Surprise Yourself!

I know it sounds crazy but, there is a method to my madness.

I want you to surprise yourself... simple as that!

How many times have you looked at someone and envied them for something they are doing that you "can't"?

How many times have you thought "Gee, I would love to go to that Zumba class but I can't" followed by a few tired excuses?

In dance I learn that the only limits I have are the ones I set. We do an exercise where we start with small movements and slowly get bigger and bigger until we are using every bit of space we possibly can. We wave our arms and slide our feet around the floor in a beautiful display. It is truly amazing what you can do without limits.

Though out our lives we create beliefs about ourselves; some of them are right and, some just flat out wrong. We create the belief that we can't do something because we are too shy, too fat, too dumb, too short, too ugly, too weak, too whatever. Eventually, we begin to live our lives around our "I can'ts". We refuse to do the things our hearts desire and, possibly miss out on our passion because, we continue to create boundaries and limits for ourselves.

There is a cure for this limiting virus: Surprising Yourself

Yep, it's really that simple! 

It doesn't have to be something like joining tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, and hip hop dance classes with teenagers. It can be something as simple as jogging to the mail box. You can start up a conversation with a random person at the grocery store, finally organize that junk drawer, going to a zumba class, or taking an art class. Do something you have always wanted to do but were too afraid to.  

I try to surprise myself every day. Whether it's pushing a little harder at the gym or dance, or just being kind to a stranger. I try to do things that are out of the norm for me, things that I can look back and say "Wow, I was really afraid to do that but I'm glad I did.".

Eventually, when you come up to a hurdle, you will begin to think about those little surprises. You might think you can't run a mile for a split second but then you'll remember that time you walked into a Zumba class and you didn't know anyone. You will find strength in your surprises to squash your can'ts.

Surprising yourself is exactly like that exercise I do in dance. Start small and keep going eventually you will be spinning around the room, using beautiful, fluid motions, exquisitely using every bit of space you have, energy flowing through your body, from your toes to the tips of your fingers, free from the limits your mind had trapped you in before.

Go out into the world my friend and start surprising yourself. Don't be afraid to comment and let me know how you feel afterwards.