What I learned about trying something new
Oh, hi friends!
For me, a project never feels finished until you close that final loop.
And so while it feels uncomfortable and navel-gazey right now to say, Hey, let me tell you about my mini musical that happened on Monday!!!, I’m doing it to free my brain and move into the weekend.
A few things I learned about creativity, work, and obstacles that I’m going to take with me:
Collaboration makes you better. You knew this. Keep knowing it.
Inviting people to see your work is scary; you have to do it anyway.
Being in the creative process makes you more empathetic to others who are creating.
You might have to recast your entire show because of equity rules. Someone might even get Covid. You will be cautious and frustrated and nervous. You will end up on the other side. It will all work out better than you thought.
Don’t try to do something if someone else can do it better.
A creative project is built out of big ideas…and a thousand small time-consuming action items: props, paperwork, phone calls, COVID testing. Build in the time for all of it.
Never take for granted all the people who show up for you (yes, you).
Always be ready to stand your ground or change your mind.
Getting ice cream is always a better afterparty than going to a bar.
Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate.
You learn something new from every person, experience, obstacle (yes, even the tough ones).
Have in mind what you want to do next.
Start the next thing today.
And, perhaps most importantly, try to keep putting yourself in the rooms where you know you belong.
I hope you can also find yourself in those rooms of belonging—physically, mentally, or otherwise—because nothing feels better.
Find your rooms.
Coiling ropes
Professionals put things away slowly so that they’ll be ready quickly when needed.
Investing time now for time later.
(From Seth Godin.)
I want to remember this every time I’m trying to rush.
How can I better prepare my space, digital life, home, or anything else, so that the next time I need to act, it feels seamless?
Here’s the euphoric curtain call with the cast of (almost) all nine musicals at the Sound Bites Festival!
Here’s our brilliant company of Letters From May: Director Tyrone L. Robinson, Jack Adams, my bro Eric Cotti, Dolores Avery Pereira, Stephanie Bacastow, Liz Sanders, composer Kris Bjarke, and me…so much appreciation and awe for these folks who learned a piece in a week—and made something exist that didn’t exist before.
Do you like these daily emails? Please share with a friend!
You can also support my work by checking out my motivational journal, Do It For Yourself, designed to guide you through your creative and work projects, and my upcoming journal Do It Today, which encourages you to find time for the things that matter most to you.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Love, Kara