Think about where you were and what you were doing exactly one year ago.  Did you know then what you would be doing right now?  Did you know then what life was going to bring your way in the last 12 months?

Maybe you had an inkling.  Or you set some intentions so you had a rough idea of what you were hoping you’d be doing and where you’d be on the journey of life right now.

But for the most part, we have no way of predicting with clarity exactly what life will hold.  Let me speak for myself anyway – I generally have no idea what I’m going to be doing a year from now.  Yes, I have a plan.  Yes, I set intentions.  And when I launch those intentions out into the Universe I always add “This or something better.”  I’m open in my life to those things that are nowhere on my horizon right now.  I’ve come to love those things – those people – those possibilities – that I can’t image in this moment.

Let me give you an example. I’d just finished my swim at Kits Beach Pool on Saturday late afternoon and was contemplating leftovers.  Checked my phone and there’s an invite to dinner.

Everyday I read something or get a call or email from someone that takes me to an idea, a website, a possibility that wasn’t on the horizon at all before that moment.  And here’s the thing, I want to fully step into those moments.  I want to say yes to those moments. I wanted to say YES to dinner but….

Sometimes the voices of NO are way louder than the voices of YES.  Now sometimes a NO truly is a NO.  But sometimes, and for me often times, the NO is accompanied by the voices of

• I can’t do that.
• Not possible.
• I don’t have experience or the skills.
• I’m scared.
• I’m not creative enough.
• I’m not ________ enough.  Submit your descriptor here! 

In other words the NO is accompanied by some form of resistance.  Sure that resistance is my friend – its trying to keep me safe – but gall darn it – what if that resistance is starting to hold me back?

 

In my dinner example, the first voices, when I received the invitation were:

• I’m in yoga pants and my hair is wet – I’m not dressed for a dinner.
• I don’t have anything with me.  I’ll be showing up empty handed.
• I don’t know these people that well.  
• The text came in over an hour ago.  They’ve probably already started.

I stepped in guided by the principles of improvisational theatre or “improv”.  I expressed some of my fears to my potential host.  She said come, just come.  So I showed up empty handed with wet hair and yoga pants.  Met new people.  Had a great time!  Life gave me an offer, or a gift as it is often referred to in improv, and I said YES to it.

If you’d like to learn more about the principles of improv and how you can use them purposefully to live more fully in your life – to say YES to the possibilities that come along – come play with me in Douglas Park in Vancouver this August.  For four consecutive Thursday evenings I’ll be sharing the principles of improv, we’ll be playing some improv games, we’ll be relating it to life, and we’ll be having FUN!  I’ll be teaching a more formal workshop on this in September, and for now, come discover and have fun.  Say YES – to one evening or all four!  Notice any resistance and come anyway.  When you started reading this blog you didn’t know you’d be doing improv in Douglas Park in August…

Details of the August Improv in the Park available here…