“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” Oprah Winfrey

After I graduated from College, I moved to Los Angeles where I performed in an improvisational sketch comedy troop called, "Live Nude People With Clothes On." No, we were not actually naked, but the concept of being up on stage without any rehearsals or actual story line always felt like we were down to our skivvies.
Improvisational sketch comedy calls for jumping out on stage with a partner or two, getting a suggestion from the audience for a scene, flying by the seat of your pants and making some funny happen. Most of the time, all of this is accomplished, but only if you and your scene partners do not say the word NO. Saying NO means stop.....which in improv, can be deadly to a scene. So, if you decide you are a jelly bean having trouble because Easter is over and everyone is totally sick of you....well, then that's what you are. Your scene partners will support that and cheer you on so the scene can move forward. Basically, an improv stage is the only place on earth full of positive and uplifting relationships.
Unfortunately, when it comes to life beyond the improv stage, many of us are constantly hitting our heads against the great big wall of NO. But what if we surrounded ourselves with that same kind of YES found in improv? That YES that drives us forward and makes us feel supported. The YES that allows us to dream big and take action.
As mothers, we are constantly saying YES to our families, so it can sometimes be hard to say YES to our own needs. But that's why it is so important to have individuals or what I like to call, life scene partners, who lift you up and move you forward. After I had my first child, I was fortunate enough to find my life scene partners in a group of YES women. We support each other no matter what. Basically, if I wanted to be a jelly bean, I know they would give me that extra shove so I could push myself over my own wall of NO. And having their support, always ignites my own YES.
So, surround yourself with YES and throw your noodles! And if you need a little extra shove over the wall, I'm a pretty good nudger :)
Improvisational sketch comedy calls for jumping out on stage with a partner or two, getting a suggestion from the audience for a scene, flying by the seat of your pants and making some funny happen. Most of the time, all of this is accomplished, but only if you and your scene partners do not say the word NO. Saying NO means stop.....which in improv, can be deadly to a scene. So, if you decide you are a jelly bean having trouble because Easter is over and everyone is totally sick of you....well, then that's what you are. Your scene partners will support that and cheer you on so the scene can move forward. Basically, an improv stage is the only place on earth full of positive and uplifting relationships.
Unfortunately, when it comes to life beyond the improv stage, many of us are constantly hitting our heads against the great big wall of NO. But what if we surrounded ourselves with that same kind of YES found in improv? That YES that drives us forward and makes us feel supported. The YES that allows us to dream big and take action.
As mothers, we are constantly saying YES to our families, so it can sometimes be hard to say YES to our own needs. But that's why it is so important to have individuals or what I like to call, life scene partners, who lift you up and move you forward. After I had my first child, I was fortunate enough to find my life scene partners in a group of YES women. We support each other no matter what. Basically, if I wanted to be a jelly bean, I know they would give me that extra shove so I could push myself over my own wall of NO. And having their support, always ignites my own YES.
So, surround yourself with YES and throw your noodles! And if you need a little extra shove over the wall, I'm a pretty good nudger :)