Talking, writing, dancing, painting, and creating in general as the means to process our feelings, our thoughts, and our desires are core means to change every belief. Of course, this is the idea of learning, changing whether for better or for worse is both a possible and inevitable part of our lives. I have never been very secretive or quiet, I am loud in many ways, especially here in Australia. If any traditional Australian family walks past me the little kids will always stop and stare, like they can’t believe what they are seeing and then parents not knowing how to react to their behaviour, pull them back to their commuting. One of my friends always reminds me of one of the first times we met when I shared a very personal story, that I might write for you in the future, and she was not sure if I actually said what I said. Despite all that I think my weakness is letting go and I am finding how important communicating and listening to the right audience can help me sharpen my objectives.
Recently, I went around asking a few peers in my industry, dancers and school owners, about their ways and my way of managing our businesses and I found so many insights about my life instead. I am very lucky that I have the opportunity to meet some amazing people in the industry. They are very different from one another, but all of them have a great love for what they do. All of them face similar issues to mine that they have solved and are trying to solve on a daily basis. Of course, they all have a family and a full life beyond this thing we call work. So when talking to them I had the opportunity to make important useful and practical connections for my life and the business of course.
All of that, because I gave the opportunity to communicate and to reach out to those that I think can help me. And help they did, every conversation was honest and real and with our minds opened we discussed the general and specific realities of our businesses. I feel very proud because I have built relationships like this over the years. Yet, I did not want to have these conversations, because I knew it all. In 2009 I was running Soul and Dance, my dance school when I was in Venezuela. I will say that it was a successful one, with hundreds of students and around 15 classes, with people of all ages from toddlers to grandparents. All of them united in the passion that I have for my job. I thought I knew it all. I never asked for help. I was teaching everything, and doing most of the admin until I found some help but I still kept filling both the executive and the wfq35c jobs. I took all the decisions and choreographed all the routines. It is not that I did not want help, it was more that I could not let go, I did not trust anyone but me. Venezuela was not the best place to own a dance school anymore, the cost of living was not leaving much to spare for a dance class, but I think I could not find a way around the school because I was alone and I did not know how to ask. So in 2012, I pivoted to fitness, giving away Soul and Dance to some of my students who try their best to keep that legacy alive.
I love that I can pick up my phone today and call someone who will help me with the needed solution. I am also glad that I dedicate myself to listening to myself, writing, dancing, teaching, and talking to a camera. Developing ideas and a new perspective on what I want in life.
“An unexamined life is not with living,” according to Socrates. I have always loved this quote. I think it expresses beautifully in one sense what this whole post is trying to achieve. Find ways to examine one’s life, ask a friend, a teacher or yourself and listen. Give yourself the opportunity to grow beyond. We don’t know it all and we can see so little of ourselves. Create so you can talk about it, open yourself to pursue what you want. Miss the point and maybe offend someone on the way, and say sorry after and learn from it. I know it can be hard that sometimes the only thing you do is just to bury yourself in bed. But life is not going to stop, please talk to me or even better talk to yourself. Allow your whole being to understand that you are a lot more than those preconceived ideas that rule your life.
I still struggle with letting go or staying. Taking decisions that guide your life instead of the silence of your soul while the world keeps revolving around the sun. Yet, I know I have you to talk to and my students to express my dancing and bad jokes to. I also have these ideas of becoming a singer, a comedian and a writer. And I have my friends and myself to tell me that was not funny, but I did not know you can sing. I can’t sing, yet, and today I didn’t write a book but I decided to deliver these few lines full of my thoughts and reflections like a real writer.
Gracias
Pedro