We did it! We got through 2022! A big pat on the back for all of us! :)

What is in store for 2023 at Improv Hub? Well… A LOT! But I am currently on a break so will be planning the year shortly. I’ve realised I’m a bit of a workaholic…lol…but when you absolutely love what you do it’s hard not to get obsessed. So, I’m trying to ‘Take it easy Tony’.

So here we are having crossed the line into 2023! Now is the time to start those good new habits and maybe learn some new skills (like improv right!). Ok there’s my sales pitch…lol

I know right now is the whole goal setting thing but to be honest I find it much more enlightening, interesting, and worthwhile not to look forward but to look back! As Keith Johnstone (one of the grandfathers of improv) has famously said “great improvisers walk backwards”.

What does that mean? Well improv-wise it means everything we need in a scene has already happened, and if we get stuck, we just remember what has just happened and go deeper to build relationship, story, and characters.
Life-wise, what I am saying is: setting goals for the future without first learning from the past is foolhardy. I think, more important than looking forward is to look back!

What worked, what didn’t work? What made me come alive, what didn’t? What was hard and why? What was easy and why? What could I have improved on? Who did I love spending time with and why? What was I grateful for? What can I celebrate and expand on? Where did I set boundaries, where did I not?

Looking back can help us decide what works for us and allows us to improve and learn from our mistakes. Learning and improvement happens through reflection. So, before I start grand-planning for 2023, I’m going to do a review.

And in the spirit of that here is a recap of the year that was 2022 at Improv Hub!

Improv Hub had:

• 32 intermediate online improv drop in classes
• 6 in real life drop ins
• was featured at Brisbane Improv Festival with the Improvised Monologues Workshop,
• 2 online Musical Improv drop ins
• 13 courses including things like Levels 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and ‘Relationships in Improv’ and ‘Emotion in Improv’ to name a few.
• We doubled our income this financial year
• had 6 regular one on one improv coaching clients
• 5 creative consulting clients
• our 3rd open to the public (on Zoom) Improv performance.

It was a HUGE year! And thank you so much to everyone who made these successes possible! I’m so grateful. :)
On a personal note:

• I got to do improv masterclasses in the UK and USA online and learn some amazing new styles and formats.
• I co-created an improvised business podcast with the amazing Laura Piccardi https://banterpreneurs.com and we had our first guests and over 2500 downloads on google, apple and Spotify.
• I started my own Musical Improv troupe called ‘Musically Challenged’ with the wonderful Michael David and Rob Hislop https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxF8b7Cw5egM1l4QrlDmX7GhIuuxFDUB_
• I did more hilarious Drummond and Friend duo improvisations for YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB6b21sZJcw&list=PLxF8b7Cw5egPnaIuaboUBDGA9Q4j9uwpB
• Interviewed another amazing Improv teacher (you'll find out who soon...) for my show Masters of Improv https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7hIQ_Xgf1A& list=PLxF8b7Cw5egMA3StskwIqi3Rs3UCfk-Qv&index=2
• Got to play with my Slow Burn duo partner the awesome Anna Ong many times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A7S23I9OIo&list=PLxF8b7Cw5egO2b5SmF91qunTIgFKtZsuC
• Played with my super-talented musical improv duo partner Christine Welsh Buck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClRLLEInSnY&list=PLxF8b7Cw5egPS5UhRbDcJULq0NzbnZL9A
• Became part of an American ‘Harold’ team (a long-held dream come true).
• Had another wonderful year with my husband Luke.
• Made practically every new person I met do improv in some form, like my hairdresser, the dental nurse, one of Luke’s academic colleagues and my business mentor….lol

All in all, I am looking at what worked for me and what didn’t, what I want to do more of this year and what I don’t. Will you do a life review and find out what worked for you and what didn’t?

I know it worked for 3 of my improv coaching clients! Upon reflection one realised her kids were playing and she wasn’t and now she is making fun time for herself, another realised he had been stifling his creativity and now realises he is a talented storyteller, and another realised he needed to listen more and be more flexible with clients and is now communicating and thinking on his feet better than ever!

If you look back at 2022 and realise you were too controlling and inflexible, stifling your creativity and your own unique voice, or (like me many years ago when I first found improv) don’t have enough laughter and joy in your life, then have a think about changing things up this year and trying out improv. (And another sales pitch….lol….but it is 100% true).
 
I hope you have all had a great holiday season and are taking the time to celebrate your successes in 2022 and I am wishing you all the best for 2023!!!

(And now the plug!) And if you or anyone you know are too shy to try improv in a group, I do a 1st one on one session on Zoom for only $30AUD for the hour at a time that suits you. https://www.improvhub.com.au/coaching
 
Also, if you want to hear some other interesting ideas about embracing the new year (especially if you are in small business), check out my improvised small business podcast with Laura Piccardi, Banterpreneurs- our special guest was Australia’s first winner of The Apprentice Andrew Morello. https://banterpreneurs.com/how-to-do-business-2023/

And finally, if you would like to see some of our Improv Hub students in action check out and subscribe to the Improv Hub YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPZJLTpVuQqYYVJYx0xQtYQ

Take care of yourselves and may the joy be with you! :)

Lindsay x

copyright 2023 Improv Hub-Lindsay Drummond