Life As Improv By International Hypnosis Federation President, Author, Artist and More Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, PhD
You star in the greatest improvisational event in the world… YOU!
Real life is what is real to you…in the stories you think, believe and create. When you think about it– your whole life is a story you create and step into.
Just as your heartbeat shifts to keep you in circulation, aspects of you shift to meet ever-changing circumstances. Every moment you conjure up stories and it’s up to you to hire, fire or inspire best ways of being. At any age, YOU decide how you portray yourself as child, sibling, student, friend, mate, worker, athlete, artist, parent, teacher, or helper? And YOU modify your behavior to interact with people and pets at home, play and work. Maturity means you decide if you will stubbornly adhere to pre-scripted behavior or shift your perception and actions as you interface with your environment; people, society, and the media.
At an Improv theater, pre-scripted characters are modified on the spot by audience interaction. You too may modify your behavior based on your current environment.
Will you be fearful?
Will you be calm?
Will you question what’s said?
Will you do as you are told?
Or will you stand up and be bold?
MEDICAL IMPROV
MD, PhD, and Hypnotherapist, Wes Rocki says; “When it comes to health, improv reminds you to say ‘yes and’ to what’s happening and gives you a powerful way to embrace better choices for renewal. Creative expression and laughter is, in fact, the best medicine.”
Dr. Rocki trains patients to perform humorous improv skits and take on roles of a self-healer, a virus, and a helpful environment, as they think and act “as if” they’re in the peak of radiant health. “I guide patients to choose the identity of ‘I’ as an embodied Divine-Self who co-creates wellness, peace and joy rather than an actor who plays out a self-imposed identity of a sufferer. When one patient conjured up herself as sickly, she cowered in illness. When she conjured up illness as ‘unreal,’ that old identity dissolved and a true healthy person emerged. She painted a new healthy painting of herself with profound healthy results.”
UNSCRIPTED HILARITY:
Stage and screen actors modify pre-scripted dialogue on the spot. In Nora Ephron's movie, "When Harry Met Sally,” the improvised line, “I’ll have what she’s having” (after Meg Ryan’s ecstatic display) made an indelible cinema moment. And, you may recall, the improvised one-liner in “Jaws” when Roy Scheider, facing the giant shark, says to the rickety boat captain; “You’re gonna’ need a bigger boat!”
Improv games are playful and encourage you to heed your words, be more animated and interact better. Karen Rae Hannah, Prez of the South-Bay based on-line Improv and Humor Toastmasters Club celebrates improv’s “uplifting chance to be silly, laugh out loud, and boost spirits.” Actress Barbara Woo, says, “Improv gives my confidence to use my face and voice to make a lasting impression with casting directors.”
SENSUAL IMPROV
In your world of sensuality, every moment is your opportunity to embrace pleasure that pampers you with gifts. Simply embrace your senses and let them captivate you with self-discovery, pleasure and wellness. Your senses are your allies, as you conduct your sensational symphony.
DR SHELLEY’S IMPROV RULES
Improv is rooted in spontaneous moments with these basic rules.
1. “YES, AND…” The word “YES” invites you to fully listen. It also makes you smile which causes your vagal nerve to release feel good biochemistry. The added “AND” does not make the other wrong and empowers you to confidently add your own two bits.
2. “SHIFT HAPPENS.” Ask yourself; “Have I left space to improvise a better way of thinking and being?” The wise you will answer and point out what you learned and the right action to take. You then easily sit back and enjoy the show you create as the improvisational director, actor and writer.
3. “BE HERE NOW!” What character will you act out on this stage of life? Improv makes your thoughts, actions, and words more flexible. You notice the choices you make from various viewpoints.
4. “IMAGINE THAT!” Your imagination lets you “try out” a style or energy as a realistic or way-out character from another planet. As you “pretend,” you celebrate your creativity which helps you easily go with the flow in any situation. You relieve stress when having fun.
5. “FUN AND GAMES” So ask yourself to improvise best ways of thinking and being then, sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Then celebrate everything as spontaneous joy, growth, deeper connections and upliftment!
HA! THAT’S A LAUGH.
The funnier it gets, the funnier it gets
Your cells remember what your logic forgets
To laugh is to live from the inside out
And that’s what ecstasy is all about!
–Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas
Local Personality, Shelley Stockwell-Nicholas, PhD is a hypnotherapist, mindfulness and NLP trainer, artist and the author of 25 books. She certifies practitioners through the International Hypnosis Federation. You can call her at 310 541-4844.
