Dance is enlightening because I use it to reflect and to see if I’m growing as a human being. That’s saying a lot, considering my last few decades on the planet have been a colorful journey. I’ve trekked through triumph and sorrow in academia, writing, spirituality, athletics, and parenting. Had plenty of injuries of the heart. Lots of winning and losing. I’ve grown from being a boss. Being an employee. Being humble to life’s processes.
When friendships, business partnerships, or marriages run their course and end, it’s painful. Dance partnerships are particularly interesting because of the shared experiences. The time invested in creative material, coaching, countless hours of practice in the studio and traveling, as well as the anxiety and excitement of competing creates strong bonds between individuals. When there is good energy between partners and extraordinary kindness and respect are exchanged, dance can grow without boundaries and the human soul expands
. Without a formula for joy, dance is empty. And it is time to move on.
I’ve started over from two dance partnerships, and both endings were painful. It feels like falling, where self-doubt rises to the surface. Did I perform well enough? Did I hold up my end of the bargain? Did our goals change? What went wrong? Where do I go from here? I think feelings of failure are normal when relationships end. Failure is a temporary condition and part of a successful life journey. It is critical to our own personal evolution. Like falling, it is important to acknowledge failure as an invitation to change and that it’s time to learn something new. Get up off the floor and soldier on.
Falling leads to a reinvention of yourself, some fine tuning of goals. It’s insightful and all good. I can consciously choose to take just the positive stuff and leave the rest behind. That way, there are no setbacks. There is no such thing as permanent failure. If we adopt this attitude, there are no broken relationships, pain, or heavy baggage because we don’t have to start over, we can just pick up where we left off. I like being in this space today. I feel optimistic about the future, with a sense of wonder. I feel strong. I feel expansive, like the Grand Canyon.
I am a sponsor for Pittsburgh Dancesport Challenge hosted by Andrew Pueschel on August 2nd. Andrew and I decided each competitor should have a book… you’ll have to attend to find out which one you’ll be adding to your summer reading list! http://www.pittsburghdancesport.com/
© Charlene M Proctor and The Goddess Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
For more affirmations, read The Women’s Book of Empowerment: 323 Affirmations that Change Everyday Problems into Moments of Potential.
