tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587Sun, 15 Dec 2024 11:21:57 +0000improvimprovisationmexicoauthenticitychicagolifebraveryplaystorywritingartiraqresidencyakumalfearmemoirartistbookjumplisteningrefugeesyriacommunitycreativityiraqitrustactorchangedayhappinessjumpingrefugeessalontruthworkyesChristmasMuslimNYCbeachbordersbreathcomedyconfidenceculturedarkdeathdeclarationdeepakfreedomfunfunnyguanajuatogunshappyherohumbugjunglekaroshikidskindnesslaughleaplessonslightlovemidwestminnesotamommomentnetnew Yorkoceanparadisepolicymicpresentriskscroogeskillsstarbucksstorytellingtacostargetteamtheatretrainingvoiceworldyoga#Istandwithahmed3AdichieAfricaAgnes de MilleAhmedArabicBritainChiamandaChopraDamascusDave PasquesiEUEuropeFacebookFusilloGielgudGoodmanHouseHughIrvingIslamIslamophobiaJetblueKSILaurieLaw and OrderMITMXMadisyn taylorMauiMothNgoziNigeriaOlivierParisPlatoSJPSarah Jessica ParkerShaun AchorStoryclubSusan JeffersTJ JagodowskiTJ and DaveTKCThe Kennedy CenterUKUNHCRVivianWSUWinonaacceptanceaccidentsaccountantsadventureagencyaliveamazonamericaarticleartistsarts advocacyauthenticbahbathroombeginbigotryblueeyesboatbrandbravebrexitbroadwaybrowncampbellcarabinercardcaribbeancayennechaoscharacterchicagofirechicaschildrenchurchcircuscityclaudiaclockcoffeecoincidencecoldcommittingconnectioncreatecreatingcreativecrisisdancedeathslidedelclosedesperatedialoguedisappointmentdisplaceddogdoordoorsdreamsdynamic lifeel traineleemosynaryelephantsembracingempathyendendingsescalatorescapeexhibitionexpectationsexpertfailurefallingfamilyfinitofirefrancefrench guianafriendsfriendshipfull persongenerositygermanygoldfishgooglegrandpagratitudehabitshammockhawaiihelphigh schoolholidayshomelesshopeillnessinternationalinwood hill parkipadipodjosephjourneyjoyjumperkneelake michiganlanguagelawleap jumpleapingleavinglegallife buildinglifeskillslistening like an improviserlosslove storymanifestationmannersmarriagemayamayanmeditationmexicanmillionmomentsmotivationmy little ponynbcneighborsnightobamaofficeofficiantonlineoprahorsonpacepantsparalegalpatiopausepeopleplayfulplayfulnessplazapolicepoliticspowerpointpraguepressprojectspromptsprovechopublicradiorainreadinessretreatrisk laughterrisksrootsrussiansalmonsandscottseasonsignssillysingleskyslamslowing downsmilesoldiersspeakerspeakingspeechstandupstarvingstatestoriessuccesssuperherosurinamesyriantaco al pastorteachteacherteamworktelevisiontennistexastextingthreetimetolerancetraditiontraintransitiontraveltrumpturtlesuncertaintyunderwearuniversityvisualvolcanowarweatherweddingweddingswhovillewinewinterwinter solsticewisdomwithholdingwonderwonderingwriterwritersyes couragezip-liningzippinga blog to help you live authentically through play, improv, and story telling.http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)Blogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5007462742300594607Mon, 21 May 2018 00:45:00 +00002018-05-20T19:45:32.549-05:00 Hello! This blog is moving     shifting            changing                   ending. But the good times continue on my website. I will continue to host and write a blog at www.kimschultz.net Please follow me there....as there will be no more here. Thanks for being here. Hope to see you there! kim http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-great-transition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-2997986306142647715Mon, 12 Mar 2018 23:12:00 +00002018-03-13T15:44:02.061-05:00 I met a priest yesterday---a very handsome priest, I might add. So. Very. Handsome. He told me a story about how at the grocery store he goes to, one of the baggers often asks to help him with his groceries to his car and while they're walking, asks for confession. The hot priest agrees to listen and absolves the man amongst the broccoli and butter. This struck me as so interesting. This http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2018/03/grocery-cart-confessional.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-539187652051488296Thu, 03 Aug 2017 21:04:00 +00002017-08-03T17:22:47.942-05:00 As I was getting dressed this morning, getting ready to leave for an audition, NPR told me there was a 50/50 chance of rain. I stood in my kitchen thinking a moment. 50/50. Do I take an umbrella or not? I hate carrying umbrellas. Truly I do. So when the odds are in my favor, I tend to risk it. But this was 50/50. No one's favor. Hmm. "No umbrella!" I boldly declared and off I went. Ninety http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2017/08/5050-chance.