Dance like nobody’s watching. Because it matters.

Last Friday I challenged myself and my network to break out of the routine, push ourselves out of our comfort zone and report back results today. [see link to post in 1st comment]

Most of you wrote me privately and reported feelings of higher confidence, stronger connection with others and greater overall happiness from doing something that pushed your perceived limits. I couldn’t be more inspired by your stories!

But it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t share my experience and lesson with the community. The best part being that it is a lesson I didn’t necessarily expect – which is the best part about doing something like this!

My lesson being: CONFIDENCE IS CONTAGIOUS AND LONG-LASTING!

This weekend we took our daughters to a family event where I knew that dancing was a real possibility. My daughters love to dance but get really shy in social situations with lots of unfamiliar people.

When the band began to play, not a soul went up to the dance floor and I watched as my daughters looked longingly into the band’s direction but couldn’t muster up the courage to go up there.

Realizing this, and remembering my own pledge to do something “uncomfortable” this weekend, I went up and began doing what most would probably describe as convulsing to the music – because whatever it was, it wasn’t good enough to be called dancing that’s for sure!

30 seconds later, my daughters went up to join me, and other adults joined in the fun too.

It really felt like this temporary moment of confidence infected the entire room for the duration of the evening. With strangers striking up conversations with other strangers, lots more dancing, and I bet, with waitstaff getting really good tips. 

Needless to say, it was a blast!

Simply put, even short bursts of activity that push perceived limits can have immediate and lasting effects.

If this post inspires even just 1 person to act, it’ll be incredibly exciting as the positive effects will be exponential.