Hi! How was your weekend?
I spent most of the weekend dancing — teaching, performing, and rehearsing, so I’m feeling happy (and physically a little tired) heading into this week. I’ve been teaching dance a lot more these past few months and guess what I’ve learned?
I love it!
I don’t know why I’m so surprised — the part I always enjoyed most about my marketing director role was getting to manage a team of people and help them grow. Still, for years when friends asked me if I wanted to teach dance, I said no.
I felt like I couldn’t possibly teach someone else how to dance when I myself was so focused on improving and getting better.
That thought seems so silly now! Because of course I will always be learning and growing and improving as a dancer. I will always want to be a better dancer, just like I always wanted to be a better manager for my team. In the same way, I’m always working to be a better friend, a better partner, a better communicator.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t share what I’ve learned with others along the way!
I love sharing things with other people. Lessons I’ve learned. Stories that inspired me. Tools I’ve found helpful. Getting to share those things with so many people is actually one of my favorite aspects of blogging!
Now I realize I kept saying I didn’t want to teach dance because I was scared I wouldn’t be good at it. Or that other, more experienced dancers might criticize me.
But no one is good at something when they first start doing it. Nothing you create in the beginning is that good. Practice really does make perfect. But practicing something you’re not good at yet can be frustrating. Too often we give up before we’ve even really given ourselves the chance to succeed.
How could I say I didn’t want to teach dance? Or that I wouldn’t like teaching dance? I hadn’t even tried it yet.
In addition to teaching me that my world will not end even if my plans don’t work out the way I thought they would,
And when you’re not honest with yourself about what you do and do not want, it’s really, really hard to create a life you really love. It’s kind of like wandering around in a dark room. You have no idea where you’re going. You just keep grabbing at different things hoping to find the door.
Is there something in your life you really want, something that might bring you a lot of joy, if only you gave yourself the space to want it? Whatever it is, I hope you try it this week without worrying about if you’re good at it yet.
Here are a few other things on my mind…
🙏 “Trying to be anyone else but yourself is exhausting.” –– my yoga instructor said this in class this week and I can’t stop thinking about how true it is! (Side note: I saw Michelle Obama speak at a marketing conference a few years back and she said the same thing, so you know it’s good advice ❤️)
💰I always get stressed about spending around the holidays. I loved these tips from money blogger @TheFiscalFemme, especially the one about writing down what is important to you about the holidays.
😂 “Tell me again about the part with the bars.” + other funny responses from your future grandchildren about how dating used to be. (McSweenys)
❤️ Such a cute way to turn around a bad day!
☕️ My aunt surprised me with this Illy coffee in the mail and I’m really enjoying it! It may even be taking the place of my love for Philz coffee….and you KNOW how much I love Philz!
Have a great week!
with love,
Brielle