I spent six hours yesterday with Hannah, one of the most patient, kind and helpful people I know. She’s our HeartStories right-hand person. (We haven’t given her an official title yet because she’s basically our “boots-on-the-ground miracle worker” and that title seems a tad bit long.) I wish this was a picture of her yesterday, but y’all she would kill me and I love her too much. The point is, we spent six hours together, working on ALL the tech components for the “GNO at Home” livestream workshop that we’re offering this Thursday for folks who weren’t able to attend the live event due to the early sell out. It seemed like an easy idea to just grab a phone, stream the two workshops, and voila! . . . anyone who wants to join us, can now host their own girls night right along with us!
It’s funny how things seem so simple until you actually try them.
We’ve been researching this option for months on end. We purchased all the things. Lights, camera connections, tripod, fancy microphones and all the cords are on the ready. Yet, when we arrived on-site at 8:30 am to begin our dry run trial through the agenda streaming from each workshop area, we learned quickly that there were SO many more considerations than the ones we’d already thought of. I suited up with all the mics while our remote teammate Natalie, hopped on the broadcast to give us real-time feedback and it was like a comedy of errors. It turns out that some of the camera positions we tried were NOT the most comfortable angles for our at-home participants. In fact, at one point, I lowered the camera and moved it more front and center. Natalie’s response inside the stream was only one word: “NOOOOoooooooo!”
Followed, by “That’s an awkward angle.”
This screenshot from one of the trial runs is me laughing at Hannah pretending to “talk amongst yourselves” (by herself) so we could soundcheck for background noise. It was hilarious and exhausting at the same time. But the timing is perfect for us to try this next step for HeartStories. We’ve talked about it until we’re blue in the face. We’ve researched the business models of other live event streams. We’ve talked through what the experience will be like for our at-home participants. We’ve outlined, addressed and planned until our brains hurt. AND we know it will still be an imperfect experience. If we waited until we were convinced it was perfect, we might have never tried it.
Sometimes you have to jump before you’re ready.
In fact, if you want to do something meaningful, make a positive change, or do something that requires any amount of bravery, you will very likely have to jump before you’re ready. I’m convinced that the richest parts of life are made up of the pivotal moments when you’re both, brave and afraid, at the very same time. Even the people you think look the most brave on the outside, are shaking in their boots on the inside.
Of course it’s scary.
You have a lot to lose. It’s not guaranteed. It’s not safe. It’s uncomfortable. The angles will be awkward at first.
You can adjust them next time.
If (when) you fall, you will dust yourself off and get back up. You will not die. You will learn, and try again.
Whatever it is that is beckoning you to be brave today, decide to just do it.
Think it through. Chart your course. Plan what you can. (You probably already have.)
Jump, while you’re still afraid.
That’s when courage and bravery show up.
to more love,
Crystal
