Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd Talks Decades In The Industry, Mental Health, and Setting Goals
Paige Audrey-Marie Hurd has been acting and in the entertainment industry for almost 20 years. At the young age of 26, she’s been booked and busy majority of her life. “It’s been a long time. Sometimes it feels like it and other times it doesn’t. My professional goals are to continue to learn the ins and outs of the business. Also, I’m looking forward to being on the other side of the camera soon...either directing or producing. It may seem weird but I also like the idea of being a casting director...(laughing) I definitely want to try that too. In order to achieve my goals I know I need to continue to grow as an actress. That requires training, persistence, life- experiences and dedication to loving my craft”. It’s one thing to be driven, she shows us it’s another thing to plan out your goals. People have the tendency to dream big and live with their heads in the clouds. Planning out your goals forces accountability. We owe it to ourselves to act on the visions given to us.
A healthy mentality is the key to dealing with people’s perception of you. Being aware of your limits, strengths, and weaknesses will provide you with patience, which is necessary in developing a healthy mentality. “The hardest obstacle so far as been evolving from a child actor to an adult actor. I went from being ‘so cute’ and working so much. Now I’m a woman that looks 13 years old! I know I must stay patient, with not only the perception of my physical appearance, but also with my maturity in acting. I have to admit, I’m not THAT good at having patience”. No one is perfect, but understanding where you fall short is the first step to growth. Only a healthy mentality will allow you to consciously mature in challenging situations.
Within keeping that same energy Hurd states, “being a woman in the industry has always been difficult. The way men are treated compared to women really blows my mind. I choose to go with the flow. I don’t allow it to stop me from doing what I need to do. I keep the same mentality when it comes to me being biracial. I have been stereotyped and people definitely have their negative opinions about me, preconceived notions on how I should be. I know once they sit with me, it goes all out the window”. On the other side of patience, Hurd’s healthy mentality allows her strengths to shine when opportunities are presented. We can create this same fate for ourselves. Realizing the importance of timing. Understanding when to step back and listen versus inserting our energy at the right moments.
Mapping out goals is essential in evolving but when it comes to emotional growth Hurd takes another approach. “I make dream boards to set my goals. I also journal a lot and just vent to myself. Then I’ll go back and read it and see how I was feeling to see if it’s any better or worse. I just know I want to really take care of my mental health to be in the most healthy place possible. We are all going to have our ups and downs so I don’t put goals on my emotions. I do think it’s cool to filter ways to manage certain emotions when they come about”. Her statement instantly made me want to attend a ‘Paige Journaling Party’, however, what she said also inspired a different perspective. Looking back at thoughts/emotions personally logged in a journal is instrumental in ensuring we continue to progress. It’s a rousing tool to have and we should all challenge ourselves to create it.
From a professional perspective Hurd continues “long term goals I usually keep for six months before touching them again. I’m an artist so my short term goals really can change at any minute. I get so passionate and excited about some of my goals/dreams. Then I get so freaked out all at the same time. So much so, that sometimes I just leave it there and don’t touch it at all”. We can all relate to this. When a dream or vision starts to transition it can seem farfetched. We should channel that energy into focusing on simply completing one step at a time. That moment of fear becomes the foundation of a valuable life experience.
When asked how does she make time for herself she laughed stating, “I struggle with this A LOT! I don’t know how to put myself first, ever. I can be extremely exhausted but if I said I’m going to do something then I’m there. At the end of the day I’m just a shy introvert that loves to entertain and people-please...as contradicting as that may sound”. Paige has an infectious spirit! The juxtaposition of her personality is what makes her so relatable. From hip-hop’s goddaughter, to the girl next door, to the ’thuggin’ millennial we love to follow. This experience with her has definitely taught me something. It has encouraged me to re-examine how I structure my ‘me-time’. Her words clarifies the fact that we should continue to love ourselves through the growing pains of maturing through life. More importantly, that giving into fear disrupts the opportunity to learn from a valuable life lesson. We all need to figure out what works for us and make sure we’re constantly evolving. Like Hurd suggests, grow into the fate you deserve!