Big Girl Shoes

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

–Dr Seuss

I once met a lady who is a death row attorney. Her clients are hard-core murders. People most of society has written off. Appearances can deceive.  She was the quiet mousy librarian type, likely to be found hiding in book stacks, not strolling into maximum-security prisons to consult with her clients.

I asked her how she did it– knowing how diminutive she was in personality. She looked me straight in the eye and said,  “I put on my big girl shoes and march in.”

Not to quote Nike or Michael Jordan–But it was the shoes! They transformed her into a very tall impressive badass attorney.

I completely understood her explanation. I am not a natural extrovert. Which makes getting on stage for me a very interesting dichotomy. When I started doing comedy I would dress to the 9s – nightclub ready. It was battle armor. I was scared to death but my clothes –they were very confident. After thirteen years what stuck?  The shoes.  I always (almost always) wear fancy shoes on stage.  When my luggage went missing in Africa I had to perform in sneakers, first time ever.  I was actually a little afraid, I wasn’t sure I could be funny without my fancy footwear. Silly I know but in almost 3000 shows, I had never once performed in sneakers.

So what came first the attitude or the shoes? For me it was the shoes. When I put on the big girl shoes I feel like I can conquer just about anything. It’s a crutch I know, but its not illegal or immoral so I’m at peace with it.

We have a new year approaching, put on your big girl shoes and show 2015 who is the boss.

Laura