Showing Up

Today I want to tell you about a little thing I learned doing improv theatre.

Imagine you’ve signed up for an improv class. You’re there, sitting in the audience. A little confused yet excited. Suddenly you hear your name being said. It’s your turn to get up on stage to play a little scene with someone. Your mind freezes. You’re like: “I don’t have any ideas…What am I supposed to do? I’m not a very creative person…” While your mind keeps chattering you get up. You calmly walk up until you’re standing there for everyone to see. Bare as you are in that moment. There’s another person standing next to you – equally clueless about what’s going to happen with and betwen the two of you. Then you enter into a state of silence. Your mind turns off. Your senses heighten. You can feel your blood rushing through your body, your heart pounding. You can hear all the little noises in the room You see the people, their attention resting upon you expectantly. There is a great opulence, but also an equally great emtpiness. Out of this emptiness it happens…

When I started doing improv it wasn’t like that at all. I felt blocked a lot of the time. Anxious. Questioning myself. Unsure of myself. Hesitant. But there is one thing that my amazing teacher Silke taught me which has really stuck with me in all aspects of my life:

• Show up. Step in there. Even if you have no idea about what you are going to do or what is going to happen. Trust and take the first step. Everything else is sure to follow.

It’s the same principle I use for writing these articles. Most of the time I do not know what to write about. But I sit down with my pen and journal. I set aside time. I put the pen to the paper and write the date. I am open and receptive to whatever comes. Trusting and taking the first step lays the foundation for what’s to come – to come around you and through you. It sets the frame in which experience can manifest. If you are here reading this please do me a favor. The next time you feel doubtful or unsure – just take that first step, with faith. Even if your knees are shaking and your palms are sweating. I promise you – something is going to happen. And it’s going to be beautiful. Have an amazing day.