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Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance. And Letting Go of Cool and Always in Control
Just like play and rest, "laughter, song, and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration, or healing; We are not alone.” Brene
Laughter, in particular, is a core element of resilience. Without the ability to laugh at yourself and your inevitable missteps, you’ll be hard-pressed to continue through adversity.
Song and dance are clear indicators of good moods. When we feel great, we sing and dance more. And since feelings follow behavior, when we authentically express ourselves through song and dance, we feel better.
The gremlin that holds us back from laughter, song, and dance is the desire to be seen as cool and always in control.
Playing it cool is how the ego tries to protect itself. The subconscious thought is that “If I don’t play it cool, people will judge me. They’ll think I’m immature, stupid, foolish, uncool, …”
But the flip side of that worry is even more powerful. As Brown shares it:
“When we value being cool and in control over granting ourselves the freedom to unleash the passionate, goofy, heartfelt, and soulful expressions of who we are, we betray ourselves. When we consistently betray ourselves, we can expect to do the same to the people we love.”
Which is why I now see being perceived as “weird” as a compliment. My aim isn’t “fitting in.” I just want to be true to myself. THAT is the path to forming authentic connections. And THAT is what it means to live wholeheartedly.
Start practicing:
When you notice that you’re low on your ladder of consciousness…take some LSD: Laughter, Singing, and Dancing!
Next time you have the thought “But what if people think I’m weird…” Remember that fitting in is far less important than making authentic connections with others. Don’t let a fear of looking weird prevent you from doing the things that serve you.
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Theme Songs, Theme Dances, Theme Laughs. Ha
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