Play = healthier, more prosperous, more creative, and MORE SUCCESSFUL lives

Learn to Play! 

This is a quote from Edwene Gaines, author of The Four Laws of Prosperity.  If you want to be healthier, more prosperous, more creative, more successful, Learn to Play!

Ahhhh....everyone breathe!!!!

Play is so underrated.  It's lighter and more expansive, it has us in a happier mood, more productive, more connecting, and there is a lot of imperative evidence to this function of our humanity.

  In the book 'Play' by Stuart Brown, MD, Founder of the National Institute of Play, former clinical director and chief of psychiatry at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center and an associate professor at the University of California-San Diego, Brown calls play “the single most significant factor in determining our success and happiness,” and he means it. His book is a persuasive argument that play is not some childhood leftover, to be outgrown and discarded, but a lifelong necessity for keeping our brains supple and our relationships vital. 

Who could use more play in your life?

It brings to mind a time when I decided to liven things up with a boyfriend at the time.  We were outside doing 'yard work' - he mowing and I weeding in the flower bed...  I decided to get his attention.  I ran to the garage and there they were -- two beauties.  Water Blasters!!!  I quickly and stealthily went into the house and filled up both.  I thought, what the heck!  It will be more fun than if only one of us has the Blaster filled. 

I found myself back outside...I spotted my victim in the yard going about his mowing business... and then BLAM!  I let him have it.  Of course all heck broke out.  I had left his Blaster on the back deck and before he could get to it...well, let's say I had the upper hand.  Of course I took off running to the front of the house for cover and he right behind me with his Blaster on full force...  Needless to say a 'battle' broke out.  By the time the Blasters were out of water....we were both soaked and both laughing so hard we could hardly speak!  

That was so fun -- just some spontaneous play.  Easy, use what you have, and just go for it!      

Let me know what you do to put more play in your life! 

Unlock Your Creativity and Unleash Your Greatness!

I really get that it is so time for all of us. To own our value, the diamond inside, and give ourselves permission to do it. And to come from your heart!  Do you feel it?

The good news is that we do know of our greatness because it's been there all along. It's generally what we are afraid of being - and to allow ourselves to BE it, DO it, and HAVE it can be daunting. And sometimes the scariest part -- to let others see it. I know this one so well. Playing small and staying in the 'safe' zone is not only stifling, it can get BORING! It's time to stop listening to the well-meaning opinion of others, they are just trying to keep us safe. It's their job. And frankly, what happens is that it only limits our ability to shine our heart light.

It's time for all of us to take FULL responsibility for that light and get it out there. To embrace all of our failings and all that we have not done ... up until now!

I've seen this happen when people take my Improv 4 Life! classes or coach with me. The gifts, creativity, who they REALLY are that has been hiding out, forced down, made wrong for a long time, comes out to play. The curiosity starts to happen about what could this be, what they have known for a long time, and how good it feels starts to take over. The light in their faces and eyes tells the truth.

And if the light is not nurtured, it can go back to sleep. Because the truth is....when we let that light lead the way, it will change your whole life. Then what? Life has been set up around our beliefs and habits. And if all of that changes....

What if you find the key to unlock the door to YOUR heart's desire? Who you came her to be? You wake up and get a glimpse of something that has been dormant for a long time, a part that gives you permission to what's possible? And start tofollow it?

Warning (from personal experience): Once you start on this path, you must continue it! If you try to go back to an old way of being and doing, it's PAINFUL and can create problems in your life.

Where the juice in life is is OUTSIDE the comfort zone. The comfort zone is so overrated. It's living mediocre, 'normal' so you can fit in, restrained and constrained, putting out a dim light.

Does it feel that you have settled, made excuses for, sacrificed your dreams or put your dreams on hold, and given yourself permission to play small?

That gig is over. The time is now to take it all in, to take a stand for your magnficence, and to allow yourself, and to give yourself permssion to SHINE! To wake up to who you really came here to be.

NOTE: Stop listening to other people's small opinion of you! Remember this - the more you get your greatness out in the world, others will try to keep you in the old version of yourself. That's just what people do -- particularly the ones who are close.
That's a mediocre voice speaking....challenging you to go BE who you came here to BE. It's not an easy path. And it's worth it. It's about staying the course, following your heart, and stop making excuses.

This journey is not for whimps! We need people to wake up, come alive, have their hearts open and lit up AND to share their gifts! 

Howard Thurman said“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Welcome to the time to come alive.

