Allow Me to Introduce Myself

When I first started telling jokes, I was often hesitant to tell people outside of a comedy environment what I did. I was afraid of the instant judgement, or the endless amount of questions and reckless statements that would follow. I was scared that I would have to be funny on the spot, and if I wasn't, I would lose a potential fan. I have no shame in admitting that a big reason I started doing stand up was to conquer my fear of public speaking, which has plagued me since I was a child. I conquered that fear, and now I'm starting to conquer the fear of introducing myself on a daily basis. The reason I've started to do this frequently is because you never know who could be that person that will change your life; and you could change someone's life as well. I've been presented more opportunities by simply speaking up and engaging in random conversations than I have by performing on stage. Just this morning, I was given free brunch tickets to a restaurant just because I had a chat with a person who I later found out was the manager of the restaurant. I told him who I was and what I did, and he immediately searched for me on the internet, watched a few videos, and laughed hysterically. I made his day, and he made mine by offering me a free brunch at his restaurant. It may not seem like much, but I believe these small interactions are preparing me for bigger ones(pause). It's also giving me great material. People love telling stories and giving voluntary information about themselves for some reason, and it benefits me greatly. I've also made a few friends along the way, which I thought would never happen. Some are other comics, others are people who are now supporters and fans, which is so awesome. Just by simply saying hello, I've expanded my network tremendously. I advise that you go out and be a friendly person today. Hold the door for someone. Say hello at the checkout line. Ask someone how they're doing, and I'm willing to bet that you'll get a story out of it. You may make a very strong connection that will take you to the next level. You might make a new friend. But I'm absolutely certain that you will gain more confidence with every interaction. Have a great Sunday!!