WRITTEN BY ZSANÉ JHÉ, ACTRESS, POET
Let me preface this article by saying, I’m not psychic, nor do I have some deep, dramatic connection to the universe. My inner skeptic is rolling her eyes so hard at the thought of me writing this article, that I’m afraid her eyes are going to get stuck in the back of her head. There are plenty of books, articles, resources, etc. that will teach you all about the Law of Attraction, how it works, and how you can use it to manifest the life of your dreams, all of which can be summed up into this one statement:
“You don’t get what you want, you get what you believe.” -Wendy Braun
Let’s get into the breakdown of how I was able to manifest my first recurring role on Network TV:
LOVE
- After binge-watching Black Lightning on Netflix, I was deeply moved. The CW superhero drama hit really close to home, modernizing a story about the government’s historic and inhumane involvement in the unjust destruction of black communities. Being a black history buff and an advocate of civil rights, it was so easy for me to develop a genuine emotional connection to the storyline.
ASK
- The very next day, I intentionally wrote down “I want to book a guest starring or recurring role on Black Lightning”, in my planner. I wrote this with no desperation attached. I didn’t ask how it was going to come into fruition or when because I didn’t NEED it to happen, I simply wanted it to. I wrote it down with belief, and let it go.
ABUNDANT LIVING
- I moved forward, continuing to enjoy my life and didn’t even think twice about wanting it. Two weeks later I received an audition request for Black Lightning. As you can imagine, I was through the moon with excitement! I felt this was going to be EXACTLY what I asked for until… I read the audition request. It was a one liner and the role name was ‘Issa’s Sister’.
GRATITUDE
- This was the hardest part. I knew I needed to shift my mindset off of “this is NOT what I wanted” in order to knock this audition out of the park. I had to revisit my initial ask, and trust that this was the opportunity I was being given. I distinctly remember giving myself a pep talk, saying “Girl, you asked for a guest or recurring so show them what you’re working with and they’ll HAVE to give you a bigger role.” I happily prepared for my audition as if it were a larger role, and chose to be grateful for the opportunity.
MANIFEST
- When I received the callback, I learned that not only had the role name been changed to Tiffany Williams, but that more scenes had also been added. Tiffany was set to appear in the first few episodes of Season 2 of Black Lightning. I diligently prepared for the callback. When the director couldn’t make it at the last minute, I trusted. When I thought I didn’t nail every moment in the callback, I forced myself to move on. When the shooting window began and I still hadn’t heard back, I allowed myself to wallow but still believed if not this one, there would be an abundance of roles for me on Black Lightning. Then, I booked it!
Of course doubt will creep in, and if you’re anything like me, doubt will smack you right upside the head as soon as you exit the audition room. Belief is not the absence of doubt, it is the awareness of doubt having faith in spite of it. Belief is the basis upon which you begin to manifest anything. When there is belief, the other elements of manifestation (love, asking, abundant living, gratitude), will harmoniously work together to give you your wildest dreams. Start by believing.
