Are We Losing the Ability to Feel Comfortable in Our Own Bodies?
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Happy Friday my Beauties and Gentlemen! Is it just me or did somewhere along the way, many of us stopped moving because it felt good…and started moving because we felt we had something to prove??????
When did dance become something we perform instead of something we experience?
When did movement become so attached to being attractive, desirable, impressive, feminine enough, masculine enough, talented enough, fit enough? We may be experiencing the joy of dance, but the way people perceive us impacts how we keep moving..
And maybe an even more uncomfortable question..
How many people secretly feel disconnected from movement now because they are afraid of being seen trying?
Because if we are honest, we are not “bad” at dancing.
We are uncomfortable being vulnerable.
There is a difference.
Somewhere Along the Way, We Made Movement Conditional
We tell ourselves:
“I can’t dance.”
“I’m awkward.”
“I need a drink first.”
“I’m too old for that.”
“I don’t look good doing it.”
“I don’t have rhythm.”
But what if none of that is actually true?
What if the real issue is that many of us only learned to associate movement with:
Performance
Sexuality,
Punishment.
or
Attention?
Think about it.
How often do we see dance portrayed as something seductive, something polished, something provocative, something viral, something to consume?
Sensuality is not the enemy.
Expression is not the enemy.
Confidence is not the enemy.
EMBRACE IT.
But what happens when movement only feels “acceptable” if it is aesthetically pleasing to other people?
What happens when we become so self-aware that we stop being embodied? I recently have lost sleep over how self aware I am when I dance and I have been competitively dancing for over 20 years... The question that I keep asking myself is...
Are We Losing the Ability to Feel Comfortable in Our Own Bodies?
That sounds dramatic… but look around.
How many people feel stiff all the time?
feel disconnected from their posture?
feel uncomfortable taking up space?
cannot relax their shoulders?
cannot move without judging themselves?
cannot experience joy in movement without turning it into productivity?
How many people only move through intense workouts… but never through play?
How many people exercise constantly but still do not actually feel connected to their body?
That is the conversation I think we need to have more.
Because movement is not only about aesthetics.
It is communication between the brain, nervous system, muscles, breath, emotions, and environment.
And dance activates all of it.
Dance Is Not Frivolous. It Is Deeply Human.
Before dance studios…before trends…before social media…
Humans moved together.
Movement was community.
So what does it say about modern life that so many people now feel disconnected from something once considered natural?
Maybe we are not “lazy.”
Maybe we are overstimulated, self-conscious, stressed, disconnected, exhausted, and constantly observed.
Maybe that changes the nervous system more than we realize.
Because movement requires safety too.
Did you know the Nervous System Knows the Difference Between Performance and Expression?
There is a difference between moving to be perceived vs. moving to feel alive.
One creates pressure.
The other creates regulation.
One keeps us in our heads.
The other brings us back into the body.
This may be one of the missing conversations in modern wellness.
Because we keep talking about longevity through supplements, workouts, routines, optimization, protocols…
But what about joy?
What about rhythm?
What about coordination?
What about mobility?
What about emotional release?
What about social connection?
What about play?
Those things matter for vitality too.
Especially long term.
What If Dance Is Actually Longevity Training in Disguise?
Stay tuned for next week!
Until then, keep dancing to find joy and dance to the beat of your own drum because it could be the answer to long term longevity (;
Peace and Love
Your Vitality Coach
Heather Rose
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