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When was the last time that you did something for the first time?
Last year, I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to learn stand-up comedy. It made me nauseous to think about it, but I knew I needed to lean into it so I could grow.
So, a few months later, Lee bought and scheduled me for a six-week class at a local comedy club as a Christmas gift. This is not the kind of gift you give someone unless they ask for it!
Only 50% of our class made it to the final showcase. I did finish the class, but it was very hard to try to be funny and required much more disciplined thinking and writing than I expected. I gained a new respect for comics and writers.
We often associate learning new things with children and don’t explore new learnings or experiences for ourselves as grownups. It is indeed uncomfortable, but that is when growth occurs.
So, keep your childlike curiosity alive and learn something new.
Consider things that stretch you like:
- taking an improv or painting class
- hiking a new trail in your area
- learning a new sport
- trying a new recipe with unfamiliar ingredients
- new puzzles, card games, or board games
Here is my stand-up debut after a six-week course (the video is low quality, but the audio is good).
I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed learning something new.