“When you first told me that we were going to improvise, I got nervous and stuck in my head trying to figure out what kind of dance moves I would do…”

[said a new student in my dance class]

“...but then once I was in it and dancing, my body knew exactly what to do next. Like, if I was in this position [gesturing both arms out] I had specific choices of how I could move from there, and then from the next place, and the next place, and I kept following step after step. It led me somewhere”

And that, folks, is this week’s life lesson from the dance floor.

How often do you think 12 steps ahead of where you are now?

(And a result, get anxious and worried and stuck weighing pros and cons all day, draining the precious creative energy that could otherwise be put towards a different, more fulfilling use.)

Don’t get ahead of yourself.

If you’re stuck on a decision that needs to be made, or are trying to put a plan in place for the future, keep checking back in to where you are RIGHT NOW.

What is the next best step from here?

Where does your body want to go?

What is your soul being pulled towards?

And if those questions feel daunting, try dancing into your answers. Literally.

Get your butt into a dance class. (Join me, if you’re in NYC!) And if the class scene is not your thing, do it in your own way.

The Dance Shuffle SolutionTM is the formula I created for accessing the wisdom that your body can teach you.

Try it out next time you are feeling anxious, indecisive, or stuck.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Assess your problem and turn it into a question.

 For example, you can ask yourself:

“What should write about on my blog this week?”

“How should I handle that conversation with Patty?”

“Should I go on the trip or stay home next weekend?”

Step 2: Get your music source ready to shuffle.

This could be your iPod, your Spotify or Pandora account, or the plain old radio.

Don’t try to predict what song will come on. Don’t plan which station you’ll go to or which playlist you’ll choose from.

Just open it up and hit SHUFFLE.

Step 3: Dance along to at least 3 songs.

Pay close attention to just listening fully to the music and letting your body move through it.

Even if it’s not a song you would typically choose, go ahead and dance to it. Let your body do the listening and the talking. Be present and let your body lead the way.

Step 4: Assess the session. 

Get out a notebook and just start writing the answer to your question. Do not overthink this!! Let whatever comes to you out on paper.

Much can unfold from this process:

• Moving around for 3 songs, about 10 minutes, is a fabulous way to get out of your head and into your body which will result in feeling more focused and less foggy mentally. It’s like hitting the refresh button on your brain.
• Sometimes the songs will speak to your questions directly. The lyrics of the songs, the melody of the music, the sequence of the songs that play… pay attention to it all! Nothing is a coincidence, in my opinion.

Want more body-centric guidance to help you get unstuck?

There’s more where this came from! Read on below for a special opportunity to join me face-to-face online next week in a new workshop, The (Recovering) Perfectionist’s Guide to Dancing Through Life.

Til then, keep dancing YOUR dance!

one step at a time,
Jess

In the last 10 years that I’ve been coaching women on all aspects of their health, bodies, and creativity, I’ve noticed that perfectionism is running rampant amongst us.

When women come to me feeling stuck, frustrated, and not being able to birth their creative ideas into reality, a big percentage of the time their inner Perfectionist is hard at work behind the scenes.  

If you can relate, let’s unravel this together.

I’m hosting an intimate online workshop next week on how to dance through life and break through creative blocks, even when you’re a (recovering) perfectionist.

In it I’m going to cover:

• the subtle cues of lingering perfectionism that could be silently sabotaging your creative efforts (even if you’ve been part of the personal growth and self-help movement for a decade)
• how to know when to publish/share/pull the trigger on a creative project (and when it actually needs more work or time for marination)
• real life tools for embracing and dancing with your imperfections so that you can finally break through your creative blocks and start sharing your voice and your art

THURSDAY, FEB 16TH AT 12PM EST

via online video conference

Tickets: $35

3 FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE, JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE AWESOME

use code CREATIVEFRIDAYS at checkout

1st come, 1st serve

(be sure you can make the time before registering as there will be no recording)

{CLICK HERE TO REGISTER}

This is a live online workshop. It’s meant to be interactive. There will be time for live Q&A and personal coaching.

There will be no recording.

(It’s like signing up for something where you actually have to be in the room.)

If you absolutely cannot make this time, but really really want something like this, email me asap and I can share other options.

See you there!

{CLICK HERE TO REGISTER}