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Improv isn’t therapy – but it can do wonders for your wellbeing

Lots of people come to my workshops because they struggle with social anxiety, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome. Sometimes all three.   As we spend more time working from home, these challenges can get worse. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of going over old mistakes, being overly critical of ourselves, thinking we’re not enough, and feeling hyper self-conscious. Working from home means we don’t have the watercooler to vent, and we can’t as easily get direct feedback or comf...

Ready to stand tall again? Give improv a go.

No matter how much you care about work, or being a “good” parent, partner, or friend, you are going to make mistakes and fall short from time to time.  That’s okay. We’re not robots. But if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that there’s no one way of doing life and we are all just doing our best. And if we let go and trust in the process, ourselves, and each other, we can soon discover that magic happens when we go off script....

Improv is for everyone: introverts, extroverts, ambiverts unite!

I’ve been improvising since I was a kid, but it’s still a skill that I love building on and will keep doing for the rest of my life.   What I love about improv is you’re never done. You don’t arrive. It’s an ongoing process like learning a language – you learn the basics, you start practising the language, your confidence grows, and you feel ready to take it to the next level. That’s why improv is great for any personality type or skill level. It’s made for beginners, f...

How improv helps you overcome imposter syndrome

Imposter syndrome gets us thinking like this: I’m going to freeze during this presentation – I don’t know what to say.If I am not perfect or don’t know the answer to a question I’m going to be found out as the fraud that I am.Who am I to lead this team? Drive this project? Talk to this crowd? Speak to this high-value client?Imposter syndrome is so tightly wound with perfectionism. But it’s keeping us stuck and playing small. It’s making us think that we must prepare and plan every ...

How improv’s ‘yes, and’ sparks positivity and possibility

Imagine you’re in a work meeting where the default setting is negativity. You’re there to discuss a problem or opportunity, but there’s an atmosphere of “no” lingering in the air. Your colleagues find reasons why you shouldn’t pursue an idea. Ideas are shut down before they’ve even been given a chance to breathe. Smart people don’t speak up because chances are they’ll be blocked.   The brainstorming begins, but you’re carrying some unrealistic expectations and old belief...

Improv teaches you how to wing it

Most of us have been there – haven’t we? We’re happily ticking off our to-do list and then suddenly the boss asks you to present an update or idea to a prospect, the board, or a funding committee. And the meeting room is booked for this afternoon. No time to put together a slick PowerPoint presentation. What do you do? Do you fight, flight or freeze? Or do you feel confident that you can deliver something quickly – on the fly?...