"What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you?"

When I started out at acting school we had an exercise to do in front of a class of around 40 people...

We were asked to sit on a chair in the main theatre space and talk about the worst thing that had ever happened to us.

We all looked at each other. 

Our minds were racing.

I never imagined it would be like this - I'd envisioned lots of shakespeare, improv & modern plays. 

But not something so personal...and in the first week. 

You could feel the nerves in the room, but also the adrenaline & the excitement

The next few hours were indescribable...

The raw emotion as people poured their hearts out.

Not in a self-indulgent way.

But with honesty, vulnerability and sincerity.

We were all in the same boat & so it felt like a safe environment to let your barriers down & not feel any fear of judgement or recrimination.

Some people's stories were unbelievable. Harrowing. Sad. Tragic.

But also inspiring as you could see what they'd been through, to then come out the other end. 

I sat down and started telling my story...

All very rational to start with.

And then something clicked.

It hit me like an 18 wheeler truck.

My acting tutor said that in a split second I turned back into a kid of about 5...

Unfettered emotion pouring out of me like a tap. 

I felt naked. Vulnerable.

But this vulnerability was actually strength.

And I was in good company. 

I was one of many finding real release in this exercise.

There was genuine connection, support, and empathy in the room. 

Afterwards I felt so light.

It was like an exorcism of sorts.

A breakthrough.

Set free from deeply embedded emotional baggage.

It was an exercise in letting go of a whole host of negative emotions - guilt, resentment, fear, confusion, regret, insecurity, anger...

Like intensive therapy.

With the objective of becoming a better actor.

If you don't know yourself how can you even begin to play someone else?

So why do I write about this on LinkedIn?

Because to become great at sales or anything for that matter, there are certain things that can get in your way...

You must first understand yourself.

What makes you tick.

What you are holding onto.

And you have to let go of the things that are holding you back, both consciously & more importantly, unconsciously.

My acting tutor would say that people drag their baggage around in a huge pile in an invisible, metaphorical cart, weighing them down, causing disharmony, tension and illness. And they don't even know it.

Try to understand what's holding you back...

And let it go. 

Only then can you begin to take full control of your life.

#personaldevelopment #growth