All the world's a stage -and all the men and women merely players. Will Shakespeare.

And some of us are desperately unrehearsed. Linda Ford

If you were awarded an Oscar for a particular role you play really well in your life, what character role stands out most? Go on be honest! What role do you typically play out in life that could be considered a commanding performance?

Commanding performances are going on everywhere.

At work, there's a character who is energized, optimistic, popular, full of great ideas, and who is never short of opportunities for growth and expansion.

Then there's the unassuming employee who keeps to herself, hides her opinions, is afraid to speak out, and is always bummed out and ignored, and wonders why she's invisible and overlooked for promotion.

At home, there's the woman who is resilient, steadfast, and determined even though her husband left her with nothing.

And then there's the poor victim who has lost her marriage, money, and mansion and wants the world to never, ever, forget what's been done to her.

Some actors can play a wide range of characters - Merryl Streep! is someone who can never be accused of being type-cast. She's avoided that trap. But how about you? How would others typecast you? Could they? Are you stuck in a particular personality?

Choosing a new role to play in your life doesn't come easy. There's a whole new script and language to get used to, a brand new body language, a change of circumstance, a new way of showing up in the world, and an altered mindset. It's a habit that goes deep. The question is: How do you genuinely FEEL the new part you want to play? Can you convince others about your new character?

I once heard an actor talk about his experience of playing various characters, and how his friends are unable to recognize him while he's in character. He's so imbued and absorbed with the qualities and feeling states of his characters, that he becomes the character.

So, who is it you really want to be?

How would you like to feel and what would you like to experience? How are you going to rewrite your victim dialogue? How are you going to show up confident and self-assured? And how can you stay in character?

Breaking the habit of your insecure or victim self begins with noticing when you're acting out those roles. It begins with self-awareness. That you are the one giving the performance. Get to know the character you want to play. Know their moves, tone, words, thoughts, and actions - step into their vibrational essence. And practice, practice, practice.

You get to choose your staring role - who you want to be. The part you want to play. You are the lead actor and everyone else is in a supporting role in relation to you.

Get good at acting, and give the performance of your life.