*Content Note/Trigger Warning: This episode contains conversation around mental illness and eating disorders. Please take care while listening.* Grab a cuppa and settle in for a feature film length episode! We feel so privileged to platform stories on The 98% that are not usually heard in #actorslife circles, and today’s episode is a really special one of that nature. Alexa and guest Em Holdaway could have chatted for hours thanks to Em's incredible honesty and transparency about her journey, which makes for inspiring listening. Listen to hear how Em went from child actor and student at the Brit school with high hopes and sights set on being a musical theatre performer and actor, to doing what was completely unimaginable to her and leaving the industry altogether - gaining an unexpected joy for life and general happiness almost over night. Em tells us about her mental health journey including a Type I Bipolar diagnosis, university choices, finding (and actually liking) a remote job, breaking up with acting, unpicking who you are if not through an actor lens, relationship jealousies when your spouse is “successful”, moving away from London, experiencing burn out..and so much more!  This is an eye opening and important episode for ANY actor to hear, at any point in their actor journey. We can all learn a lot from Em, her experience and words of wisdom. Most listeners probably aren’t thinking about leaving the industry or stopping acting, but there are so many wise words in this episode that every actor needs to hear. The importance of hobbies and spending your time doing things that are separate from your careers, knowing that it will be ok if you do choose to go down another path, separating who you are from your job. For better peace of mind, this is not an episode to miss. In this episode Alexa mentions Wellbeing In The Arts, an organization that provides low cost counselling for people in the arts, find out more here https://www.wellbeinginthearts.org.uk . Follow us on twitter/instagram at @the98percentpod for relatable #actorslife content, tips and advice for actors, and news about our new series. . If you've benefitted from and enjoyed the podcast and want to give a little back, we have a ko-fi where every penny thrown in our hat goes straight into contributing towards the costs of running the podcast and creating helpful content online for actors. Every little helps and is so appreciated! https://ko-fi.com/the98percent  . Want to connect with other actors around the world, be coached, see castings, read in for self tapes or earn money reading for others? You can do all this and more at https://www.weaudition.com with 25% off your monthly subscription with the discount code 9825!