Four Ways to Improve Your Interactions
Improv is something we do everyday in some way. We respond to others and our environment off the cuff daily, it’s improv and we are making it up as we go along.
It is fundamental to our behavior. And it’s fun, if we let it be.
Four Intentional Improv’s to make interactions fun (or at least tolerable) for you:
- Breathe-your going to do it anyway, lightly regard your breathing and you can guide a conversation…How? Your breathing can inspire the rhythm of the conversation. Is your friend stressed and breathing erratically? Guide them with slow calm breathing.
- Hum- these beautiful natural sounds comfort the listener, sounds like you are deeply considering what the other has to say.
- Move – a light rocking motion can set the stage for relaxing interaction. Or a small circular rotation or the hips. Soon the folks around you will be slightly rocking as well.
- Reflect-paraphrase what you heard them say. Everyone likes to be heard and understood. And this makes them feel that way.
- Do 1-4 all together, breathe, hum, move, and reflect.
These are four behaviors that one can cultivate into one’s life too. They are not contrived, just learned behaviors like the rest of them. These new tools honor and help the other person. They especially guide babies and children. Try them and see what feedback you get. And always, enjoy.
