Tuning the Story: Harmonizing Our Choices with Life's Beats

The Messy, Beautiful Beats of Daily Living

Getting trapped in your own story can leave you feeling paralyzed and stagnant.

Conflict makes for a better story. This is true. 

When I'm on stage, I actively make decisions that propel me through the heart of the conflict.

The more intentional, detailed, and nuanced the choices, the stronger the performance.

If I fail to make clear decisions about how the character navigates each moment, whether succeeding or failing, the audience leaves feeling unfulfilled—it results in a lackluster performance.

My theory is that when you're crafting or living out your own story, if you're not actively making choices to propel your narrative forward, you'll start to feel uninspired, as though your story isn’t worth telling.

Inaction always turns me off, (especially when watching actors), but don't mistake my meaning for relentless hustle. Action can also manifest as contemplation and gradual growth.

Only I can truly determine if I'm actively making 'choices' in my life. At the end of the day, there's one definitive way to assess: Did I make active, clear choices today? Did I advance or retreat in the next beat of my story?

In acting theory, a "beat" is the smallest unit of action within a scene, marking a significant change for a character.

This pivotal moment can influence a character’s motivation, emotional state, or decisions. It often involves a shift in the character’s objectives, the revelation of new information, or a transformation in the dynamics between characters.

Beats are used by actors to structure their performance by breaking down scenes into manageable parts, each with its distinct focus or task. This helps actors maintain a clear and nuanced progression of emotions and intentions throughout a performance. By identifying and responding to beats, actors can create more believable and dynamic interactions, ensuring that their performance is both reactive and proactive.

Beats are the small, significant moments that define a scene, much like the numerous steps involved in getting your kids ready for school in the morning—there might be 30 beats just in that routine alone. 

The more attuned I am to these beats in my daily life, the more awake and engaged I feel. This heightened awareness brings a deeper intentionality to my work and improves my overall well-being.

Not because I'm always intent on "winning" each moment, but because I'm  trying to be fully committed to my choices, for better or worse. This commitment enhances my presence and engagement, regardless of the outcome.

Life, much like a beautifully complex stage play, unfolds in beats—moments that ask us not just to pass through time, but to actively shape it. Every day offers us a script filled with choices: will we retreat, or will we advance? 

This isn’t about winning every scene or getting it all right. It’s about showing up fully to the raw, messy, glorious moments of our lives. It’s about pressing forward, even when the path feels uncertain, and trusting that in making these choices, we are crafting a story rich with meaning and truth. 

Living our stories with courage—beat by beat. The bravest thing we can ever do is to keep moving forward, one intentional beat at a time.