The older I get the more I value courage. When I sit down and think about it, most of the mistakes I’ve made in life have come down to caving in to fear. Scared to say no. Scared to say yes. Scared to do something I know must be done. It’s amazing the amount of time I’ve devoted in life to avoiding things.

A couple years ago I decided I was tired of living in fear. So I immediately did the bravest thing I could think of. I asked out my yoga teacher. I know. There were probably better ways to test my courage. But the important thing is that I did it. Even if I had to go find another yoga class afterward. What I’ve learned about courage comes down to this. The more you use it the more you have it. Last month I applied for a job that was way outside my comfort zone. It would force me to be on my toes every day. No slacking. No coasting. No sleepwalking through the daily routine. Three weeks later something terrible happened. I got the job. And now I’m in it. Most days are still scary because I don’t know what I’m doing but it feels pretty damn good knowing how scared I was to leave my old job and what it took to get this one. So that’s what we’re looking for this month. Tell us a story about doing something that took courage. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem scary to other people. What’s easy for some can be overwhelming for others. (Most people don’t think handing in a resume takes a great act of will but it does for me.) Did you leave someone who was wrong for you? Did you move across the country alone with no prospects? Maybe you left your church or disobeyed your parents after a lifetime of doing what you were told. This is the show where we get inspired by your acts of bravery. And if you can’t think of anything you’ve done in the past go ask out your spin instructor. It’ll be fine. Trust me.

In an effort to get more people onstage we’re asking everyone to keep their story under eight minutes. So practice out loud on friends and pets to make sure it’s all together and bring it to the show on the 25th.

The rules for stories are below but you know the kind we’re looking for: true stories that happened to you that still mean something to you days, months or years later. I hope to see you at our next show on Thursday, September 25, 7:00pm at the Roy St Cafe.

Rules & Guidelines: https://freshgroundstories.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/storytelling-rules-and-guidelines/

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Paul
freshgroundstories@gmail.com.