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-1575805641344580495Fri, 19 May 2017 00:50:00 +00002017-05-18T20:00:49.373-05:00 Wow. I'm still in shock. Total shock. Just when you think you're safe. Where else are they hiding? I mean I know my liberal bubble is massive. Most if not all of my peeps think Trump is a total freak show, destined to kill us all. I speak almost unequivocably against Trump in mixed company, fairly certain most of the people I speak, meet or like agree with me. Then today. In passing. I mentionhttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2017/05/i-just-met-trump-supporter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-277107182151508458Fri, 31 Mar 2017 00:56:00 +00002017-03-30T20:04:47.700-05:00 is proud to share our new website www.kimschultzimprov.com Please jump over there to see new trainings, pictures, videos and client list. Know someone in HR? Corporate training? Send them my way for a surprise thank you gift! http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2017/03/new-website.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6879735129098805093Fri, 03 Mar 2017 05:42:00 +00002017-03-02T23:43:36.148-06:00 Just finished up speaking at two book clubs in Palm Beach Florida. First of all: Weather? Top notch!                      Host? Top notch!                      Ocean? Top notch! But back to the subject. I was invited to come and speak at two book clubs reading my memoir THREE DAYS IN http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2017/03/holy-fun-book-clubs-batman.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6674893370680716934Wed, 15 Feb 2017 19:48:00 +00002017-02-15T13:48:20.479-06:00iraqiraqilove storymemoirrefugeessyria I'm home. For now. I have spent the last 6 weeks in 5 cities reading signing and speaking about and from my memoir, "Three Days in Damascus" (published by Palewell Press, 2016). What a whirlwind---Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, Washington D.C. and then to London for the UK launch of my book last week. It has been an honor and a joy to share my book across the world, advocating for refugeeshttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2017/02/three-days-in-damascus-book-tour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5612216122206714333Sun, 13 Nov 2016 05:54:00 +00002016-11-12T23:54:20.047-06:00 The day after the election...shell shocked and mournful ...I took the train to go to rehearsal. As I advocate for refugees and Muslims, I am uberaware of what a trump presidency could mean for them. So as I walked across the platform, I saw a Muslim woman wearing a hijab. She looked like she could possibly be an immigrant or refugee. I hesitated a moment but then, realized I needed to talk to http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-morning-after.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5857647055084115764Tue, 08 Nov 2016 04:15:00 +00002016-11-07T22:15:14.466-06:00 This originally appeared on Medium.com after coming oh so close on major papers. Oh well. I still want you to read it! Be smart Tuesday America! ---------------------------- I had tea the other day with my Iraqi refugee friends. I invited them to my local coffee shop. It is a mother and daughter and they both wear the hijab. As we sat at a central table, I noticed they both looked around a http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/11/trumps-view-on-muslims-is-wrong-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-3926889524110118758Fri, 04 Nov 2016 02:43:00 +00002016-11-03T21:43:32.830-05:00 So, I wrote a book. A memoir, in fact. And it launches tomorrow. Big day. Big week. This has been 3 years in the making. 3 years of writing, editing and writing some more. 3 years of looking for an agent, a publisher. 3 years of figuring out how, when, why and how again. 3 years of telling this story that happened during 3 DAYS IN DAMASCUS. I hope you will read it. I hope you will share it. I http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/11/three-days-in-damascus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-450719854072834496Mon, 22 Aug 2016 01:19:00 +00002016-08-21T22:02:39.713-05:00adventurecayennefrench guianahammockjunglemexicosurinametravel Twice in my life now, I have been literally plopped down in the middle of a jungle with no transportation, phone service or guarantee of people to assist before nightfall.  Weird, right? Both times I watched my ride drive off down some dusty road leaving me in oblivion. And both times it was really hot. I mean, really hot. People say I live an adventurous life. I guess they arehttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/08/jungle-reflections.