We recently connected with Sara Davis and have shared our conversation below.
Sara, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Optimism is a choice. It’s not something you choose once, and then you have it for the rest of your life. It’s something you choose every day, again and again, despite what life throws at you. Make no mistake about it, it’s not always easy. Sometimes I wake up, choose to see the good in the world, and then in the middle of the day, someone tips me $5 on their $150 bill (I’m a server) and optimism seems a thing in the past. I’m immediately sad, frustrated, and also scared how I’m going to pay my bills when I haven’t even made enough money for the gas it took to get here. There are times where I need to be sad, or stressed, or shed some tears. I think it’s important to feel those moments too. It’s the getting through those moments that bring me back to optimism. Sitting in those emotions is key, fighting it never helps. While I’m sitting in these emotions, I remember that I don’t want to feel like this forever. Life is more fun when I look at the bright side. Sometimes, that’s literally what I need to do. Go outside and enjoy the sun that, no matter what, comes up every morning. So to answer the question, my optimism comes from the sunshine or sometimes the rain (which I also love) that without fail, always comes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
What I do is use my imagination to play. I get to fantasize about different worlds, timelines, and realities to tell a story. In other words, I’m an actor. I get to spend time trying to get in another character’s head and breathe life into them. I recently was onset and this overwhelming sense of purpose floods over me. Being onset is where I come alive. That’s what is so special to me about it. That I have found the thing that fuels me. Although, I’m fully aware how it sounds. It sounds incredibly cheesy and like I’m quoting this from a fortune cookie. But I know and hope there are others out there that have found their thing that makes them feel the same way.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would like to start by saying that I’m still on my journey. I honestly am not sure what the destination is or if I’ll ever reach it. But I do know I’m having a fun time finding out. A quality I believe you need to have is passion. If you don’t have passion for what you’re doing, what’s the point? I met someone onset recently who asked me where I want to go in my acting career. I told her I want to go wherever it takes me, as long as I get to be onset, then I’m happy. Also, it would be nice to quit my day job! I then asked her the same question. She said a lot of things but what she really was saying is, I want recognition. I’m in absolutely no position to judge. Wanting recognition for a job well done is not necessarily a bad thing. It becomes a bad thing when that’s you’re only motive. When that’s your only motive, I don’t believe you enjoy the journey. And that’s what this is all about. Having passion while chasing down your dreams.
Another quality I believe you need to have is determination. Although passion and determination sound like one in the same, I think determination is what pushes you to continue when doors are slammed in your face. And believe me, doors are slammed in my face all the time. It doesn’t feel good, it makes me doubt myself and if I have the talent to do this. No matter how many “no’s” I hear, I brush myself off, and remember that if I let this stop me, what then? I can’t switch the thing that brings me the most joy so I have no choice but to keep going. Also, a nice ice cream sundae never hurt after getting a painful rejection.
Another skill I believe you need to have is knowing you can always learn more. You are never done. In other words, be humble. Being humble and having an open mind for feedback only helps you grow. Don’t get me wrong, there have been times onset where I have learned what not to do from other actors, but I’m still learning, nonetheless. Most of the time though, if you take the time to listen, people have incredible advice to give.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Things changed drastically for me in 2023. I felt as if I needed to start from ground zero to figure out who I was as an individual. It wasn’t easy. There were days where I laid on the couch and watched Jersey Shore reruns all day. I experienced a great loss of what I thought my life was supposed to be. It left me feeling lost. Slowly, I put the pieces back together. I did things I didn’t think I could, like go to a coffee shop alone. Maybe for some, that feels like no big deal. But for me, I have never spent time with just myself. And what I learned was that I’m good company! Being alone gave me the space to dream. The space to envision where I want to go in life. It gave me the opportunity to meet myself. And who I met was a girl who was at one point lost, but with working towards her dreams, found herself again.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sara_n_davis/
Image Credits
My headshots were taken by Cameron Radice Photography
