Honor the Voice Within

Have you ever had an experience on a minor level that after reflection gave you insight into life experience at the major level? I had this happen the other day and I wanted to share with you.

I was at a concert festival, there were two stages with bands going back and forth. At one point, my husband and I find a spot close to center stage and take root. We decide not to move so we can have a great spot for the final performer. It was 4 hours until the final performer. But, We were having a great time, I had my space to dance and we were in it for the long haul. But slowly this spot where I’m dancing, this spot that felt perfect and ideal that I had staked out, it becomes tighter and tighter and tighter.

Eventually it starts to feel difficult to breathe.

By the time the band right before the lead performance comes up, I’ve find myself surrounded by tall people on all sides, completely hemmed in. I can’t dance without bouncing off someone in each direction – and I love to dance, it can feel painful for me to stand still during good live music – but that’s where I found myself.

In a tall people box. Unable to move.

I hated it.

I couldn’t fully enjoy myself. But I was told by others that there was no way I would get back if I were to move.

I had stayed for so long just to watch the final performance in this – what I had believed to be, amazing - spot.

I tried looking around, but I couldn’t see, I couldn’t see anything past the heads around me. And I was scared, I had put in so much effort to be there, in this spot and I had sacrificed my bathroom breaks and I had sacrificed my drink refills, I had sacrificed the freedom of roaming and I could tell my husband wanted to stay, what if I made him move after holding on for so long and it just got worse?

So I stayed.

And I stewed and I silently screamed in my head when I should have been having fun and even during the final act, that performer I had waited so long for, I wasn’t able to fully enjoy, I wasn’t able to release the pressure that had been building from being in a situation that I was unhappy in.

I was not listening to myself.

Finally, near the end, I could take no more and made a break for it. The people around me cried out, why are you leaving, it’s almost over! At least stay until the end! But I kept going and amazingly, I found a wonderful spot not far away with space to breath and room to dance and I thoroughly enjoyed and sucked the marrow of happiness on those last couple of songs. I was so disappointed in myself that I hadn’t made the move earlier.

I couldn’t help but reflect on the experience for the rest of the weekend.

This micro moment had everything we experience when we are stuck in the macro moment of life.

Sometimes in life that job or that relationship or that situation that you worked so hard for, ends up not to be right for you. The longer you stay in a situation that is not right for you, the tighter life feels, the harder it is to breathe freely, the more difficult it becomes to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and yet, so often, even while you are slowly suffocating, you don’t make a change.

You stay.

Because you worked so hard to get there. Because you sacrificed to be there. Because someone else told you there is nothing better out there. Because it’s what you know. Because you are scared that if you make a change, it could turn out to be worse. So you silently scream inside your head and you forget how to have fun and enjoy because You are not listening to yourself.

If you were listening to yourself, you would realize, you are already in the worse. You are already in that place of unhappiness and this, this is not the way. You are meant to be happy and fulfilled, if you are not feeling this way about your life, in any aspect of your life, then it’s time to make a change.

Ask yourself some questions.

In what areas of your life are you feeling unfulfilled?

Is there anything you can do to change that situation? If there is, it’s time to take those steps. And remember, it’s all about baby steps.

What baby step can you take today?

If there is nothing you can do to change the situation, then it is time to ask, what can you change about yourself so that you can find peace with the situation.

Take the time to stop, evaluate and listen to yourself. Do not wait until the last songs of your life to find the place where your soul can dance.

After all, how can you find true success, happiness and fulfillment if you are not honoring the voice inside yourself?