What makes you most vulnerable... makes you beautiful

A few days ago, I saw the preview on facebook: a hooper who I've seen rise as a shining star in the hooping world and a talented writer, as well, made it on to the cover of Yoga Journal. I felt a surge of pride in the hooping family to see Shakti Sunfire's gorgeous spirit shine through on this cover.

As a reader of Elephant Journal,  I enjoyed some of Shaki's musings. Her writings really caught my eye about a year ago as she was pondering how to really make it doing what she loved. She touched on a few things that really made sense that, as I seek to help others to materialize their dreams, I'll condense here, with some of my own additions...

1. Be vulnerable. Being vulnerable allows you to surrender to your true self. In this state, we can be open to new answers rather than the same old thoughts that keep us stuck, treading water. Take the risk to let your own light shine. This requires letting go of the outcome. Letting go allows you to release the fear of failure as much as the desire for success.

2. Build bridges. Don't feel that you have to go it alone. Your ideas only do so much good stuck in your head or afraid that others will take what is yours. With almost 7 billion people on the planet, someone's bound to already have the same idea or be doing the same thing as you. Collaboration is the new paradigm.

3. Be worthy. Those who succeed find that success from a deep state of self-worth. This goes hand in hand with being vulnerable. It's like taking the chance to tell someone you love them for the first time: you've got a chance to feel the shame of rejection or the ultimate feeling of belonging and of love. As Shakti says, "We all have the tools we need to manifest our dreams if we were only to believe ourselves worthy of them."

Thanks, Shakti, for believing in yourself. Allowing your light to shine gives others permission to do the same.

Letting go of fear

 

This is a post from my hooping site that I wrote about 3 years ago. The hoop has been an amazing companion on my journey to being my authentic self...

Since I started my hoopdance company last month, hoopers have been coming out of living rooms, hallways, bedrooms... there are 'closet' hoopers all over the place who surface to meet me when I'm out hooping. They tell me how they have their own hoop and practice at home, or know a neice in a 'hoop troupe' in some city making a living off of this awesome dance/movement art. I'm inspired and motivated. Especially when I meet the people who want to hoop and who are afraid.

They'll say they're afraid of how they'll look to others or that they can't do it.

That's what this blog is about: facing fear. When I first started really hooping last year, I had to face my own monkey mind of fear of how I looked to others; I wanted to practice outside under the beautiful sunshine by the ocean and felt awkward dancing around with this big thing spiraling around me. With a sparkly hoop of course people would notice. Coming from a dance background, this self-consciousness was a strange feeling because I used to feel great moving in my own skin, never giving a second through to what other people thought when I was on stage or in a club. I had somehow lost that state of flow.

So I get those negative self-thoughts, those doubts, those judgements. Whatever I felt in my own mind, I took a deep breath and walked down the road to the beach and got my hoop on. Instead of laughter and pointing, I'd get thumbs up and smiles, still deflecting them as if they really weren't for me.

I meet people who want to come out and hoop, but say they can't do it, or that they fear looking stupid.  I realize how powerful a tool the hoop is to face our own fears and to do what we love. If we can be held back by our fears in our own minds, with something as fun and freeing as hooping, what bigger dreams and aspirations do we hold ourselves back from?

I want to help people become comfortable in their own skin, to gain self-confidence, to connect to their bodies, and to truly live their passions authentically in life. The hoop makes me face my own fears, and I realize that the more I let go, the more beautiful and authentic the dance becomes. Perhaps that's the real message: that we're not really in control anyway. Life is short. Who cares what people think. Dance! Be yourself. Have fun! That, to me, is the magic of the hoop.

fear is... beautiful?

Today I was afraid: Afraid of my potential, afraid of stepping into my true passion for how I want to serve during this time on the planet. I don't know where the fear comes from or why I am so afraid of it. Perhaps because my dreams are so close to my own heart.

I got really, really tired of this fear today. So I made a choice. I chose to take some steps TODAY to get over my own gigantic road block to my own success. I got out of my head and into action.

