Improvly Speaking

In Fall 2022, I went to two weekend improv camps for adults (not adult improv camps because that's something different). I learned a lot about improv and myself at these camps. In this episode, I tell you all about my camp experiences. I share how the first camp allowed me to feel more freedom and permission in improv and in life, and the second camp forced me to take a leap of faith. Literally, I took a leap of faith on the ropes course*, and it was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, just like improv.

Taking risks on stage and in life can be scary. Very scary! However, we often get the best rewards and/or lessons learned when we take risks, go outside our comfort zone, and try something new.

This episode highlights how I went way outside my comfort zone in 2022. How can you take a leap of faith and go outside your comfort zone after listening to this episode?

*You can view the full unedited video of me taking the leap of faith on the ropes course here: https://youtu.be/bh5K5EqZq8E
(It's only 2 minutes long, and 1 minute is me trying to figure out how to turn around on the platform.)

Here is more information about the improv camps I went to:

• Camp Improv Utopia - https://www.improvutopia.com/
• Improv for the People (IFTP) Camp - https://www.improvcamps.com/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Nick Armstrong is an actor, improviser, director and writer, and he is the co-owner and Artistic Director of Rise Comedy in Denver, Colorado. He is also the Founder and Executive Director of Improv Utopia, which is a non-profit improv camp for adults held annually that gives back to the improv community and other arts related charities.

On this episode, Nick shares his improv and comedy journey and how multiple epiphany moments have led him to where he is now.  Improv has helped Nick learn to trust his gut more and trust that if he jumps (meaning takes a risk on stage and in life), the improv net will appear and his scene partners and the skills and techniques he has learned will be there to support him along the way.  

For Nick, improvisation and comedy is more than just something you do on stage for 20-30 minutes or so. It has saved him from very low moments in life, taught him essential life skills, and given him an amazing friend group, amongst many other benefits!


You can find out more about Nick at: 

• Instagram - @mrenergy
• Rise Comedy in Denver, Colorado - https://risecomedy.com/
• Rise Comedy on Instagram - @risecomedy
• Camp Improv Utopia Website - https://www.improvutopia.com/
• Improv Utopia on Instagram - @improvutopia

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Have you ever tried something new and immediately sucked at it the first time(s) you did it? Well congrats, that's normal! Then you practice the new activity for months or even years, and you expect to see some major improvements. However, even after all that practice, it still feels hard, difficult, awkward, and uncomfortable, and it doesn't feel like you're making much progress. This is what Dayna likes to call the Cringe or Cringey Zone (very scientific terms right there). This is often the part where we want to give up because it's still so hard and we may not be having fun with it. 

In this episode, Dayna shares how the number 3 shows up in patterns when getting through the cringe. She also gives some examples of how she got through the cringe for public speaking, podcasting, improv, and other activities. If you've been trying a new hobby or creative outlet and feel like you're struggling with it, give this episode a listen to get an extra motivation boost to keep going and get through the Cringey Zone. You got this!

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Madeleine Chalk is a digital creator, comedian, and singer, and she slays on social media with her "These Lyrics But..." videos. In this episode, Madeleine shares her comedic journey and how she improvised her first stand-up set.  She also gives us the behind the scenes story of how and why she started her social media channels and how she continues to produce some of her content. 

Madeleine provides helpful social media strategies and discusses how to deal with "the flops and the slays" (as the kids say these days). It can be very hard to put yourself out there and not tie your validation to "success" metrics, such as likes, subscribes, comments, shares, etc. The key is getting started, enjoying the process, and defining your own metrics for success, which can just be celebrating the fact that you started/continue to keep doing the thing you love doing.

Even if you're an older millennial and beyond* who struggles with social media, you can still glean lots of great tips and inspo (are the kids still saying inspo?) from this episode about creativity, performance, and pursuing your creative passions!

