Meet Roslyn Mizgorski

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Roslyn Mizgorski. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Roslyn, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

My mother is my biggest role model when it comes to resilience. When I was about five or six, my mother asked a question that would change our lives forever. She asked, “How can I help?” This led her to her volunteering in my community and eventually to her running and being elected as a Township Commissioner and later, State Representative. My mom has faced many challenges throughout her time as a civil servant especially when she was in office during the pandemic. It is difficult for anyone to be involved in politics, but especially for women. I have seen the joy on the faces of the people she has helped. But I have also seen all the unwarranted criticism. My mom never lost sight of her passion to help others and that drove her in her resilience, creative problem solving, and confidence. Because of her, I grew up knowing that I can do anything.

I took her example and ran with it. I add a little faith and say to myself, “things will work out because they have to.” I’ve overcome grief of loved ones, a near-death experience and continued health complications, and on a lighter note, challenges while trying to pursue my career goals and dreams. Resilience and bouncing back from difficult situations doesn’t always happen overnight. You need to take it day by day, care for yourself, and ask others for help.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My mission is to create and share stories that educate, engage, and entertain audiences. I primarily freelance as an actress, though I occasionally step into the role of director and producer. In the past six months, I have acted in four plays, 2 vertical films, a web series, and 2 short films. I’ve also directed and produced a short film focused on strong female characters and wrote a script centered around overcoming mental health issues.

However, I think the most exciting part of my journey thus far was when I was living and working in Yellowstone National Park in 2019-2021. This move seemed to come out of left field as I took a job in hospitality, but I enjoyed making fun YouTube videos about my adventures out west. Most importantly, being in the outdoors provided rejuvenation and inspiration for me to continue pursuing my passion in film and combining it with my newfound love of nature.

I’ve called Los Angeles home for almost 3 years and I’m currently the Social Media Chair for The Burbank Chorale, a Member of Blessed Sacrament’s Young Adult Group, and a regular Actor with Worst Ever Productions.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I’m a big believer that it’s more important who you are rather than what you do. The world and the workforce needs more compassion and understanding. During the pandemic, I was promoted to a managerial role over others who had more experience. The hiring manager said that they could teach me the necessary hard skills, but they could not teach someone else how to be a compassionate leader. Volunteering, spending time with marginalized communities, treating yourself kindly, expressing gratitude, and listening without judgment are just some ways to hone in this skill.

I am also forever grateful for my willingness to try something new and take risks. This is a skill I did not naturally posses and can remember practicing it as a middle schooler. My willingness to try something new, led me to the best and most adventurous memories in a national park. And it continues to propel me in my career as I help out in positions on set that I previously had no prior knowledge of. You can start small. Go on a roller-coaster you’re afraid of, try that new cuisine, take up a hobby, and say yes to new job opportunities.

Get creative and adapt! Unfortunately things will not always go our way. We can’t control it, but we can control how we react and overcome. Many times, I’ve turned rejection into opportunity. For example, while directing a short film, our drone camera flew into power lines. The team quickly got together and brainstormed other fun ways to accomplish the shot successfully. Play puzzles and games to get the juices flowing. Collaborate with colleagues and friends for creative problem solving.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

If I am feeling overwhelmed, the first thing I do is turn off or put away my phone. Nothing adds to my stress more than the constant notifications. I’ll go for a walk, listen to music, and if time allows, take short nap. If I am at work or an event. I will excuse myself to the restroom or car for a few minutes and distract myself with short videos before returning.

The key though is to prevent yourself from ever reaching the overwhelmed state. I keep constant tabs on myself to monitor my stress meter. If I sense I’m tensing my muscles or getting stuck on certain thoughts, I start to take action. You could even set timers on your phone to go off randomly and then check in with yourself to see how you’re doing.

I dedicate time each week to activities that replenish me. Now I know when you are overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do is “waste time” doing an activity. The benefits will far outweigh the time you spent taking care of yourself. Afterwards, I feel more energized and I am able to get my work done efficiently. I love spending time outdoors either hiking or gardening, sometimes I’ll spend a day at the beach. I also talk my stressors out with friends and family. And I am a planner. So if I know I have a lot of my plate, I make an attainable game plan to complete it.

If you frequently feel overwhelmed, like your cup has run over, or you just need someone to talk to, therapy can be a wonderful resource.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roslynmiz/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@roslyn_miz
• Other: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/roslyn

Image Credits

Greg Crowder, Aaron Tyler Soffer, Rebecca Napier, Colleen LaRose