The path to achieving goals? DO.  Just do something. One thing on your list or in your head.
My first step was to start my kundalini yoga practice to unblock my root chakra. That's the chakra that allows us to be grounded in reality so our dreams can manifest in real life.

When I finished my practice, this bubbling of anger boiled up in me. That's not something I usually feel. I figured it related to stirring up my energy and possibly awakening some energy channels. I just took notice of it while, ironically, driving to the park with my daughter on such a beautiful day.

What unfolded made more sense than I could have imagined. I didn't know what to expect when I started the chain of events from my yoga practice. Somehow, I became more open to receiving support to achieve my goals.

The support showed up.
I met another mother at a coffee shop who recently  launched her own product in Whole Foods and other markets. We chatted and she invited me to join a women's networking group to support my own business launch.

At the park, I met with good, good friends I've know for years. We've talked for years about our dreams and plans for the future. This time around, our conversation was different. Our passions were clear to us and we committed to keep one another on track to reach our goals. We've got a check-in set for two weeks.

Tonight, another friend who's started The World's Biggest Dream Board posted my dream on her Facebook page. She's got people lined up to help me with my goal when I am ready. 

It may not seem like much, but to me, it's an affirmation that when you set an intention, and are open to what will show up in life, BAM! there it is, waiting for you, until you are ready.

I'll just end with one of my favorite quote's from Rilke's Fear of the Inexplicable. 


How should we be able to forget those 
ancient myths about dragons that at the last moment turn into
princesses; perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses
who are only waiting to see us once beautiful and brave. Perhaps
everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless
that wants help from us. ~ Ranier Marie Rilke

Intuition

I used to be scared of my intuition. What if it took me farther from what I THOUGHT I wanted?....

In reality, my intuition was usually right, even when it meant leaving a relationship or job for something, well, actually, better and on track with my real desires and passions in life.

When faced with those changes, I didn't have the wisdom or crystal ball to see how things would work out. I just had to take a deep breath and trust that things would turn out, despite my fears or hurt.

While I needed to go through those stages to learn and grow, I realize that those times I have fully trusted my intuition, life goes on warp speed ~ quantum jumps ~ to magical places. I meet the right person at the right time, achieve my goals, create the life I want. Everything aligns.

When I take a step back and look at my life right now, I see how my intuition several years back pretty much blasted me into my present dream/reality: married to the love of my life, with a beautiful young daughter, living in Southern California, teaching yoga, and launching the next stage of my career. I still face fears, confusion, and procrastination at times. What helps is the reminder that I AM exactly where I want and need to be. And it is ok to relax and allow my intuition to again be my best guide.

So what's the cool thing about intuition? It's really not all that illusive and there are simple exercises to access it when you feel confused over a decision, even one as simple as what to eat for dinner tonight.

Intuition is a function of the right brain ~ yep, that creative, conceptual side of the brain where your artist and dreamer resides.

The left brain is the analytical side ~ for making lists and logical decisions. One compliments the other, of course, and in most people, one side is naturally stronger or more developed than the other. You probably know yourself well enough to know which side is stronger for you.

When you intuitively know a decision for yourself ~ your life goals, if a partner or job is right for you, or just if you need to change a food in your diet ~your right brain is synthesizing all of the information logically laid out in your left brain. It takes that list of pluses and minuses around a decision, or prioritizations, and gives you a split second thought, word, or feeling to guide you. What if you second guess it? That might be your left brain just checking in, or your own fears just getting in your path.

As you hone your intuition, your life begins to take off in magical ways.

If you are looking for ways to access or sharpen your intuition through simple somatic exercises, feel free to leave me a message or email steph@hoopify.com!

Happy intuiting!

Steph

My trusted friend...

Grateful amidst the rain and gray day to have a source of light and inspiration. The students who come into my life as we share an hour on the mat give back to me every time I teach. Thank you and namaste ~

Flourish anywhere...