Wow! What a summer this has been for me! I took some personal risks — totally unsure of how things would go.
Although I was surprisingly out of my comfort zone, I worked through nerves and experienced JOY!
Being that almost all of my career was in Musical Theatre and being that I made my living doing theatre since I was out of college, you would think that doing a show would be like getting on the proverbial bike. I was honored to be asked to play a role in a musical this summer and I was fast to say, YES!
I soon remembered, however that I hadn’t rehearsed a “book musical” in 18 years and I hadn’t been in a show (outside of my work in cabaret and symphony singing) since Phantom closed 12 years ago. Would I still be able to do it?
Would I enjoy it like I used to? Would I be able to memorize a script again? Was I ready to return to doing shows – this time being the old guy?
My inner voice tried to sabotage me over and over again. In rehearsal (and then in the performances) every mistake I made invited an avalanche of unkind “inner-speak” that was no less than me ridiculing and encouraging myself to run away.
I kept reminding myself of two sayings that have been at the core of my faith, quotes that encouraged me to take risks:
1. Emily Dickinson – “Everything but death can be adjusted…” and
2. Julie Cameron -“Jump and the net will appear.”
These two sayings encouraged me to live a full life. Now, in my retirement, I’m using these same mantras to move forward and to not run away from the challenge.
I experienced such JOY this summer. I share this in an effort to encourage you to step out in faith and say yes to something – even if you feel uncomfortable.
Take a risk… jump, knowing that the net will appear and maybe you will experience a JOY that you didn’t know was still there to experience! LOVE TO ALL!
Photo Credit Brad Wise
