Love Me, Love Me Not

Love.....Amour..... liefde......dragoste

 I am currently on set in Florida and I am struck by this concept of love, since at this moment in time, I am doing what I love.  

I am also struck by what this concept means to our society and us as human beings.  From my observations, it is such a huge word in our social vocabulary.  To so many people, love is something that holds so much weight especially around Valentine's Day. 

  

How does this word, LOVE, make you feel at this moment in your life?

    

For myself, the road to love has been at times a disappointment.  However, it has also been a rewarding, and fulfilling thing that reminds me that I am human and that as humans we connect with one another.  Love comes in many shapes and sizes.  I have experienced "true" love from my parents, friends, and past relationships.  Many times people crave "love" from that one significant other, and it scares them if they don't have that feeling in their life.  Myself included at times. For so many people, love sometimes is the hardest thing to grasp, and it begins within  yourself.  I know this idea is very much on the verge of self help/self improvement and dealing with feelings and it turns many people off, but as actors we all are a little crazy and need a little help/counseling/self examination. 

 We all indeed also get by with a little help from our friends, and that right there is love.

Do you truly love yourself?

For myself, it is an ongoing process and time for exploration and examination.  Many days I feel on top of my game embracing all aspects of who I am and who I have become as a human being.  But there are days that I doubt myself and feel "ugly"

What are the things in life that take you away from loving yourself?

I feel like in order to love someone else truly and love what you do, you must examine yourself from within.  All too many times, I see people that are unsure of who they are and what they want to become.  Searching and grasping for ones true self.  My self included.  However, I started to embrace the motto love what you do and do what you love in order to find happiness and love within my own life journey.  Along with that self love and acceptance there have been many bumps along the road and there will continue to be.  However, last night, I was reminded that those bumps are part of my journey and show me that I am exactly where I need to be as a human being in all aspects of my life, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually.   It is about examining all those parts of oneself that leads to love.  Those bumps are there to force you to examine a certain part of yourself that you may be neglecting and that may be becoming "ugly."  But through all the painful bumps, there is true beauty in the ugliness, because it leads to the path of loving yourself. 

As an actor, I am very self conscious.  I think it comes with the territory.  Earlier in my career, I hated so many things about myself and wanted to be someone that everyone else wanted me to be.  It has not been until these past few years where I have truly accepted me for me and discovered that this is what I truly needed to do as an actor.  This self acceptance and love has made me more aware of my whole being inside and out and has shaped my work in ways I never thought possible.  Of course, there are many days of still doubting but through that doubt, has come many successes.  The outcome is the fact that I am in the right place at the right time at this moment in my life.

I do not deny at times, it is hard to love, especially yourself.  But find the love in your life with friends, family, coworkers, and maybe that significant other, embrace it, because it will lead you to exactly where you need to be.  And it all begins with you!!!

Shoot for the stars and maybe cupid's arrow will fall from the sky!

As always,

Love what you do and do what you love!

Cheers

McGee

Who are you?

You are you. You are not someone else.  Someone else is someone else. You are you.

But why do we so often wish we had the attributes that other people possess.  Do you wish you could change something about yourself? Why?

It is now time to start to accept and love those parts that make you.....you.  

What sets you apart from everyone else in this world?

What do you love about yourself?
What do you dislike?
I am trying to refrain from the word hate because there is so much hatred in this world that you should not hate yourself.

List five attributes that you love that set you apart from everyone! Go now...do it! I mean right now...
1
2
3
4
5

Now that we got that out of the way.  It is good to look at yourself.  One of these days take the time to look in the mirror for 2 minutes.  Look at the way you smile, the way you frown, the way you laugh... So often we judge ourselves on the way we look. Many times I wish I was taller or was not as blind and did not have to wear my glasses.  But it is time to love those things about myself that make me, Patrick G. McGee and not someone else.

In this crazy business known as show, so much depends on appearance.  Sometimes we wait in line with 100 people that look so similar to the way we look, it freaks us out.  But it is time to stop, breathe, and remember that there is only one of you, and you bring something new and great to this role that no other person can bring to the role.  So just be yourself....and be true to what you want to offer this world and everything will work out in the end. At the end of the day, you are have to look at yourself in the mirror.

Laugh at yourself, love yourself, and if you are of age treat yourself to a beer because you deserve it.
After all there is only one you.
(As I write this I am treating myself to a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, because there is only one Patty G. McGee and that is reason enjoy to celebrate)