Staying Centered

Last week I gave a big presentation for work. My colleague who has seen me give numerous talks over the years commented afterwards that he has never seen me so calm. Usually my heart races then I speak too quickly, rushing to finish and not enjoying the experience. “What was different this time?” he asked. “I was in ballroom dancer mode,” I replied.  This time I summoned the courage of a dancer about to step onto the competition floor, and recalled what my teachers have taught me about walking with poise to enjoy sharing and connecting. After striding confidently to the podium, smiling and making eye contact as I greeted the audience, I heard myself speak in a clear, slow voice I almost didn’t recognize. I was fully present and not flustered even when my cell phone alarm started chiming from within my pocketbook in the back of the room. Rather than interrupting the flow by running to turn it off, I just took a breath and kept going.

This feeling of being completely centered is something I’ve experienced through yoga, hiking in nature, and ballroom dancing — not often enough, but increasingly more. In dancing, if body and mind are both centered, even the Viennese Waltz and Quickstep can seem as if I have all the time in the world.  Sometimes re-centering is best achieved with a posture adjustment, and sometimes with a deep focusing breath. With more practice, I hope to find that center more quickly whenever I’m thrown off balance both on and off the dance floor. How do you stay centered in challenging situations?