Growth Through Change

Change can be uncomfortable. Who wants to wrestle with the ugly, painful, and awkward process of adaptation? And so, with our primitive lizard brains, we avoid it.

It’s a normal reaction. But just because that’s our reaction doesn’t mean we have to live with it. Our ability to work through change – and grow because of it – can bring us to better places. (Did you see Deadpool?)

I’ve been kind of quiet on the blog lately. But I haven’t been complacent. I had started to develop a habit of starting great stories but not finishing them. The idea and the start? Yup, right in my sweet spot. Working the idea through to completion? Uncomfortable and I would rath- SQUIRREL!

Over the last year, I’ve been working hard on my fiction writing. It is the work that I most want to master and, of course, feel the least comfortable in. I’ve stopped sharing tidbits as I’ve done in the past. I’m working on writing – most notably a collaborative project set in my own “Hell of a Business” world (read Sealing the Deal and The Trouble with Demons) – with a friend of mine: the very talented David Witanowski (on Twitter or at his blog), author of the Reynard Cycle. I’ve learned from past mistakes, though. I have to finish a story before I share it.

I’ve also appeared as a guest on two episodes of the aforementioned David’s and other friend Danny’s podcast D&D. (David and Danny. Get it?) The blog’s premise? Watch a geek movie (usually one that Danny hasn’t seen) and comment as they watch it. The first guest appearance is destined to go down in geek legend. Start with a wonderful-meaning-terrible movie: 1982’s Mazes and Monsters. (The second most embarrassing thing to come out of Tom Hanks. After Chet Hanks, of course.) Sadly, an equipment malfunction resulted in loss of the episode. (Years from now, someone will talk about how they know someone who met a guy who actually heard the episode…)

We regrouped a couple of weeks later with the just-as-entertaining Knightriders. (Starring Ed Harris! With hair!) Good stuff and you can listen to it for free right here. It’s a new kind of work for me and I’m excited to stretch those creative muscles.

With last week’s Presidential debate and the other night’s Vice-Presidential debate, I tried my hand at more real-time humor. I live-Tweeted my #SuperheroDebate jokes as I watched said debates. (I truly sat down with the intent of watching the first one seriously. I just couldn’t do it.) Some of the jokes worked, some fell flat. No worries – I was trying something new to keep growing in this pursuit of creative work that I love.

So how comfortable are you in your groove? Looked around, thought about changing your routine? Too afraid to embrace change – and doing so, miss the opportunity to grow?

What are you, a man? Or a lizard?