Just Do It

 

I can remember that line like it was yesterday. My comedy partner, Lauren Mayer* and I had gotten our big break to take our musical comedy show to perform at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in their famous comedy club. Our band was going to drive from San Francisco to Hollywood, so we loaded up the van with tons of our props and then the two of us flew down with even more bags of props, wigs and costumes. We were so excited to do our show in a known comedy club and had invited all our friends to ensure a full house.

 

We met Gus, the stage manager, about an hour before show time when we started setting up. This brusque, cigarette-smoking-seen-it-all kind of guy looked at us unpacking all our stuff and delivered the line that immediately deflated our fragile egos. Yes we had a ton of props and wigs but we rationalized that this is what made us fun and unique. Or was it?

 

We did our show, and did well, and afterwards as we were schlepping all of the crates and boxes of props, that comment came back to both of us. It must have gotten under our skin because we really questioned how hard we were working and was all this stuff really worth it.

 

Fast forward 20 years and now as I facilitate my women’s retreats I have to ask myself the same question: Am I trying too hard, and what would the experience be like if I allowed it to be easy. When I know I am enough just as I am, all the things that society tells me about what should make me feel worthy (money, clothes, car, a partner, house, etc.) seem to fall away and what’s left is simplicity and just doing it. It’s taken me many years to learn (and a lesson I am still learning!) that who I am is enough and I don’t need all the “stuff” to convince myself that I am okay.

So in this New Year I ask you the same question – what would you do if you dropped the “trying” or struggle and just did what you want to do? What new activity or hobby or career moves would you make if you let it be easy and just did it.

 

In this New Year I wish for you a year of joy and peace and deep inner fulfillment, whatever that means to you. I hope that our paths will cross sometime this year!