My doorbell just rang. Literally, about twenty minutes ago. I was watching the U.S. Open tennis on replay. Here's how years of improv practice has changed me:
My innate response, when I heard the doorbell, was curiosity. In the past, my default mode, when encountering the unexpected, was definitely a contraction.
Anyway, back to the door. It was Jane, a wonderful woman from our drop-in local improv class. In each of her hands was a basket of garden-fresh tomatoes. YUM.
Curiosity tastes way better than contraction. Being open rocks.
PS: Being open doesn't necessarily mean open the door. Being open simply means that you're tuned in. Your instincts and awareness are operating. For example, if you sensed your own true need for solitude, or if you got the hit that it wasn't safe, then saying YES to that data means the door stays shut. Your choice. Being open gives you data, and an awareness of that data gives you choice.
Okay, that's today's bounty report. I've got a garden-fresh tomato to eat. YUM.