Recently my husband of 21 years and I decided to shake it up and choose a new activity to share instead of dinner or a movie. We love comedy shows so we decided to sign up for an Improv class at Stevie Ray’s Improv Company.
To give you a little perspective, I wouldn’t call myself funny or extroverted especially when comparing myself to my gregarious spouse or some of the other members of the class. It felt like a big leap for both of us.
The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward
Not only did we grow in our ability to communicate, to think quickly on our feet, and to be flexible and spontaneous, we learned how to apply these new skills in our daily lives. We learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable and vulnerable, which in turn allowed us to be more creative and have more fun!
The last class was a performance, using our new found skills, before an audience of invited family and friends. My spouse and I agreed to perform and we also agreed NOT to invite anyone to the performance for fear of humiliation. Guess I wasn’t as vulnerable as I thought I was!!!
Pre show jitters aside, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the celebration of each person’s individual growth and that of the class as a whole. What we quickly realized was our disappointment for not having the courage to ask our friends and family to celebrate with us. We robbed them of a great time and we robbed ourselves of the opportunity to revel in the joy of our accomplishments with those we love. We felt kind of deflated afterward while all of our classmates were engaged with their guests. I can’t speak for my husband but I wanted to share the experience and let people see that taking risks can be so much fun. The bigger the risk the bigger the reward!
Recognize your personal growth
It is important to recognize how growth feels and to acknowledge it and the joy it brings. Celebrating brings forward the energy for future opportunities for expansion and success.
So whether you are celebrating your graduation from college, a birthday or that new promotion please take the time to celebrate with friends and family and reflect on your accomplishments. Above all, take risks and have FUN!
Please let me know how you have celebrated your growth!
About Sally Shepherd
Sounds like fun. I can identify with fear about inviting family and friends to events where you’re under pressure. I had my best karate tournament without spectators. But I invited family/friends plenty of times. So maybe next time for you!