There I was standing in the middle of the stage alone. Palms sweating, heart racing, and mind spinning in my rhinestoned costume. I didn’t know a thing about yoga, breath work, or mindset training. And it showed.
I was 13 years old at a national dance competition representing my entire studio with my solo performance.
Everyone who mattered to me at that time was in the audience. My closest friends, my family, my choreographers, and the renowned judges from Los Angeles.
SO much pressure!
When the tech team flipped on the music, it wasn’t mine. I panicked but stood my ground. They realized the mistake and took 2 minutes to put on the right track.
When the music came on this time, I turned around to face the crowd and completely blanked out.
I was thrown off and quickly had to make up my entire routine from nothing. I improvised the entire thing. And let’s just say it was horrible. I hated improv at the time and needed my choreography to feel confident.
When the music turned off I ran off stage crying. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life. And still is to this day.
From that point moving forward, I had major stage fright. I was terrified of forgetting again and didn’t want to let anyone down ever again.
But my love for dance couldn’t be ignored, and I really wanted to keep performing.
The Shift
I had to start rewiring my mind. It felt like my worst enemy at the time. So, I learned breath work and meditation to calm my mind and nerves before I hit the stage. It was a game-changer and the only thing that kept me performing.
I learned from a young age the power of my mind. It could either destroy me or serve me. And only I had the power to choose.
I learned that I am not my mind or the stories that run on repeat. I am the spirit witnessing my mind.
From this awareness, everything in my life shifted. I realized that I could rewrite my own story at any time, and I had the power to be the ultimate creator of my life.
I learned that my mind is a powerful tool. And it served my heart when trained properly.
I knew that if I could get my mind under control everything else would fall into place. And it did.
I went on to dance professionally for 8 years thanks to meditation, yoga, and mindset training.
⚡️Have you prioritized training your mind? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!
Lots of Love,
Amber Sears
Epicself.com – Online Coaching, Retreats, & Trainings
