Merry Christmas!
I hope your Christmas has been lovely, and feels perfect.
Oh, yours isn't going perfect? Mine either. I'm sick! I wasn't expecting to be sick. I don't think anyone jumps out of bed and expects to be sick (maybe hypochondriacs).
But, here you are, and here I am, realizing this day is not going as we hoped.
Oh, well, maybe next year.
OR!
WAIT FOR IT.....
....We look at this as the most perfect opportunity if not the most perfect day. Here is a chance to put all our improv training to work. We've taken the improv classes, learned what makes a good scene, and stepped onstage a few dozen (or hundred dozen times) ready to yes, and and discover with our scene partner.
Well, you're looking at the biggest scene partner ever right now: Christmas Day. You're surrounded by offers, positivity, and opportunity. Will you yes, and the day, or curl up and let out the biggest, "no-thank-you, i'm not going to participate in your improv scene": bah humbug.
Have you ever looked out "that" window in your house? The window is there to be looked through.
Have you ever walked down, "that" street? The street is there just for you to walk!
Have you ever read chapter 7 in "that" book without reading 1-6? Chapter seven is just waiting for you.
How about writing an email to someone you haven't spoken with in years? Gmail is just waiting to mail your letter!
Yeah! OK. Sure. How adorable Paul. All these, 'coulds', but what's the point? What would it do?
Well, it would help you see everything as an opportunity to engage, and realize it's sitting there for you, if you take the time. Just take the time to do something you haven't done:
"Yes, I will take a walk down this new street and I will see sign for 'Free Guitar Lessons.'
Yes, I have always wanted to learn guitar, and call the number...
Yes, I love my first lesson and commit to weekly of classes....
Yes, with my new skills and confidence I audition for a band, and good news! I have my first show next October.
It's like a giant snowball of wonderful that grows. You can push that snowball down the hill in any direction, anytime you want.
It's that simple....and that hard. It's always hard to try something new.
And, yes, we're practicing what we preach. We can't go see the family today, because we're sick, and we don't want to infect them with all of this. We're going to grab some gift cards, wrap them up, and give them to people working at McDonalds. I think most of those locations are 24-hours...and working on Christmas sucks. And, even if it doesn't suck, and they love working on Christmas, who hates a gift? Zero people. I tallied all the voters and zero people hate surprise gifts.
(I know. I know. We're sick....won't our germs be on those gifts? No! At least, we're wiping down our hands and the gift with Lysol wipes to kill all the germs. I got my germaphobe brain figuring out all the angles. We want to pass on happiness, and gift cards....and not sickness.)
After that! We'll hit the road. We're going for a drive and we don't know where. We're just going to get on the road, and go. Maybe we'll drive down that road we've seen hundreds of times, but have never been sure what's down there. I have a hunch we'll end up in Sierras somewhere, but I don't know. Our goal is to see new things....and we'll yes, and the next adventure.
I hope you can yes, and today, and have an adventure of newness! If the day hasn't been perfect so far, I can at least control the upcoming moment.....coming up.......right......now.
