Hello Loyal Laughers,
During the past couple of weeks, I had the great honor of presenting several interactive workshops for a branch of folks through the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, which, as you can imagine, handles a lot of life’s toughest topics for the well-being of Idaho residents.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from applying improv skills into my everyday life is HOW to use “YES” as an acceptance and an acknowledgement tool, particularly when you do NOT agree with someone or something.
It’s EASY to say “Yes” to things that you agree with, that you want to do, or that you enjoy. It’s a game-changer when you use “Yes” as a way to allow various opinions to exist and accept that there are different ways of doing things.
Just like with holidays – St. Patrick’s Day, for example. What percent Irish are we all, if any? Is everyone who is wearing green today actually celebrating that this fella supposedly brought Christianity to Ireland a few centuries ago or do they just wanna score a kiss and drink green beer? Who knows? WHO CARES? You’re either donning sparkly shamrock accessories today or you’re not.
It’s not as easy with every topic to just say “live and let live!”
We all come from wildly different backgrounds, are born into an array of circumstances, and are immersed from the moment we exit the womb by people and things that influence our lives, for better or worse.
Pausing to consider how we can learn from each other and lovingly level the playing field through a simple tool of acknowledgment can be incredibly empowering and create a safe space to explore possibilities for collaboration instead of deciding who is more superior on a topic.
“Yes, And” opens you up for the chance to truly HEAR someone and show a willingness to believe that there are other viewpoints that are just as valid as yours.
There’s room for better understanding, connection, and healing when approaching it with the acknowledgment of “YES. I hear you. Thank you for sharing. And, we can both have different opinions, and be respectful of each other.”
Follow along for more simple tips of improv for everyday life.
Creating Happier Healthier Human Connections Through Humor,
Megan McCaleb
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