Comfortable With The Uncomfortable: Part Deuce

If you read my first blog post, it discussed my reasons for starting tflofitness.com and getting over the discomfort and negative self talk that had prevented me from starting a website.  Continuing to chronicle my dive into the depths of the uncomfortable I wanted to share another story.  When I first moved to Brooklyn a year ago I wanted to use my free time as a coach to pursue other outlets.  My girlfriend would tell me there are groups for everything in the city and to just Google search something that interested me.  Before I talk about that choice, let me take you back to one of the highlights of my 28 year life, going all the way back to senior year of high school. 

Yes, it was ten years ago when five young men decided to band together to deliver one of the most inspiring, jaw dropping lip sync productions the tri state had ever seen.  All joking aside, being on stage gave me a thrill and satisfaction that I have craved and tried to replicate since that day.  So when deciding to pick something to pursue in my free time I decided to search for improv.  I found the magnet theatre which had a free beginners class, so I went in and it was super uncomfortable, BUT….Fun.  And that’s the best way to describe improv, there are moments when your heart is in your throat, your head is spinning, but then there are these moments when things sync up perfectly and you hit your stride and create something completely organic.  It’s a total mind job, but if you’re looking to embrace the uncomfortable it’s an incredible environment to practice. 

After the intro class I went on to do level 1 and then level 2 improv.  Then I really wanted to push my comfort zone so I signed up for musical improv.  I cannot sing, and have only seen one musical in my lifetime, well maybe a few more if you include Disney movies, but definitely a theatre novice.  The class was insanely fun, three hours of goofing off like a kid, just letting go, and being ridiculous.  At the end of the class there is a final show where you can invite friends and family, (sorry if I didn’t invite you, didn’t want nerves to be too crazy). 

Anyway, three days before the show I began to lose my voice, and going into the night of the performance I didn’t know if I’d be loud enough for people to hear me speak, let alone sing.  Now, if you’re not familiar with how improv works, a team of normally five to six improvisers receives a suggestion from the audience from which they perform scenes made up on the spot.  In musical improv the team creates scenes that are musical numbers. 

Up on stage we announced our team name for the night, the Deuces, and received our suggestion, shoelaces.  The music went on and the opening number started, along with my team I began to sing, everything felt ok, but singing with four others I couldn’t tell how loud I was projecting.  Then came my moment, I stepped upstage and began to sing about my troubled life dealing with the fact that I could not tie my shoe.  My normal crappy singing voice, maybe a little lower, still came out strong and I breathed a sigh of relief after our first song.  The rest of our set was great, I went on to sing about the endless options of Chipotle and how it can make your dreams come true, and to never trust New Balance sneakers but to always go with Nike.  It was such a rush, brought back that old high school high.  Now, I’m not saying getting out of your comfort zone has to be extreme as singing an improv show with no voice.  But there is real truth in the saying life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

10 Years Ago Where It All Began......