Have you ever felt stressed out and overwhelmed? Have you ever felt anxious? Have your feelings made you feel stuck, unmotivated and unproductive? Have you ever felt trapped in your body? Have you ever felt trapped in your life?
I have felt every one of those stressful situations above. If you answered yes to one or all, know that you are not alone. I have been there many times in my life. Challenges and obstacles place added stress into our lives and often make those feelings and emotions arise. The problem lies when those intense emotions stay for prolonged periods and keep you feeling hopeless, helpless and alone. My journey to healing was not easy and it took me 7 years to figure out the true ways to Manifest health, happiness and joy. But the beautiful secret that I unveiled is that it doesn’t have to be that difficult or complex. Finding your own unique self-loving routine can expedite and facilitate that journey. And dance is one of my little secrets that I know many people resonate with. Trust me I am not a professional dancer. I don’t follow choreography well or know much about professional dance at all. This is not about professional dance but rather following the rhythm of your own emotions and body to release the pain within you.
Energetic release is one of the little secrets I share in my programs and books. And it all begins with music, dancing and vocals. And it can easily happen anytime and anywhere. And you have everything you need to do this right now. You have your body, your voice and music. And that is all it takes to release negative emotions from your body with the power of music. I have always loved to dance. Feeling the vibrations inside my body is a phenomenal experience that flows through me like fire. Swaying my hips to the beat is relaxing as I listen to the music and process the powerful words and beats within my body. Connecting with the message in the words is cathartic as you tap into your own pain and use the flow to let go of those emotions that don’t serve you. And the sound of the music melts my stress away as I use my body to flow releasing the tension and stress from my muscles. But simple process and realization didn’t come easy. I had lost my connection to my passion for music and dancing long ago. It was phenomenal to see the shifts in my body as the stress melted away. But like most amazing things in our life we get caught in the hustle and bustle forgetting the things that bring us joy. And that is exactly what happened with me over the years as chronic illness developed. And slowly but surely we lose the habits and activities that bring us joy because commitments, stress, responsibilities and excuses get in the way. Then suddenly you have stopped all your fun and nurturing activities getting stuck in the mundane life of responsibilities. It creeps up on you and suddenly you stopped exercising, you no longer go out with friends, and you get stuck in a new pattern and way of life that doesn’t nurture your sould.
This realization didn’t come easy. And it took me to a painful place I know all too well, rock bottom. I am sure you have been there too. Many of us have hit rock bottom at different times in our lives. Rock bottom is a place I have lingered at many times with emotional shifts and chronic illness. I went through a really stressful and difficult experience in November 2019 that made me tumble and fall hard into past trauma. I experienced pain, exhaustion, headaches, stress and intense emotional shifts. Much like the stress everyone is experiencing right now during this pandemic, I felt trapped and overwhelmed. That internal stress experience reemerged during this pandemic as confinement progressed. The external stressors we experience create havoc inside our bodies as inflammation and stress accumulates inside our bodies. And this pandemic has proven that the stress can be debilitating and overwhelming for many.
Back in November the stressful experience caused me to feel trapped and helpless inside my own body. I had experienced a situation at work that triggered past trauma and torment my life. The stress caused me to lose sight of all the mindfulness practices I share with others and I was unable to practice what I preach. It made me fearful, scared and lonely. As I reflect now, on the events that transpired that day I know it was my perception that caused my downfall. The situation itself was not life threatening or life altering. The situation truly shouldn’t have taken over my life but it did. And it happened because my perception of the situation made me think and feel it was a life or death situation. My body went into fight or flight and the stress response stuck around for months. It was a torturous journey over the past few months to get back into my rhythm slowly incorporating strategies to reduce stress and calm my nervous system. The event actually made me completely lose track of all the easy stress relief strategies I teach, like dancing. And I completely forgot all about myself in the process. I had to slowly pick up the pieces and tackle that trauma at the root. It took me months of slow progress, patience and perseverance to dig myself out of the hole. Thankfully the torturous process brought me to an enlightenment and realization that self-care and self-love needs to be a priority. And this is true for everyone no matter what circumstances are around you. One of the little tricks I use in my arsenal of alternative therapies is dance. And I use it often, sometimes multiple times a day to shift my energy, vibrations and emotional state.
Music and dance are healing modalities that I use often transform the way I feel in stressful situations. And the beauty of music, dance and singing is free. You can turn on the radio and dance anytime you feel the beat inside you. You can pop in your ear buds and dance anywhere. And I actually do that all the time. I am the mom that sways to her own beat and dances while her kids play. I don’t sit at the sidelines while the kids practice, I take advantage of my extra time and use it wisely. But if I could lose sight of the things that bring me joy into my life anyone can. Music brings freedom as you connect with the beat and powerful words throughout your body. It is so easy to find songs on the web now with you-tube, pandora, spotify and other stations. There are so many variations of music that people can explore to find songs and genres they truly enjoy. So I invite you to turn on that special song. Don’t worry who is looking or what they are thinking. Don’t let fear get in your way of having fun and releasing stress. Use your body and let the music flow through you.
Music and dance are powerful tools and you can truly reduce stress and emotions when you use it. Just feel the music as you sway to the beat. Listen to the words and feel them in your body. Tap into your bodies healing potential as you process and release those emotions. This amazing healing tool happens with all types of music. Use the music to release the stress from your body as you sway to the beat. Use the power of dance slowly swaying to the beat alone or with a partner. Feel the deep connection that arises within you as you sway back and forth following the flow of your body. Make dancing more fun and healing by creating a community. Have a virtual or live dance party with your friends or family. Music is healing and transformative for all generations. Everyone can enjoy the power of healing through music anytime and anywhere. So the next time your favorite song comes on embrace it and go for it. You don’t need to be in the privacy of your home to enjoy the beat deeply within your body. Pump up the volume at the next stop light and dance to the beat as you wait. Pop in your ear buds and jiggle to the beat as you wait for your kids at practice. Take a bathroom break at work and dance the stress away on your break. The beauty of energetic release is that you can do it anytime and anywhere using the music you love. So use it and don’t lose sight of the music that brings you joy. And if you ever feel stressed out, overwhelmed or anxious take a break, pump up the music and feel that beat. I guarantee the music will melt your stress away. You might need a few songs to feel it but just go with the flow and let your body guide you. You have the power within you to release your stress and music just makes it fun and invigoration.