EASE Framework: Decluttering Your Life During Career Transitions

Hey, friends. Welcome. And welcome back to Nosy AF conversations about art, activism and social change. I am your host and friend, Stephanie Graham.And before we dive in to today's conversation, I have a quick request, and that request is that I am looking for someone who's really knowledgeable about Palestine, not just a friend who's been reading a couple of, like, Instagram posts and sort of stitching their ideas together, but like, an expert, someone with deeper insight who can help us understand more. And this is selfish because it's really to help me understand more, but hopefully you want to understand more.And maybe it could just sort of be a thing where there's questions submitted and I have questions, and it could be just a really fruitful conversation. So if that's you or if it's someone who you think would be a great fit, would you please get in touch with me? I would greatly appreciate it. Yeah.Because this has, like, been really sitting with me and I want to know more, want to do more, want to just understand. And so, yeah, that would be great. So thank you so much. Today's conversation is just gonna be a solo one, just you and I.And I'm pretty much just checking in during these last weeks of summer, sharing what I've been up to, from working on a film set to decluttering and streamlining my life.And, you know, along the way, I have noticed a pattern in how I've been making decisions about what I want to keep, what I want to let go of, what is going on in the world in my life, and what I want to make room for. So I even gave it an acronym. I'm calling it my little ease framework. E.A.S.E. framework.And I'm going to walk you through it and see if it's something that you resonate with. But you know what we gotta do? We have to play our theme.

Gotta get up, get up to the whole world. You a winner, winner vision of a star with a mission in the cause what you doing? How you doing? What you're doing and who you are.Flex yourself and press yourself Check yourself don't wreck yourself if you know me then you know that I be knowing what's up. Stephanie, Graham is nosy as I have.

To ask you, do you dance during this new song? I just love it so much. I be getting my groove on in my little podcast station over here. I just love the theme music.So, okay, so we played the theme music, and here we are, you and I, having a conversation, and I have to tell you something which I barely talk about. I talk about with like family and friends, but not like publicly.And it's not like I'm not like a public figure, but you know how folks be on like Instagram and Facebook, like charting their worlds. That's not really me. But let me get to the point. I have not worked in over a year.I'm so shocked to say that, like, I had to sit here and like try to connect the dots. Like, okay, when was my last big film job? Okay, it was in April. And then I did an indie in June.And then I did another fill in where I helped a friend who was going out of town. So I filled in for them on their job, their TV job, and that was in August. And then in September I did another indie.But outside of that, y', all, it wasn't until May of this year that I booked a movie job. And let me tell you, it's been rough on a sister. It's been rough on a sister.I think the most craziest thing is that the film industry has really lost its mind. It's just in crisis. Can I say that? Is that appropriate word?I feel that when Covid shutdown happened, all of us wasn't working, no matter what industry. And then, you know, we got that under control and then we were back at work. Then the writers went on strike, the actors went on strike.Okay, we got that under control after a few months of being off work because, you know, if we have no writers, we have no actors, what are we filming? And we got that under control. But then the crews were like, hold up, it's our turn. We're thinking of striking too. And that was filled with tension.And then that got under control. There were no strikes. And then all of a sudden all the film work was just sent overseas.And TV shows that were supposed to come back, they were pushed till later releases. There has been a rise in indie films, which is a good thing, I think.You know, even from my colleagues, you know, some of the indies that I worked on, they have projects they want to see and it's like we're around, so let's help them make their projects. But then there's also been bigger budget indies, like 6 to 10 million that have come around. And that's been really good.But there's also been a bunch of like big billion dollar corporations who's been sneaking, trying to do a lot of non union work. And that's an issue because, you know, film work at the commercial level is all union.And when you Try to get non union people, you know, maybe they're not being paid a fair wage, they're maybe being overworked. And so unions are really good to have in place because to stop all of that and it's been a problem, you know, and these are like big companies.Just like think of if you are listening to this while driving, if you see a big company, imagine them trying to just make a commercial that's not union or a film that's not union, you know, and it's not like non union work is okay if we are making a short film or a feature film for, you know, a colleague or friend who we're helping out or even if, you know, sister wants a commercial for her hair salon. Like, sure, you know, there's a time and place for everything. But when projects are supposed to be union and they're not, it's just.Oh, and then, not to mention the LA fires. So it's just been really wild out here and unfortunate and sad and stressful and angering.And I