One person died and sent me on an emotional journey to find my meaning in life. Another person broke off a relationship with me, giving me a reason to move away from my home, all by myself.
One person answered a phone call at a Breakdance studio and told me to take hip hop as well, another person recommended I go to this weird club called "Bachata" because there are hot girls there you can dance with (later on, I found out it was the name of the dance, not the club).
A completely different person I met through Bachata told me that "Zouk is such a beautiful dance", even though they didn't dance it...so I tried it. A person I met at the hip hop studio convinced me to go to Amsterdam to a hip hop competition and festival, where I decided I want to dance for life. A few months later, also in the Netherlands, multiple people helped me decide which dances I want to focus on.
A person told me I should come to LA to learn dance, then told me to stay. A person I met on a boat came with me to Brazil to learn Zouk.
A person told me I don't know what I'm doing. Another told me I'm ignorant and arrogant. Others made me feel I have no place in this world, a few told me how to get better and find a place.
Key persons and teachers showed me what I want to be, and what I don't want to be. Friends helped me pick up my lazy ass and get to work on what I want so that I don't give up a dream, even when that dream has changed.
A person told me "You can't go back, you have to stick with the gift you have to the world, and it's probably not only in consulting to defense companies".
I never did anything all by myself, I don't think that's possible or desired. Tonight I'm remembering those key points and nudges along the way. Most of the people who were such an impact on my life don't even realize it and aren't a part of my life. Some are...I'm grateful for all of them.
Things are happening like they are supposed to happen, nothing ever happens too fast or too slow - it happens.
In this video - Me, circa 2016 (my first year of dancing anything), with cool second hand clothes I got in Amsterdam, lots of spirit, not much musicality