Take a Chance

[dc]Y[/dc]ou’d think, while wearing a blood-stained shirt, I’d be more concerned about how the blood got there than the loss of a favorite garment.”

That was the opening line of my first share at a recent storytelling workshop. I’ve always appreciated the power of stories, and am a bit obsessed with The Moth, a not-for-profit organization in New York City dedicated to the art of storytelling (you can check out their podcast here. So when I noticed a post on Twitter from MassMouth advertising a “How To Tell a 5-Minute, Kick-Butt Story” workshop, it piqued my interest. Hmm, and this could also challenge that “invisible” belief I wrote about a couple of weeks ago.

Still, I needed a nudge to go. Enter my friend, Erica. I knew if I wanted a partner in crime for this, she was the one to call. She was in and it was on!

When we arrive, I’m both thrilled and disappointed to see only three other people there, including the instructor. Sweet, I’ll get some great, personal attention, but with my current, but soon-to-be-obsolete belief, the more people in a room, the easier it is to fade back. Not shockingly, the Universe had other plans for me.

What surprises a lot of people (myself included), though this belief of mine still rears its head more often than I’d like, I actually have no fear of speaking in public. I’ve given talks to various sized crowds into the hundreds. Sure, I’m a bit uncomfortable for the first few minutes, but I know I’m about to rock their world with great info and coaching, so that goes away pretty quickly. At this workshop, however, we’re telling a personal story.

I think part of my ease with public speaking, even with this belief, is that I can kinda “hide” behind the information that I’m sharing. It becomes my mask. So to tell a personal story opens me up for all sorts of projected judgment. Yup, you read that right: “projected judgment.” I’m well aware that the thoughts I’m putting into the other participants’ heads are my own. Perhaps you can relate.

I didn’t realize until a few days after the workshop that the experience was a fantastic baby step in validating my new belief, which is… (drum roll, please!) “I am a smart, compassionate, beautiful woman who shines brightly and lives out loud!” By participating in the workshop with other newbies, it created a safe place for me to take a chance. After all, everyone else was in the same boat. I unwittingly set myself up for success!

OK, your turn. What have you been hesitant to do, whether out of fear or procrastination (which, by the way, is often the same thing)? How can you set yourself up for success? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Oh, and if you’re curious about the rest of the story I shared at the workshop, stay tuned for next week’s post. 🙂