CLIENT CORNER: A Guest Blog from Lili Torre!
Tim and I are thrilled to start a new series on the blog called COLLAB CORNER. In this series, we'll be featuring posts by guest artists- artists who are active parts of our growing IVS Community as both creatives and collaborators. If you'd like to contribute a piece of writing, please send it to hello@innovativevoicestudio.com!
No More Hokey-Pokey
By Lili Torre
I'm done playing the hokey-pokey.
You remember…from kindergarten? You put your right leg in, you put your right leg out, you put your right leg in and you shake it all about…
Talk about non committal!
Is your leg in? Or is it out? And why the hell would you shake it?
Perhaps my loathing for the hokey-pokey is stemming from the fact that I feel CALLED OUT, as I realized I’ve been playing the Leadership Hokey-Pokey.
I’ve dipped my toes in the waters of being a true leader for years. I’ve built platforms, directed shows, taught classes and workshops (you put your right leg in…)
And yet still, I struggle to announce myself loud and proud as a leader.
I’ve toiled over actively seeking opportunities for leadership, fearing that I’ll step on people’s toes (you put your right leg out…)
I always feel a pressure to create leadership opportunities for myself, rather than asking others for the chance to lead. You may think this is a strong move- like I’m not waiting for someone else’s permission to lead, and honestly you’re half right. And by refusing to ask others for the opportunity to lead, I’ve missed out on opportunities, all because of my fear that they’ll say no, and that their “no” will prove my Imposter right- that I’m not actually _____ enough to be a leader. (and you shake it all about…)
But one thing the Hokey-Pokey got right is: “You turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.” It truly is all about turning yourself around. Committing to a shift. Once you’re sick of your Hokey-Pokey bullsh*t, you can turn yourself around and GO FOR IT.
So here I am. Today. Announcing loud and proud to you, reader, that I am a leader. And today, I choose to lead the charge against the hokey-pokey.
I see artists around me playing all sorts of hokey-pokeys:
-The survival job hokey-pokey* (how many times have you said you’ve got “one foot out the door”?)
-The reach out hokey-pokey (hit SEND on that reach out!)
-The “I’ve got to re-do my book” hokey-pokey
-The should I leave NYC hokey-pokey
…the list could go on but I’ve got a word count limit here, folks.
Let’s get to the end of the song and turn ourselves around so we can start making some real steps forward and stand on our own two feet, shake free.
*If you’re ready to stop playing the survival job hokey-pokey, you might be ready for a parallel career. Check out my workshop Doing It Also, a 4-week course designed to help you broaden your scope and start the search for your parallel career.
Check out Jenna's episodes on The Dreaded Question and on TDQ's BASE.