audiences . Why ? Because she was still conforming to the concept of what a classically trained pianist was supposed to be .“ Nobody had any idea that that was in me ,” she explained . “ There was a moment I had to get bold enough to begin to take the stuff that was happening in the practice room to the stage . And I can tell you that it radically , dramatically changed everything I had been doing before .”
Our aversion to change , Simmons theorized , goes beyond a fear of the new .“ A lot of us think that change is cheating on our old self , or change is cheating on the traditions we ’ re in ,” she noted .“ Change is not cheating . Change is an invitation to do things more powerfully , and in a way that will bring more impact .”
Of course , knowing that we possess the capacity for positive change and acting on that knowledge are two different things . The only way to truly invite change into our lives , Simmons pointed out , is through the act of saying yes .“ You see , there is stuff in you that you are still hiding from the rest of the world that is designed to change the atmospheres you ’ re in and even revolutionize the industry ,” she told attendees .“ You are not in this industry by accident . The superpowers and skill that you have were given to you for this moment right here , to do work that is even more impactful than you thought .” These words served as more than just a confidence booster for those in the audience . Internalizing the belief that we are indeed capable of acting on our ideas and embracing change is a necessary aspect of saying yes to the moment and taking the risk that meaningful change requires .“ What happens if we go in believing that we are already able to do what we have to do — that we ’ ll either find the team to help us or develop the skills because if we look at our track record , we will see that we have always risen to the occasion ?”
That question may be rhetorical , but if those in attendance and those reading these words act on Jade Simmons ’ s words and ready themselves to say yes when a transformational opportunity arises , the spa industry is about to enjoy a renewal of purpose and an avalanche of innovation . n
“ We ’ ve been wrongly taught to mistrust that change is bad . I believe change is the most organic thing we can do .”
22 PULSE n AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2022