felt really lucky to be able to book this film that I worked on for two months. And I'm excited to share it with you when it came out. I can't talk too much about it.I think the point in me telling you is just that it's been wild to be off work, but also enjoying the time off by having more time to be with family and be in the house and work on my podcast and be in the studio, you know, all of that stuff. So I'm excited to hopefully get back to work. But I'm really been taking this time to say, oh, what else?And the sad thing about that is that I've had friends leave the business because there's just no work and bills are due. And that's real, that's a very real thing. And it's tough. It is tough. It is tough. And so yeah, I booked this movie and it is going to be great.I can't wait to tell you about it. And I can't wait to tell you about all of the film projects that come out that I've been working on.And I want to do a better job at that one film I worked on. I want to say maybe about three years, two to three years now.Let's just say that a film called We Strangers is coming out and it's doing a limited release. I will put a link to it in the show notes.But that's a beautiful film directed by Anu Valia, a production designed by Amelia Steely, and it is A story of a house cleaner who. See, how can I describe this? It's a house cleaner.It's a story about a house cleaner who gets, you know, wrapped up in working for some really wealthy people. And it's just a fun story. It's a wild story and I think you will like it. And it's an independent film.You know, Anu, the director, has done a lot of things and this was a project that she had been working on for a long time that she finally brought to fruition. So it was a blessing to be a part of that. You know, seeing people have a dream, have it come to life. And I feel so lucky to be a part of that.So, yeah, so that's the first thing. Okay, Working on a film. Now listen, I haven't worked since that film. Oh my God, my father, I hear my father right now being. That's not funny.That is not funny. You know, like, yeah, it's not.But again, being able to have this time to think, like, even I, even myself, I've been sort of like, yo, if I don't do film, what else do I want to do? Like, what do I want to make space for? So I'm just trying to be expansive. I always want to do film.It's the only job I've ever done, really, so we'll see. But I have other ideas and so I'm trying to make use of this time while I have it.Speaking of making use of my time while I have it, I did a fellowship. I did a fellowship. I believe it was maybe like six months.Because let me tell you something, when you essentially don't have a job, you lose track of time. You are like Mariah Carey, like, what is time? What is time?But I did this six month fellowship called the Change Collective and it's for civic minded folks who are just leaders trying to make a difference in their communities. So I think I actually might try to have someone from Change Collective on the podcast because I think it's a really cool organization.But for six months, all of us leaders, folks from Chicago, Detroit and Jackson, we all met once a month for six months.And then we had like exchanges in between all to create with the dreams of creating a project either either for our not a not for profit that we're already a part of or starting, or it's a brand new project. And so my project was in my neighborhood. I greatly want to have a movie theater. We do not have a movie theater in our neighborhood.The closest one is probably like 30, 40 minutes away. And probably even maybe 40 minutes away by bus. But it could be longer. Depends on what theater you want to go to.The closest theater that was in my neighborhood closed during the pandemic. And let me tell you, that theater was the bomb. It showed Hollywood pictures, it showed independent pictures. It had buy one, get one free.There was a bar in there, it was amazing. Free parking. And there's just nowhere if you want to stay on the up and up about what's going on with movies. There's no place for you to really go.Like, you could have went to my local theater that was. It was called Chatham Cinema, I believe, but it's not there anymore. And so I'm like, yo, we need a movie theater.And so my idea, which is not a new idea, is to just make pop up film screenings and then hopefully it will develop into a micro cinema. And so I've been developing that and I hope to start having screenings in the fall. But that's been something I've been working on.And I think that, you know, being a part of your community is really important. You know, to me, that is activism, being a good neighbor. And yeah, I think that the neighborhood I live in, we need more entertainment outlets.And so why not have a movie theater now? When it gets started, it probably will very much be in the gym with folded chairs. But so what, you know, you gotta start somewhere.And so, yeah, that's something that I'm really looking forward to. Let me see. Yeah, I'm trying to think like, oh, should I tell you some of the other people's projects?But since I'm just sort of going off the dome, I didn't get their permission. I didn't. So I'm gonna get their permission. Maybe some of them will be on the podcast. We'll see. And yeah, so change collective.I'll put the link to the show notes. That has been a really good way to spend my time, honestly, because it gives me something to focus on.And it's also a project that I really want to do. I selfishly would like to have a movie theater in my neighborhood. Just like I selfishly would like to have a grocery store that I could walk to.So hope, you know, when. When I think about stuff like that, I'm like, is that right? Is that