When people are stressed and worried, they often try to get their worry thoughts out of their minds.
This never works, but what can work is a little perspective.
There’s no better way to create perspective than humor.
If you have ever taken an improv comedy class, you likely learned the concept of ‘Yes, and …’
In Yes, and …, you accept whatever the other person in the scene says, and you add something more.
You don’t disagree, contradict, or shut down the other person.
You accept it and build on it. This strategy is a great way to add perspective to an anxious thought or worry.
For example:
- To the worry, “What if I fail the pop quiz?” you might add, “Yes, and then I’ll fail high school, can’t go to college, my family rejects me, and I live in a van down by the river.”
- Or, to the worry, “What if the bruise on my hand means I have a fatal disease?” you might add, “Yes, and it’s time to call the funeral home to schedule my memorial service.”
The point of Yes, and … is to exaggerate the worry so that it seems less important to you.
You’ll get a giggle out of it, too!
