Inspiration from Tony Award Winner Marissa Jaret Winokur

Sometimes simple words speak to you in profound ways.  Thanks to Maria Quiban from Fox 11 in Los Angeles, I recently had an "aha" moment.  

Quiban interviews celebrities and entertainers in her daily Google Hangouts.  I happened to be looking for an Andy Griffith connection when I saw her Hangout appear.  This day she was interviewing Marissa Jaret Winokur... you may recognize her from Dancing with the Stars or her most recent show, Retired at 35.  She also won a Tony Award for Best Actress for her work in the musical, Hairspray. 

PHOTO: parentsconnect.com

Winokur told us she didn't enjoy singing as much anymore because it gave her anxiety.  She said after she won her Tony, there was added pressure to perform perfectly.  She said it cheerfully, but it felt like a sincere moment between friends.

So I asked her, "What do you do to get over anxiety?"

She said sometimes you just have to do it.  She added, "I can't be afraid of what I can do."

I don't think she was trying to be profound, but what she said really spoke to me.  I can't be afraid of what I can do.  It's so easy to give up before we even start, simply because we're uncomfortable.  The possibility of having an awkward moment at work, at home or with friends, often keeps us from being true to ourselves as much as we should.

My friend calls it "corrupted information" or "being in the ditch."  Have you ever been so nervous that you tell yourself you can't do something?  I used to be that way about public speaking.  I thought people expected me to be an excellent speaker just because I work in TV.  It made me even more nervous.  But, that's corrupted information.  I can't be afraid of what I can do.  

And neither should you.  

I have to admit, I didn't know much about Marissa before the hangout (first-name basis now), but her energy and her words will leave a lasting impression.  It's funny how life just happens sometimes.

PHOTO: Kempton Lam

CIRCLE SOIREE:
+ Anthony Ramos
+ DeAno Jackson
+ Justin Hill
+ Maria Quiban
+ Kempton Lam
+ Michelle Li