"I want to go to dance class," my daughter exclaimed as she pirouetted out of her room. "It's my dream." The following day I found the perfect holiday workshop. I filled out the application with some hesitation knowing she would be dancing with some very experienced 8-year-olds. "They might want to start you off in a younger class because you don't have the experience yet," I gently warned her. "But mum I do have experience !" she exclaimed. "Did you tell them about my dance experience?" I smiled. She was about to find out that dance class wasn't quite like the hours she had spent dancing and singing in her room.
I picked her up from the first dance class and peered through the crack in the door. I could see my gorgeous girl struggling with the choreography but was proud of her persistence. I was relieved to hear she had a great time and was excited to go the next two days. On the third day I lined up for the short performance for parents. As I suspected there were some amazing girls who danced like professionals. And there was my beautiful daughter, always two steps behind, feeling very awkward as she tried to keep up. But things suddenly turned around when the routine came to the improvisation section. You could choose your own moves and my daughter shined! A few of the seasoned dancers looked stiff and frightened, not knowing what to do and how to move. My daughter in contrast moved her body to the music and unleashed her creative force. Her lack of conditioning, instruction and experience stood in her favor. During that time while other girls looked around for someone to follow, she was able to listen to her heart, her body, her inner guidance system.
Around the same time a girlfriend of mine was starting a new business. The fact that she had no experience didn't dampen her enthusiasm. I wanted to help her and could think of so many people to direct her to. Great examples of other people who were already doing what she wanted to do. Their websites, their sales systems, their overall approaches. One morning I was meeting her to recommend a popular entrepreneurial course when I stopped and thought about the lessons from my daughter's dance class. Why would I encourage a creative, free spirited individual to follow the instructions and listen to an external expert, above herself?
Let's face it the world doesn't need more people doing business in the exact same way as each other, or people following the path that everyone else is following. There is nothing more precious than the unique gifts you have inside of you. But why do so many constantly defer to experts and all the things outside of them? If only you could keep the innocence you had as a child that encouraged you to make your own way and listen to yourself. Your body is an extraordinary source of wisdom. Deep down all of the answers exist. But you need to be connected. Looking for answers outside further disconnects you from your body. And when you live your life in your head, these answers will never reveal themselves.
So next time you look for an external expert to tell you your path to enlightenment or what you need to eat for your body to function optimally, consider this. The answers that you seek are inside of you. Your only challenge is to hear them.
So does this mean there is no place for dance classes, business schools, spiritual gurus and experts? Absolutely not. All of the information given to us shapes our experience. But don't forget to listen to the voice that really matters. Your own.