At the end of 2018, I let go of the security of salaried employment to become a full-time Movement Medicine teacher.It all began the day my dream, too long stashed away in my unconscious, escaped me...

How I got here: from dream to reality

As an aeronautics executive with a management degree, I could have developed an activity in line with my studies and experience. But that's not what motivated me. Movement Medicine enabled me to develop enough self-confidence to take the plunge. To dare to go after what really makes me tick by living my passion for dance to the full.

Considering that I discovered Movement Medicine two years ago, this may seem a bit hasty. But when you know my passion for dance, 30 years to dedicate my life to it is quite a long journey.

Personally, I've experienced these four years as a continuous series of small steps, choices and opportunities seized. The first being my decision to take part in this internship in November 2016.

Dare to dream

It was my first Movement Medicine course. I remember the inner call, such jubilation, "this two-day course is for me". A few days later, I walked into the room and realized that I had absolutely no idea what I'd gotten myself into. Up to that point, I'd only done 2-hour workshops and another practice. To get us started, Susannah Darling Khan, who was leading the course, asked us to introduce ourselves and name our expectations in groups of three. I heard myself say to two strangers: "I'm looking for a new career and I've come to see if this practice might suit me".

The brain recovered quickly: "What did I just say? I'm divorced. I have 2 children whom I'm raising alone. The industrial group I work for is so big, I almost have the benefits of a civil servant. I love what I do there. I'm well paid and my work is regularly recognized. It's not possible to become a dance teacher at my age. It doesn't exist. I have to make sure of that, especially when the children go to school, .... "

Looking back, I know now that, for the first time, I was expressing my dream. A dream so long held inside, even for me. To make dance my profession. It was so improbable for the management controller that I was. It seemed so risky. I didn't believe it for a second. And yet...

Follow your bliss

Yet, step by step, quite easily and even without believing it, I took this path. Looking back today, I simply followed the thread of my passion for dance. When I decided to take the apprenticeship (almost 300 hours of training), everything was there. The budget (from an estate), the days off (to the day) and my mother's availability to look after my children. I was afraid of theemotional intensity of such a journey in one year, on top of the stress of my full-time job. At this stage, I still wasn't thinking of making a career out of it. I wanted to know more about the practice. And, I remember saying to myself "we'll see, at worst I'll have had a blast dancing on a beautiful floor".

 In fact, I wonder how I managed to reconcile my role as a mother, my full-time job, my weekly dance practice, my involvement with associations and that training course that year. In any case, I still had no plans to leave my company. If I liked it, I'd start teaching in addition to my job. And I'd balance the two by working part-time until I could really make a living out of it. That way, I'd stay secure and start building my dream.

A dance that makes you grow

I dance for pleasure, but not just for pleasure. Movement Medicine also enables me to develop my awareness andevolve personally. My new awareness has led to changes in the way I live. First, on the ecological side: what used to be too much effort suddenly became so much. Then, on a personal level, the dance workshops enabled me toexpress emotions that had been blocked for years. These emotions had been limiting me, because they were fuelling both my lack of self-confidence and my lack of self-esteem.

Finally, in terms of relationships: expressing my emotions, being clearer about my desires and needs, and what was important to me, helped to clarify my family and professional relationships. I became more available, more assertive and clearer. Saying no from the outset and explaining why is rarely a problem. On the contrary, dragging it out for several weeks because you're afraid of hurting someone's feelings, you don't know how to say it and how the other person will take it. This is the best way to create frustration. The importance of quality relationships.Being together instead of doing has grown on me.

 The "right time" is now

So much so, that the gap between my values and convictions and what I was experiencing in my company was becoming ever greater. I felt that it would be very difficult for me to reconcile the two. As a gift, my company had set up a voluntary redundancy scheme. This allowed me to leave with more time to develop my business. I was realistic enough to know that I wasn't taking the easy way out. I also realized that I'd never have another opportunity like this again.

 I'd built up enough self-confidence to think that if it didn't work out as I'd hoped, I'd find another job. Certainly, with lower pay and fewer benefits. I was going to "lose". And then one day, it was like a tipping point: "No, I won't have lost anything. I'll have the satisfaction of having dared to follow my dream. To have really lived, without waiting for retirement."

 The grass isn't any greener

I've never regretted it. Since then, however, I've had to face up to my fears. Everything that had limited me up to that point has come back to visit me: the fear of being visible, the fear of getting in the way and getting drunk when I promote my activity, the fear of succeeding,....

It's the same every time:

- I don't want to go," says the little victim or saboteur voice.

- It's up to you: either you dare to assume that you're at the stage you're at (imperfect), or you stop everything and go and find a job. It can be done. There's no shame in it. You've lost nothing.

So inside, I feel the fire of my passion and my desire to share what this practice has given me. And I'm ready to climb mountains and break down walls to continue spreading the word about Movement Medicine. To share it so that as many people as possible can also change their lives to experience the happiness of being more in tune with themselves.

And what do you think?