Hope and Courage For Navigating The New Through Improv
As we step into the larger world after a challenging year of change imposed on us by rapidly shifting social realities, we have all been improvisers on the stage of life for many months, innovating solutions to problems on the fly and crafting our days without the familiar structures. As dark and difficult as these days have been, being forced to do things in an entirely new way can lead to sometimes startling discoveries. This is something we can train ourselves to look for, a practice for which improv training is uniquely powerful. Research shows that the philosophy and creative experiences available through improv games and exercises are an immediately useful and positive approach to navigating the unknown without being derailed by the stress response. And they come with the additional — and absolutely essential — bonus of being a ton of fun.
We create the future by choices made in the now. Improv is a direct experience of living in the now while we tap our own existing inner resources and gifts as well as those of others with whom we interact. Without a script, set, or prepared plan, improvisers enter into a dynamic space to create something entirely new in that moment. While it is designed to be an unplanned and unpredictable experience, improv is hardly an “anything goes” “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” operation. Like any game, there are forms and skills that guide the interaction, and within those forms a dynamic uncertainty that parallels real life situations where decisions must be made moment to moment. Anyone can learn these skills, which studies show can strengthen our tolerance for uncertainty, boost creative thinking abilities and enhance well-being, all at the same time.
The principle of “yes…and” is the cornerstone of the improviser’s toolkit, the willingness to play with and elevate others’ ideas in the hope of discovering something together. With practice, the improviser’s mindset and toolkit become more accessible when responding under pressure, whether that is in the creative space of an improv scene or in real life scenarios. Properly designed improv experiences deliver a steady stream of joy and fun at the same time that we work the psychological “muscles” needed to engage in them, through which we gain new approaches to navigating the unknown. Because of its grounding in the spirit of “yes” — which is designed to bypass the internal editor that constantly judges and analyzes our own and others’ behavior -we can learn to notice and be more receptive to ideas we might otherwise reject because they are too far outside our comfort/safety zone.
The sense of immediacy and joy of improv has a galvanizing and powerful impact on our capacity to embrace new ideas. The dimension of fun and interest can be so compelling that it overcomes the discomfort of going down previously untried paths. Creative experiences redirect our attention away from needing to know what will happen next and toward having a full-bodied response to the present moment.
We can hope for better days ahead, a hope we realize through improv-ing our capacity for creativity and courage.
Jude Treder-Wolff, LCSW, CGP, CPAI is President of Lifestage, Inc, which designs and delivers creative personal and professional development classes and workshops and storytelling show.
