Have I taken a risk during a session lately? That is an intriguing question to consider, and as I started to think about risk-taking, in writing and in consulting, I had to think about what that means. To me, it's stepping out of comfortable territory. I think of it this way, because I was trying to recall if I felt I had taken a risk recently. And I have. This is my first semester consulting and I can see myself developing a staid routine. In my mind I follow the same steps, ask similar questions, and make similar comments. Of course each session is individual, and wrapped up in the relationship we as consultants develop with a client, their writing, etc. Despite this, I could see myself getting into a rut. And the problem this has with consulting, is that since all sessions are individual, they should be treated individually. For example, all students have different learning styles, and should be catered to individually. So, I challenged myself. During my last session, when I sensed that my client wasn't grasping my advice in the manner I was relaying it, I tired a different tack. In this case it was use of the "candy" metaphor. This is very different for me, and not a technique I tend to use. And it was successful. I saw my client have an epiphany right before my very eyes. That was exciting. And that is an example of taking a risk during consulting, just trying something new and challenging myself. Has anyone else had a similar experience?