Principles for a Dynamic Life Masterclass 4

Part 4. 21 lectures 06:39:02 Introduction Welcome to Part 4! This is the final section of the course and is full of some of my favorite lessons taken directly from my experience in movement and dancing and applied into the world of personal development. My hope is to inspire you to "Dance Your Way Through Life" in the coming lessons and gain the tools necessary to always be free, happy and in alignment with your highest potential. Enjoy, I share everything in this section with passion and love. Important Links The following links are relevant for all lessons in this course, please keep them handy for your training: Dynamic Life Facebook Group Join others in discussion about what you learn and ask questions as you apply these lessons to your life in the coming weeks and months. Recommended Reading List My personal reading list that is being updated on an ongoing basis of highly influential books. I refer to this list at various times in the lessons in this course. Dance of Life Podcast Stay connected to topics like these and more on mindset, health and success through my weekly self-development podcast, The Dance of Life. Tune in every week for inspiring content and valuable information to move the needle forward. Consistency In this first lesson we set the frame for the remainder of the course by studying the Principle of Consistency - that everything in the Universe works the same way. Through this simple idea we can gain many powerful insights from the external world about the invisible world of the mind. Movement & Dancing In this lesson we create a powerful distinction between the "old" way of being and the "new" way of being through analyzing movement and our evolution. By looking at what dancing is as a result of Awareness and Stillness, we can gain a valuable tool in learning what it means to "dance" our way through life, through our business, our relationships and situations. Alignment Now that we've setup a foundation of ideas about movement, we'll be unpacking the idea of Alignment a lot more in-depth. Learning to view your life and situations in terms of Alignment is a priceless skill and one that will train your ability to listen, observe and be efficient in the lessons to come. Paths Right in line with the previous lesson, the notion of Paths takes a step further in looking at our behavior and thoughts and how they create movement in space and time through our actions. Remember that what you believe generates a "Path" through space over time regardless if you're aware of it or not - so if you want to change where you will end up later, you must first change what you believe in the present moment. Momentum In this lesson we unpack the Principle of Momentum and how it relates to the mind, emotions, states and our actions. Momentum is a constant force in our lives - sometimes positive, sometimes negative - and learning to master it through Stillness and Readiness will be the goals of this lesson. Resistance Yet another valuable physical principle in your tool belt is the idea of Resistance. Just like Momentum, Resistance plays a constant role in our lives, so it is our relationship to it that we must continually evaluate because it can either support us to grow or undo everything we try to create. In this lesson we'll look at how and why we experience Resistance as well as what tools and perspectives we can use to maximize it for our own good. Adjustment In movement, a valuable Principle that has changed my life is that of Adjustment. This is the idea that you will always have to adjust before the final position. In dancing as in life, learning the value of Adjustment can save us lots of energy and effort, as well as build patience and a strong process to withstand life's negative situations and be adaptable. Balance The notion of Balance is one that is very popular but often misunderstood. In this lesson we'll be taking a look at Balance and the misconceptions that are common around it, as well as how to create "Dynamic Balance" in the things we do through Opposition and respect for the many moving parts in any situation. BONUS Resource: The Georgian National Ballet This short video illustrates the importance of Oppositions in athletic movement to create Dynamic Balance. These dancers are famous for the crazy amount of turning they do and yet rarely fall off their balance because of the use of two opposing forces in their body to keep things moving. The lesson? Utilizing counter-balancing forces creates powerful results without the destructive backlash of Momentum.Your own mind is capable to "dance its way through life" this way by using Duality and these principles in the way you integrate opposites on a daily basis to create a Dynamic Life. Enjoy. Timing As the common adage says, "Timing is Everything." In this lesson we'll be examining the importance of Timing in your life and decisions as well as some valuable ideas that will come into play in the following lessons. BONUS Resource: Ancient Wisdom & The I-Ching The mental model of a "Yin Yang Clock" is actually a simplification of a much greater and more complex idea that we did not have