In Dance Like Nobody’s Watching, spiritual teacher and forgiveness authority Michelle Wadleigh invites you on a transformative journey through the twelve essential dimensions of self—from Self-Awareness to Self-Love. Combining the insight of beloved spiritual traditions with the tools of modern coaching, Dance Like Nobody’s Watching helps readers confront internalized beliefs that keep them small—like self-criticism, shame, and unworthiness—and replace them with liberating practices of self-inquiry, self-forgiveness, and self-expression. Read an excerpt from Dance Like Nobody’s Watching below.
To be authentic, we have to peel away years of conditioning—some things are obvious, but there is much more that is not. While you might think you know why you like that chocolate cake with almond filling and ganache frosting, you most likely don’t. You also probably don’t really know why you’re attracted to a redhead, jock, delicate woman, businessman, or someone who displays tattoos and piercings.
You might think that I am exaggerating, but I am not. The infinite number of things that influence you started before you were born. That which has helped to form you started when your grandmother or great-grandmother survived the Great Depression, and her fear of lack left a trail of fear in those who came after her, but neither you nor your mother might know why you feel better when your pantry is full. Fear of not being able to feed you and your siblings traumatized your mother, and she acted from and made choices because of that trauma, even though she did not experience it directly.
Your mother inherited fear without a full measure of understanding why. Your mother and father adopted many fears from your grandparents, but they just thought they were being frugal. While they never knew true hunger, the fear of that experience was living in the cells of their bodies and continued to influence them.
I invite you to take time to value the influences of your ancestors and also forgive them for some of these influences. Just as generational wealth is handed down, so, too, are generational biases, fears, and prejudices that are quite challenging to recognize.
As you begin this journey, let yourself be curious about all your motivating factors. In this moment, without needing to fix or figure anything out, what do you sense is most true about who you are beneath the surface? Use a journal or blank sheet of paper and let your pen move without judgment to answer that question, and please allow your soul to speak freely.
This is our path to home—our authenticity . . .
Let us take a quiet moment to explore why this path matters and the radiant gifts it holds for the soul. When we begin to glimpse the blessings that unfold along the way, the journey becomes not only worthwhile but also profoundly moving. Think of it as a reset. I’ll share with you that I like me much more than I once did, and I walk around way more confidently than I once did. I wanted freedom and I discovered this was the way to get it.
My intention is simple: to share what I’ve come to know through my own unfolding, and to walk beside you as we each find our way back to the heart of who we truly are. As Ram Dass so lovingly reminded us, “We are all just walking each other home.”
May this shared journey be one of gentle remembrance, where we breathe deeply, love freely, and awaken—again and again—to the truth of our being.
For now, take a gentle pause.
Take a slow, mindful breath. Place your hand on your heart, if that feels comfortable. Ask yourself, without needing an answer right away: What does “home” feel like within me?
Let that question rest quietly in your heart as we continue.
What does it take to be authentic?
To be authentic—truly authentic—you must heal your insecurities, learn to love and accept yourself completely, and take time to deconstruct the masks that are your public face. I will be asking you hundreds of questions. As you learn to identify the things that need healing, inquire within and set a plan to liberate what needs to be released.
You are here to walk naked into the light of love and intelligence—metaphorically naked, of course—or not. That’s up to you. Along this path you will have the opportunity to journey with your pure, spiritually ordained essence. As you expand your sense of awe and curiosity, you will find your hidden treasures.
To be authentic is to embrace your vulnerability—which might initially scare the crap out of you. Don’t confuse vulnerability with weakness; they are totally different. Vulnerability is about living in life without arming or defending yourself. You will learn that having strength and certainty of purpose is not the only way to be. You can be strong and gentle. To accept your vulnerability is to remove the masks you wear and to be willing to be seen as you are, not as you project yourself to be.
One of my greatest influences is Ernest Holmes, a spiritual teacher and the author of The Science of Mind, a classic of metaphysical teaching. One of my favorite quotes from the book is this: “Create or perish.” So, together, we shall create—boldly, brilliantly, beautifully, and definitely.
Part of this journey will be about taking an inventory of your values, committing to those values, and then acting accordingly even when it is not convenient, even when it hurts. It is important that you do take time to honor yourself, the lessons you have already learned, and the resulting richness of life.
To be authentic you must learn to practice radical self-honesty. It is a beautiful thing to learn to be honest about your emotions, and to learn how to identify your physical reactions so you can in turn learn from them. Some emotions are obvious and some are very subtle. Learning how to identify any of them will give you an advantage of knowing exactly who you are. (This is the somatic aspect of this journey. Pay close attention to the messages of your body temple.)
When you embrace your authenticity, you will want to learn to admit when you’re wrong about almost anything and take responsibility when you make a mistake or find yourself being judgmental or prejudiced. One of the most freeing things I have learned in my life came with being able to admit when I was wrong or when I screwed up and made a bad decision. Being able to admit my errors allowed me to get ahead of feeling embarrassed, guilty, or ashamed. In the end it is quite freeing.
When you are authentic you will be able to embrace your imperfections without compounding them with self-judgment and self-criticisms. We are all imperfect, or we can say we are all perfect in our imperfections—a paradox, yes, but a very real one. When you are willing to love yourself as you are, life becomes more loving and gentler. When you know this, your authenticity might soften you, but it will never weaken you.
Copyright © 2026 by Michelle Wadleigh
Michelle Wadleigh is a coach, teacher, speaker, workshop and retreat facilitator, and minister. Michelle is the co-founder and director of the Planned Happiness Institute and the PHI Coaching Academy. After decades of metaphysical study, Michelle founded the Center for Spiritual Living North Jersey, where she serves as spiritual leader and pastor.
Michelle co-hosts a podcast on the New Thought Media Network called Radical Optimism. Michelle has spent years developing her courses in forgiveness and Shadow Work, and perfecting her unique approach to working with individuals called the Radical Release Method. Michelle is the author of several books: Forgiveness: A Path, A Promise, A Way of Life; Prosperous Me; 40 Days to Freedom: A Lenten Practice for the Modern Mind; and May Silence Be Your Guide.
Photo Credit: Lee Seidenberg
