One of the reasons I’m drawn to the theater is that plays are an invitation to get inside of perspectives other than our own. It's like being let into a secret club. Theater creates space for empathy. It’s easier to create this space with a story than just in conversation. I love Seth Godin’s thoughts on how empathy is a bridge.
 
Theater is about seeing each other, recognizing and accepting each other for who we are.
 
How can we see and hear each other in our every day lives? At work, at home? Stories help. Being open to sharing our perspective helps. Being open and listening to other perspectives helps, too.

Learning how to say “I don’t know” is almost as empowering as learning how to say a proper “no.”
 
In both cases, we are fighting against cultural pressure to accommodate others. Women especially are expected to be “agreeable” and “helpful” and “nice” at all times. Admitting that you don’t know something feels like admitting to failure – you are stupid, incompetent, unqualified.
 
But what happens when you say “I don’t know” is that you become human. The person asking you the question feels a kinship with you – ah, neither of us knows! Let’s find out together. It is so refreshing when we realize this.

Try it! Say "I don't know" three times today. See what happens when you communicate with honesty. Lean into the unknowing.