Happy New Year - Time to Quit

Happy New Year. A time to assess, reflect and move onward and upward!

I'm not one for New Years Resolutions but, today on January 2, after a great weekend with friends and family, I asked myself these three questions that I've learned from the business world but, also, these are the basis of good theatre! All director's notes are a combination of these! 

1. What are you going to STOP doing in 2023?

2. What are you going to START doing in 2023?

3. What are you going to KEEP doing in 2023?

I wrote the answers in my journal/calendar and I'm taking action to do them!

Everyone will have a different STOP, START and KEEP. 

Feel free to share yours here! 

Start Talking!

Whenever I teach an improv for non-actors class, I always begin a new session asking, "What do you hope to accomplish? Why did you take this class?"

This is what I hear, over and over:

I want to have an easier time talking to people  -OR - I want to feel more comfortable around other people . . .

That is a GREAT reason to take practice improv!

Notice, I used the word "practice" because, like anything, you HAVE to DO something over and over and over and over and over (and over!) before you feel comfortable.

In the safe environment of improv class I lead a "CONVERSATION EXERCISE" that we practice weekly. I also send my students out into the world and ask them to strike up a conversation with someone they barely know. I challenge them to find that person they see-often-but-don't-know sitting alone at church; or at the PTA meeting; or in the break room at work and strike up a conversation.

Here are my conversation TIPS:

1. Keep it positive and light.

2. Observe body language, make sure the other person LOOKS open to a conversation (i.e. they're not busy juggling papers or kids or texting someone, etc).

3. Make statements (questions put the responsibility of the conversation onto the OTHER person).

4. LISTEN to what the other person says and comment on THAT.

5. Conclude the conversation at a natural stopping point.

FIND an opportunity to practice! That person in the break room at work who is standing alone, waiting for their microwave meal to "cook"? START TALKING to that person! Make a positive comment, "You're so smart to bring your lunch. I need to remember to do that more often."

If they just grunt at you, move ON.

If they reply, then keep the conversation going with statements ON TOPIC until their meal is cooked and then end the conversation with a, "Have a great day." or "It was great talking with you."

Try it. I hope you are surprised to find that you can learn a lot about people and build empathy and rapport by just opening your mouth when the situation presents itself!!

It might feel uncomfortable at first but -face it- it isn't any MORE uncomfortable than sitting in uneasy silence in a conference room with one other person, waiting for a meeting to start!!

All The Time and Money You Need

What are your dreams/goals? What would you do if you had all the time in the world to achieve your dreams? What would you do if you had all the money in the world to achieve your dreams?

Is it really money or time stopping you? What would you do if you BEHAVED as IF you had all the time and money you needed to achieve your dreams? Most people think they don't have the time or money to start their dreams.

I think there's a great power in just starting something. In just taking that first step. I have many friends who went to college in their later years and started new careers. Those heroes of mine realized that the time would pass anyway and so they just began; when they became committed, they solved the money part, too.

A lot of businesses spend a TON of time planning things. But, all the planning in the world cannot predict the future. Cannot predict what will happen next. Amazing things happen in our lives and horrible things happen in our lives. The only thing that is certain is to hold on to a vision and BEGIN to work towards it.

When I asked "If you had enough time/money, what would you do" on Facebook a year or so ago, the people who responded had very simple and lovely dreams, I got answers like:
I'd have a vegetable garden
I'd exercise more
I'd write a book

Those things are SO achievable in my mind, but in the mind of my respondents, they weren't. They were paralyzed and couldn't begin; couldn't start. When you look at those goals, think of how YOU would begin them . . . the funny thing is, as I look at those, just 15 minutes a day could make a difference. Weeding and planting for 15 minutes before or after work daily would start a garden. Exercising 15 minutes before or after work; walking on break -or lunch would start an exercise plan. Writing for 15 minutes a day would start a book. It's NOT really time and money that you need, it is just that you need to begin,  you need to start working toward your dream today . . .

I'm a huge fan of Jon Acuff and he's just launched his "START" book. Here's a little video that might inspire you today to start working on your dream: