Isaac.
I went to an improv theater workshop for a couple of days. Two days of seemingly fun and games but in reality, a whole lot of heart and hard work. It is hard work to forget all your pre-conceived notions of shame, self-consciousness and self-doubt. I call him Issac. Because he looks like Isaac Mizrahi.
Faaaah.bulousss, dahlings!
We started the day barefoot- then progressed to sitting, rolling and doing what we may, right on the floor. Then on to jumping, hopping then miming our way to abandon because word for the day was –IMPULSE.
It’s a wonder, really. I have been forever the PLANNER- digital, in psychology parlance. I once took a personality test that showed my strengths to be in the areas of organizing and planning. I do a lot of lists- I even list my outfits for a trip or a busy week, OC freak that I am. Ah, lists. I have lots and you’d be amused with the things I list down.
So that day, me with my lists, my 2/5 year plan, all corporate-y and at times too formal and uptight self, let go and acted out everything that got into her real, crazy head. I wanted to jump, so I did. I wanted to dance, so I did. I wanted to hop, sing, skip and run around, so I did what I damn well pleased. And it felt great.
Isaac, the flamboyantly fabulous program director, taught us to let go and act on our impulses. More importantly, I realized that everyday, we reject people all the time- their selves, thoughts, ideas. We reject notions, gut feel and creativity. In fact, almost every second, we reject-- and the funny-ironic thing is that WE don’t like rejection.
ACCEPT! (read as: aaahck-sept!)
We keep to our safe selves in our little corners because we are constantly afraid of rejection. And in turn, we always do our part to reject others. Learn to say NO- but have we turned our backs to the things that we should be saying YES to? What are the things in our lives that need our YESES? That we need to embrace, accept with bare hands? Similarly, how can we expect to ACCEPT blessings when we still have our hands full?
LET GO. Surrender.
Letting go of old thoughts, negative pre-conceived notions, mindsets do little to help us. When did we learn to get so scared of rejection? Letting go of fears enable us to dream bigger and better.
If someone rejects you- so what? Strangely enough, the more one practices ACCEPTANCE, LETTING GO- the more you grow, the more you are able to give of yourself to others. Similarly, one has to let go of control and be able to ACCEPT HELP. And then the FAAAAHBULOUS cycle of helping and making everything all around great, living in great vibes goes on and on.
Simplistic? Maybe.
But it works for me. As I always say, life is complicated enough; the genius is in the simple things.
So then, from Isaac, I learned to--
Surrender/Let Go
of self-doubt
of misconceptions
of all store-bought thoughts
of fears
Accept
Everything and everyone.
As they are. Seriously.
Honor my IMPULSE
Jump. Dance. Sing.
Laugh.
Why the hell not.
After all, we are just bodies. While we take care of it and nurture it, these are after all mere shells of what counts the most- our souls.
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