Meditation to bring your shine anywhere

I posted this story on Instagram and LinkedIn. It resonated with many people, so I'm sharing it here, along with a meditation to access your shiny memories.

It took me a long time to speak. I didn't speak until I was five. My parents brought me to specialists, but they didn't know why I wouldn't talk. What I was told was that I was quiet and shy.

My birthday is in January, so I could have started school earlier, except I didn't talk.

One day, I went to Mrs. Mott's house; she ran a daycare in her basement, a block from our house. On that day, her back door was shut and locked. Usually, the screen door was left unlocked for us. I ran home, and my mom didn't know why I hadn't knocked. I remember thinking I didn't want to disturb anyone and had never seen the door closed like that before.

Then, my mom put me in dance classes. The dance studio owner took to me and thought I had "it." She put me in advanced courses and gave me extra stage time, where I would be onstage for 2-3 sets while others danced, and then I'd come to life. It's like a big surprise. The only places where I didn't feel anxious were in dance class and on stage.

The places we feel comfortable in change as our careers grow. We can change the places to feel more like spaces in which we feel good. I treat most boardrooms like creative spaces and sometimes consider them a stage. It is the same on social media—sometimes I feel like Instagram or LinkedIn are stages where I'm showing you something and other times to teach.

So, while you can start to feel more comfortable in new spaces, you can always tune into the memory of the spaces that really feel good, too. Tuning into their sense can be fulfilling. I do a meditation where I feel like I'm on stage. I feel the black floors and see stage tape. It's a place that loves me back, and I allow that to rise, too.

Try to visit those old spaces in person once in a while, too. It reminds you of your connection.

Here's a guided practice on how to do this.

If you love this meditation, you'll love the practices and community in the Rehearsal Hall.