time to break down in this lesson. This is the I-Ching, or the "Book of Changes" that has been around for thousands of years and that takes the static symbol of the Yin Yang and divides it into 64 "hexagrams" or states of change, describing each as a different balance between these two opposites and how we cycle through them in our day and life based on their relationship to one another. It is a profound tool for divination, studying the Alignment of when to act and obtaining wisdom when faced with suffering or challenge that I have personally used quite a lot in my own situations. Below are two resources to help you learn more about this: 1) a short, well-made video explaining a bit about the I Ching and2) a free online portal where you can cast your own hexagram to get insight into a particular situation. >> Click Here for the Free I-Ching Online Portal Completion Another little-known movement principle is that of Completion or "finishing" our actions. In every sport, a drive to "finish the movement" or "commit to the movement fully" is what makes athletes and top performers learn the value of putting 100% of themselves in each of their actions. What if we could apply this idea to the rest of our lives? This is what we'll explore in this lesson along with some valuable insights for your own situations. Circulation An ancient principle is that "movement is life." Based on this simple idea we can examine each part of our life for whether it is moving or not. Is there Circulation or is it stagnant? This is a powerful lesson with many tools to help you look at all aspects of your life so that you can keep things moving and growing. BONUS Resources: Nutritional Supplements I Use for Blood Flow & How to Breathe Correctly Circulation is a big part of my life as an athlete but also as someone interested in maintaining a high level of energy to continually create what I want out of life. Below are two supplements I incorporate to aid my blood flow on a daily basis. One is a Nitric Oxide chewable tablet and the other is a natural plant enzyme-based supplement that clears away uric acid, toxins and so on. I've used this company for over a decade and they are very reputable, research based and high quality. You can read about the supplements and purchase them below if you want. Always consult a professional before committing to any new health regime or product. Opti-BFF Chewables Opti-Acute Below is a simple but very useful video guide I found that explains an important concept I discussed in this lesson but did not have time to train you on - diaphragmatic breathing. To learn to use your diaphragm is a vastly important skill for athletics, meditation, stress-relief and general well being. The four breathing techniques I discussed (box breath, tracing your breath, fire breath, etc.) are all dependent on diaphragmatic breathing, so watch the video below to learn how to do this correctly. Breath of Fire Tutorial A wonderful tutorial on how to perform the rapid breathing technique of "Breath of Fire" that is used in my morning priming, before performing to get oxygenated or just for meditation and getting present. Wu Wei The ancient art of Wu Wei has been a huge breakthrough in my own career as a professional dancer and coach. Learning to lead and act with "effortless action" is a profound practice to adopt into your life and I wanted to share my insights into this timeless art with you so that you can apply it into your own situations. BONUS Resource: Don't Force Anything - Alan Watts A short but powerful and profound recording by Alan Watts explaining Wu Wei and the art of effortless action. Excellence preview Striving for Excellence is a foundation in any pursuit of success. In this lesson we'll break down what it means to be successful and performing in Excellence through a simple formula that combines some previous lessons into a powerful template for continually living and being at a high level in life. Partnership One of the unique aspects of my career as a professional athlete through ballroom dancing and coaching has been the element of Partnership. There are not many sports in the world that involve the heavy study of Partnership that competitive ballroom dancing requires, so in this lesson I've put together my 5 top qualities that all successful partnerships employ from 15 years of experience in the field. These are simple, but powerful guidelines that you can take into any relationship of your life - personal or professional - and use as a litmus test for seeing what needs work and what is shining. BONUS Resource: The 5 Qualities of Good Partnership Below is a refresher on the 5 Qualities of Good Partnership discussed in this lesson: 1. GratitudeA good partnership is based on the principles and practice of Gratitude. Mutual appreciation for not just each other, but for life in general is key to avoiding a toxic, Vicious Cycle from ruining the relationship. 2. AgreementsAny good partnership has clear agreements. Your ability to create, communicate and honor agreements together is the key for a sustainable, productive partnership. 