Everyone would agree that court reporters are fascinating people.  Ask anyone on the street.  If you tell a person that you are a court reporter, right away their eyebrows go up, their eyes get big, and the inevitable question comes out, “How do you do it?”  People want to hear our stories and try to figure out how we can write so fast.

The question becomes, how can we be even more interesting than we already are?  I believe stepping outside of one’s comfort zone and shifting is the key.  I wrote a blog last year about change.  “Do people want an interesting, exciting life?”  I know I do.  Here are the steps I plan to take to have the most interesting life ever.

Step #1:  Meet more people.  People give energy.  I can’t wait to see who I get to meet in 2010 and look forward to meeting people who have nothing to do with court reporting.   One of the best parts of our jobs is hearing stories from all walks of life and meeting people from all professions.   I love meeting Rotarians, athletes, business people, and “who knows”?  Sit at a new table the next time you go to a meeting, not with the same people.  (Caution:  Stay away from energy sucks.)

Step #2:  Be spontaneous.  This is one of my favorite steps.  If someone calls and asks you to do something “right now” that sounds fun, go for it. 

Step #3:  Get out of your safety zone.  Try things that you might be a little shy to do.  Take baby steps and keep moving forward.  Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go as well as you thought they might.  You never know where you might end up – it could be something spectacular.

Step #4:  Help other people.  Doing charity work, talking to a lonely person, or playing with a child shifts my energy.  I tend to be a worrywart.  One of the reasons I chose joy to be my goal in 2010, giving joy to others, is because if I concentrate on helping someone else, I forget about my worries and fears, and things seem to be much better than I ever realized.

Step #5:  Try something new.  I like to play “change your fate.”  If I go to a Chinese restaurant and am presented with fortune cookies along with the people I am dining with, I will grab a cookie that is in front of someone else and “change my fate” getting someone else’s fortune.  I know that is a silly example, but I use this mindset for all kinds of choices.  Instead of doing the same thing over and over because it is safe and familiar, do something different.  Make an unusual choice.

Step #6:  Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.  Linda Pool, a reporter in my office, decided to start skipping while she walks her dog in the park.  She is a grown woman skipping around.  Her dog, Walter, was a little confused at first, but decided to go with it.  Linda is one of the most interesting people I have ever met.

As court reporters, sometimes we work, work, work or practice, practice, practice, and forget to look up.  Treat yourself to some fun.  It will make you a better court reporter and ensure a more interesting, exciting life.

rosalie@kramm.com

twitter:  @rosaliekramm