The Art of Joy

The Joy of Self Expression

“You were once wild here. Don’t let them tame you”

-Isadora Duncan

It is easy to classify your life down to a series of stepping stones, successes and failures, plans and goals. In truth you are here to express yourself. Really let that idea sink in. With that awareness comes an enormous amount of freedom. There is no failure. Anything goes. Your life is a unique art form which is unlike any other on this planet. You are inimitable, a one of a kind. Although it may seem as if you have obstacles on your path or reasons why you can’t do this or that, in reality it is often your mental blocks or fear of judgement that can leave you holding back your full self-expression.

You have the opportunity to express yourself not only through your career choice, but through your parenting, your relationships, your hobbies and your health and fitness choices. Actually every moment in your life, every word you say and every movement you make forms your self-expression. It is a novel full of curiosity, intrigue, inspiration and growth. It is a canvas with perspective, depth and colour. It is a dance of freedom, individuality and personal power. Your life can be a powerful piece of touching authenticity and inspirational strength.

The most subtle and gentlest of lives can have a resounding impact on the rest of us. Often when people look back to the positive influencers of their childhood it is the simple comforts that they remember like the baking, gardening, words of wisdom. Each life touches many others and as you give yourself permission to live in authentic self-expression, you create amazing openings in those around you. Choosing to share your story gifts others the opportunity of trust and confidence to share their own.

Deciding to become a yoga teacher spreads health, wellbeing and peace amongst the communities you work with. In turn this positively impacts the way they relate with others in their lives, and so on. You conspire and grow with the world around you as well. The need for environmental sciences to preserve our environment has gifted people the chance to work closer with nature and alter perceptions across the globe. Your work can be humanitarian whether you work as a parent, in an office, a shop, a garage or a trade. Put the best of your spirit into what you do. Examine ways your work can assist making others’ lives more beautiful, safe or happy.

With each authentic choice you make you lift the expression of the human race to another level. Whatever your self-expression is let it be authentic, let it be passionate, let it be honest. You make a powerful contribution to the whole with every choice you make. There is so much distraction in life around trying to get things right or be perfect, that you can often miss the thousands of precious permutations and combinations of self-expression you might have otherwise explored. The most joyful thing about self-expression is that it can’t be wrong. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You are simply dancing your dance to the best of your ability, and that is a beautiful thing. Book me a front row seat. I for one want to see it.

Ponder this

How do you express yourself?

What gift does your self-expression bring to yourself and those around you?

What new choices can you make to bring greater self-expression into your life?

How do you encourage others in their self-expression?

Ponder this

Consider your life as a magic carpet ride. In your wildest dreams where would you like to end up? List your top 10 goals and dreams for the future. How can you commit to bringing these goals to fruition?

Examine the carpet before you. What is woven into its fabric? Where does it find its strength and what is

unique about it? Which corners need a little love and care and which are blossoming beautifully? If you were a carpet seller is this a carpet you would bring out to show as your finest piece? Write a story about your carpet and all its beautiful features and strengths.

What if you had a fantastic idea you wanted to bring out into the world but you held back because you felt shy, embarrassed or uncertain about it, and then lo and behold someone else bought this idea into the light. Even if this does happen know that there are many ways to express the same ideas and everyone will have their own signature. Healthy competition can sometimes be a great motivator to get moving!

Commit to your vision. If you are feeling it, it is something that the world needs. Not everyone may understand or agree with your vision, but there are others who are desperate for its light. Above all else it is a chance for you to show who you are. The true self-expression of your heart, mind and soul are dearly loved by the universe.