Learning to thrive, in many ways, is like taking a dance class. When learning a new dance, we take it, quite literally, one step at a time. Each eight-count measure of music is assigned a series of dance steps which are repeated a number of times to establish a mind and muscle memory, prior to moving on to the next eight-count measure of steps. The measurements of music and dance steps are built upon until the entire dance is choreographed. Then it is repeated over and over, again and again until we’ve learned the dance by memory from beginning to end.
This process is done while facing a mirror so we can watch our reflection and make adjustments as needed, keeping our body in alignment with the assigned movements. At some point in the process, it becomes counterproductive to keep referencing the mirror, as looking into our reflection to inform our alignment actually becomes a distraction.
When we face away from the mirror for the first time, we have to trust our mind and muscle memory to be our reference of alignment. We follow the music, feeling our way through the dance, confident we have learned the steps. The more we practice the dance facing away from the mirror, the more confident we perform the steps. Before long we don’t even need to think about the steps, but rather, we allow ourselves to feel our way through the them. With the groundwork done, standing on a solid foundation of structure, we are now ready to experience the dance as a vehicle through which our creative spirit expresses itself.
To master thriving as a way of life, we have to implement the same process. First we learn the steps, practice them over and over until we build muscle memory. The believing eyes of a coach, teacher, or mentor, much like a choreographer, act as a mirror, reflecting back to us when we are in alignment, and when we are out of alignment. At the appropriate time, usually before we think we are ready, we are guided to face away from our reflective source and dance our thriving way of being, full-out, from memory.
Thriving as a way of life requires we become masterful dance partners with the most generous Universe. The Universe leads and we follow, no resistance, no over-thinking, moving out of our head and following the feeling of the music of our thriving heart. From time to time we will miss a step or trip over our own feet. Not to worry. The universe is a generous dance partner and will support us in getting back on track as long as we do our part to stay in vibrational alignment with our thriving potential.
One of my favorite examples of this masterful dance partnership is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Remember Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in heels. At first, living a thriving life can often feel awkward, like dancing backwards—in heels—until we trust the process, and practice-practice-practice. Then, one day, when you least expect it, you feel the “Click” of balance, and you’re mastering the process to the point where it looks effortless to those watching you dance.