thinking about everybody else when you're thinking about yourself? But I think so.I think so. When I talk to my neighbors about it, they're like all down for it, you know, they're like, yes, yes. And it also gives kids something to do.Like Maybe kids might want to be interested in film. Right now might not be the best time to be a part of film, but maybe they'll want to be an independent filmmaker.And being able to see movies is very, very important. And plus, movies spark ideas. Like cinema is an important platform.Okay, so the thing last thing that also I've been doing with my summer is decluttering and organizing. And let me tell you, this is a huge undertaking.And one thing I've realized, especially with decluttering, is that it's just like your relationship with the Lord. It is never complete. It is always a work in progress. It is always something that you have to do all the time.It's never like, okay, I did it, and it's done. It just becomes a part of your life. But sometimes are going to be bigger than other times. And right now, I am in one of the big times.So this whole decluttering journey started with two things. One was that I had a artist residency at a place called Chicago Art Department. And that residency was coming to a close.And so the artist studio that I had there, I had to bring everything out and bring it back into my home studio. And so I needed to make space for where all of that was going to go. So that was one event.The second event was my neighborhood was having a spring cleaning event, and they brought a big dumpster for the whole community to throw whatever they wanted. Electricity, electronics, batteries, whatever you had. And my one neighbor, Mr. Wilson, decided to get rid of his grill.And he rolled it down the street and threw it in the dumpster. And it was so funny because some of my neighbors were like, hey, you can't do that. You can't do that. He said, didn't y' all say anything?You said, we can put anything in here. And I'm like, you told him he could put anything in there. Help Mr. Wilson with the grill. And so they did. Mr. Wilson got his way also.I'm like, are you guys really going to make Mr. Wilson roll this grill back home? He rolled it all the way down here. It is what it is. Put it in the dumpster. So they did. And that made me laugh.But the best part of the declutter was the paper declutter. And so I was going through my house, in my studio, grabbing all the paper. You know how it is.The tax returns, bank statements, all that stuff that you didn't need anymore to declutter and or to shred. And so when I got back, my place just sort of looked crazy. I just had stuff Everywhere for me, trying to throw things out.Oh, one last thing about Mr. William, about Mr. Wilson's grill. Because it was so big, they had to take the dumpster away early. So a lot of us weren't really able to throw away things we needed to.But it also was first come, first serve.And if you would've seen this grill just going down the street at like, at the top of a mound of just consumer electronics and things, all this stuff that they had organized to be sorted out and disposed of in the appropriate way. But just seeing that grill, like the legs of it sticking out, it just. And that Mr. Wilson got his way, it really just made me laugh.But yeah, so the shredding, all of that brings me back to my home studio that was in complete disarray. And I'm like, oopsie, oopsie. But it just made me start going through things and just decluttering stuff. Like, do I even really need these lights?Do I really need this box? Do I need these wooden trays? Like, let me really get rid of some of this stuff. So I've just been going crazy.So I've just been watching all the YouTube cleaning experts. I've been all on Reddit in the minimalism thread, just trying to get ideas and I've been decluttering.And one of the best rules that I found was, have you used it? Do you really need it? If not get rid of it. And that's just. And just being ruthless about that. I understand people have attachment to stuff.There's been things that I found, like both of my grandparents have passed and I have a box of like my grandma's telephone book, you know, or like my grandpa had a planner. Like, those are things that I still have that has like their handwriting in it. So yeah, I keep those. But other stuff that's not necessary.I've just been trying to be as ruthless as possible and bring some order into my space. So I love that for me. And you know, it's been decluttering in the summer, but whatever, I've really been decluttering. I feel almost in spring.But you know, it's a process. Like it doesn't all happen overnight. And so, yeah, so decluttering has been a big part of my summer.So all of this leads me to my EASE framework I just made up just for the sake of talking with you today. But also I feel like it's how I've been looking at all of this time that I've had. And EASE stands for Eliminate, accept, simplify and expand.And when the. In particular when the writer strike happened and the actors were on strike and the Studios were being Mr. Meanie mean pants, I was really upset.I'm like, you know what? All we want to do is tell stories. We just want to make movies and tell stories. That's it. Rinse and repeat.And the fact that there was such resistance towards giving the actors and writers what they wanted really just boiled my button. Is that a phrase? I think there's a better way to say it. It's like boiled something. But it pissed me off. Okay, I'll just say it. It pissed me off.And as we've been off work or my. I've been off work and my friends, I have friends off work.As we're all like contemplating what's next, applying for non film jobs, it's made me think, you know what? I