Last week I pre-recorded my TEDx Talk, ‘Transform Your Shame into Comedy.’ As soon as I’d finished, I burst into tears. Not because I did a terrible job (I may have.) No, I cried because it was a profound experience to be where I am today, on the other side of mental illness, addiction and ‘crazy.’ Standing on that iconic red dot, pouring my heart and soul out for all the world to see.
Today, I’m in a place of abundance, love and connection, my dreams unfolding on the daily. I have no regrets; my challenges and adversities have been a gift. I wouldn’t change a single day of my life. It’s a cliché, but my difficult lived experiences have led me to where I am today; surrounded by a healthy comedy community made up of such delightful, unique, talented souls that it makes my heart sing with the possibilities available to us. All I ever wanted as a child was to make comedy, laugh and play. That is basically my life.
Delivering my talk was an experience I will remember forever; I had three audience members, not including the camera operators. I shoe-horned an alien joke in at the last minute, I felt the lows in my heart, and I rode the highs to the heavens. I moved myself to tears because when anyone comes back from the depths of despair to tell their tale. We are really just reminding ourselves, “well-done kid, you survived, now keep on trucking.”
Love Lizzie xx
