YES, AND!
Been thinking about this phrase a lot lately . . .
Many of you may not know that I did improv for quite a few years and I loved it. It was purely recreational for me, a way to have fun, meet new people, and get creative.
And it brought SO MUCH to my life: it helped me release “perfectionism,” it taught me how to stay present more, it helped me be more empathetic and listen better, and it also introduced the concept of “Yes, and . . .” to me.
For those of you not familiar, the concept of “yes, and” is foundational to improv. It means that when your improv partner offers you a scenario, you respond with something that affirms their offer and builds off of it.
For example, if you’re in a scene together and your partner says, “Hey Samantha, pretty awesome space-ship you just built there!” you might say, “Yeah, can you believe I ordered it on Etsy and it only took 2 hours to build? Want to take a ride?” Your partner would then “yes and” you back and say, “Yes, that’s sounds like a great idea! Do you have any bike helmets?”
You see where I’m going . . . What you don’t say is “But my name isn’t Samantha” or “What space ship?” or anything else that blocks the offer.
So where am I going with this and how does it relate to health and wellness?
We can embrace the “YES, AND” concept in so many ways:
* YES I can be an effective _________ (progressive leader, teacher, nurse, parent . . .you fill in the blank) AND prioritize my health and well-being.
* YES I can eat nutrient-dense foods most of the time AND enjoy special treats now and then.
* YES I am able to love and appreciate my body AND want to make healthy shifts and changes.
These are just a few ideas to get you thinking!
“YES AND” gets us out of perfectionism or “black and white” or “all or nothing” thinking. It embraces possibility and nuance. It builds on successes and taps into our creativity.
What’s a “YES, AND” that you are practicing right now? Would love to hear!