Why do some stories just…FLOW?
One of the best compliments I’ve received from my stage storytelling has been “it just flows so easily for you!”
Anything that looks like someone just pulled a diamond out of their pocket had a shi*t ton of pressure working on it. You ever feel that way about a singer or dancer you see on tiktok? Like holy crap where did THEY come from? Well they’ve probably been studying their craft for years now.
Now…that isn’t to say writing and performing a great story takes years but…if I’m honest, the real reason why storytelling comes natural to me is because of my 10+ years of telling stories - from improv to theater to YouTube, I’ve gotten comfortable in being in the discomfort of putting your vulnerable half naked feeling self out there. Without the half naked part.
The thing is, you don’t know what you don’t TRY. You can only get better at something by continuously doing it - monthly, weekly, daily…whatever you have time for. You can even do it when you’re out with friends, just tell a story about something that happened to you recently, literally ANYTHING that stands out - even a little. Let go of that critic who is always telling you that things aren’t interesting enough, aren’t important enough, aren’t cool enough (do ppl say cool anymore?). That critic doesn’t have the inner wisdom that you know is there.
The other night my friend invited me to her last comedy show on the Clubhouse app that she hosts weekly on Friday’s called “F_ It Friday.” It’s where a group of funny people just do bits and riff on each other all night about literally anything that comes up during the conversation and there’s games. This explanation doesn’t do it justice but when I actually reflect on it now, it’s an amazing concept because of the following:
It was a safe space to fail
You got to practice being in the moment
You got to practice shutting down your inner critic
You got to laugh so damn much
I need there to be more spaces like this! But if you feel like you have trouble speaking out in public, talking about your work or even starting any work that even mildly excites you, I HIGHLY urge you to take an improv class. You don’t need to do it to become a good performer or even improvisor, but you should definitely do it to learn how to be YOU more. Because we want to know YOU, because YOU have something unique, because YOU, all of you is enough.
OK so how does this relate back to FLOW? AKA our topic of the week on the ‘gram. Flow happens when you let go. That’s it.
When you let go of what others might think, when you stand wholly in your truth. OK BUT WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?! Well…it might look like this:
Being honest about how you seemingly have no problems and yet you can’t shake this consuming anxiety/depression
Telling us how you actually despise your child sometimes
Sharing your intense anger over your partner leaving a single sock on the floor again
Revealing how much seeing littered oceans actually makes you question humanity
These sample truths are what makes us truly connect with each other. Why?
(said in a whisper voice) ::Because it’s the stuff no one wants to admit out loud.::
Yeah. Things suck sometimes.
So why don’t we admit them out loud and tell our audience what we did about it. And say it in the way only YOU can.
And that’s just one way we can easily create flow.
I’m curious - what do you think of when you hear the word flow? (periods are ok too)