Shakin' off the Devil

While running today, the Florence and the Machine song Shake it Out came up on my iPod shuffle.  This is a great song. Every time I hear it, I am struck by this lyric: "It's hard to dance with the Devil on your back, so shake him off".

This line really resonates with me and makes me think of the "Devils" that I need to shake off in order to "dance".  And by dance, I mean be the most authentic, productive, and positive version of myself. 

One of my major Devils is self-consciousness, fear of judgement, and an over-focus on what people think of me.  It's appropriate that the line is "It's hard to DANCE with the Devil on your back", because the most concrete example of how this is exemplified in my life involves literal dancing. Last night, I was reminiscing with a close long-term friend about how she once gave me dance lessons in the apartment we shared, and about how I would never, ever dance in any capacity unless I'd had some "liquid courage".  I know I'm not a great dancer, and for a looong time, I would be the girl standing on the edge of the dance floor, watching the fun happen without me... because I was too self-conscious and thought people would judge me for my sub-par dance skills.  Result: I missed out on a lot of fun.  Fast-forward to 2012, and the party we were at last night.  Jill suggested that we start a dance party, and she, the birthday boy, and I jammed out in the living room for awhile (while everyone else just watched).  And I didn't care how ridiculous I looked. 

Another one of the Devils that I need to shake off is comparing myself to other people.  A prime example is "stomach models". I coined this term years ago, referring to the many people who run around the Chain of Lakes (especially Calhoun) clad in tiny shorts and sports bras, with no body fat, toned stomachs, perfect running form, and a super fast pace.  The kind of women that I simultaneously want to hate, and want to BE.  However, never once has watching those women (and the negative thoughts that go along with doing so) made my run better, made me faster, or made me happier.  All it does it make me feel inferior.  A more positive approach would be to focus on my own run, and the privilege of being healthy and able to run in such a beautiful city.

I think we all have some form of Devil that we need to shake off our backs.  Maybe it's a negative person who isn't doing any good in your life.  Maybe it's perfectionism.  Maybe it's fear of the unknown.  Maybe it's addiction (I'm not talking about drugs, but anything that's causing an imbalance).  Maybe your Devils are similar to mine: self-consciousness, need for approval, and comparison to others.

Recognizing these things in our lives is the first step toward self-improvement.  If we don't realize what's holding us back, we'll never be able to move forward. Let's define our Devils instead of letting them define us.  And once we know what they are, let's shake 'em off, so we can dance.