Danger rules. Not danger like walking down a back ally alone (at midnight), but danger in choosing to live your life how you want to (at midnight — or otherwise) and confronting your fears for the sake of your personal journey. Simmering in your fears can be awkward for everyone, like the claustrophobic stranger in the coffee shop who is afraid of spiders. And who is very vocal about it. Is it poisonous!? Kill it! Someone needs to kill it . WE ARE GOING TO DIE.
You can get through so many things with huge sighs of relief just by going at it with confidence. Be it, just killing the damn spider, or bringing it outside, or eating it if you are feeling especially conquerous. In my case maybe it was pimping myself into singing songs from the great movie musical Annie during my UCB 401 show — and I had such a blast. That’s not something I would have dreamed about doing even three months ago, but since then I’ve had an improv teacher come in and teach me the value of confidence. For the sake of clarity it was an iO teacher, because iO training forever. But that’s a long rant for another time.
I am trying to do two big things every every three months to push myself out of my comfort zone for the benefit of my personal journey. This goabout it’s starting acting classes, something I’ve been a bit terrified of because I feel like I’ll feel behind everyone else AND staring Bikram yoga because I’ve been scared of how unknown it is to me and of passing out in public. My life’s pillars include both danger and zen, so that one brings out my lovd of efficiency.
On a side note, I wonder how many car accidents are caused by yoga zen.
I’d love to hear about something you’ve confronted confidently (at midnight — or otherwise) or anything you have in the pipeline.
Hugs///
AJ
Ashley Jillian 
Kudos for your strength. I am trying to simply post more personal stuff about my life since I’ve been on the Web for a good while now. There are things that need to be said. For my own reasons. I understand your need to express you.
That’s so brave and beautiful. Being vulnerable with personal things is so hard.
Drinking less alcohol. . For my health
Submitting pieces I have written to online publications and other journals. Suggestions welcome? ! ?
Getting rid of negative people in my life. Because I know I can’t move forward in my journey with them.
Being less judge mental.
Getting rid of negative people an be so cleansing! It can be awkward, but it’s so worth it. I mostly just publish things on my blog and let some other writing simmer in my notebooks.
Yeah, I need to get my ass on that guitar playing thing — death metal.
Keep us posted. I appreciate hearing about this.
Wait, do you really play death metal? Either way, awesome!
My latest confidence building activity was making a video about network marketing. It’s not wonderful but it’s a beginning. Couldn’t do it at midnight because the light is not that good. Do what makes you happy not sad. Danger is often around us, it’s up to us how we deal with it.
Good luck with you video!
Building my confidence for the impending job interview…! But in the past I always loved to be that person in the group that would step forward and do it (whatever ‘it’ was) just because everyone else was like, ‘no way!’ From jumping up onstage at a hypnotist show, to playing FrankNFurter onstage at the Rocky Horror Picture Show (when I was much younger, cuter and skinnier of course) I love to push the envelope; it’s one of the times you feel most alive, don’t you think?
Yes, there is a definite adrenaline rush to it. Plus, you look like. A total BAMF.
Taking my guitar to a friend’s house and playing for her. While she’s dying. Surrounded by family and close friends. “What if she wants me to play something and I don’t know it?”
I tried to get my wife to go with me… we play together all the time, and more often than not, I just hide behind her and play leads or different chord voicings, like adding “sprinkles” to what she does. But she wasn’t into it. Nope. It was all me.
So I went. And I trusted. And it was perfect. My friend transitioned this morning. I’m so grateful that I stepped into my power. May we all do the same.
by the way, it was two days ago that I played for her.
That’s beautiful, I’m so glad you took that leap of faith
Producing a play with 3 other actors, something I’ve never done before. I mentioned your blog as one of my favorites in my Nomination blog last week.
Thanks!
Leaving comfort zones is a necessity for living…really living. Funny you should mention it – I have a new book coming out in a few weeks and if you read it, you will find that it’s possible to leave your comfort zone at any age! Plug for new book: I’ll Call It Like I See It – A Lesbian Speaks Out
Good luck with your book!
Thanks so much!
That’s awesome! Good for pushing yourself … I don’t have anything too good to share in a similar vein, but I have good intentions? ha
Good intentions can be powerful
YOU are brave and gutsey.
🙂
Thank you for the alternative of eating a spider! LOL Now that’s out of my comfort zone. When I look back upon my life, I am surprised to see how brave I was at the time but I just did not know it. I think humans have more courage than they admit. Take care
I hope you do jump into an acting class. It’s better than therapy and you learn more about yourself than you would anywhere else. I have been in acting classes for 25 years now and it is where I work out all my pain and anger so I don’t dump it on anyone outside of class.
I like your style.
My current goals:
– Get job
– Find apartment
– Fix life
– Summon motivation to accomplish the above
Me? Get a move on on my side business as an erotic photographer. I’ll try to make this post of your help. So thanks.