ON ACTING: Why Emotions Exhaust Us

Emotions are the inner body in physical operation. The physical inner activity occurs just prior to these 'emotions' expression in our outer visible/audible bodies, in our faces, our arms and legs, our voices. Emtions are the nervous system's dopamine flows, electrical and chemical inner connections activated by external and internal stimuli. Emotions are therefore not a thing distinct from a person's physical nature; they are not some mystical spiritual sensibility akin to the 'soul'. They are the body in operation; period.

So when we say that emotions in performance or everyday life exhaust us, we speak physically and literally.

That is why actors often feel they must take vacations after completing a role. That's why actors go to the gym (okay, for vanity's sale aslo); but they go so they can be in peak inner and outer physical shape to handle the physical rigors of an emotional role.

Emotions are muscles. They are the inner patterning and activity of a humans inner muscular nature. And as such, they must be exercised. And they must be used...often...or they will atrophy like any other part of unused human musculature.