Saying 'Yes, and...' to Life

This morning I read an interesting NPR article called "How to Apply the Rules of Improv to Everyday Life". The article cited a study that found that people who practice improv experience reduced anxiety, increased creativity, and an increased tolerance for uncertainty.

I have always loved doing improv. As a teen I would often go to watch theatre sports at the Improv Centre in Vancouver, BC. My friends and I would also get together and play theatre sports for fun. This article got me thinking about how well some of the principles of Improv align with New Thought principles.

The first rule of improv is "Yes, and…". Basically this means that when a suggestion is given by one actor on stage, the other actors must agree with that suggestion and then build on it. This allows the actors to create a synergy between them and it keeps the creativity flowing. If one of the actors were to shut down or dismiss a suggestion, the creative flow would be stopped and the skit would fall flat.

I am currently facing a challenging situation. I have taken time to observe myself as I navigate the experience and I have noticed that my stress and suffering actually have less to do with the event and much more to do with my resistance to the event.

I have spent a lot of time wishing that the situation hadn't happened; that it would just go away; or that I could turn back time and do something to avoid the situation from ever happening. I allowed these thoughts of resistance to swirl around in my head and amplify my feelings of frustration and sadness. Can you relate?

While I am not sure I'll ever jump for joy about this situation, when I release resistance and make peace with it my suffering is reduced and I am much better able to respond constructively and creatively. A year or two from now this will have long been resolved and it will be nothing more than a distant memory. I am really the one who has control right now over how much suffering I experience.

New Thought author, Ernest Holmes, teaches that we should turn away from unpleasant conditions in order to focus on the vision of what we would like to experience. I don't believe that Holmes meant that people should deny their circumstances. Instead, I think he was suggesting that we should maintain a state of non-resistance. We should say "Yes, and…." to life. We can then create a vision of what we would like to experience and insert that after the "and…".

When we don't resist what is happening, we are free to create a clear vision of the alternative we would like to experience. And then, because we aren't bogged down by the stress and suffering from our resistance, we are open to seeing creative solutions and opportunities that help bring about our new vision.

Saying "Yes, and…" to the current challenge I am facing has allowed me to be open to possibilities. I was able to remember that I am not in this alone. I was reminded of the amazing people I am blessed to have in my life. I have reached out and asked for help and I have received support from some beautiful, wise, and generous folks. I have started to see possible solutions that I hadn't been able to see before. I feel freer and much more open to possibility. And most importantly, I am no longer causing my own suffering.

Do you have anything going on in your life that you might be resisting? A health concern? A challenging relationship? Apprehension about the holidays? If so, what would happen if you said "Yes, and…" to it? Pehaps you could experiment with non-resistance and maybe you will also feel some relief and freedom. If you do give this a try, I'd love to hear about your experience (amanda.csln@gmail.com).

Peace and many blessings,

Amanda

PS: Derek and I are delighted to be offering weekly 'Meditation Made Easy' sessions Tuesdays from 12:10 - 12:50pm at the Nanaimo Harbourfront branch of the library. We would love for you to join us!