Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Solar

Hi Liz , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My story: Well, that’s a tall order. Today, a six-year-old told me, “Maybe you’re a kid in an adult body.” I took it as a complement. Life stories are as varied and personal as each individuals.

What do I do? For work, I am a voice actor and writer. Storytelling is not only my job, it is my lifeblood. As a narrator, I give voice, breathe life or provide an ‘audio brand’ to commercials, corporate videos, audio books, eLearning and interactive projects. Even before the pandemic sent most of us into a home office, I had been recording from my home studio since 2005.

I started in the sales department at CBS’ Radio division, but thought the programming people – the folks on the air – were more fun, so I ended up as a promotions assistant, copywriter, public affairs director, on air announcer and news reporter.
Pretty much did it all. When I wanted to spend more time with my two young sons, I found I could design a career taking what I learned in broadcasting and translating it to VoiceOver. It’s be satisfying and flexible, but…

I have always had an interest in human behavior, how our backgrounds, worldviews and traumas shape us, so last year I enrolled in a graduate program for a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. I love it. The work of the therapist involves a good deal of storytelling. This time, I have pivoted from speaking more to listening more. So rewarding, creative and purposeful. Our society has a collective mental health problem. Many of us feel unseen, misunderstood and irrelevant.

My goal is hold up a mirror that says ‘I see you. You are not alone and you are worthy.’ And of course, I want to include writing as part of my therapeutic process.

Whew! That was a bit much, wasn’t it?

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Some days the road is smooth. The sun shines kindly. Nothing but blue skies. Other days, there are potholes, detour signs, blizzards and unsafe driving conditions.

Yes, there are struggles. I have lived a full life – including the loss of my first husband when I was in my twenties, and my son was only two – but I bless my life for all the lessons, and for the ability to feel what I feel and own it. For better or for worse, I am who I am, based on my life experience and how I have responded to it.

There’s a saying ‘None of us get out of this life alive.’ We all have heartbreak. We have tremendous joy. And often we are living in the middle. Even with our own sorrow, how tender can we be with ourselves and each other?

I’ve always been a responsible and competent person. I also use humor to deflect challenges. It often gives people the impression things may come easy to me or I shrug off life’s problems . I’m a good actor that way. In the last few years, It’s okay to want help and to ask for it. To be, and it’s an overused word, but it applies, vulnerable. There’s joy in both giving and receiving, a lesson I’ve learned in just the last few years. There’s also a joy in living a big life and doing all the things.

We often think we’re too young, too old to do something. We disqualify ourselves from what we truly want. Take a chance on yourself. It’s never too late or too early to pursue what gives joy. As a lifelong procrastinator, I’m taking my own advice. Thanks for asking.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I am a voice actor and writer. Since I learned to form letters, I have written. In VoiceOver, clients often hire me to explain the intricacies of finance or address their health concerns. My style is warm, familiar and assuring, with a touch of humor, qualities people probably look for in someone they trust with their money and wellbeing to someone.

The art of storytelling comes naturally to me, and I suppose comes as close to religion as anything I know. We want to understand the world around us. Sharing story is a way to say, here I am, here’s how I see things, how do. you see them? Good personal stories always connect universally, make us feel less alone in the world.

This year, I am finally completing my first novel. Although I did not lack for pages, my book did not have that je ne sais pas which I felt gave it a strong emotional center. Inspiration came to me on a long walk on the beach. Isak Dinesen wrote, “The cure for anything is salt water—sweat, tears, or the sea” So, I guess there’s something to that.

A couple years ago, I took up pottery. I love it and admit it has been challenging. There’s a saying ‘Centering is easy. Learning to center is hard.’ Definitely a metaphor in that! It’s humbling to take clay and form it into something useful or beautiful. After many attempts to make something that doesn’t look like a kindergartener’s artwork – and I apologize to all kindergarteners – I am creating more graceful objects. There is something meditative in throwing at the week, or handbuilding a bowl or an object formed in the imagination and making it manifest. Plus, it’s fun.

What am I most proud of? I’m proud of building a family. My two sons have grown to be people I love and respect. They both have a deep sense of kindness and morality and are accepting of people and circumstance. Not sure how much I had to do with that. Because I exposed them to so many films, they have each become cinefiles. One is a filmmaker.

What sets me apart? We all want to be recognized, valued for who we are, but I’m not sure I want to be set apart. In this phase of life I want to be fully part of something, whether it’s inviting people into story, or collaborating witht them to figure out the direction of their own lives. More and more, I believe in the power of the collective.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?

During the pandemic, I saw the growing sense of hopelessness, depression, and isolation. Humans are built for connection. Spending so much time with our own thoughts is as dangerous as a virus, sometimes more so. It’s one reason I returned to school. By next year, I’ll will be a Mental Health Counselor. There is a dire need for qualified people to collaborate with people on their emotional wellbeing.. I saw that firsthand as a family member could not find a therapist available for their serious mental health crisis.

Short of being a therapist, we can help each other with our presence, empathy, really listening. Often, we are not looking for us or our problem to be ‘fixed’. We want to be seen, listened to and validated. To have our humanity acknowledged. These skills can be practiced in all areas of life. It’s made me a better voice actor! It has certainly deepened my personal relationships.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lizsolar.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizsolarvoice/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.solar.5
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizsolar/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lizsolar5521
• Other: https://actsofrevision.com

Image Credits

Liz Solar
Ken Kolpan
Lynne Wayne