The rules of swing
My friend and fellow coach, Annya Broderick, recently published her first book, from elle a. (available on Amazon).
It’s a lovely a collection of vignettes, short stories and poetry written during a time of transition. One of the stories is about Annya’s first (and, as far as I know, only) experience with swing dancing. Based on this limited exposure, she outlined a set of rules.
As I read this, it occurred to me that these unofficial rules of swing are, in fact, very good rules for life.
Rule #1: Don’t watch your feet. Keep your head up and your back straight. Engage with the world around you. Enjoy the view.
Far too often we focus on “getting it right”. We become self-conscious about what we’re doing and lose sight of the big picture. A good power pose makes you feel more confident and shows that confidence to the world.
Rule #2: Pay attention. Listen to your body. Trust your intuition. Be attuned to your surroundings. Sense what’s coming and be ready to adapt.
The world is changing around us all the time. If we wait for clear instructions, we can miss opportunities and be left behind. A friend once described intuition as “knowing without knowing”. Learn to trust your gut.
Rule #3: Be strong in your frame, but don’t lock it. Stand in your power, but remain flexible. Be true to yourself and never stop learning.
Self-awareness is a practice. Understanding who we are, what we want and making resonant choices helps us establish create a center from which we live, learn and grow. But the strongest tree bends with the wind. Be willing to bend and adapt.
Rule #4: Feel the music. Get out of your head and dance in the moment.
Don’t overthink it. Whether it’s a dance, a presentation, a job interview or a family vacation. Having a perfect plan and executing it flawlessly can be satisfying, but the true beauty and joy is in the unexpected. Let go a little and see what happens.
Rule #5: Laugh a lot and smile a lot, and make a lot of mistakes.
This one is self-explanatory!
I invite you to slow down, read a good book, try something new and enjoy the dance!
