Action – living in the present

A quote by BKS Iyengar that really resonates with me “Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious movement, more action.”

Growing up I have always been one of those people with big dreams. I still dream big. But over the years, the definition of big has changed. What do we want from life? What is it that makes us want to wake up and push ourself to do what we do through the day? Is it Money? Fame? Love? Happiness? Material things? For a long time I had this specific image of what I wanted my life to be like. A 5 year plan, A “when I’m 30 I will be doing this and when I’m 35 I will rule the world” kind of image. For a long time I really wanted to be a princess (Thank you for the inception Disney)

When I quit my corporate job to be a professional dancer, each day was a struggle. I had a huge sense of self imposed responsibility. And not one I could voice out because saying things out loud somehow makes it more real. I was terrified because of the endless possibilities of failure. I had to prove myself to myself. Now I have learnt to take things are they come. My art, guru and family have taught me to live life better, treat each day like a new experience. Obviously some days are better than the rest. But being present and in the moment can change the way you see life. Learning to be content and grateful has changed my perspective and definition of success. I am slowly teaching myself not to dwell on the past and future. To be kind and conscious of the way my choices and actions affect people around me.

This doesn’t mean I stop working or having aspirations and wait for life to move forward. It just means that I work without expecting. Good things happen to people who work hard. Some people are naturally talented, but if they don’t supplement their talent with work, they fizz out. I have come to strongly believe that hard work is the only key to a successful life. If success hasn’t happened yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t. Re-define what success means to you. Find pleasure in the small things. Rejoice the tiny milestones. I dance for a living. Its probably going to be years before I get any kind of recognition or financial security through my profession. There’s no guarantee that it might even happen. But I still wake up everyday and enjoy my practice. Because I love it. Because it is what makes me who I am – a better person each day. Because the future is out of my hands, but what I do with my present is very much in my control.