Unscripted Living

Life has a way of boxing us in without us even noticing. We often find ourselves following scripts we never chose. These invisible scripts? They're the very things holding us back from living our most authentic lives.

Think about it. We pick up ideas from:

• Our parents

• Society

• The endless stream of media we consume

Before we know it, we're living by beliefs we've never questioned:

• "A simple life is boring."

• "Success looks like X."

• "Good parents always do Y."

Sound familiar? I bet it does.

These ideas shape our choices, our reactions, and even our dreams. And here's the kicker - we often don't even notice they're pulling the strings.

A Wake-Up Call

I recently had an experience that shook me out of this sleep-walking state. Picture this: I'm in a room with seven other people. Our task? Create a 7-minute play about a life-changing moment.

From the start, it felt overwhelming. This wasn't just writing a story - we had to act it out, relive it on stage. Seven minutes to capture something that changed our lives? It seemed impossible.

Seven Minutes to Bare Your Soul

How could I squeeze a life-changing moment into such a tiny window? My mind rebelled. I wanted more time, more words, more everything.

This simple assignment turned into a journey that made me face my own rigid thinking. It challenged everything I thought I knew about storytelling, creativity, and even my own experiences.

The Vanishing Act: When Stories Disappear

Each week, I'd show up with a new script. "What happened to last week's story?" my classmates would ask. "Oh, it's gone," I'd say, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

This wasn't about changing my mind. It was about facing old habits - like being told to "pick it and stick to it" as a kid. That old rule had held me back, making me focus on finishing rather than doing things well.

From Children's Books to Stage Plays: Learning to Let Go

This experience was a lot like writing my children's book, "I'm Beautiful Because I Am". It took five tries before I felt I had something worth working on.

Could I have forced the first version to be "done" earlier? Sure. But would it have been any good? Deep down, I knew the answer was no.

The hard part wasn't the process. It was fighting the urge to be "done" already. Once I accepted that I wasn't finished yet, everything changed. I became a student again, not pretending to be an expert when I clearly wasn't.

When the "Perfect" Idea Falls Flat

As I wrote my first draft, I thought I had the perfect story. It was meaningful, it was touching, it was... completely wrong for this format. Talk about a wake-up call!

The story I'd been playing in my head for days just didn't work in seven minutes. It was wordy when it needed to be sharp, vague when it should have been clear.

This wasn't just about cutting words. My whole approach had to change.

Realizing my first ideas didn't work wasn't failing. It was a push to dig deeper, to question what I thought I knew. It made me ask: What's really at the heart of this experience? What's the one truth I absolutely need to share?

The Beautiful Mess of Growth

This journey taught me something big: sometimes, doing things "wrong" is the only way to get them right. By giving myself room to try, fail, and try again, I ended up creating something way more meaningful than if I'd stubbornly stuck to my first idea.

In my play, I shared my journey of finding my place - from Brooklyn to suburban New Jersey, from feeling trapped to discovering true freedom. It wasn't about fitting in, but about nurturing my authentic self.

Just like in the play, where I learned to "let the wind take us by the hand," this experience taught me the power of letting go. In parenting, in creativity, in life - growth isn't a straight line. It's messy, it's full of surprises, and sometimes, it means letting go of what we thought was "right" to find what's truly meaningful.

Who knew a 7-minute play could teach so much? It's not about the time you have, but what you do with it. Sometimes, the tightest constraints lead to the biggest breakthroughs.

From Brooklyn to New Jersey: A Personal Journey

Now, let me take you on a little detour to Brooklyn. That's where my story really begins. Picture me: a free spirit from the big city suddenly transplanted to suburban New Jersey. Talk about a fish out of water!

At first, I felt like I was suffocating. The pristine lawns, the picture-perfect houses - it all felt so... confining.

Who would've thought?

But that discomfort? It was the beginning of something beautiful.

I started small. A veggie garden here, some "unconventional" parenting choices there. My neighbors probably thought I'd lost my mind. Heck, sometimes I thought I had!

Finding My Roots in Foreign Soil

But as I dug my hands into that Jersey soil, I started to realize something. It wasn't about fitting into this new place. It was about bringing my authentic self to it.

• I turned my lawn into an edible homestead

• I joined an underground raw milk syndicate (yes, that's a thing) and it was clearly before going fully vegan.

• I even considered homeschooling (much to my husband's initial horror)

Each of these choices was a step towards nurturing my wild roots, even in this seemingly tame environment.

