Releasing the Year 2014

 

 

 

Happy New Year! It's that time of year again when I like to hit pause on the belly dance topics and focus on reviewing and releasing the year that has come to a close. I love the opportunity that the ending of one year and the impending start of the new year provides for taking time out for reflection and checking in with our own internal compass. It's an opportunity to see what worked well, and what didn't. It's a chance to wrap up the lessons that were learned and head into the promise of new beginnings and new opportunities. Yes, it's a magical time of year.

I started 2014, with this post about my goals for the year, which focused on my theme of "Triple G", with the "G" standing for grit, gratitude, and giving. Reflecting on the year, how did I do?

I was pretty gritty this year if I do say so myself. I completed my first half marathon, the Lululemon Seawheeze, and my first obstacle/mud run, the Warrior Dash.  I'm pretty proud and pleased to say that I smashed my own expectation of what I thought I could accomplish and finished my half marathon in under two hours!

 

I also worked hard on my giving goal. I had originally hoped to be a Girls on the Run Coach, but there ended up being too much time required during work hours that I couldn't participate. But instead I ended up joining the Board of Directors or Finance Committee for the non-profit organizations of Humanities Washington, Sixth Day Dance, and Fremont Abbey Arts. I'm honored to be working in this capacity for these organizations and loving all the opportunities this allows me to give back to my local community.

 

And finally, gratitude. I've been keeping a daily gratitude journal wherein I write two to three items specific to the day that I feel grateful for. This is a daily ritual I've come to love because it really puts me in a positive frame of mind and helps me focus on the blessings in my life.  This in turn puts me in a position to manifest and achieve my best possible life. Easy practice, powerful stuff.

 

My gratitude practice has been especially important to me this year, as I've had a really difficult year in some respects as well. I've been dealing with chronic health issues, as I discussed in this post. I am continuing to work toward a solution, and I am beyond ready to put these issues behind me and move forward into a year of radiant, vibrant health.

 

In regards to other things that occurred this year, I've also gotten back into ballet, as I blogged about in this post. And I got my first ever tattoo, which you can glimpse above! My tattoo is in Farsi and says "Dance when you're perfectly free", which is a line from a Rumi poem.

 

Our lives are ever-evolving and changing, and thus what receives our focus and energy is always shifting.  This dynamic energy was a factor in my life this year, as some of my originally intended goals didn't get my attention at all, and other goals ended up modified as the year went on.  I wrote approximately 50% of my intended non-fiction book, including the proposal, before deciding to table that project and write a novel instead. I'm already on the third chapter of the novel and have hopes to finish it by the end of 2015. I find that there's great peace of mind that comes from doing something that your heart knows you were meant to do, and I'm finding that spirit encompass my effort as I work on this novel.

 

I also didn't make it to Costa Rica this year, but the plane tickets are booked for March 2015.  Pure vida here I come! Instead my husband and I headed to Hawaii's Big Island where we scuba dived, hiked, kayaked, zip lined, swam and laid on the beach. The picture on the beach above is of myself and a sea turtle at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park.  My husband and I also did numerous weekend trips throughout the summer, including a lovely B&B in Walla Walla for wine tasting, and a stay in a treehouse in Fall City for our one-year wedding anniversary, the site of our wedding ceremony.

I also ended up reading a lot this year. I've always been an avid reader, but I really turned to books this year for solace and comfort on days when I wasn't feeling well.  My favorite fiction books that I read this year were Amy Tan's Valley of Amazement, Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, and Paula McLain's The Paris Wife.  For non-fiction books, I would recommend Barbara Sher's Refuse to Choose and Caroline Miller and Michael Frisch's Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide.

And as one final comment on the year, it turned out to be an epic year for concerts. I saw a total of 27 different bands, including Tool, The Pixies, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Alt-J, Bastille, MGMT, Weezer and Imagine Dragons. Holy moly, lucky me!

 

It's been a year of both triumph and hardship. In many ways, not the year I was expecting to have when it first started, but that's just the nature of life. As always, I encourage everyone to take time out for themselves to release and renew at this time of year. Tie your bow on the year and let it go. Goodbye 2014!



The Blessings of Illness

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I always like to take a break from dance related topics and take a moment to reflect deeply on gratitude. If you'd like to read last year's post on gratitude, you can find it here.  Additionally, if you previously read my post regarding my goals for the year, you already know that boosting my gratitude practice has been on my radar for the entire year and not just for the upcoming holiday.

