As some of you know, I have been wanting to do a one-woman show for quite a while now – years! Somehow, however, I have managed to put it off – until yesterday.  That’s right.  At 3:00 p.m. on the 8th of March, in front of an audience of about 30, I performed the “shitty first draft” of my one-woman show, the working title of which is “A Conversation with a True Voice.”

Now, lest you think I am “dissing” myself with that shitty first draft comment, let me explain.  In Anne Lamott’s brilliant book, Bird by Bird:  Some Instructions on Writing and Life,” she encourages her students (and readers) not to delay starting their writing.  She even confesses, “The only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.”

So I took her good advice to heart, and that is what I did! In true “Laura form,” however, I didn’t even do my shitty first draft “normally.”  Quite the opposite.  Rather than write the show and then perform it, I performed it, got great feedback from my audience, celebrated my success, and now the writing begins!

In addition to Anne Lamott’s advice, there were several other things that kept me going, kept me risking my way toward the completion (of this part of) this project. Over the next few days, I’d like to tell you about them. The first is a song that has had a profound effect on me.  It was written for Cirque de Soleil (I believe) and then was recorded by Josh Groban.  It is called Let Me Fall.  In addition to being a gorgeous piece of music, the lyrics are amazing.  They are:

Let me fall
Let me climb
There’s a moment when fear
And dreams must collide.

Someone I am
Is waiting for courage
The one I want
The one I will become
Will catch me

So let me fall
If I must fall
I won’t heed your warnings
I won’t hear them

Let me fall
If I fall
Though the phoenix may
Or may not rise

I will dance so freely
Holding on to no one
You can hold me only
If you too will fall
Away from all these
Useless fears and chains

Someone I am
Is waiting for my courage
The one I want
The one I will become
Will catch me

So let me fall
If I must fall
I won’t heed your warnings
I won’t hear

Let me fall
If I fall
There’s no reason
To miss this one chance
This perfect moment
Just let me fall.

I am sure you see why it moved me so, and into action, no matter how scary no matter how risky.  My hope is that it can and will do the same for you…

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Laura Biering has an infectious zeal for coaching people who want to do enlivening work and live inspired lives. She's fired up about the power of taking risks - great and small - and the rewards that come as a result. She's also passionate about (1) creativity and authenticity and their potential to change the world, (2) frolicking with her adorable four-legged children, and (3) retreating with those she loves at her farm in Southeast Georgia, Brinson's Race. Visit her website at True Voices.
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