunities are there and the numbers speak for themselves.

Time for you to slide into the DMs and get in on the action!
November 5, 2018
That Time I Thought an Entire Movie Theater was Built for The Mummy Returns…

Yes, this really happened.

I was 10 years old and clueless about everything – except maybe Pokémon. Oh, and Goldeneye for Nintendo 64. I was a savage at Goldeneye. I could literally beat it with my eyes closed (pause). With no cheat codes either (if you know, you know).

Anyways, back to the story.

This was in 2001 – the days when kid birthday parties reigned supreme.

Entire classes would be invited. We’d eat pizza, drink soda, and run around with minimal supervision. I’m getting excited just thinking about it…

That year for one my friends birthday parties, we went to see The Mummy Returns in theaters.

I remember being psyched about it. Going to the movies was one of my all time favorite things to do – it still is. Right behind Chipotle and touring Gettysburg (I’m such a nerd, I know).

Anyways, I hadn’t heard of The Mummy Returns but was excited nonetheless. I knew it had something to do with mummies – and mummies are badass (obviously).

So on the day of the party we all met at the birthday boy’s house. There had to of been at least 30 of us there. We somehow packed into two vans and hit the road.

I remember everyone in the van raving about the awesome new movie theatre we were going to. I hadn’t heard of it so I got even more excited.

When we pulled up, I almost shit my pants.

The movie theater was named Muvico Egyptian. It looked as if it belonged in ancient Egypt. The entrance was lined with Shaquille O’Neal sized Pharaohs and Anubis statues.

I was in total awe.

How had I not heard of The Mummy Returns?

The movie was so big that they freakin built a whole movie theater for it!

Or so I thought.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for anything in my life. I got a big bucket of popcorn, a soda, and sour patch kids (this is still my go-to). I was in in heaven.

We then filed into the theater, which of course looked exactly like an Egyptian Pharaoh’s tomb (swoon).

This movie was already my all time favorite, and I hadn’t even seen it yet.

It was finally show time.

I don’t think I blinked once. I was entranced. There were swords, guns, mummies, pharaohs, and even killer insects (scarabs).

Side note – I thought the killer scarabs were real for the longest time. They scared the shit out of me. I vowed never to visit Egypt because of them.

Aside from my deep fear of scarabs, I loved every minute of the movie. I wanted to watch it again the second it was over.

I remember thinking how lucky I was to have seen a movie in a theater that was exclusively built for that movie. I thought it was a once in a lifetime experience.

It was years before I found out the theater had nothing to do with the movie. Muvico was a chain of theaters and they all were Egyptian themed. I was devastated when I found out.

Around that same time I also found out that The Mummy Returns was actually a sequel. SMH. I was so embarrassed. How could I have been so dumb?

Regardless of the harsh truth, The Mummy Returns remains one of my favorite movies.

The bliss of that day lives vividly in my imagination.

A good movie seen at the perfect time in your life can transport you into a whole new world. A new fantastic point of view. No one to tell us no. Or where to go. Or say we’re only dreaming…

If you didn’t sing that in your head, we shouldn’t be friends.

The Mummy Returns didn’t win any Oscars and may have received a mere 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, BUT it was one of the best movies I’d ever seen.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed my little anecdote.

Movie magic is real people! Don’t let anyone tell you different.

Peace out!

P.S. Brendan Fraser is due for a major comeback. You heard it here first!

November 2, 2018