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6762429790836048034Wed, 27 Jul 2016 23:30:00 +00002016-07-27T19:10:59.238-05:00changedeepakdynamic lifeimprovmeditationoprahwisdomyes courage I have been doing a 21-day meditation with my good friends Oprah and Deepak. They sure are nice. We have coffee and chat and then meditate. They have lots of good advice too. I love friends like that. Anywho... ...one of the afternoons I spent with O and D, they said some things I thought I would share with you ---about change. Change is hard. We all hate change. In fact, I just http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/07/change-ahead.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-2200880758166129211Tue, 12 Jul 2016 15:29:00 +00002016-07-12T10:29:49.205-05:00carabinerdeathslidefearfriendshawaiijumpjumpingMauivolcanozip-liningzipping "What a stupid way this is to die." I thought to myself as I squatted at the edge of a ledge in the middle of a jungle, strapped in a harness, tied to one single wire via a pulley---my life dependent on a couple of stoner dudes and a handful of carabiners. "For real. If I die, this is my own stupid fault. I agreed to this. I said yes." (Sometimes living what you preach ain't easy.) I was http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-death-slide.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-7036013439033416092Thu, 30 Jun 2016 16:15:00 +00002016-07-05T11:38:23.555-05:00 I was in a conversation with my friend Deb a few weeks ago and she was discussing her life and the changes she was making to it. Casually she mentioned: "I'm just trying to follow the joy, Kim." I stopped her and made her repeat the phrase. Follow the joy. What a great reminder how to live. I love it. Imagine how happy we would all be if we just would/could follow the joy. Following is http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/06/follow-joy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-1351553865897072883Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:12:00 +00002016-06-27T12:12:26.069-05:00brexitBritainEUfearlighttrumpUKworld I am as shocked as many are with the choice UK citizens made today to leave the EU. Most of my British friends are equally shocked and dismayed. "How could this happen??" We all ask. After listening to hours of NPR and reading more Facebook suggested articles than I should have, it seems to me: no one thought it would happen. The issue wasn't taken as seriously as perhaps it should have been http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/06/open-your-eyes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6853388636222065275Mon, 20 Jun 2016 21:51:00 +00002016-06-27T12:14:32.635-05:00 1. Walk a different hall, drive a different route, take a different path.2. Actually "hear" what is being said to you, not just the words.3. Talk in an accent at Starbucks.4. Speak your truth to someone with whom you haven't been lately.5. Wing something you hadn't intended to wing.6. Do something new every chance you get.7. Close your eyes. Big breath. Open your eyes. Be present.8. Take a risk-http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/06/10-ways-to-improvise-your-day-reboot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6055319889260123325Fri, 20 May 2016 20:06:00 +00002016-05-20T15:07:16.762-05:00 I am in Mexico again running my artist residency. Aside from a cruel bacterial infection that is stopping me from eating all the tacos I want, life is good. I love Mexico. I love the warmth, the sun, the people, the food. Blah, blah, blah, I've written about this before. But there's more I think. Life is slower here. (Truer?) I don't know what it is, really. Culture? Weather? History? http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/05/sitting-in-mexico.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-6580169050973635474Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:34:00 +00002016-05-01T10:33:42.545-05:00 So I went to an audition the other day. And as, I always do, I checked the paper outside the door to see who was in the room. Usually it's a casting director or artistic director, someone with casting power. This is usually a good thing since you came all this way in hopes of getting cast. I was quickly looking at said list of who's in the room and saw it was the intern casting director andhttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/04/intern-vs-interim.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-574602748768603867Thu, 21 Apr 2016 00:09:00 +00002016-04-20T19:10:34.789-05:00listening like an improviser Good improvisors are good listeners. Here's how they (and YOU!) can do it: 1.  