Before I go on though I want to say that there is nothing wrong with mediocrity.
Personally I believe our culture is too obsessed with "greatness" and pushing limits in the name of "success." This version of success is masculine in nature. It is the energy of ambition, action, setting and achieving goals. It is about winning. The is nothing inherently wrong with this but without balance it can become toxic and damaging. On the other hand, the feminine nature allows and values expansion in all directions rather than towards one very specific goal. It considers the needs of the collective as well as the individual, it leaves room for change and adjustment. Both versions offer value but our culture is in a state of hyper-masculinity. We need balance. Part of the work I do in the world is to bring more of this feminine expression into the collective consciousness.
In my experience as a performer and artist I have alway felt pressure to be better, to be the best, to continuously strive for perfection, or greatness.
I have realized though, that much of what I felt I should be doing or achieving, wasn't coming from a place of true desire, rather to please and impress others. It's a trap, it's unsustainable and more importantly it's not enjoyable. It is so important to get really clear about our motives for pushing ourselves towards the idea of so called, "greatness."
The truth is you are perfect and worthy of taking up space in this life just as you are- right in this very moment. You have absolutely no obligation to produce or strive or be anything other than what you are in this moment. This is your birth rite.
And...
Most of us do feel a desire to be our best selves, to expand and grow, to find out what we are made of- and that requires taking risks. Often in class I invite students to, "take a risk!" Or, "scare yourself!" We women, (especially women who are exploring their sexuality in a dance class,) have a tendency to play it safe, to hold back, to not be "too much." We do this out of fear of being judged, looking bad, doing it wrong, getting in trouble, etc. Because of this conditioning we rarely let ourselves go. We rarely get to experience the freedom of letting it all hang out, getting messy, being loud, taking up space, being goofy, or making mistakes. We are too busy making sure we are doing it perfect or right. (Eye roll.) I say, How boring!
Letting ourselves go is a risk, but isn't it a risk worth taking if the trade off is our freedom?
I wish as much as the next person that I could learn and grow and experience new parts of myself from my sweet little comfort zone. Unfortunately, we rarely, if ever, grow without feeling some level of discomfort.
Anything we do outside of our comfort zone = Risk
Anything we do outside of our comfort zone = Growth
The kind of risk I am talking about won't literally kill you. It may however, be a sort of death- an ego death or the death of an idea of who you thought you were. Whether we know it or not life is full of these metaphorical deaths. We are constantly experiencing birth and death cycles, we just might not be aware of it all the time. The more we consciously put our attention on this fact the more in tune we become with it. The more freedom we find around it.
It's important to know when we are ready.
The Burlesque Series is confronting as fuck. There, I said it. It definitely brings many opportunities to take risks, die, and be reborn. It definitely isn't for everyone. It's so important to be ready. The possible benefit of taking a risk is only equal to the level of readiness. We have to move at the right pace. Diving into something that terrifies us to the point of panic is probably not wise.
So how do we know if we are ready?
In my experience when I feel equal parts excitement and fear, I know it's a good growth edge. Scary enough to be expansive but safe enough to not be traumatic. We absolutely do not want to trigger or create trauma. We absolutely don't want to coddle ourselves to the point that we can never take reasonable risks. It's about balance. Sometimes the only way we learn our boundaries is by crossing them or having them crossed. In life, we are constantly being given opportunities to fine tune where that line is.
Madam Steele classes are designed to be containers for you to explore that and be supported on your journey.
So come! Die with us! Be born with us! Get messy! Take a risk! Or don't. Be where you are. That's great too! There is no wrong way to move through life, there is just your desire and a whole world of choice at your finger tips. What will you choose today?
XO
M.S.