How improv can improve your most important relationship {with Mary Lemmer}

Relating to Self

Mary Lemmer brings joy to empowering people to improve themselves and the world around them. She believes that improvisation is a practice that can lead to a better relationship with yourself.

Mary is the founder of Improve, a company that improves people’s lives by using techniques inspired by improv comedy and behavioral research.

In this fascinating conversation, Joachim and Mary explore:

• The improv warm-up technique “Crazy Eights”
• How to use rituals to prepare for podcasts or important events in our daily lives
• The importance of letting go of thoughts and getting into our bodies
• How Mary incorporates different breathing techniques like pranayama into her daily routine
• Mary morning routine of meditation routine and “Morning Pages” the journaling technique popularized by Julia Cameron
• Joachim’s experiment with lucid dreaming and maintaining a dream journal
• The inspiration and insight of dream interpretation
• How the fundamental improv principle of “Yes, and…” directly impact your relationship with yourself
• Mary’s belief that improv provides a psychologically safe space to practice new beliefs, behaviors and habits.
• How improv not only helped Mary with honing her skills as a comedian, but also allowed her to deepen her perspective, self-inquiry and exploration.
• Talking to yourself (or your pet) as a technology for thinking
• Joachim’s experience as a professional musician and the idea “that there is nothing that engages the brain more than performing music.”
• The difference between rote memorization and improvisation
• How improvisation allows you be more fully in the present
• “We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are” ― Anaïs Nin
• The benefits of shadow work and Internal Family Systems
• The improv technique first word last word

To learn more about Mary Lemmer and her work, visit:

• https://marylemmer.com/
• Watch her debut comedy special “Living with my Parents”
• Watch her Ted Talk "How Improv can Improve your leadership and life"
• Learn more about her company “Improve”

To continue improving your relationship with yourself, visit https://relatingtoself.com

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