When we think of an iconic actress who has been present for more than 4 decades on the big screen, we would undoubtedly consider Meryl Streep as the ideal candidate. It is not for less, since this artist has participated in dozens of films that have shaped the Western cultural scene since the 1970s.
Mary Louise Streep was born in New Jersey, United States, and studied acting at Vassar College and Yale University. Since 1971, she began her acting career in the theater before jumping to the big screen with roles in 'The Deer Hunter' and 'Kramer vs. Kramer'. From these first jobs, her acting life took off high and she became the actress who has had the most Oscar nominations with 21 of them. Not only is she a world-class artist, but she is also an American icon of popular culture and female representation in Hollywood. This kind of constancy is the quality we are interested in in this column: the commitment.
Commitment is participating completely or entirely with what you want to achieve and is meeting with the power to combine various faculties and abilities compatible with that path. It is not with something present, but it is in the future. It is the power to see the future and align your path to it. In the case of Meryl Streep, her commitment to great causes is twofold, not only with the art of acting, but also as a promoter of female empowerment.
The first engagement is the most popular and well-known, because Meryl has developed a versatile and unique acting style. We can see her singing ABBA's songs in 'Mamma mia' and playing the role of a divorced mother in 'Kramer vs. Kramer'. Her commitment to her career runs deep and she has made her a multifaceted actress, even mastering the use of foreign accents. This ability was not born out of nowhere, but is the fruit of constant work.
Regarding her commitment to female representation and empowerment, Meryl has developed it both from the construction of her female characters, which adapt to the reality that women live, and in her philanthropic facet, being a spokesperson and contributing to foundations. Her commitment aims high to improve the world based on her talent and her position as a woman and actress.
The commitment goes beyond a word or a personal promise, it is a way of seeing and living life. Although the path is not straight, commitment helps and gives us the motivation to overcome the moments when things do not work out, it is what returns us to the path and does not let us stray too far from it. It should be added that committing to a project does not necessarily mean taking huge actions, but it does mean being consistent. If an action is carried out every day, even if it is small, but without abandoning it, the changes will manifest and each project will begin to solidify. This constancy can also occur in times defined by oneself and in actions of different sizes, as long as they are maintained.
In this way, commitment can occur in our projects: thinking about a future that is built day by day with our work, no matter how small, but tireless. If we think about the good that our goals represent, both for us and for other people, to continue constantly is much easier.
Meryl Streep has not stopped and her career is a benchmark of commitment to her job and the great causes that change the world. Our causes may not aim so high, but if we commit ourselves to the best of our ability and aspire to do things right, we will be able to change our own world without breaking in the attempt, because the Tiger does not break.
Main Image: Dick Thomas Johnson (Flickr)
