100 Monologues is a project where I’m writing monologue scripts, performing, and filming the pieces. Since I’m beginning to dabble in acting, the project is meant as a means for me to acquire more acting experience where I can work on refining my craft. You can find out more about the project here.

Below is the script from the “Just Breathe” monologue. If you’re a student who would like to perform this monologue for class, just make sure you credit me, Maggie Coyle, as the author. For any other use of the script, please contact me.

100 Monologues: #41 Just Breathe

I’m driving myself crazy. I’m just letting everything get to me. It gets so overwhelming when you think about everything all at once. All the stress, all the pressure…the fact that I’m working at a job I don’t even like. The fact that I’m working somewhere I can’t stand just so I can pay rent…it’s tragic. And I don’t know if you heard, but the other day when I was walking down the street—I just started thinking about everything in my life that wasn’t going the way I wanted it to. Just all that unhappiness that’s been brewing…and I had trouble breathing. I started feeling dizzy and before I knew it, I just collapsed. And that’s the first time my body has ever told me, “hey, I don’t like this!” My body actually rejected the way I was feeling. So when your body is shutting down, I guess it was just trying to tell me—“hey, just breathe, just take a moment, just take each moment one step at a time.”