Just a few years again, I attended my good friend Nick’s blowout fortieth celebration.
As a part of the celebration, he employed an improv comedian, and we all needed to take part in studying improv comedy.
(I simply felt the collective shiver of all of the introverts studying this article).
We began tossing out enjoyable situations and scenes to take part in, and we discovered about an important rule of Improv: “Sure and.”
Two easy phrases, and the muse for all of improv comedy:
Every time anyone comes up with a scene, sentence, or scenario, the ONLY acceptable response is: “sure and”
- Sure: Acceptance! I settle for and acknowledge that regardless of the scenario is, regardless of how absurd, to be true.
- And: construct! Like a tennis match, after your improv accomplice hits the ball to you, your job is to hit it again! Constructing on the scenario or scene.
For instance, in case your improv accomplice says, “I’m an area pirate” your response could possibly be:
- “Sure, and I’m the house police, you’re beneath arrest!”
- “Sure, and I’m a primary mate searching for a brand new crew, that is good!”
- “Sure, and my title is Captain Hook, welcome to Pirates Nameless.”
The “sure and” rule is so essential, as a result of there’s nothing worse than a nasty improv accomplice!
Type of like Liam Neeson in this quick sketch with Ricky Gervais, (I giggle each time):
The Sure And Rule for Life
As a former overachieving “gifted youngster” who has fairly the damaging internal critic, I’ve labored laborious on incorporating “sure and” into my life.
The “sure” half is constructed round acceptance, which is one thing I’ve spent the previous two years working to embrace.
Try my previous essays on Acceptance and Wabi Sabi for extra.
It’s the “and” half I’ve targeted on currently.
As Dr. Kristen Neff factors out on in her e book Self-compassion, life is complicated and so are people:
“Judgment defines individuals as dangerous versus good and tries to seize their important nature with simplistic labels.
Discriminating knowledge acknowledges complexity and ambiguity.”
Nothing is ever so simple as it appears. Issues are by no means pretty much as good or dangerous as our brains assume they’re both.
So regardless of the voice in our heads that wishes to guage every thing in black-or-white, yes-or-no, good-or-bad phrases… We should do not forget that life is a superbly sophisticated mess.
Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald as soon as stated:
The check of a first-rate intelligence is the flexibility to carry two opposed concepts within the thoughts on the identical time, and nonetheless retain the flexibility to perform.
One ought to, for instance, be capable to see that issues are hopeless and but be decided to make them in any other case.
That is my activity for you right now.
Is there part of your life that feels black-or-white, and as an alternative may use a little bit of complexity?
Nothing is so simple as it appears.
Life is tough, and alter is tough. AND you’re a very good one who’s making an attempt.
Which implies there’s hope. And hope is the warrior emotion.
Additionally, please go watch that Liam Neeson skit.
You’re welcome.
-Steve
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