*Not all older millennials and beyond struggle with social media. Many are quite good at it. Dayna is not one of them...yet.  😃

You can find out more about Madeleine here:

• Linktree - https://linktr.ee/madchalk
• Instagram - @mad.chalk 
• TikTok - @madchalk

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Jim Young is a Men's Burnout and Leadership Coach, and he just wrote a book called Expansive Intimacy: How "Tough Guys" Defeat Burnout. Jim is also an improviser, and he uses applied improv techniques to teach empathy skills to workplaces, organizations, and leadership teams. 

In this episode, we discuss burnout, how it can affect genders differently, and how you can prevent and recognize burnout issues and get help for yourself and others. We also discuss how improv can help provide "an operating system reinstall" (direct quote from Jim) and teach essential life skills, such as better relationship and communication skills, empathy, freedom from perfectionism, and infusing play into your life.

Disclaimer (read this really fast like a prescription drug commercial): Improvisation cannot solely treat burnout symptoms, but it can provide a more fun, creative outlet that can at least make you forget you are burned out or heading towards burnout. It can also teach some fantastic life skills that can help you navigate life a little easier (if that's possible). If you are listening to this episode and feel like you are experiencing some symptoms of burnout, please talk to a counselor, therapist, and/or person you trust to start getting help. Burnout is no joke, so please get help and take care of yourself. 


You can find out more about Jim Young here:

• The Centered Coach - https://www.thecenteredcoach.com/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thecenteredcoach/
• Jim's Book - Expansive Intimacy: How Tough Guys Defeat Burnout - Find it on  Amazon
• Jim's Improv Team - Not In Charge:
  https://www.happiervalley.com/notincharge.html

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Chef Rebecca Klaskala joins this episode to discuss life in the kitchen and how cooking can be viewed as a performance. We also discuss how improvisation skills show up when cooking, planning menus, and following recipes and also how making mistakes in the kitchen can turn into happy accidents and learning moments. 

Chef Rebecca is the Culinary School Instructor at New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), and before that, she worked at Restaurant Revolution in New Orleans for 7 years and worked her way up the ranks to Sous Chef. She is a wealth of knowledge and experience, and now she is teaching the next generation of chefs to help them prepare for their restaurant and culinary careers. 

You can find out more about Rebecca here:

• Instagram - @chefrebeccak
• New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (they have classes for professionals and enthusiasts) -  https://www.nochi.org/
• NOLA Cherry Bombs on Instagram - @nolacherrybombs

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Every podcast needs an origin story to explain why the podcast host feels the need to create this podcast even though everyone and their mom has a podcast right now. Origin stories are full of plenty of details that are usually not necessary to the overall storyline,  and this episode holds true to that with mentions of the D.A.R.E. program, flamingos, St. Anthony, Hurricane Katrina, kettlebells, stress management, and more. 

To stay true to podcast launch tradition, here is the origin story for the Improvly Speaking Podcast. I share how I got here, why I am doing this podcast, what this podcast will be about, and what the term Improvly Speaking means.  This episode is the full, unabridged story of my public speaking journey — from terrible, scared, and shy speaker to conquering my fears of public speaking and actually enjoying and loving public speaking to discovering improv with that newfound courage.

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Victoria Koenitzer is an Associate Attorney in San Diego, CA. During Law School, she realized she needed to get over her fear of public speaking if she was going to succeed in her law career. She decided to explore improvisation through Toastmasters and taking an Improv 101 class at a local theatre. And the rest is history! Not only has she conquered her fear of public speaking, she has found a love of improv and an even bigger love (if that's possible) for teaching improv!

Check out Victoria's story and her reflections on why improv has been so profound in her journey and life here on this episode! 

You can follow Victoria here:

• Instagram - @againstallodds25
• Instagram - @sillygoosesimprov
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriakoenitzer/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Check out the Improvly Speaking Podcast jingle here. It's super cute! 

Warning: It will easily get stuck in your head! 

This jingle was created by The Jingle Lady. Check her out on Instagram and Fiverr for all your jingle needs! 

• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thejinglelady__/
• Fiverr - https://business.fiverr.com/elosllc/create-the-best-jingle-for-you

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments!

Support the show

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/