It can be easy to feel gratitude when things are going well.  That's why for this post I wanted to focus on expressing gratitude in those times when it's hardest to do so: when we face adversity, opposition, and trials.  The times when we feel beaten down and strung through the ringer.  When we'd rather cry than crack a smile.

While I've had some great moments and accomplishments this year, I've also been experiencing my fair share of trials and tribulations.  Starting back in March, I began having stomach issues.  My symptoms have been so severe that there are days I can't really function as a normal human being.  So severe that I've been tested for everything under the suspicion that I may have Crohn's Disease, cancer, or some other terrible illness.  I've had to cancel multiple sets of classes and shows.  I've been late to work and had to back out of plans with friends and family.  There are some days I feel racked with anxiety at the thought of leaving my house because I don't know how I might feel later in the day. I've cried during a friend's wedding ceremony, not out of joy for the happy couple, but out of crippling pain. 

However, after months of testing, the only diagnosis my doctors can come up with is IBS-D. While I'm certainly happy and relieved that I don't have cancer or something else of that nature, I'm also frustrated with this diagnosis because it doesn't really mean anything and it doesn't correlate to any specific treatment.  Thus, I'm continuing to search for answers and a course of action that can get my body back on track.

Since the process of trying to figure out what's wrong with me has been so drawn out there have been many days where I've felt beaten down and emotionally brittle.  Where I've sat on the couch and cried because when I look into my future, it's hard not to see never-ending day after day of continued illness.  But it's because of this that I feel it all the more important to focus on what I have to be grateful for in my life, and even more specifically, what I have to be grateful for from undergoing this illness.  There have been lessons I've learned and growth that I've experienced because of being sick that I don't think I would have experienced otherwise.  With our national day of thanks just around the corner, let me share my reasons for gratitude with you.

• Being ill has exponentially increased my level of compassion for others who are suffering from chronic and/or severe illnesses.  Yes, of course, I've always felt bad for those who were sick, but experiencing a chronic illness first-hand has made me realize how depressing and debilitating it can be, not only on a physical level, but on a mental and emotional level as well.  Since I've been sick, I find that others confide in me more frequently about their own health struggles.  I've had people tell me about their battles with breast cancer, brain tumors, Crohn's Disease, and a myriad other diseases and health conditions. There are unfortunately a lot of sick people out there, and if you are one of them, I can truly and sincerely say that my heart and my empathy extend to you.
• Being ill has made me truly appreciate my husband and his love for me. Its easy to love and get along with someone in the good times, but it's in the bad times that you see what people are truly made of.  My husband has been by my side, holding my hand, showing me love, and trying to cheer me up.  Without his help, I couldn't have gotten through this and for that I am deeply thankful.
• Being ill has made me appreciate good health! It's so easy to take feeling "normal" for granted, but man oh man, do I now look back on former days of health and realize I should have appreciated them in the moment.  So now, when I do get a good day here and there, I cherish and appreciate it wholeheartedly.
• Being ill has solidified to me that you really only need your basic needs in life to be met to be happy.  Its so easy to get caught up in the daily toil and grind and think the grass is greener somewhere else.  To think that once we get to that special place just out of sight, we'll finally be happy. But that place is actually right here. Assuming you have your basic human needs met, you don't need to be any other place or accumulate any other possessions or accomplishments. Stop waiting, and be happy now!

So there's my list. Especially on my bad days, I try to keep these thoughts in the forefront.  Whatever trials you may personally be going through, I hope you can find your own list of positives to help you find your way through to the other side.  Blessings to all in this holiday season.

Photo Credit: Unknown

Triple G: Grit, Gratitude, and Giving

Last year is one for the books. It's been released and bid adieu to, and now I am ready to open my arms to 2014.  I always like to share a little preview of my goals for the year ahead, as I think declaring your intentions and aspirations to the Universe is a very powerful first step to seeing them fulfilled.

My goal-setting process always begins by picking a theme for the year. My theme for 2014 is Triple G, with the "G" standing for grit, gratitude and giving.

Due to reflecting on gratitude back in November for this post, I really got inspired to work on my gratitude skills and thus gratitude has become a pillar for my 2014.  I've started a daily gratitude journal, where each night I jot down a few sentences about what I'm thankful for that day. Already this practice is helping me to focus on gratitude all day long, as I throughout the day I start thinking ahead about what I'm going to write down that evening.

