I was networking with a group of people and realized while we were bantering and making light of silly things, how far I had come from days past.
You see, in the past when someone would say something that might be considered intimidating, I would have gotten defensive, or self-conscious, or just uncomfortable. Now, I find it to be an opportunity to PLAY!!!
Here was the situation:We were going around the room introducing ourselves and adding something to the introduction. That something was, “tell us something nobody knows about you”. I proceeded to tell everyone about a film I am in that hasn’t been released. This brought up that I am an actor and someone mentioned seeing me in a dress…yes, I have performed on stage in women’s clothing (InfirtilityTheComedy.com).
Now, keep in mind that most people in this room didn’t know me. In the past this would have been very scary for me. I would have panicked. I would have turned red. I would have started sweating. And I would have sat down waiting for the whole thing to be over, just so I could run.
What did I do instead? I played with it. I took control of the situation. I took control of the room. I let the rules of improv kick in and I let everyone in the room know how confident in myself that I am. I let them know that wearing a dress doesn’t change who I am. It was a part in a play. Nothing more.
It was in that moment, sitting down from my introduction, that I realized that I have come really far from freaking out. I attributed that to my background in personal growth and from years of improv. I learned on stage to let anything happen and be okay with it. To play with it. To let it make me stronger.
It was that moment that I realized how the rules of improv are the rules to life. And in that moment I was SUCCESSFUL!