3. BalanceTo "dance" with someone both in the literal and figurative sense, both people need to have an inherent level of balance. This means balancing their Inherent Nature and avoiding negative Momentum through self-control so that it affects the partnership minimally. 4. Skill to LeadFor a partnership to be fulfilling and robust, both individuals must have the ability to "take the spotlight" and skill to lead. A partnership means that both are equal, so it is also a call to leadership. 5. Willingness to Follow Finally, a good partnership must also have space to follow and "go with the flow". When one person takes the lead, the dance is being able to allow them the space to do so. Without Willingness, little is possible. Painting Future Picturesa In this final lesson I open up the idea of Painting Future Pictures - a phrase one of my first mentors coined that inspired me to continually create the future, dream and visualize what I want out of life. We'll take a look at what it means to create your future powerfully and consistently (remember being "the avalanche") as well as introduce you to a variety of useful tools that can help you continually stay on track with your goals and dreams. BONUS Resources: D.A.N.C.E. Personalized Action Plan & Vision Board Program This is a coaching plan I utilize with my students to help them plan their dreams and take action on it every 3 months. You don't have to be dancing to utilize it as it is general and can be applied to any goal or dream. It is a fillable PDF so you can work on it digitally or print it out. Give yourself quiet space and time to create this plan, then address it every 3-6 months and see where you're at it in relation to what you've created. Use this along with the VGA Power handouts to continually Paint Future Pictures as you Dance Your Way Through Life :)Motivational Firewood(tm) - Visionboard Mastery Program My friend, Steve, has put together an absolutely amazing program to jumpstart your visionboard process in this compact, fun and powerful course. Steve is a motivational speaker and author and works with clients to help them create their vision and walk boldly into it with massive action. Click the picture to learn more info regarding this exciting course and begin Painting Future Pictures today. Painting Future Pictures In this final lesson I open up the idea of Painting Future Pictures - a phrase one of my first mentors coined that inspired me to continually create the future, dream and visualize what I want out of life. We'll take a look at what it means to create your future powerfully and consistently (remember being "the avalanche") as well as introduce you to a variety of useful tools that can help you continually stay on track with your goals and dreams. BONUS Resources: D.A.N.C.E. Personalized Action Plan & Vision Board Program This is a coaching plan I utilize with my students to help them plan their dreams and take action on it every 3 months. You don't have to be dancing to utilize it as it is general and can be applied to any goal or dream. It is a fillable PDF so you can work on it digitally or print it out. Give yourself quiet space and time to create this plan, then address it every 3-6 months and see where you're at it in relation to what you've created. Use this along with the VGA Power handouts to continually Paint Future Pictures as you Dance Your Way Through Life :)Motivational Firewood(tm) - Visionboard Mastery Program My friend, Steve, has put together an absolutely amazing program to jumpstart your visionboard process in this compact, fun and powerful course. Steve is a motivational speaker and author and works with clients to help them create their vision and walk boldly into it with massive action. Click the picture to learn more info regarding this exciting course and begin Painting Future Pictures today. Part 4 Wrap-Up Congratulations on completing the course! In this video we wrap up your training and reflect on both the course as well as the journey ahead. Below you will find a download link for ALL the handouts used in this course (except the D.A.N.C.E. Plan in the previous lesson). Enjoy your journey ahead, I am extremely proud and grateful for your accomplishments. Know that I am always just an email away and don't forget to submit your experience through the quick course survey for this Masterclass.May you take these lessons into the days, weeks and years to come and always remember to live a Dynamic Life. BONUS Resource: Master PacketAttached is the master handout packet for all handouts from all sections of this Masterclass. Enjoy! BONUS: Dance Your Way Through Life In this final bonus piece of content I share with you something truly special to my heart. It is an original recording, superimposed with beautiful video and words, that encompasses everything I have experienced in my career as a professional athlete, coach and artist. It is a poetic summation of everything that I believe about dancing as a spiritual, metaphysical, personal growth journey - and it is a message to you regardless of your background that you can experience the same. Dancing to me is the Dao, the Way of Life, and a fundamental expression of everything that it is rt, that we can learn - just...