Thursday, April 11, 2013

Rules Of Improvisation

My sister gave me the audiobook of Tina Fey's Bossypants.  I loved it and shared it with my daughter and a friend, who enjoyed it as well.  Before I listened to Tina Fey's story I couldn't get into her most recent TV show 30 Rock, but afterward I watched all the seasons that are on Netflix.  It all made much more sense once I knew her background.

There was one particular part of her book that has stayed with me.  I listened to it several times and took notes.  Tina shares her Rules of Improvisation, which also work for life in general.

1)  Agree and say "yes."  Respect what your partner has created and stay open minded.
[When you are working with someone, agree with their premise.]

2)  Say "yes AND."  Don't be afraid to contribute; your contributions are worthwhile.  Add something of your own to the discussion.
[The AND is when you say something that moves the interaction forward.]

3)  Make statements with your actions and voice.  Be part of the solution.
[Be confident.  Do not use an apologetic tone.]

4)  There are no mistakes, only opportunities, aka beautiful happy accidents.
[This is true when you take advantage of whatever happens.]

These are good, common sense guidelines.  Long ago I learned to say "yes" if given a choice, and I have never been sorry. There is a way to answer most questions with "yes," as long as the conversation continues to allow for clarification and flexibility.  I can talk to just about anyone because I can always find a way to extend the conversation; I am sincerely interested in what other people have to say.  I make a point to not raise my voice at the end of a statement because then it sounds like a question, and that defeats the point of making a statement.

If I look at life as an improvisation, the one rule I have trouble with is to see "mistakes" as opportunities.  I would expand that to decisions that made sense at the time they were made but have not panned out.  Maybe there are no clear answers.  Maybe one thing leads to another and it's hard to know what's connected, where the "mistake" ends and opportunity begins. 

This week I have to remind myself to keep breathing.  It's hard to see how anything fits together or where my place is in the scheme of things.

Just breathe.... 

3 comments:

RURAL said...

Very interesting words to ponder..

I like your take on it, and I like TinaFeys'...obviously I am going to have to read the book.

Wonder why none of us figure this out when we are young? LOL.

Jen

Helen said...

You are so correct – often clear answers to our questions or pathway do not exist. The upside – decisions (most of them anyway) can be changed if we find our chosen opportunity isn't working. Not easy or optimal or what we want to face after having made a decision.

B R E A T H E as you reflect and fit pieces together. Like the elusive jigsaw puzzle piece that evades you for days yet, when found, was right in front of you all the time; your "AHA moment" will come.

Carolynn Anctil said...

I'm in favour of saying Yes too. It provides for so much more to come into our lives. I feel like I'm in the midst of some sort of transition, right now. Can't quite make sense of it yet, but something's going on. Breathing is good.