The Year of Living Dangerously

Sometimes you can really surprise yourself. Sometimes you find yourself stepping outside your comfort zone and doing things that you would never, in your wildest dreams, have ever seen yourself doing. And I know what I'm talking about because this has been my (almost) year of living dangerously...

Ok, so I haven't walked a tightrope across Niagra Falls without a safety rope or anything like that, but since August last year I've done some things that have really forced me out of my cosy little world and I have to say I feel better for it. I'm sure my list of 'achievements' probably doesn't look much to anyone else, but to a girl who would never do anything about anything because a) previous experience made me wary of repeating things, b) it was easier to just stay in my room and c) I was just too plain shy and scared to these are a prettybig deal.

So, in my year of living dangerously I have...

1) Taken a chance on love for the first time since I dated a real bastard at 17, got my heart broken and realised that it's not the end of the world;
2) Gone on holiday by myself;
3) Joined a book club;
4) Joined a writing group;
5) Shown 'real' people my writing instead of relying on the vaguaries of cyberspace;
6) Performed my work on stage;
7) Been persuaded to audition for a play;
8) Discovered that, actually, other people can be quite fabulous and don't mind the fact that I talk complete rubbish 99.9% of the time (this is my way of saying that the new friends I've made this year are totally awesome and I love them);
9) Decided to actually go to New Zealand next year instead of procrastinating and wussing out;
10) Found a buddy for burlesque and pole dancing classes, so now I can't wuss out or Melissa will be disappointed.

There are other things, too, but these are the big ones that have made me realise a lot about myself, other people and the world in general. So here's to the next year of living dangerously...maybe that walk across the falls isn't such a crazy notion after all!