From the Brain of Dr. Nicki: The Play’s the Thing!

2016 announced itself in my life like Paul Revere, with time and timing feeling insistent. I decided the hour had come to push my edges in new, big ways. In my case that’s asking something….well…extraordinary, ‘cause my boundaries are pretty far out there to begin with! Indeed, if you get up close and personal with me – be it as client or friend – you’ll see me over and again hanging off branches and scaling metaphorical walls. So what to do? How to push past my current limits? The physical piece is easy – try something new. Enter Aerial. But how about, perhaps, creativity – what would a new adventure in that realm look like?

2015 had been an astonishing year. Following the death of my mother I found myself psychologically and even physically experiencing sensations as never before. I felt awakened, expanded and amped. Everything in my life buzzed, including me. Then 2016 hit and there was some diminution of the excitement. So when signs appeared indicating the next best move would be me writing a play about the long, often difficult healing journey between my crazy mother and me, I took notice. Write it and perform it, wisdom said!

Okay…whoa…I’ve written many, many things in my life: non-fiction books; fiction novels and stories; blogs of course; poetry; journalistic pieces…but never a play and as I quickly learned – that’s a horse of another color. Oh, and plus, it’s been decades since I’ve acted!

The idea fomented for a while and then this summer I found an excellent director/dramaturge Diana Wyenn and went to work. That was August. Three and a half months, 8 drafts and 4 workshop reads later I’m inching my way towards a piece that hopes to be both impactful and moving. But I’ll tell you what – adapting your own life to theater is no easy matter. Not at all. And with each iteration it feels like the ante goes up: when Diana read the first draft (and each one after); the first time others joined to read an early draft so we could hear it out loud; when we then a couple drafts later assembled a cast to table read for the first time in a more “substantial” way; and most recently, when we brought the same cast in for the third time but added a few new guests to give input. Now, I’m a pretty confident woman by now in my life but this process has opened new vulnerabilities and reignited old ones.

Tell you what, though – I wouldn’t trade this process for anything. I’m proud of myself. For reaching further and further towards wholeness. For manifesting my dreams. For walking my talk by putting myself visibly on the line!

Of course, I hope this play, intended to be offered early in 2017, will be wonderfully received. But more importantly, I’m glad to honestly, boldly, visibly stand for true change in all I am and do.

Here’s my challenge to you: figure out what pushing your edges would mean…and do it! Don’t wait. We have no idea what’s coming round the corner, so again I say: don’t wait. Celebrate your possibilities NOW! Life awaits your commitment.