Tina Lifford Brings “The Circle” to Chicago

You may know Tina Lifford for her role as Renee Trussell on NBC’s Parenthood, but did you know the actress is also a playwright, motivational speaker and CEO/creative director of her own company? The Evanston native chats with Managing Editor Carrie Williams about her spiritual journey through life and to the stage.

How has growing up in Evanston shaped your life? Evanston lives in my memory as a great model for the feeling of ‘community.’ My parents and their friends modeled the fun and support available in community. They were very social, not socialites, but down home people who valued family and friendships over all else. More often than not we kids were a welcomed given at many of the adult social gathering. They were truly a family affair. That sense of community extended to our neighborhood. Neighbors looked out for one another. In fact we left our doors opened in the daytime and unlocked at night.

How did studying at the Agape International Spiritual Center with Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith help you pursue your passion in spiritual psychology? I knew Rev. Michael as a friend long before he became an ordained minister and opened the doors to Agape. It was clear even in those early days that he had an extraordinary relationship with God. I remember saying to him once wistfully, ‘Michael, I want to have the relationship with God that you do.’ Without skipping a beat, his response, ‘Then you will.’ His faith was a great model for me, and his vision of community was not unlike the safe environment I grew up in. I wanted to do my part in creating communities where people could grow into the best that they can be.

When did you start Waking Up Fabulous and why? I’m an old soul. I say this because as a child I had wisdom far beyond my years. Social proof of this came in the form of many people – even adults – seeking my counsel about challenges in their lives. I considered it an honor to be sought out and trusted in this way. I wanted to be responsible in my counsel, so I took many workshops and counseling programs to grow myself as a counselor.

During my second year practicum in the Spiritual Psychology Master’s Program offered at the University of Santa Monica, I had an experience that identified my life’s mission: I was in a trio. The instructions were for each person to spend 14 minutes sharing where they were in their relationship with ‘Self.’ I just happened to be positioned to be the last person to speak.

As my trio partners spoke of themselves, their words were full of self-judgment, impatience with themselves and feeling not good enough. I felt the opposite. I’d been investing time and attention in my self-care for years at that point. As I listened to them I felt fear grab me. I was afraid that, when my turn to share came and I shared my relationship with myself, my self-love might sound like a judgment of them. I was so afraid of alienating these ladies and possibly seeming inauthentic that I actually toyed with the idea of lying and sharing old feelings I’d successfully worked through and out grown.

I did what I always do when uncertain and at an important choice point, I turned within to my higher self and said, ‘Please lead me in the direction that is best for all.’ Before I knew it I was sharing authentically about my self-love and deep self-appreciation. As I shared, tears ran down the cheeks of both women.

In our debrief/feedback section of the exercise, both ladies in essence were touched by my self-care. One said, ‘Thank you for showing me what self-acceptance can feel like.’ In that moment, the idea of Waking Up Fabulous was born. I knew there were thousands of women ­­– and extraordinary men – waiting to take the journey to their own deep and profound self-acceptance. They simply needed a place where they could feel safe and be seen/heard. Waking Up Fabulous exists to be that place for people who desire to wake up to a new and fulfilling sense of self and dare to create a life they love.

What other alternative health certifications and licenses have you’ve acquired, and how have they helped you develop/maintain Waking Up Fabulous? I’m a graduate of the Coaches Training Institute, the Master’s Program in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica, and a licensed Spiritual Practitioner of Religious Science. I’m a certified hypnotherapist and have attended over a 100 hours in various alternative health courses. Every course I take is taken to grow myself into being the best leader I can be for Waking Up Fabulous.

How did all of this evolve into you writing The Circle? I have two passions: acting and inner fitness. For years, I’d been mulling the question of how to support people with better navigating life without the answer being religious, or me seeming arrogant. I’d also wanted to write something that would meld my two passions. The Circle is truly a gift.

I’d been trying to write a non-fiction book and kept running into infuriating dead ends with how to structure it and succinctly articulate the spiritual psychology concepts that have so powerfully impacted my life. After trying to write my first book for four years, I threw my hands and decided it wasn’t meant to be. A week later I woke with The Circle on my mind and a very clear way to approach it. I scheduled a ton of interviews with women from every walk of life and age range. After each interview some aspect of the interview would resonate, and I’d go home and write a monologue using that interview as inspiration. I was always touched by what came out. In a very short period of time (compared to the years I had put into trying to write my nonfiction book), I had something good enough to take to a dramaturge.

I worked on deconstructing the monologues and placing them in a story. When I asked professional actresses to do us the favor participating in a reading of our rough draft to see what we had, I was shocked to see how deeply the material touched the actresses. I knew I had something and I continued to work.When I put it up the first time to see how a paying audience would respond, I was not prepared for the enthusiastic way the audience speaks up and out during the show. It was and is exciting. The Circle continues to surprise me at every performance.

Tell us a bit more about the play… The Circle debuted in March 2011 at The Matrix Theater in Los Angeles. It has been used as entertainment at women’s conferences and as a fundraising event for organizations. Waking Up Fabulous has produced at total of 14 shows, including performances in San Diego and Atlanta, and a ‘Circle’ workshop in Uganda.

You feature local celebrities in the play. Who’s joining the cast in Evanston? The Circle was written to be performed ‘on book’ (with scripts in hand) to allow us the flexibility of going into cities and using local talent and celebrities, without intense rehearsal schedules and the time commitment required for memorization. We are excited to be using the talents of Chicago based actors Barbara Roberts, Diane Dorsey, Iris Lieberman, Marssie Mencotti and Joi-Anissa Russell.

What else is on the horizon for you, Ms. Lifford? There is yet another equally profound way The Circle has been a gift to me. It reshaped how I was approaching my non-fiction book. In 2012, I was able to finish my non-fiction book titled The Little Book of BIG LIES. It is written in the form of 14 stories that help deliver the message of the power and practicality of self-acceptance. It was released November 2012 and has been on Amazon’s Top Rated list for the past two months.

The Circle played at the Music Institute of Chicago (1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston), February 25-26, 2013. For more info, visit www.thecircleplay.com.