gotta stop fighting this. I am accepting what this is. You know, I chose this life, this film life. And it is not always going to be steady.It is a freelancer's life. And there are going to be hills and valleys. But I didn't expect the valley to go all the way down to the ocean.But for real, I just had to be like, look, this is what it is. You don't have a gig, right? There's no film work right now. You know, this all has to be sorted out. You know, folks, it's just wild. It's just wild.So I had to accept. Okay, so that is the A of the E's accept. I have accepted this for what it is and making space for new.And that leads me to E. Expand right now, by the way, this is not in order, obviously, as you can see, but expand means create space for new ideas, relationships and opportunities.So while I've been off, I've been meeting people, going out, catching shows, collaborating, brainstorming, dreaming, all of that, you know, and writing. I've been writing. I want to make a film too. Like, you know, just making space for new ideas.So I welcome you to do that and to keep doing it because I'm sure you are already doing it. So a, acceptance what it is.Stop fighting what it is and know that your situation, whatever that situation is, accept it for what it is so that way we can move on. All right? Look at me. Who do I think I am? Martha Stewart giving this advice? Does Martha Stewart give advice? Let me tell you something.Martha Stewart is a baddie. I love her, all right? I just think she's a baddie. Do you find her a problematic? Let me know.I'D be so curious, but I really just admire her, and I think it was the Lifetime movie based on her that I liked. I have yet to see her documentary, but that is what it is. I will get there. And sorry for the tangent, but let's move on to E. Eliminate.Remove what's not serving you. All right, so getting rid of the clothes, the clutter, you know, I had all these art pieces that. Or, like, art supplies that I didn't even use.You know, I gave that away to a community that collects art supplies. It's like, y' all need this stuff. I do not need this stuff. It has been sitting in my closet for years. You gotta let it go.So just letting go of things that you wanted to keep, just in case, I'm getting rid of it. I've even gone through my Instagram and unfollowed accounts and email unsubscribed.Like, just, you know, as soon as I see it and I don't want to be bothered, I'm cutting it out. All right? I'm trying to be easy, keep it smooth and easy. You know what I mean? So that is the E. And finally S. So S is simplify. Keeping it smooth.Maybe S should have really been smooth. But let's say smooth and simplify. Just making things easier and repeatable. You know, my routines.Especially since I've been off just trying to keep myself busy but not giving myself too much. And one example of this is with my decluttering. I've made this donation box, and one of the cleaning experts on YouTube told me this.You know, she just says, keep your donation box in the hallway and fill it every week. So as I've been going through decluttering my studio, setting things back in place, I've just been finding more stuff to drop off at the art shop.And I love it. I love it. And, you know, even been keeping my cereal the same. Shout out to Special K Vanilla.You know, I've just been trying to keep things simple because then I'll follow through on it. You know what I mean? So I would invite you, dear listener, to pick one of these this week to try it. So let me go through it again.The E's framework E for eliminate. Remove what's not serving you. A. Accept. Stop fighting what it is. S. Simplify. Make things easier and repeatable. E. Expand.Create space for new ideas, relationships, and opportunities. So which one will you pick? I would love to hear about it. If you decide to declutter, just take a kitchen drawer. You know what I mean?Just reach out to one person, take one person for tea, hit somebody up and talk on Zoom.You know, expand your network, simplify, you know your matcha routine, accept that it is what it is and get rid of stuff that no longer serves you immediately. Don't even double think it, just get rid of it. That's a big part of this easy stuff. It's easy. I don't want you go maybe not be that rude about it.But yeah, I'm so curious. What are you letting go of this summer and what do you want more ease around?I would love it if you would tag me on Instagram or DM me, email me with something, maybe you've decluttered or a cool group that you've joined. I would love that. So that's my little summer check in. A look at how I've been practicing this ease these past few months.Eliminating what's no longer serving me, accepting what I can't control, simplifying where I can and expanding into new opportunities. And I hope some of that resonates with you and maybe even gives you a spark for your own season of ease.And one last reminder again, if you know someone, or maybe it is you, who knows what's happening in Palestine, I would very much love to speak to them. My email address is stephaniessgraham.com thank you so much as always for listening. I'll be back soon with more conversations and guests.Until then, please take good care of yourself. This has been another episode of Nosy af. I'm your host, Stephanie Graham. What did you think about today's conversation?I would love to hear your thoughts. Head over to the Nosy AF website for all the show notes related to this episode.You can also find me on Instagram at Stephanie Graham, what would you know? Or online@missgraham.com where you can sign up for my newsletter where I share exclusive updates about my studio practice as well as this podcast.Until next time, y' all stay curious and take care. Bye Sam.