It’s human nature to create boxes of our own beliefs to live inside. But so often, they contain limiting beliefs about ourselves and the world. We need to pause and ask: Do our current beliefs serve us? Is there a cost to holding onto these beliefs?
For some of us, our boxes serve as protection, and for others they condemn us to live in a limited way through conformity or repression. When we investigate by putting the thoughts “outside ourselves,” we may see that even though we didn’t intend to live inside this box, it is now our comfort zone. And if living inside our box is perpetuating unhealthy or unloving feelings, it’s not serving us well. Once we recognize this, we can dismantle negative judgmental patterns and find our way to our own truth.
The Break Out of the Box JourneyDance comes from the idea of ending perfectionistic thoughts, self-abusive chatter, and keeping the limiting beliefs from running our lives. In this transformative dance, we weave expressive movement, guided imagery, music, and creative expression. We allow ourselves to take up more space, to vigorously expand or extend, and to express our power. We create expressive movements that are different from our normal ways of moving. This is how we break out of our box. If we felt small we get to feel big. If we felt frozen, we get to experience energetic movement. All of these changes are possible when we dance to break out of our boxes.
Are you ready to release your limiting beliefs and repressed anger?
Through this JourneyDance, you’ll establish the box, break out of the box, dismantle it, and render it to dust. Play either of these songs for your Break Out of the Box ritual: “Proxy” by Martin Garrix or “Bruk Bruk” by Dillon Francis.
- Imagine your box. Create the box as if you were doing a mime story. Place your hands in front of your face, palms outward. Now slowly move them up, down, to the sides, to the ceiling to feel and sense your box. Feel what it’s like to have the box constricting you. Feel the tightness of this small space. Recognize how the box is holding you back from your possibilities. Feel it in your body.
- Break out of your box. Start with your elbows. Jab and press them outward as if you’re elbowing the box to crack it open. Use punching motions with your fists upon the walls. Kick with your feet. Grunt and yell if needed. Once the walls are weakening, don’t forget to smash that imagined ceiling. You can do it!
- Leave your box. Step outside through the crack you’ve created. Walk around the box and say out loud, “I see you, box. I see how I’ve allowed you to confine me!” or something that feels right to you.
- Dismantle your box. Figuratively take your box apart. Pull the walls down and throw them to the ground. Pull up the bottom and rip it apart. Get all the pieces and make a pile on the floor. Take a moment and feel your power.
- Render your box to dust. All that’s left is to transmute the remains of the box by stomping it into the ground. Jump on it a few times. Bring your hands downs to the floor and drum on it. Then, clap your hands together and make a big sound to finish this transformative ritual.
Say out loud:
I release you, old box.
I was safe and comfortable in there, but that was the old me.
Now I am free. I am powerful.
I choose what I believe from this moment forward.
And so it is.
How do you feel after breaking out of your box? Take the time to journal and explore your emotions. Think about how you can use the power you conjured from this experience to reframe old stories.
