The best advice I ever received about tackling challenges, believe it or not, was from an article I happened to pick up about improvisational acting.

The article was discussing the two most important words to ensuring that a particular exchange between two or more improv actors is successful. Those two words, which I’ve always tried to keep in mind whenever I felt particularly challenged, were “yes…and?”

The idea, or at least what I took from the article, is that the secret to doing anything well, even those things you’re not quite sure you can handle, is to take what you are given and run with it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea since taking on the editor’s job here at Powhatan Today.

To be perfectly honest – always a good idea in these types of situations – there’s a whole lot I don’t know. The calls and e-mails of encouragement I have received from readers have been wonderful and so very much appreciated, but I would still be lying if I said I didn’t occasionally think about the next few months and the challenges that lie ahead.

Of course, to a certain degree, I am undoubtedly preaching to the choir on this one. After all, anyone who resides in Powhatan County has had to deal with some sort of change over the past few years, whether it be supervisors wrestling with how to manage growth or residents struggling to deal with increased traffic headaches.

Change, as they say, is the only constant. I’d like to make a slight amendment to that: change may be a constant, but so are the growing pains that come along with it.

And this is where the old “yes…and,” comes in most handy.

In the past few weeks I not only changed jobs but I also got married. Since then it has been a challenge to adjust to the responsibilities of a new position, but also just to do little things, like remember to sign my new last name. It has been exciting, but sometimes, I have to admit, just a bit daunting.

Remembering those two words has helped me to look past the occasional falter. This is quite possibly the most exciting opportunity I have ever been presented with — to help shape the future of this community’s newspaper —and I’m looking forward to facing all the challenges that might entail.

On this week’s front page is a story on the work the new supervisors of Powhatan County have ahead of them, and a few of their ideas on how best to handle the issues currently facing the county.

They will have their work cut out for them; Powhatan County is currently wading into uncharted waters in many areas of its growth and development. But judging from the responses we received from the new supervisors, they are ready to dive in.

Growing and changing is never easy, but there really is no other option if a community—or a newspaper, or a person—wants to thrive.

I’d like to wish our readers all the courage and determination they will need to face the challenges, big and small, this coming year.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2008.