Dream your life, live your dreams! ~ anon
Do you ever do something just for the fun of it? Make an effort to go somewhere or work with someone just because you know it will be worthwhile in some non-linear way? Is there something in your life that’s more rewarding than just financial?
They say that one of the best ways to figure out what to do with your life is to find that thing that you’re happy doing whether you get paid or not, and then find a way to make a living out of it. I’d add to that the idea that if there’s an element of service or contribution to it you’ll be that much further along on having a sustainable path to a life worth living.
The flip side, of course, (to use a vinyl record metaphor), is to keep doing something that you’re not really in love with to pay the bills, in hopes that one day you’ll find the freedom or arrive at the station in life where you can do what you love. The main problem with that plan is that you might well be too tired or worn out by the time you get there to enjoy it much.
That’s why your ‘calling’ or your true gift to the world might start out as a sideline or a hobby, or even a secret project that you nurture in the background until you’ve gained enough skill and gotten enough traction to make it your main focus. As we mature we naturally start to question the meaning of how we spend our time, and balance that with how much time we think we might have left, asking ourselves what kind of difference or legacy we’d like to leave in the world.
As you probably know if you’ve been reading my weekly newsletter/blog for very long, I’ve got a serious thing for vinyl records. I’ve been collecting and playing them for many years, and what began as a fun DJ sideline has grown into a large part of my life both teaching and writing about them.
It’s somewhat ironic that someone that heads an organization of movement leaders who primarily rely on digital music would be researching and educating about analog, but that’s the nature of pioneers, we opt for the road less traveled. (But then again, even Elton John is extolling the virtues of vinyl and releasing his music on the format again.)
And while it’s not yet my main livelihood, whenever I’m asked about what I do and I tell people that I travel around to places like Bali, Boulder, or this past weekend, Santa Barbara, and teach people how to play records and the benefits of analog music I have to pinch myself, since it’s something I couldn’t have imagined 30 years ago when I started down this path.
This weekend was an exercise in going the extra mile in order to bring my work to a new audience and make new connections. I’m a regular guest at the Santa Barbara Dance Tribe weekly Sunday event, so this time I combined it with offerings at the Lucidity Festival, where I was invited to teach a workshop on Analog Awareness and do an all-vinyl conscious dance. The dance was in the afternoon, and was a collaboration with my facilitator friend PJ Novotny, leader of the Yum Sessions in San Luis Obispo. (in the photo with me above)
One of the best things about this weekends events was watching the kids dancing, both Teresa’s boy Elliot and my daughter Geneva were bouncing around like maniacs lighting up the dance floors. We managed to squeeze in some more highlights as well, a day in the pools at Avila Hot Springs and a visit to Dr. Patricia Bragg’s farm for a private tour.
Talk about inspiring, Patricia is 88 and is the oldest CEO of a company in the USA. A visit to her place is a pilgrimage to where the health food movement in America began. And Patricia loves to dance! Check out this video of her dancing with Katy Perry, who she helped launch to stardom when she was only 8 years old!
You can surely find some ways to roll up the fun, the passion, and the meaning in your life into one big ball, even if it feels like a long shot at first. It might not always be easy, and it might not always go according to plan. But it’s always worth it to reach out and do something that your higher self will remember long after your day-to-day routine has ran its course.
I’m confident that you have something to contribute, and that the gift you have inside means a lot to the world. Consider this note as your permission slip to take a chance and go a step further with your dream, we’re all waiting to hear from you!
Much love till next week!
Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine
Dance First Member Spotlight: Amber Ryan!
I’m delighted to highlight one of our most well-loved and well-traveled members, Amber Ryan! One of Gabrielle Roth’s earliest protégées, she’s made her life’s work out of exploring and deepening her practice and teaching of the 5Rhythms.
With deep connections in several regions around the world, including Florida, Costa Rica, and Boulder, Colorado, she maintains a full calendar and workshop schedule that makes her accessible to friends and fans all over.
More than just a facilitator of movement, she continues to innovate and return to her roots in the theatre by offering a variety of workshops and collaborations that invite participants to explore the realms of performance, creativity, and self-expression.
Her words resonate with anyone on the path of self-discovery and transformation:
“I believe that we are all artists with an ability to create our reality and manifest our dreams, yet we need practices to keep us fluid, tools to help us express our boundaries and what we stand for, physical ways to help us to let go when the time is ripe, maps that lead us back to the simple pure joy we felt as children, and teachings that show us what true compassion is.”
Thank you Amber! It’s a delight and honor to serve folks like you with the benefits of the Dance First Association. Keep up the good work and we’ll keep helping you get the word out!
Find Amber’s events on the Conscious Dancer MoveMap and listed here in Monday Love!
