Stepping out of my Comfort Zone

I LOVE to talk! My mother said I walked long before I began to talk… but once I did start talking,

I made up for lost time. I haven’t stopped since. (You can see why I became a storyteller, right?

It was either that or run for office or be a late-night talk show host.)

I love meeting new people, swapping stories, and watching faces light up—or occasionally glaze over, depending on how long I’ve been talking. When I’m in front of an audience, I can see if I’m connecting or if it’s time to switch gears or add a sound effect.

But now… I’ve moved to the Wisconsin woodlands. (Picture me surrounded by pine trees, squirrels, deer, and an internet signal that arrives by carrier pigeon.) I’m three hours from the Twin Cities, which means no more spontaneous storytelling gatherings, events, or networking.

For years, I’ve resisted writing a blog. Writing feels like pulling teeth with pliers I found in the

garage. Why? Because there’s no audience nodding, laughing, tearing up, or gasping in the right

places. Just me, my keyboard, a piece of chocolate, and a cup of tea that’s judging me silently.

Rumi wrote: “Heart is sea, language is shore. Whatever sea includes, will hit the shore.”

Well, my “sea” is sloshing, and I’m hoping this blog is at least a decent shoreline.

So, here’s the deal: I’ll do the writing and ask you to help me grow. If something sounds fuzzy,

weird, or like I wrote it under the influence of too much Wisconsin cheese, please tell me! And

if you have a favorite book about becoming a better writer, share it in the comments.

Because honestly, I can’t grow as a writer without you, and besides, the squirrels aren’t giving

feedback.

Carol McCormick

Helping Imaginations Fly!