Rachel Brosnahan is featured in this month’s Health Magazine. She’s got the fourth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel next year and the second season of Dearly Departed coming out in December. Dearly is a group of comediennes eulogizing the past year. I really wanted to like the first one, but it didn’t stick with me for some reason. I like the concept, though. Rachel’s editorial in Health is not great. I understand they wanted to do something different from her Mrs. Maisel stylized look, but they ended up styling her like they had no idea who was showing up for the shoot. However, the interview was great. Rachel is such a gracious interviewee. She admitted that her job ate up so much of her time, she had to schedule time for both her mental and physical health. She has an app to remind her to workout and for her peace of mind, Rachel keeps her weekends free for her family, friends and herself.
On finding a life balance: It’s a commitment to striving for balance, even if balance is a fantasy. There’s obviously only so many hours in the day to juggle family, friends, work, and physical and mental health. And sometimes you just have to listen to your body, your heart, and literally your gut, and figure out what you need. As I get older, I do believe that you can have it all, I just don’t believe that you can have it all at once. Accepting that has made me so much gentler with myself and with people around me, as we all try to navigate whatever that balance looks like for ourselves.
On making time to work out: I always envy in magazines like Health when I read about people who get up every morning and work out. I’m shouting from the rooftops that I have found that impossible. I have never been able to have a set routine. Once I realized that it was OK that my physical health journey wouldn’t look like other people’s, it became about finding ways to do what I can, when I can. I travel a lot for work and my hours are super inconsistent. I use an app that lets you drop in on various classes wherever you are. I was recently [filming] in New Mexico and started taking Pilates, which I love. I’ve noticed a big difference in my posture and core strength.
On her mental health: I am so grateful to have access to therapy and believe that it should be more accessible for everyone, because therapy is the greatest thing. I also cuddle my dogs as often as I possibly can. And I’ve recently stopped working on the weekends. There’s a 24-hour news cycle, we’re accessible 24 hours via social media, and are expected to answer emails 24 hours a day. I’ve found that quite unhealthy for me. So, I have tried as often as possible to really put down work on the weekends. I preserve that time to see friends and family and take the dogs on a long walk.
On something she’s really proud of: That’s such a lovely question it makes me kind of emotional. I’m not someone who is good at acknowledging that kind of question in my life. I’m somebody who has a difficult time celebrating myself but loves to celebrate other people. I’m probably most proud of becoming better at saying no and creating boundaries around my personal time. Being an actor, there’s recognition that I’m so lucky to be here, and that every job could be the last. And I think sometimes that leads to this mentality that you have to say yes to everything as it comes up. But that’s a fast recipe for burning out. So, I’ve become better at protecting my personal time and my physical and mental health.
First off, I wish Rachel had mentioned the app that lets you find classes wherever you are. Not that I go anywhere, but it sounds like a great app. I am a huge proponent of taking time for friends, family and pets. It is not easy in today’s corporate climate. I’m extremely fortunate in that my boss respects my time when I am not at work. I hope she knows how much I appreciate it. A former boss texted me the morning of my wedding with a work question. My husband’s bosses constantly schedule meetings at 5pm on Friday. Rachel’s business demands that she be available 24/7. Obviously, she’s gotten to a point professionally and financially that she can push back on that, but it’s still a bold step. Good for her. It really does wonders for mental health to have that break scheduled in there. And this is completely selfish of me, but I have a big crush on her husband, Jason Ralph, so yeah, I’d schedule as much alone time with him as I could. Also good for Rachel on being open about going to therapy. I love that that is becoming a more natural part of the conversation.
I really felt Rachel’s comment about having a difficult time celebrating herself. I was taught that talking about my achievements was boastful. I’m not sure if it was generational (Gen X), family-taught, where I grew up or how that became so engrained in me but even now, I’ll downplay an achievement even when someone else brings it up. And yet, I applaud others who celebrate themselves. I hope Rachel does get better about celebrating herself because she’s such a neat lady. At least all her fans celebrate her. And her dogs. My gawd I love her pups.
Photo credit: Instagram
Though I don’t watch her show, I appreciate her ability to say “no”. A great deal of people, especially women in my opinion, have a great deal of difficulty saying no. We have an inherent nature to be there for everyone, except our selves. It’s also harder in professional settings as they see you placing your family first, as you should. But then it bites you in the ass when a male colleague points out your priorities as if it’s misplaced commitments.
I do love her IG that shows the family traveling on the road with their fur-babies!!
Is the app Class Pass?
I hope if she’s getting weekends off, so is everyone else involved.
I work in film, and can say that since productions ramped up post-covid, never have I been more likely to get texts or calls on the weekends from co-workers or my boss. It used to be very rare, now it’s a weekly thing. I am in a position where I don’t feel compelled to respond right away, but I think younger and less experienced professionals are probably getting the wrong idea regarding boundaries
Gym Pass is a membership that lets you go to different places. And 100% agree about the work thing. Once we went virtual with the pandemic lines were so blurred in what gets done when. I was working nights and weekends. Only recently I started putting the brakes on being accessible 24/7 for fear of people thinking i’m goofing off or becoming obsolete. Weekends are for me only. Any email can be returned on Monday.
I think it’s totally a genX thing to be self-deprecating and not good at promoting your own fabulousness. I’m in awe of the younger women I work because they know how to shine. It’s really been biting me in the ass in my current job hunt. I KNOW I’m smart and good at my job but I don’t know how to self-promote. Bane of my existence right now.
I think this is such a true comment. I am Gen X and have Gen X co-workers and when I self promote good work I do. A couple of them put me down saying I blow smoke up my ass. To which I replied, If I don’t toot my own horn no one will. That was a concept they could not understand at all. It is a struggle for us to shine and we should shine bright.
The Mindbody app does this!
Maybe she uses Mind Body? I love it for drop in classes wherever I am.