The time for waiting is over. The excuses are done, it's time to let our lights shine. To live fully who we came here to be, to be in alignment with our values, to allow that part to get out into the light, be expressed in a way that is totally aligned with what we want to experience, and is the real reason we are here.  And essential to making it happen is to surround ourselves with people who believe in us, see our greatness, and will give us a thumbs up for going for it!

Give yourself the gift of taking action on those dreams. One step starts the journey, the adventure, the bliss. I work with people who really want to discover the gem they have inside and get it out in the world.

To live our bliss there must be action. Get into a class, get a coach, learn Improv, be around people who believe in you more than you do and who are going for their dreams. Be the one to create YOUR life on YOUR terms.

You are the one YOU have been waiting for. What's the risk? What's to lose?

For a free 30 minute Get Your Greatness In Action session, email me at YesToImprov at Gmail dot com.

Here's to a life that you are excited about, one which leaves a legacy and breaks the old paradigm of the way life is 'supposed to be'. Mediocre or Magnificent? You choose.

Be Bold. Be Outrageous. Be Authentic.
Lights! Camera! Action! It's Showtime!
Be the Star of Your Own Show!

BE M.O.R.E. - BE You!

 

 

YOUR Gifts and Talents Needed Now!

What if you chose the path of being a doctor….and if felt you had a choice you would have been an actress??  Or you know that your gifts and talents are in creating and producing a show or better yet being a comedic inspirational speaker?  And you waited until you were in your sixties to go for it?  What  if your brilliance has been screaming at you for years and you have ignored it, trained it to go underground and now you are chronically ill?  Or you have been resisting it for so long that resistance is your default behavior??

Hear’s the Call – It’s now Time to Get Your Gifts and Talents  OUT IN THE WORLD! 

What if you are the gift the world has been waiting for?  What if your brilliance is so needed now?  Your voice is missing from those that are here to hear it?

Today, I'm the Permission Fairy!  I give YOU permission to go for it – to have your heart in charge – to put your life force and vitality at the command of your life!

It's essential that NOW is time!  What are you waiting for?  Life is meant to be fun, to have fun, and to do good work.  Come on...we're waiting!!!

Poof!  You Have Permission Now – Go for it!       

The Power and Brilliance of 4 minutes!

The fourth Rule of Improv is to make everyone look brilliant.  Someone once asked me…does that mean every one, really?  YES … I didn’t say it was easy!

I’m always blown away when I do an exercise with a group to demonstrate this Rule.  And they have always stepped up to the challenge!

I have a few props in the room – hats, feather BOAs (really?), a spray bottle, a cheerleader pom-pom…whatever is handy.

They are divided into groups and given a project.  I grant them the power of being a new product development team.  Their task is to create a product, a commercial and a jingle…in 4 minutes using the Rules of Improv and any prop they need.  Ready…set…go!

Now what transpires in the next 4 minutes is just…..magical.   Their level of energy rises, their aliveness comes up, with lots of laughter, ideas happening, ‘rehearsing’ the jingle… and then.....TIME’s UP!!!

The next piece is to present to the entire group their creation they developed.  What can happen in 4 minutes…how much of all of theirselves they put into it, and how much fun they are having is inspiring. 

This past weekend was another of the Improv 4 Life! Playshops where the group had this experience.  We had a new product called ‘Smile On’ which was a spray that when put into the space of unhappy, frowning faces, turned all of that around and EVERYONE had a role!

Now to apply what happened....What would be possible if existing product and project team used this creative exercise in producing a result??  Is it realistic?  Don’t know… So much of the time, you have been told to be ‘realistic’.  Certainly 4 minutes is ‘not realistic’!  I would ask -- what has being realistic cost you / your work / your life? 

Are you ready to step into your brilliance?  Step into your 4 minutes of creativity and see what happens!

Acknowledge for Results!

YES- to acknowledge someone...is the #1 productivty skill! 

We are in a cultural experience of mostly making each other wrong. Even if delived as 'can I give you some suggestions?'  People are so ready to tell you what's wrong with you, your website, your products, your delivery. 

A few years ago I attended some training in Austin, Texas that changed my life.  Part of the information was about the power of acknowledgement to the receiver and to the giver.  AND there was a formula for the transformational power of acknowledgement.  Acknowledge 9 times before making a request.  What? 9 times?  Really?  Yes!

In this context, acknowledgement is what someone did or the results they achieved.  It's not things like... Thanks so much or great job.  It's specific and it's directed to the person.  You got those changes made to your website.  Great job!  or Wow - your picture with that purple BOA sure has a big smile on your face! 

