Just Start: The Power in Taking the First Step

by Marya Patrice Sherron

I never planned to play Surviving Bloomington: Season 7. Like many moments that change everything, it wasn’t part of the plan. Someone dropped. I got the call. And when I heard the funds raised would be donated to a local homeless shelter, the answer was yes. No hesitation. Just, "Yes."

That game cracked something open in me.

It was hard. It was gritty. I left with an injury that took months to heal. It hurt—body, mind, heart. I cried. I wrestled with self-doubt. But it was also powerful in a way I couldn't fully explain. Deeply human. It reminded me of who I am. It challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. And it changed the way I saw what these games could do.

It wasn’t just a game. It was growth. It was transformation. It was a glimpse of something so rare—people being fully themselves and still fully connected. There was purpose. There was community. There was truth. And I came home knowing that more people needed to experience this.

More people needed to know what it feels like to be seen, stretched, supported, and surrounded. To feel part of something bigger than themselves. I knew there was a story here, and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible.

So I spoke it out loud.

I reached out to a few friends from the LRG community and asked what they thought of my wild and audacious, heartfelt idea. To my surprise—and not surprise at all—they showed up. Creators. Players. Thinkers. Dreamers. Leaders.

One conversation led to another. One idea sparked another. And before long, we were building something together.

We now call ourselves The Table.

It’s more than a name. It’s a space where everyone brings something—vision, skills, stories, passion, strategy. And we all leave with more than we came with. That’s how this started: not with a perfect plan, but with people brave enough to dream and bold enough to say yes.

Beginnings are always humble.

Before anyone called them Live Reality Games, someone somewhere just said, “Let’s play.” That’s how this movement began. One game led to another. Then another. Until what started in backyards now spans the country—and beyond.

That’s the lesson I carry. That’s the invitation I offer. Dream big. Believe in yourself. Speak your ideas out loud. Give them breath. Give them life. Trust that the right people—those who see what you see and believe in it too—will find their way to you. They always do.

The best way to start is to start.

One word at a time. One step at a time. One game at a time. One season at a time. One lesson at a time. One day at a time.

Just start.