The spectacular recently concluded Olympics had many lessons for life...here are just a few of them...
* "You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." Dara Torres, 41 year old swimmer who missed the gold by .01 of a second
* "...to those who take big risks there are big rewards, " said the announcer as the woman from Romania won the woman's marathon. She had broken from the pack of runners early and established a lead that was impossible for the others to overcome.
* Siblings can support each other while competing even at the highest levels as evidenced by tennis players Venus and Serena Williams who motivate each other with positive messages prior to each match, even the ones where they play each other.
* Using your imagination to visualize success is a very powerful strategy as shared by Michael Phelp's coach Bob Bowman who taught him at an early age that it's something that winners do.
* The Olympic flame, whatever it means to us - success, one world, achievement, following our dreams - burns inside everybody (every body)
* Teamwork lives - in the athletic arena, within the thousands who created the amazing displays for the opening and closing ceremonies
* We are not that different wherever we're from. We are all proud of our countries as is evidenced on the medal stands as the athletes listened to their own national anthem while mouthing the words and holding back tears.
* We all want our moment to shine, to be noticed just like the athletes who took a moment to smile and mug for the TV cameras as they gathered as one in the closing ceremonies.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Stepping out of my comfort zone...as the Fairy Godmother
Whew! Stepping out of your comfort zone...it's not for sissies! But it's so worth it.
As I wrote previously, I took on the part of the Fairy Godmother this summer with a theatre company that I've worked for on and off for many years. This year, I'm choosing to take on one goal a month and the month of July was to try to get my singing voice back. I hadn't sung in over 5 years and working from home, I think I hadn't talked enough to stretch the vocal cords. So when "Cinderella" approached me at the 30 year anniversary of the theatre company and asked me to consider being the Fairy Godmother, I actually considered it.
Was it scary? You bet. We opened yesterday in the second show (Cinderella Too: The Royal Wedding) in which the only person on stage for the first 10 minutes of the show is me...and most of it is singing! Was it worth it? Oh yes...and not for the reasons you might think. It was worth it because of the people I met and the children who I got to meet after the shows who believe in the magic of live theatre. It was worth it because I got to change a negative belief I had about myself...that I had somehow ruined my voice and would never be able to sing again. It was worth it because we truly feel alive when we take on a challenge and succeed at it.
So what challenges are you thinking about and maybe hesitating over?
Are you one of the teachers who have been in my sessions and wondered if you too could try some of the out of the box suggestions that I mentioned? Try them...I was nervous when I first tried them too...but they changed the way I taught and the way my students responded and succeeded.
Are you one of my former students needing to try something new that you don't feel totally confident about? If it's something you truly want to do, give it a try. At least you won't have 1000 people watching you while you do it like I did yesterday...that should make it a bit easier to attempt!
Whoever you are, former student, teacher, regular subscriber...take the chance, take the plunge, take a small step or a big one...and live the life you truly want. The rewards when we reach are bigger than even we can imagine...
Fairy Godmother Marianne
PS...and a big thank you to Jillian...an amazingly beautiful and talented woman who truly is Cinderella in my heart! As she told me early on in rehearsals, "I've got your back" and she never let me down! What an inspiration you are!!
As I wrote previously, I took on the part of the Fairy Godmother this summer with a theatre company that I've worked for on and off for many years. This year, I'm choosing to take on one goal a month and the month of July was to try to get my singing voice back. I hadn't sung in over 5 years and working from home, I think I hadn't talked enough to stretch the vocal cords. So when "Cinderella" approached me at the 30 year anniversary of the theatre company and asked me to consider being the Fairy Godmother, I actually considered it.
Was it scary? You bet. We opened yesterday in the second show (Cinderella Too: The Royal Wedding) in which the only person on stage for the first 10 minutes of the show is me...and most of it is singing! Was it worth it? Oh yes...and not for the reasons you might think. It was worth it because of the people I met and the children who I got to meet after the shows who believe in the magic of live theatre. It was worth it because I got to change a negative belief I had about myself...that I had somehow ruined my voice and would never be able to sing again. It was worth it because we truly feel alive when we take on a challenge and succeed at it.
So what challenges are you thinking about and maybe hesitating over?
Are you one of the teachers who have been in my sessions and wondered if you too could try some of the out of the box suggestions that I mentioned? Try them...I was nervous when I first tried them too...but they changed the way I taught and the way my students responded and succeeded.
Are you one of my former students needing to try something new that you don't feel totally confident about? If it's something you truly want to do, give it a try. At least you won't have 1000 people watching you while you do it like I did yesterday...that should make it a bit easier to attempt!
Whoever you are, former student, teacher, regular subscriber...take the chance, take the plunge, take a small step or a big one...and live the life you truly want. The rewards when we reach are bigger than even we can imagine...
Fairy Godmother Marianne
PS...and a big thank you to Jillian...an amazingly beautiful and talented woman who truly is Cinderella in my heart! As she told me early on in rehearsals, "I've got your back" and she never let me down! What an inspiration you are!!
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