TGIF: Laura Mae Poore version 2.0

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week of achievement this week. If this is your first time reading our blog, Welcome! You can read more about Velocity in the tabs above this post. If you'd like a daily dose of inspiration, like us on facebook or add us on twitter.

This week, we are doing something we've never done before -- we are rerunning a previous interview. Laura, who wrote to us last March about getting accepted for the 2012 SHINE Convention for Christian Performers, leaves THIS WEEK to perform live for all of the agents, producers, and companies that could hire her to be one of America's next hot Christian talents.

Laura is gearing up for 8 days away from home and with the support of her family, friends, and fans, is looking to see this goal through to it's ultimate completion.

Please wish Laura the best of luck to "Break a Leg" this week at SHINE!

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The Achiever

My name is Laura Poore, and I am a 30 year old wife and mother of 4 beautiful kids. I have always loved the stage, whether it be to act or to sing. I have written songs since I was a little girl, and I always wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, what I loved to do could actually be what I got to do with my life??

The Goal

You know, when your 10 year high school reunion comes around, it really makes you aware of just how much time has passed since you had all those dreams in high school about what your life would be like. Here I was, 10 years out, and I had never really given my dreams a shot. I had always hoped maybe somehow it would just happen, and it never did. When I heard about auditions for AMTC (Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ) in Chicago, I just knew this was my chance. I didn’t know if I’d “make it,” but I knew I had to give it at least one good try.

Why This Goal

I was so tired of wondering what if…. Honestly, I had reached the point where I had finally figured out that I needed to chase after my dream. I was tired of waiting, hoping, dreaming… And you know, I had reached a point in my life where I didn’t even worry too much about the outcome. If I failed, it was ok! I just knew that I had to try, and I would be at peace whatever happened, because I’d finally feel like I was living the life I was supposed to live. If that meant being a wife and mommy to four great kids, that was ok! But if it meant I could sing and act and help support my family? That was better…

Laura and her 9-year-old Halyn at the audition.

The First Step

The first step I took was actually driving an hour to auditions! I had only found out about them 2 days before, so there wasn’t a whole lot of time to let doubt sink in or to weigh down my excitement! I’ll admit that Friday night I had some concerns…no babysitter for my three older kids (9, 6, and 5), then I wondered if we could even afford the gas to get up to Chicago. Was it even worth it? Was I crazy for trying? My mind raced Friday night…but again, I just knew I had to do it. I had to. I had to. If I tried and failed, I could always come home and do the same thing I’d been doing, no big loss. But if I didn’t try, what would have happened? I couldn’t let that haunt me anymore!

Challenges

My biggest obstacle was convincing myself to bring my kids with me! Haha! I didn’t know if they would even be allowed in, but I knew that life had made me a mommy, and if I was going to take this journey, I’d do it as a mommy. So I loaded them up with a few travel toys and lots of snacks, and off we went Saturday morning to Chicago!.

Staying Motivated

I basically stayed motivated by simply putting one foot in front of the other. There were a few less than ideal things that happened…like locking my keys in the car at the parking garage…and leaving my car lights on!! Do I need to just forget the audition and call roadside assistance? What if the battery dies? I have these kids with me up in Chicago, in an unfamiliar place…what should I do? A quick call to my sweet husband answered that- he said, take care of what you went there to do. The car will still be there when you get out. You’ve come this far, don’t stop now!

Who Helped?

My husband and my kids are the one pushing me forward when I might have stopped pushing myself. Instead of just wanting to do something special for myself, it has suddenly become my mission to do something special for them and to set the example of reaching for your dreams to my children.

TGIF – Celebrate!

Laura recording at
Day Spring Studios

When I left auditions, it was bittersweet! I hadn’t done as well as I had wished, yet there was this unexplained joy of victory over me…I had finally done it. I had gotten out there and made the first step toward answering 10 years of what if’s…I had challenged myself and dared to ask the question, is this something I could do with my life? And I had put myself in front of a judge to help me answer that question. And the next morning? Life was back to “normal,” as our family prepared for church, same as we had done every Sunday before that. I didn’t know if I’d get a call-back or not, but it was ok. I felt good. I had given it a shot!

Advice

My advice is get out there and try. The truth is scary but it is also empowering. I think I avoided chasing my dreams for so long partially because as long as you only sit and dream about something, there isn’t much to disturb those dreams! You can dream as big and as often as you want, and it turns out beautifully, just the way you thought it would. I simply got tired of dreaming with my eyes closed…I wanted to see if I could somehow live this dream instead of sleeping through it. I think everyone reaches a point where they just know, enough if enough, time to make something happen or die trying! I was ok with never recording a cd or doing any acting…only as long as I had given it a shot. I was no longer ok with wondering if I ever could have done those things. You are never too old…I had to keep telling myself…If this is what I was born to do, I am not too old to try…but I wasn’t going to wait any longer!

What’s Next?

What’s next for me? I am now an official contestant for AMTC. I got called back for both acting and for singing/songwriting! I am going back to Chicago this weekend for my first training weekend with my coaches. “MY COACHES!” I am still a mommy and wife 7 days a week, but suddenly I have something of my own to work on at night after they go to bed. I have something special to work toward! July 12-17, I will attend the SHINE event in Orlando where an estimated 70-90 entertainment industry agents will be there from all over the world, including Sparrow Records (Amy Grant, Christ Tomlin), 20th Century Fox (Fox Faith Films), Universal Music Group, Sherwood Pictures (Facing the Giants, Fireproof), Epic Records/Sony Music, etc. This is an incredible opportunity for me to have an audience with so many names, all in one place at one time!

My next big goal? Either a record deal and/or a chance to work with Sherwood Pictures on one of their next movies…maybe to write their next theme song or possibly to act in their movie… or maybe both?! There is no stopping me now. I have had a taste of victory, and I love it! My family and I are on this journey together, and we are all thrilled to see where it might lead.

Want more information or updates on Laura's progress? Follow her website, www.lauramaepoore.com and read her local news interview.