Dress Rehearsals

There is some truth to the saying that there is no dress rehearsal for life. This is the Big Show. However, there are some times where we can have an opportunity for a dress rehearsal.

There are some situations that are completely unexpected: a car accident, a heart attack, receiving life-changing news from a close family member. Still there are others that we think we can plan for but still have a lot of unexpected twists and turns … marriage, divorce, birth of a child, a new job.

There are some situations, though, where we can reasonably expect certain actions and conversations and for those we can prepare. We can have a dress rehearsal.

As the holidays approach, many of us will be going home for a visit or having family come to us. Family is almost always complicated. An overly critical parent, the sister who loves to laud her success over your head, dealing with your cousin’s precocious kids, we can prepare for those events by rehearsing in our heads how we will respond.

We can think about what we can say when the inevitable critical comment comes or the cutting snide remark. We can figure out who are allies will be or we can plan for a graceful exit.

Maybe it’s something simpler, like staying on your diet at the office party or at dinner with friends. Think about what you plan to eat or what you will say to the happy host who will insist that you have dessert.

A little pre-planning, or thinking things through, can make the actual event go a lot more smoothly.

Take advantage of the dress rehearsal and make your actual performance that much better.