Word of the Year 2025
Looking back at 2024 and what the future holds...
Last year I declared that my word of intention was Nurture. The concept of choosing a word for the year was introduced to me by comedian Joz Norris and I really recommend it if you find new year’s resolutions (and their inevitable failure) overwhelming.
2023 had been a mad, fast, turbulent year. It was the year I took Picnic (as well as Super) to the Edinburgh Fringe while teaching and being homeless for several months. I do not recommend developing a prop heavy show when you are living out of a suitcase.
After a year of gigging, competing and constantly moving I needed a year to take stock. However, I also knew that I would find the stillness uneasy. My 2024 quest for Nurture didn’t really start until the end of February, when I had given Picnic its final farewell at LCF and Soho Theatre.
The silence came with a thump.
One of the big reasons I like making solo shows is because it at least feels like something is happening. You’re not waiting on someone else giving you a job, you can book a room and make it happen yourself.
So in the spirit of Nurture, I explored a whole bunch of things I was curious about. Here are a few:
Went to a school for Alexander Technique where I let the students “lay hands” on me until I felt like a tipsy octopus
A thing I think is called Spinal Networking
A private lesson on mime with David Hoskin
Singing lessons with Chiara Goldsmith
Life drawing class (drawing not modelling)
Vietnamese cooking class (on holiday but still counts)
Completed The Artist’s Way (recommended to me by Olivia Rafferty)
Saw a lot of theatre, music and art I might not otherwise have done
Sound bath
Astrology networking
Performed with an Italian improv group
Reached out to old mentors and people I admire for advice
I like to think I also spent a lot of time nurturing others. I had a number of coffee dates and zoom calls with people who I recognised as being in positions I’ve been in before and felt I could help. I realised I was more knowledgable and experienced than I thought.
This became a theme in 2024. As well as continuing to teach at Hoopla, I was invited to teach workshops at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, mentor for the ACE funded I’m With Stupid and asked by a number of fellow comedians I love such as Christian Brighty (vote for his BBC sitcom!) to workshop their shows. I was honoured to be asked and thoroughly enjoyed doing it.
And so I started teaching my own improv and character comedy courses, which I’m finding hugely rewarding although at times challenging.
Another big part of 2024 was relaunching my Improv for Business business as Jollity Coaching. Within 6 months I had created a new website, with new headshots, legally trademarked the name, set up a business address, joined a women’s co-working space, set up courses and workshops, got four new clients and taught three training workshops. I’ve had other coaches reach out to me to collaborate and I’ve taken advantage of as many free consultations and networking events as I can.
I keep being reminded that that’s quite a lot of milestones in a short amount of time but in comparison to writing/performing/producing an Edinburgh show it felt like nothing. I don’t say that to sound nonchalant, I say it to clarify just how much work I’m used to doing as someone in the arts.
I don’t know if I can really count starting a business as Nurture but it was necessary for nurturing my future financial stability and goals.
So what about now? Nurture to me in 2024 meant getting to do new things without the pressure of it having to lead anywhere. Doing things purely out of curiosity and enjoyment. However, one attempt to nurture a skill taught me something very important about myself…
At the start of last year I went to a ballet class at Pineapple Studios. I used to be pretty good at dancing. For a long time it was quite a large part of my identity but I have not consistently attended a dance class since 2010 when I randomly joined a modern dance troupe in Venice. (A story for another day.)
It wasn’t out of laziness. Between gigs, touring and money issues it was just impossible most of the time. Post-pandemic the thought of sweating with a bunch of strangers in a basement felt even more dangerous than performing comedy to a bunch of stranger in a basement. So I was already feeling vulnerable as I walked in.
The room was packed with musical theatre professionals stretching, the teacher was wearing a headset, one guy sneered at me like I was a used plaster on the changing room floow when I asked if this was the right class. There was zero space at the barre and the slither I tried to slot myself into I was promptly told was “taken”. I left before a panic attack forced me to. I was ashamed: what a waste of time and money.
I went to two or three low key classes over the year but nothing since September. I got a beautiful leotard for Christmas 2023 that I still haven’t worn because I don’t feel…deserving? (That’s a bit nuts, right?)
But I know if I don’t go back now I never will.
So two weeks ago I picked a midday class at Dance Works (a much less narcissistic space) which was being subbed by a dance teacher I used to like before the pandemic. His name is Adam Pudney and he’s a beautiful dancer who teachers really interesting and original choreography. Choreography that I can no longer do. Not only is my body too slow but my brain is too. I heard his pleads to hold balances longer, bend deeper and jump higher but I couldn’t do it.
(David Hoskins literally giving me a whirlwind intro to mime)
You see, a year of what I called “Nurture” taught me that I love trying new things even if I’m bad at them. But what I can’t abide is realising I’ve gotten bad at things I used to do well. I’m bad at accepting the milestones I’ve made when I want to be progressing. I’m bad at accepting when I’ve done all I can and I just have to relax and see. I like to be busy. I spent a lot of last year banging my head against a wall trying to get something to work when I really should have accepted the situation was out of my hands and moved on.
I thought about making this year’s word “Acceptance” but I’ve decided that “Embrace” is more positive.
I need to embrace that I am not the size, strength, speed I used to be. I need to take on the advice and slowly build back up. I need to embrace that some jobs aren’t coming my way or some pitches won’t get picked up. It doesn’t mean they’re bad or I need to do more, they’re just not right.
I always hated the old Scottish granny saying of “what’s for ye won’t go passed ye” but perhaps it’s time I faced that. Embrace the stage I’m at and the messages I’m being sent.
So here’s to 2025 and the word Embrace.
