In this episode of The Ultimate Creative Podcast I chat with performer and comedian Alicia Carrick from Toronto. After making the decision to move to Toronto to pursue comedy, Alicia realized that she had been moving further and further away from her goals without really noticing.
And that’s when she decided to make a change.
She signed up to take improv classes at Second City (which is where I met her! Yay!) and joined the comedy troupe Weird Town which performed sketch and improv all over the city, and produced comedy web series.
In the summer of 2019, she auditioned for the Second City Conservatory program and was granted a place on her first try – which is largely unheard of!
But right around then, her health took a turn, which ultimately forced her to take stock of what was really important in her life. Not only was it now essential for her to focus on getting better, but it was also crucial to choose the activities that made her feel good – because she didn’t have the capacity to pursue every opportunity anymore. Through all of this, Alicia maintained an amazingly positive attitude that had a ripple effect across everything she was involved in.
“Looking back, I’m like, thank God for it, because [it] just really cemented the fact that I need to prioritize me and my own self care. And so that became the era of saying no to things that I don’t really care to do.”
Alicia Carrick
Alicia Carrick started vocalizing her needs more both at her day job and with her comedy, choosing to work with people that were on a similar trajectory to her that she felt she could really connect with. Through daily journaling and practicing yoga, she began to realize that she was choosing to only surround herself with the things that made her feel good, making it much easier to say goodbye to the things that didn’t anymore.
“I just can’t fall into, this or lose time in life, dictated by something I can’t really control. What I can control is my stress level, and being, or stage performing, all of that is a stress relief. Everybody needs their creative outlet. It becomes medicine at that point. And so if you don’t take your medicine, you’re going to revert back. So I just made changes because I don’t want to lose time anymore. Comedy has been a bit of a life saver.”
By prioritizing her own needs, she set an example for the people around her to do the same. SO, with that, I hope you enjoy this episode and that you take some inspiration away from Alicia’s story! Choosing to keep a positive attitude and choosing to stick with things that make you feel good are possible when you are able to do so and have the capacity! Try some of the things that Alicia suggests, like journaling, yoga or comedy if you’re feeling a little stuck right now and need a bit of a boost to start moving forward!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- https://bigchickenergysketch.com
- https://weirdtowncomedy.com
- https://www.secondcity.com/courses/toronto/general-information/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mouth_(TV_series)
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Thanks for listening!
