When You Stop Performing, The World Starts Moving!

“Being fully yourself gives others permission to do the same.”

This weekend, on Saturday night, I went to a brewery here in Temple to listen to a salsa band. I grew up in Cali, Colombia, where salsa isn't just music, it's how we express ourselves, how we move through joy and say things our words sometimes can't. So when I heard there was live salsa, I got excited and knew I had to be there.

I was very surprised as I walked in. Central Texas isn't known for its salsa scene. There were people everywhere, waiting for the music to start. A invited a Colombian friend to come with me, though he wasn't planning to dance. He’s definitely not from Cali 😊But I was there for exactly that.

The band started playing, and my body just moved. There was no negotiation between me and music. I LOOOOOVE dancing. It is such a joy for me!!!

But then I noticed not many people were moving. Seen that before… many times! A couple of girls in the back were trying and two others in the front, but mostly, people were standing or sitting just watching. I could feel the energy or holding back. Like something invisible was stopping them. Fear of judgment, maybe. Worry about looking wrong. The weight of all those eyes…

I didn't think about any of that after. I just danced because that's what I do, because that's what my body wanted to do, because denying it would have meant denying myself.

As the night went on, something shifted. I noticed as I glance around every now and then, that there were more people moving. Then more. Then more. By the time the band finished its performance, what had started as a few brave souls had become a whole chain of human beings moving together, they had created a train of people, all dancing, alive and joyful, all connected!!! Something I have experienced many times in my life before, specially in Colombia, but I wasn’t so aware of beyond just the situation.

I wasn't trying to inspire anyone. I was just minding my own business, enjoying what I love. But something about that, about someone being completely comfortable in her own skin, completely unapologetic about what brings her joy, most probably inspired and gave others permission to do the same.

At that moment I understood something I want to share:

When we stop performing for others' approval and just allow ourselves to be fully, authentically ourselves, something happens. People see that freedom. They feel it. And they want to move toward it.

This was and is true from that brewery moment on a Saturday night and it's even more true in how we build our brands, in how we show up in our businesses, our relationships and our entire lives.

We spend so much energy thinking about what others will think. Will they judge me? Will I do it wrong? Will someone notice? And we completely shrink ourselves and waste so much energy on that. We start performing smaller versions of who we are and dim our light to make others comfortable. I personally did that for most of my life being the people pleaser I was.

But let’s think about what could be the most powerful thing to do for others around us.  Clients, community, friends, family. What if just being unapologetically ourselves was it?

And I really want to clear this: not arrogant or reckless. Just clear, honest and willing to stand in our own truth and let that truth speak. Wow!!! That feels much like freedom.

I realize that when you do that kindly and with self-respect, we give others permission and show others it's possible creating a space where they can stop performing too.

And then, like that chain of dancers, you're not alone anymore. You're part of something bigger. You're connected to people who want what you want, who believe what you believe, who are ready to move together toward something real from being real and true. Authentic with themselves and accept that authenticity from others with that same respect.

…This is how magic happens! This magic inspires and spreads becoming greater and greater and greater.