There is a concept in improvisational (โimprovโ) comedy called โyes, and.โ
Basically, you immediately accept any statement or thought that comes your way (โYesโ) and then you add something new (โandโ). On stage it would sound like this:
Actor A: โI love your new big red and white shoes!โ
Actor B: โYes, and I just took up clowning.โ
This has been a useful tool for famous comedians such as Melissa McCarthy or Will Ferrell who trained in using improv as a vehicle for creating comedy. Improv teaches actors to stay in the here and now and use non-judgment towards themselves and their fellow actors.
When these techniques are used correctly, the actors are allowed to enjoy whatever senseless, silly, and beautiful moments occur, because they are not blocking each otherโs ideas but instead move forward in the scene.
“Yes And’ing” to Treat Anxious Thinking Patterns
Fortunately, you donโt need to be a famous comedian like Melissa McCarthy to use these techniques in your day-to-day life. In fact, these skills can be therapeutic for many people struggling with anxious and fearful thinking patterns. Saying โyes, andโ can be a great way to break through the barriers of anxiety. What can fuel anxiety? Fear. What can eliminate anxiety? Non-judgment.
Hereโs how it works: Letโs think of an individual who is afraid to talk to or meet new people. They may have any or all of the following anxious thoughts:
- โIโm worried I wonโt know what to say when I meet someone new.โ
- โIโm afraid the new person I meet will think Iโm weird.โ
- โIโm scared the person I meet wonโt like what I have to say.โ
Now letโs picture that the same individual uses the improv concepts when thinking about meeting someone new.
- โIโm worried I wonโt know what to say. Yes, and then Iโll say, โI donโt know what to say.โโ
- โIโm afraid they will think Iโm weird. Yes, and Iโm going to have a conversation anyway.โ
- โIโm scared the person wonโt like what I say. Yes, and Iโm going to say the first thing that comes to my mind, like, โapple bottom jeans.โโ
If they say โapple bottom jeans,โ will their head explode? No.
Will the other person look at them funny? Yes maybe, and then they will probably laugh with the other person and now they have an inside joke.
These skills help keep us in the moment, similar to a mindfulness practice. They help us realize that the worst thing that can happen is not always that bad. They help us get out of our heads with thoughts like โI shouldโ or โI wonโt knowโ or โI canโt.โ Thoughts similar to these only block us and donโt help anyone move forward. When we listen to them we are no longer present with ourselves and the people around us.
Anxious Thoughts Rarely Appear in the “Now”
When we have anxious thoughts they usually occur with past or future tenses. There is usually no real threat or danger and we keep growing the same fears. Before we know it, we are frozen in our own thoughts or we are running away from experiencing our lives to the fullest.
The limbic system within our brain is activated and there are steroid hormones firing at full capacity. Minutes or hours later we are exhausted and canโt find the energy to take care of ourselves.
I propose that we work towards saving this energy for situations in which there is a real danger or threat, and take appropriate action. And when we are stuck in our repetitive anxious thoughts with fake or perceived threats we use these simple and effective improv techniques as a vehicle to create a different story. To help remind us to live in the moment and appreciate that we have the ability to shift our thinking by saying โYes, andโฆ.โ
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Russell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) at Well Clinic. She is passionate about assisting people gain awareness of their own individual creativity in life.