Actress Stephanie Szostak of “A Million Little Things” chatted about her new mental health book “Selfish.”
What inspired you to write your new mental health book?
“Selfish” came out of my own experience with wellbeing. When my acting career gained momentum, my mental game suffered. I lost my confidence and struggled with imposter syndrome.
I learned skills and practices that helped, but I needed a way to remember them and apply them in my daily life. Just like athletes have playbooks, I created a personal Playbook for myself.
It contains everything that brings me joy, confidence, and meaning. I’ve been using it for the past five years, it’s part of my daily practice of mental fitness, and over the years it’s given me what I like to call – a mindset makeover.
My husband and some of my closest friends also have their own playbooks, and Give an Hour, a national mental-health non-profit I’m an ambassador for, wants to bring the concept of the Playbook to communities they work with as a tool to cultivate a healthy mindset. Seeing the potential to help more people is what’s inspired me to write “Selfish.”
Was it a cathartic process for you to write it?
No, because this is a workbook. I shared a bit about my story, but I wanted this book to represent our collective journey with wellbeing and mental health.
I’m extremely grateful that the book includes personal stories from Give an Hour Ambassadors who introduce each step, as well as an incredibly moving foreword by best-selling author John O’Leary.
Ultimately, this book is about the reader, for them to gain clarity on their own story – learn more about who they are, what they want, and what can help them get there.
Did it teach you anything about yourself?
That I don’t have work-life balance. I dive all in.
What do your plans for the future include?
I’m not sure. Hopefully the actor’s strike will end soon with fair contract negotiations, and I can get back to playing pretend for a living.
How does it feel to be an actress and author in the digital age? (now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent)
Creating projects, or being a part of projects that resonate with people is truly a gift. I feel really lucky that I get to do what I love, and that I get to learn from working with so many talented and supportive people.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors and authors?
For young actors, I would say, train your mindset. It’s made me a more consistent actor and given me the strength to keep showing up for twenty years despite a ton of rejection, disappointments, and failure.
For authors – these are the three things I learned while writing my first book – ask for help every step of the way, write for an audience of one (you), and work with a designer.
What does the word success mean to you?
Success, to me, is “Daring to go after it with love and humor.” That means being brave enough to take risks, giving it my all, having love and compassion from myself and others, and remembering not to take it all so seriously.
What would you like to tell our readers about your new book? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
“Selfish” will give you a tool that lasts way beyond the book – your personal Playbook. It’s your lifelong companion, your own tool kit to cope and grow. It will evolve and change with you as you continue to learn, grow, and transform.
Her book “Selfish: Step Into a Journey of Self-Discovery to Revive Confidence, Joy, and Meaning” is available on Amazon by clicking here.
To learn more about actress Stephanie Szostak, follow her on Instagram.
