Hi dance family! Happy New Year and happy 2020! I still can’t believe that the year 2000 was 20 years ago. How is that possible?
I’ve stopped setting new years resolutions, because honestly-I always forgot about them by January 5th or so. And then when the next new year comes around, I’d spend a week feeling badly about how terrible I was at keeping my resolutions, and the cycle would continue. But I do like to take time to reflect every year before January 1st, and I’ve starting picking words for year and instead of setting resolutions, I’m working on setting habits. One of my words this year is GRATITUDE, and the habit I’ve started is every morning writing down 3 things that I’m grateful for.
Right off the bat, in 2020, I’ve gotten the perfect opportunity to put my word for the year into practice. A lot of you know, I had an ear infection early December, and it’s turned into what the ENT called “sudden and severe hearing loss.” After about a gazillion hearing tests, they determined I have very little hearing in my left ear! And I’ll admit-I came home from that appointment, sat on the couch, ate more cookies than I should have, and wallowed a bit. But earlier that morning, I’d written down my three things to be grateful for-and guess what? They were still true. I was still grateful for those things. And I knew that the next morning, I’d come up with three more things. I think it’s really easy to take our bodies and our health for granted, but every time I grand plié, I’m grateful that I get back up! Every time I dance, I’m grateful that I get to do something I love, and that I can still do it. I’m grateful that I’ve got good hearing in my right ear (so if you’re talking to me-please stand on my right side!) and while I’m optimistic that I’ll get hearing back in my left, I know I still have a ton to be grateful for if not.
If you need a reminder of how amazing our bodies and our minds are, how you really CAN do anything you set your mind to, or if you just need a good tearjerker (just me?)-here’s some things to check out:
Interview with Evan Ruggiero, tap dancer-click here
Dancer and amputee Gabi Shull-click here
Sydney Mesher-Radio City Rockette born with one hand-click here
What’s your word for 2020? Did you tear up watching/reading the above, or was that just me? Comment and let me know!