Look in the eyes. Engage. 2.  Stop thinking about what you want to say and listen to what is actually being said. 3.  "Yes, and."  Listen and build. Listen and react. 4.  Smile. Give non verbals. Make them look good.  5.  Listen with your full body. Be present. Sometimes http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/04/how-to-listen-like-improviser.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-3590429015281842582Sat, 09 Apr 2016 19:00:00 +00002016-04-10T11:15:24.213-05:00authenticitycoincidencedreamselephantsimprovmanifestationParis The other day, late in the day, I looked in the mirror. I had way too much blush on! What in the world? How did this happen? Why did no one tell me? All day I was wearing this much blush?! I quickly wiped some off. Later that night, I lost my blush brush. Coincidence? I don't think so.  Dun. Dun. Dun! But for realz, I think it's connected. Somehow, in some way. I think it's aaaaaalll http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/04/lets-talk-about-elephant-in-room.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5394679274103273535Wed, 17 Feb 2016 05:23:00 +00002016-02-16T23:23:19.644-06:00artartistcampbellcommunitydanceguanajuatoherojosephjourneymexicoresidencysalmontacosvisual Brand new ARTIST RESIDENCY in Guanajuato Mexico coming in May. All disciplines are welcome! The mission is to create a space for visual, literary and performing artists to be inspired by the Mexican Caribbean or the thriving cultural metropolis of Guanajuato to imagine and develop worthwhile work in their field, while in conversation with the community about diverse art and ideas; thus creatinghttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/02/return-to-guanajuato.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5092841503948726449Sun, 17 Jan 2016 01:24:00 +00002016-01-17T10:50:37.735-06:00 Today. I went out to Berwyn, IL. It was a looong train ride which involved construction, slow trains, missed connections and going the wrong way. Rough commute. I was on my way out to hang some Iraqi refugee art. Which I did. Looking at the art again made me happy, making up for the commute, reminding me of things I want to remember. I haven't seen the art up on walls in a while. It's so http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2016/01/january-15-2016.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-7578010964234257051Mon, 21 Dec 2015 22:56:00 +00002015-12-21T20:58:57.922-06:00communitydarkempathygunsiraqIslamkindnesslightMuslimpolicerefugeesrootssyriatolerancewinter solstice Today is the winter solstice which means it is the shortest day of the year. The longest, darkest night of the winter. Here we are. Sigh. As I write at my desk, overlooking the quiet street below, it is already dark. This happens I guess due to seasons and axis tilt and other things I don't really know about, but the point of it all is that we are in the dark of the dark! And there is only lighthttp://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2015/12/winter-solstice-writing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-3974061143696020356Wed, 25 Nov 2015 06:00:00 +00002015-11-25T00:00:20.711-06:00accountantsauthenticityfailureimprovpowerpointpublicskillsspeakerspeakingspeechstorysuperherotraining I just finished teaching four days of presentation skills through improv and authenticity training. To accountants. Oi. :) They started off skeptical. Completely. Skeptical. "There's a certain way things are done. There's a "company" way of presenting. Who was I to tell them otherwise, anyway?" But my job was to help them be more authentically themselves and use that same newly http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-to-become-office-superhero.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007433795233526587.post-5128865472740819781Tue, 13 Oct 2015 04:23:00 +00002015-10-16T12:35:16.646-05:00acceptanceactorchicagocomedycommittingimprovjoylake michiganNYCyes Improv teaches commit. In order to have a successful scene, one needs to commit fully to where they are and what they are doing. Accept! Accept! Be there for real 100% and then see what happens. Usually funny, truth and the unexpected happens. It's why I love improv. I spent eleven years in New York City without ever really fully committing, truth be told. Sure I had an apartment (several in http://thisauthenticstory.blogspot.com/2015/10/lake-michigan-epiphanies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kim Schultz)2