Over the past few days, I’ve been taking several spoonfuls of my own medicine, specifically by embracing two of the steps in my book Jump! … And Your Life Will Appear –– Step 4: Make One Different Choice and Step 10: Say Yes … And Then Say It Again … And Again.
For example, last Saturday night I attended a party up at T Lazy 7 Ranch in Aspen. The Lodge was hopping with a lively western band…and dancing. While lots of swinging and swaying, flannel and plaid, cowboy hats and boots surrounded me, it took everything in me to stay put rather than run for the hills. Have I mentioned to you that I don’t do dancing? The few times I’ve been convinced by friends to go to some sort of dance class after falling prey to their “c’mon, it’ll be fun” enthusiasm, it’s always the same thing: As soon as the music starts and the instructor begins shouting out counts and directions to us, I struggle to follow the steps, then I completely freeze while everyone else is expressing their own rhythm around me, and before I even know it I’ve literally made a bee-line for the door in full flight mode.
The other night at the party, I could feel the old trigger taking root. I could hear the familiar voice in my head saying, “Oh look, fun people having fun…too bad you’re not fun, and don’t even know how have it.” I felt all the anticipated sensations that historically have me bolt, but I consciously decided to make a different choice instead.
So when my man asked me to dance…again…after the several attempts he made that I shot down — I mean, really, what did you expect, old habits do die hard, even for a coach and bestselling self-help author! — I finally said “Yes.”
As we took to the dance floor, I allowed him to lead me…and, to the best of my ability, stopped worrying about the steps – or stepping on his foot – and let my body overrule my brain. I wish I could tell you that within moments I felt as though I had been transformed into the belle of the ball, but let’s just say that no one was injured, I had fun and felt the love as my man’s eyes, arms, legs and lips locked and loaded with mine.
In the end, no harm, no foul. I may not be Ginger Rogers (oh god – can you give me a modern day reference, please! 😉 but I might be soon since we’re already looking into partner dance lessons to take this winter. I’m ready to change the channel in my brain, toss out the old worn-out tired, boring story and open the floodgates to fun.
Wanna know what’s possible when we make one different choice and say yes? Everything. Absolutely everything.
Are you ready to make one different choice? To say yes? If you want to take these steps, and the other eight, to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, I invite you to join me for a free call on January 7th so you can experience firsthand what’s available for you during the Jump! journey. I hope you will. You can register right here.