The Struggle is Real (and Really Worth It)

Now, don't get me wrong. This journey wasn't all dandelion wishes and chicken dreams. There were moments of doubt, arguments with my husband, and more than a few raised eyebrows from the neighbors.

But here's what I learned: Growth happens when we're uncomfortable. It's in those moments of "What the heck am I doing?" that we often find our true selves.

Just like in my 7-minute play, I had to learn to "give in to the unforeseen." It wasn't about having it all figured out. It was about being open to the journey, wherever it might lead.

And you know what? That's when things started to click. When I stopped trying to fit into someone else's idea of what my life should look like, I started creating a life that truly felt like mine.

So, whether you're a Brooklyn transplant in suburbia, or just someone feeling a bit out of place in your own life, remember: Your authenticity is your superpower. Use it. Even if it means ruffling a few perfectly manicured feathers along the way.

Lessons Learned: The Good, The Bad, and The Unexpected

So, what did I learn from all this - from seven-minute plays to suburban chicken coops?

1. Sometimes, "wrong" is right

You know how we're always trying to do things the "right" way? Well, here's a curveball for you: sometimes, doing things "wrong" is the only way to get them right.

When I kept scrapping my play drafts, or when I turned my front lawn into a vegetable patch, I wasn't following any rulebook. But those "wrong" moves? They led me to something genuine and true.

2. Growth is messy - embrace it!

If you're waiting for growth to be neat and tidy, you'll be waiting a long time. Growth is more like:

• A toddler's first attempt at feeding themselves

• A garden in mid-spring - chaotic but full of potential

• Your junk drawer - a mess, but everything you need is in there somewhere

It's messy, it's unpredictable, and that's exactly how it should be.

3. Your comfort zone is overrated

Remember how uncomfortable I felt in New Jersey at first? Or how daunting that seven-minute play seemed? That discomfort was the birthplace of growth.

When we step out of our comfort zones, we:

• Discover strengths we didn't know we had

• Find new passions and interests

• Learn what we're really made of

4. Authenticity trumps fitting in

The more I tried to fit in, the more out of place I felt. But when I started being true to myself - backyard chickens and all - that's when I found my groove.

Your quirks, your passions, your wild ideas - that's the good stuff. Don't water it down to fit someone else's mold.

5. Life's too short for other people's scripts

Whether it's societal expectations or old habits, we all have scripts we follow without thinking. But those scripts often hold us back from living our most fulfilling lives.

It's time to write your own script. Is it scary? You bet. Worth it? Absolutely.

So, whether you're facing a creative challenge, a life transition, or just feeling a bit stuck, remember these lessons. They might just be the nudge you need to start your own beautiful, messy journey of growth.

From Stage to Life

So, here we are. We've journeyed from a 7-minute play challenge to backyard chickens in New Jersey. Who would've thought, right?

But that's the beauty of life. It takes us on unexpected turns, and if we're brave enough to embrace them, magic happens.

The Power of Letting Go

Remember how I struggled to fit my life-changing moment into seven minutes? Or how I tried to fit into suburban life? The breakthrough came when I stopped trying to control everything and just... let go.

Letting go isn't about giving up. It's about opening up. Opening up to new possibilities, to growth, to the person you're meant to become.

Constraints: The Unexpected Cheerleaders

Those seven minutes on stage? That tiny New Jersey lawn? They felt like prisons at first.

Plot twist: constraints can be our greatest catalysts for creativity and growth.

When we're boxed in, we're forced to think outside the box. And that's where the magic happens.

Your Turn to Shine

So, here's my challenge to you:

1. Look at your life. Where are you following a script that's not your own?

2. What's your "7-minute play"? Your constraint that feels impossible?

3. How can you embrace your authentic self, even if it ruffles a few feathers?

Remember, you're not just raising kids, or pursuing a career, or trying to fit in. You're growing a life. And just like those wildflowers in my New Jersey garden, you're meant to spread and thrive in your own unique way.

It won't always be pretty. It certainly won't be perfect. But it will be real, and it will be yours.

So go ahead. Ruffle those feathers. Plant those seeds of change. Write your own script. And most importantly, let your authentic self bloom.

After all, life's too short to be anyone but yourself. And trust me, yourself is pretty amazing.

Now, go spread like a wildflower!

P.S. Curious about the 7-minute play that sparked this whole journey? I'll be sharing it soon! If you'd like to see it (and trust me, it's quite a “showing”), just shoot me a message. I'll send you the link as soon as it's live. It's a front-row seat to my "Brooklyn to Backyard Chickens" adventure – complete with dramatic flair and a dash of humor. Don't miss it!