Last night I was watching an interview from “Dancing with the Stars”.  I love watching how people show up and master new skills.  When Kate Gosselin was asked how she was feeling with the challenge, she replied, “I have a hard time concentrating and smiling at the same time.”  Her dance coach responded with “most people do.”  

This is an example of how most of us stand in our own way from working with creativity, flow and ease.

What’s the difference between someone who can learn a new skill, prepare, have readiness and when it comes time to “do”, they can flow with ease? Many things enter the equation, however, I will offer some tips from those who are in complete mastery with this skill.

Shift momentum from feeling the self-imposed squeeze to working with ease

1)     Shift from chasing to trusting:  dropping the desire to be liked and approved of is so paramount.  When we hold on to that paradigm, we remain highly vigilant on seeking external feedback to indicate how we should feel, and we are never completely free to trust our own wisdom.

2)     Letting go of the outcome: So often, we want and are seeking a desired outcome, but that thought actually constricts how we perform.  Often I coach sales people on shifting their energy in a sales call from “what am I leaving with” to “how can I be masterful in offering the best of who I am and what I have in this moment.” By bringing more confidence and radiance into each moment, our charisma and shine become more powerful. When we trust it, we are given far more than we ever could have imagined.  A dancer, who doesn't trust her light, isn’t selling to anyone in her audience.

3)     Let go of down the road thinking – this one is tough because we are so hardwired to be thinking five steps ahead.  In the case of the dancing, it’s not that she doesn’t know what her next dance steps will be.  She is rehearsed, she has a plan.  However, whether it’s a sales call, presentation, or team meeting it’s vital we play full out and are present for each step.  In the example of the dancing, when she can let go of her anticipation and control, she can show up flowing and focused, attune, feeling herself and enjoying the ride! 

These are common paradigms that are nothing more than mental patterns that run through our consciousness, blocking us from feeling the aliveness we all have equal access to.  Shift one of these and notice how much more free and at ease you feel.  It takes time, focus and vigilance to catch yourself playing one of these tunes.  Take it from me, when you break free from it, you will start to really enjoy the dance steps of your life!