It's about the facts.   Not the criticism, which we so want to deliver.  And why is that?  Years of training in the culture we happen to find ourselves in.

My recommendation to set yourself apart, create different connections with people, and to truly be more present and observant with people is to increase the number of times you acknowledge someone first.  See what happens with them!

Then make a request.

SHIFT your relationship with your grown kids!

And what is it that would work there, may I ask??

I do thank you for asking!  It gets pretty simple, and I know it seems to be a complex topic.

If you are having communication issues or just want something for them that they seem to be 'missing', then listen up!

I just had this experience with a woman who came to a networking event where I was the featured speaker (love that!).  She volunteered for a role play I do when someone is having problems with a particular person in their life.

The issue:  Her daugher seemed to be 'lacking' in self confidence and the woman felt she could really 'help' her daugher out.  (ouch!)  Mind you, the daughter is grown, living in another city, with a child around 4 years old.

Role Play 1: 
  Woman (on the phone with said daughter):  Oh, Sara, I really feel like I could help you a lot with your self confidence issues.  Why don't you let me come down and help you?

  Sara:  Oh Mom, you always want to help me.  I'm fine and I'm really busy right now so I don't see when it would be a good time for you to come down!

Ooops....

Role Play 2:  (I have just put a feather BOA around her shoulders...a purple one!  Now, the woman is twirling the BOA around, her body has relaxed, she is smiling and having fun...the audience is responding to her..)

  Woman:  Sara, honey!  How are you???  I am so happy to get you on the phone...  Hey, I was thinking...  I'm free on Tuesday and would love to see you and Mikey.  I'll just come on in for a short visit, we'll all go to the movies, get an ice cream, just have fun!  What do ya say??

   Sara:  Wow, Mom!  That would be fantastic!  I know Mikey is missing you and I'd love for us to just go have fun!       

Holy Cow!  What a difference a few feathers made.  And I heard that she did try this with her daughter AND got such a different response, much like the role play!

Moral to the story:  Even in situations where you think 'it is never going to change', the key component is YOU and YOUR willingness to try something different....like putting on a purple feather BOA and seeing if your communication and connection can SHIFT!!!!

Remember...if you want things to change...SHIFT one thing!    

Improv is THE Best Tool During Times of Change

I believe the best question is ‘what isn’t changing’?  Everything seems to be, or is it me? 

The world events, the earth changes, jobs / no jobs, business climate, ways of doing business, expansion of people’s awareness of themselves, and how we can truly create our lives.

It’s been my experience in building my business here in Santa Fe, that the Rules of Improv which I have been a fan of for over 10 years, have assisted me immensely to create the rockin’ great business and life I have today – and I’ve only been here a mere 7 months!

Being a ‘YES…and’ to people and places and ideas.  From where to live to where to shop to where to network, and what events to attend (and there are TONS of those here)!  ‘YES…and’ is a healer of lives in my book.  It has helped me coach people, coach myself and kept me open to options for everything.

Being In the Moment has kept me grounded with everything new and different in my life.  New city, new state, new friends, new way of living.  New, new, new.  Be careful what you ask for because you may just get it!  May you life in interesting times!  Sheesh!  I have always loved change, and at one point even had a job as a ‘change manangement consultant’ in a big Fortune 100 company.  I’m a Gemini for crying out loud.  And boy, did I get it.  And honestly….I do love it.  I’m thirving!  Moment to moment is how my life is being created now. 

Being a Character is always fun for me.  I have a character I love called ‘Flo’, and she’s the head waitress at the Tasty Freeze in Waco, Tx.  She’s brassy, funny, and always full of love for everyone.  I always love to go into the ‘Flo’ voice and character.  She has assisted me hugely in adjusting to my new life.  She’s even now appeared in teleclasses aired globally, which I am very proud of her for!

Making everyone look brilliant.  Ahhhh…the one everyone else loves!  The hard one for me and others.  What?  Make everyone else look brilliant?  Even when what they said was just stuuuuuuuuuuupppppid???  Yes.  Even then.  More than ever, even then.  Who am I to judge what is and is not brilliant?  Tough one for sure.  We’ve been trained to give each other ‘constructive criticsim’.  Arrrggghh.  There is no such thing – constructive or not, it’s about making someone else WRONG!!!!  This is a highly valued skill for relationship building.  We can do a whole week long role play intensive on this one!

There may be something to this.  I think there is.  By jove, I believe you’ve got it!  Rock your Business with Improv!  Gotta go….another workshop is brewing!!!