After a hectic year working as the show director of the Swedish TV show Talang and performing in the show Seebach in Copenhagen, dancer, choreographer and This Is Nuts Ambassador Kenny Svensson is taking some time off to wander the world and discover himself in the process. Tag along for the ride as he takes us to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and beyond in a series of four blog posts. Part one.

Packing up my things from my hotel room in Copenhagen made me feel so humble and blessed. Thankful to say the least about my body and my health. I have during twelve months been able to perform eight shows a week of full intense dancing. Same show same week every night and sometimes twice a day. I left feeling thankful for the friends I made and the difficult life lessons I learned both on and off the stage. The Seebach adventure had come to an end and after bowing for the last time I left Copenhagen with nothing but a huge exhale and some snacks from the team at This Is Nuts, who have provided me with endless love and support as a dancer, as well as healthy nuts, since last year. 

My life changed drastically during 2017, and 2018 was filled with challenges both in my personal life and in my business life. 2018 has also been the year of rebuilding myself and my values, and stepping inwards and accepting realities, but mostly to let go of control which I think is needed to achieve happiness on a deeper level. Learning to trust your path and your faith. I needed to take a break and really get back to myself and find acceptance. To that end, I was accepted into a twelve-day meditation program in Indonesia at the Vipassana Meditation Center. A silent retreat with ten hours of meditation a day for ten days straight.

Allowing the mind to be still for that long is the most difficult thing I have ever done. It challenged me beyond belief and made me face all my fears and demons and allowed them to be in acceptance, something I think we all should do. While embracing the purity of the mind on a deeper level I learned that the mind is the most powerful thing I have ever encountered, and that the truth is simply in your mind. Learning about the mind and being present, not fearing the future, and letting go of the past is amazing. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Every day I wanted to quit. Not only are you not allowed to speak to anyone besides the teacher for ten days, but you truly step in to simple life mode. No phone, no exercise, no reading, no writing, no contact with anyone, and no hot water. No products besides toothpaste, toothbrush and fragrance-free deodorant and shower gel. But I had made a promise to myself that I would push through and within the first couple of days, no matter how hard and tough it was, I was intrigued to learn more about myself and my mind. It truly was a life-changing experience that I’m beyond thankful and grateful for.

Being a human in today's society, in today's tempo, with today's demands and in today's constant noise it’s easy to forget to take some time to yourself and remember the values of life. I believe that a good diet, a good body exercise routine is important but I TRULY encourage and TRUST now after this experience that it’s just as important to allow some peace of the mind. The mind is often where we get lost. The mind is often what tells us that we are not good enough, and that we can do more, that we are not doing enough. It is in the mind that the ego lives and if you don’t become aware of your mind it’s easy to get even more caught up in your ego, and I truly believe that ego is our biggest enemy. If you want to change the world, start with yourself and your strongest platform: the mind.

I stepped out into the real world as a changed man, more peaceful and loving. I had learned to trust, and it was beautiful. The world looked nothing like it did when I stepped in to this. All I had done was to be aware and allow acceptance on a deeper level of the mind. The day I checked out of the retreat I turned 34. My year as a 34-year-old could not have started better. I made my way to the beautiful and spiritual island of Bali.

The following three weeks I spent traveling around with my backpack and my journal. I met beautiful people, ate good and healthy food, and practiced meditation as I truly felt a change in my life and soul and was hooked on keeping it going. A change I’ve been waiting for. In my case the universe truly provided me with nothing but daily miracles in every shape and form. From the waves I surfed, to the people I met, to the love I received from family back home and strangers I would meet on random occasions. And to the places I got to see and experience could not be described better then miracles. Getting to a place of gratitude and trust made me fear less, and since I feared less I opened up more.

I went to Ubud, Bali's spiritual hub, and met a healer who taught me about energy flow. I took a speed boat to Nusa Ceningan where I spent three days in a beach box and met two Australians with the best sense of humor. I saw the bluest ocean and meditated to the sunset off a cliff with nothing but the horizon and the beauty of the ocean and the sun. I walked around the island of Gili Trawangan, where I talked to locals and met people from all over the world who inspired me. I spent one week in Canggu where I surfed, ate all vegan food (no sugar or gluten). I spent time with my meditation guide and learned more about meditation, the local life of Indonesia and the beliefs of Karma that I feel strongly connected to. I did yoga every day. I laughed harder, I slept better and I loved greater.

After six weeks in Indonesia and a new look on life it was time to pack my bags and head to the airport of Denpasar. My adventure in Indonesia had come to an end but my adventure in life is far from over. Now I leave for the Philippines to share my love and light and to be further guided in life.

Follow Kenny on Instagram: @kennyiam and @thisisnutsswe