If you’ve ever partaken in theatre, improv, or film, you may be familiar with “Yes, And…”

The notion is used in improvised situations as a foundation to allow the performers the best and most building blocks to pull from to forward and create the scene. It means to accept and add to whatever offer you were given.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to maintain momentum in a scene; for instance, if you went on stage and said “the sky sure is gloomy today,” and your co-performer said “no it’s not,” that will be difficult for you to continue off of. However, if they said, “it’s probably due to the skywriter reciting The Hobbit word for word,” suddenly, you have somewhere to go with the information you were given in response. 

The idea is to create together; to find the story, the environment, the obstacles, and the elements. The goal is to build off of the prompts you’re offered and to gift your partner with prompts they can seamlessly build off of, too.

While it’s a practice common in the arts, today I want you to implement the concept into your day. You likely won’t be playing make-believe with the people you engage with throughout your day, but that foundation still can play a valuable role in your daily conversations. Today, I want you to see how often you can use the “Yes, And…” Practice as you enter every interaction the day brings. When you’re greeted by the clerk at the gas station, or in a conversation with a friend, or hearing about a coworker’s day, look for opportunities to accept and build. Listen to what they have to say, and whenever an opportunity arises, mindfully acknowledge their words and then add something else to their phrases. See where your conversations lead today when you try out this practice…

Pigs Fly Here.

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