The past five weeks have been pivotal in helping me push my boundaries. Every month, I make it a point to take on an activity I never would have imagined doing, and if you know anything about me, you'd know my imagination is already pretty wild and all over the place. I've always been a chronic procrastinator and over thinker, someone who tends to plan everything down to the tiniest detail, only to be reminded by the universe that it's the one calling the shots.
The first question is: why should we push ourselves out of our comfort zone when, as Sheldon Cooper wisely put it, "It’s called a comfort zone for a reason"? My answer is that we need to expand it because our current comfort zone consists of activities we’ve already explored and enjoy. However, when we attempt something seemingly “outside” of it, we often realise it wasn’t truly beyond our abilities—just our brain resisting change. In short, the more new things we try, the more we broaden our comfort zone, continuously expanding it over time.
Now that I’ve explained why I push myself out of my comfort zone, let’s dive into what I’ve done in the last five weeks—something that may or may not turn out to be life-changing for me. It all started one Tuesday evening at Toastmasters. Andy, our club's master storyteller, who can captivate anyone with his stage presence and storytelling, gave a speech about his experience with an improv group he’s part of, called Awkward Actors. His speech was magnetic—he's an expert at selling an idea—and by the end of it, he had us all hooked. Before we knew it, he convinced a couple of us to sign up for the Improv in 6 Acts course. Even though I was hesitant at first, I decided to give it a shot. This blog post is about the lessons I learned from that experience and, ultimately, whether it was really worth it.
The classes revolved around the 8 core principles of improvisation, summarised by the acronym "LIFEPASS", developed by Paul, the lead instructor and one of the most experienced members of Awkward Actors. I won’t spoil what the acronym stands for—I’d encourage you to either take the course yourself or check out Paul’s book, "Easy: Your LIFEPASS to Creativity and Confidence". What I will share, however, are the top three lessons I took away from the improv exercises we practiced over the past five weeks—lessons that I can, and definitely will, apply to both my work and life going forward:
1) Collaborate & Shine:
In improv, I quickly realised that the magic happens when you shift focus from yourself to your teammates. Exercises like the "Yes, and..." game showed me how powerful it is to support others’ ideas. The goal isn’t to outshine anyone but to build scenes together. When I concentrated on setting up my partners to shine, the whole performance improved. It was a reminder that collaboration thrives when we uplift each other.
2) Accept the Truth and Build on It
Improv games taught me that rejection kills momentum, but acceptance keeps it flowing. In activities like three person expert or word association stories, I learned to embrace whatever my partner threw at me—whether it made sense or not—and build on it. This practice rewired my instinct to hesitate or control outcomes. It showed me the value of committing to what’s offered and moving forward, even when things don’t align with my expectations.
3) Welcome Uncertainty:
Improv is unpredictable by nature—there are no scripts, no planning, just spontaneous responses. Exercises like story circle or one word at a time stories and gibberish interpreter helped me get comfortable with uncertainty. At first, I found myself wanting to plan out responses in my head, but soon I realised that some of the best moments come from unexpected ideas. Improv taught me to stay present, trust my instincts, and lean into the unknown, knowing that something meaningful will emerge if I stay open.
Beyond the three key points mentioned earlier, participating in improv exercises underscored the importance of focus and the sheer joy of play. Each session emphasized the need to be present, which fostered genuine connections and spontaneous creativity. By immersing myself in the moment rather than striving for perfection, I was able to conquer self-doubt and tap into my creative potential. This playful mindset not only enhanced my performance but also deepened the relationships I developed with my teammates.
Ultimately, these experiences have taught me that embracing the present moment and fostering a spirit of play can lead to both personal growth and stronger connections with others. Now it's your turn—what will you do to push your boundaries? Share your stories and let’s inspire each other on this journey of growth!
Signing Off,
Yash
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