Yes And
“Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterwards.”
I do not believe I have ever mentioned this on this blog, but I do improv. I get a suggestion and then make up a scene with another performer. I love it. Improv is one of the most fun things I have ever done. I believe everyone who tries improv can walk away with some skill that applies to their real life. If there is one thing you can learn from improv, it is to “yes and…”
The primary rule of improv is: “Yes and…” The idea behind “Yes and…” is accept and build on what has been given to you. If you are doing a scene with someone and they introduce a new element, you are expected to accept it and build upon it. A perfect example of this is the 13th episode of Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza, when Drew Carey and Colin Mochrie were playing Playbook , Drew all of a sudden made reference to s 1 omeone named Suzanne. This was a new name in the scene. Colin could have feigned ignorance and ignored the reference to Suzanne. Instead, Colin freaked out, yelling, “DON’T! MENTION! SUZANNE! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU BROUGHT HER UP! YOU KNOW SHE BROKE MY HEART!” Now Colin’s character had a backstory. His heart had been broken by a girl named Suzanne. This brought the scene to a whole new level. If he had ignored the Suzanne reference, that would have just been a weird moment, and the audience would not have enjoyed it. Instead, he yes-and-ed the Suzanne reference, and the scene was better because of it.
Why do I bring this up? I write about the primary rule of improv to illustrate how we as ADHDers should live our lives. It is a way to embrace what life throws at you and build upon it. For example, you did not choose to have ADHD, but you can accept it and build from there. What does this look like? It looks like not hiding from ADHD. You accept the fact that you have ADHD and its struggles. However, you build off of your unique brain wiring and use it to your advantage. To illustrate this idea, I offer myself as an example. I use my ADHD in my improv. The impulsive side of ADHD makes me creative on the improv stage. As Dr. Edward M. Hallowell would say, “Creativity is just impulsivity gone right.”
So, I leave you with this challenge: What can you accept and build upon today? What will make your life better if you accept it and create something unique with it?