Joyful January Day #22: Dance Like No-one Is Looking

Dance Like No-one Is Looking 

This was from a light show in the New Plymouth gardens, 80s music and lights... I was in my need to dance element! 

Just move your body! 

Dancing can be a great way to get fit, choose your favourite music (or go without music if you wish)
and let your body move. It is an expressive artform, you can choose to let loose and just move any way you want. It can be a great stress relief especially if you allow yourself to let go of everything else for a little while. Dance is also great for engaging our brain, improving cognitive skills through the challenge it can provide. I know when I am learning new steps it takes a lot of focused energy to master them but the feeling of achievement when I finally get there is huge. 

As our balance in our body improves through dance so to does the balance in our brain. 

I remember years ago going to an arts conference for teachers focused on dance and feeling completely out of my depth especially when I saw the dancers float in and sit down, they moved so gracefully and looked beautiful. I felt so awkward and clumsy and really wondered what I was doing there. Then something magical happened once I started going to the sessions, all that self judgement slipped away when I started having fun with it. On occasions I still pull out my version of a back spin I learned in the breakdancing session for fun :) [Please note: my back spin is still a work in progress but I have fun doing it when the mood takes me, even if I need extra help to keep spinning :)]

Dancing can be fun when we let ourselves enjoy the freedom of movement... we don't have to do it with anyone else if we don't want to but if we are dancing with others we need to remember that unless we are on stage we aren't performing for anyone so it is OK to just do our thing (and if you ask the choreographers for shows I do, often when I am on stage I am still kind of doing my own thing... but that is more about my skill level than anything else!). I love the quote from Eleanor Roosevelt "you wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realised how seldom they do". Generally speaking people are so busy thinking about themselves, (or looking at their phones!), that they don't have time to think about you so don't scale back the joy you can feel when dancing just to avoid the imagined judgement of others. And if anyone is judging you remember that is actually their business and not really your business at all. Just do your thing and enjoy the freedom!

This Joyful January project is part of the Happy Healthy Teachers Matter Online Summit: Restore your health, boost your wellbeing and embark on a happy healthy lifestyle for 2021

That is exactly what the Happy Healthy Teachers Matter Online Summit is all about. YOU having the knowledge, skills, support and most importantly the WHY to make your health, energy and vitality a priority for 2021 and beyond.

22nd - 24th Jan with 17+ heart centred wellness experts and a 3 hour vision board online workshop (recordings available) Find out all the details here: please follow this link: https://www.spectrumeducation.com/happy-healthy-teachers-matter-online-summit-home/ 

Click here for a link to the Joyful January Calendar