And because I'm feeling so much gratitude for life right now, I want to expand that and pay it forward by focusing more on community service.  This service is manifesting in my life in a couple of different ways. Due to my credentials as a CPA, I've been asked to serve on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee for Humanities Washington, which is Washington State's non-profit humanities chapter. I'm very honored to have been asked and have accepted.  Additionally, I've applied to be a Girls on the Run coach for their spring program. Growing up, I played a lot of sports, including swimming, gymnastics, running, and to a lesser extent diving and tennis. In addition to being active and boosting my health, sports taught me many great life skills: how to work as a member of a team, self-confidence and positive body image, perseverance when times are tough, determination to succeed, and the ability to push yourself to your edge.  I want to help pass these skills onto other young girls. I should receive my coaching assignment in about a month!

And finally grit. I'm going to do something this year I said I would never do: run a half-marathon. In addition to dance, I'm very active each week, doing a mix of running, interval training, barre, and indoor cycling. And I'm ready to take my physical stamina to the next level by running (and finishing!) the Lululemon Seawheeze half marathon in August. Additionally, I've also already signed up to do the Warrior Dash in July, which is an obstacle-coursed based 5k run.  This will be another great test of grit.

Those are my big focuses for the year, but of course, I always have a slew of smaller fun goals in mind as well. These include getting back into ballet, which I quit just about a decade ago after just starting pointe. Playing my violin in a community orchestra again. I played regularly through high school, and since then it's been a bit more hit and miss, but lately my soul is just itching to make music again. I also think this is the year I finally get a tattoo. I've wanted one for almost 20 years now, but have had a hard time deciding what I wanted. Now that I've finally wanted the same design for a number of years now, I think it's time to make it permanent.  Time and money allowing, I always try to take an annual international vacation.  After so much time spent recently around the Mediterranean, I think it's time to switch things up a bit and head somewhere tropical. A Costa Rica vacation with surfing and scuba diving is currently topping the list. And lastly, I believe I've caught the Katniss / Merida / elves from the Hobbit craze, because I put down taking an archery class on my list for the year as well.

And finally I have a rollover goal from last year: to write a book on pursuing your passions while working a 9-to-5. I've already started writing this and am pleased as punch to say the words are just flowing from me. 

So that's my vision for the year ahead. It will be definitely be busy, but I'm feeling jazzed and energized about it. The ball is already rolling on a number of these and I'm excited to see how the year plays out. To bring it all together, I made the vision board pictured above as a daily reminder of what I want to embody for the year.

Your turn. What big, life-affirming goals do you have planned for the year? I'd love to hear all about it!

Practice Gratitude

 

To me, belly dance is part of a bigger picture. It's part of a lifestyle that I've purposely chosen and designed. A lifestyle that honors my passions and nurtures my soul. And that lifestyle includes a lot of other components, or as I like to think of them practices, as well - holistic eating, giving back to my community, caring for my loved ones, expanding my world through travel, making time for regular exercise, and many more. Some of these I do well, some not so well.  But all these practices weave together to create a life that is balanced. And one of the practices that has been on my mind lately is the practice of gratitude.

Of course, with the Thanksgiving holiday, when not overshadowed by turkey and gravy, the idea of gratitude is probably discussed more at this time of year than any other.  And it's such a remarkably simple practice. At it's most basic, all it involves is taking a moment of reflection on all the blessings that we have in life.  And why is taking this step back into gratitude so important? Numerous studies and scientists have researched the effect of gratitude on the human psyche and they consistently report a host of benefits:

• Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure
• Higher levels of positive emotions
• More joy, optimism, and happiness
• Acting with more generosity and compassion
• Feeling less lonely and isolated

Despite it's simplicity and benefits, being grateful can be so easy to forget as well. When the pressures of daily life come crashing down, it's easy to focus on the ugly, the negative, and what we want to change. Our focus becomes targeted on the crack in the pottery, rather than appreciating the beauty of our lives as a whole. At least I know mine does if I don't remind myself to step back, see the bigger picture, and be present with what is.

But practicing gratitude goes beyond just being grateful for the shiny, sparkly portions of life. What about being grateful for the challenges? I think this is where the meat and potatoes of a gratitude practice lies. When challenges and trials come our way, it can be hard to not let them drag us down.  We become mired in the muck and stuck in a mode of suffering. But it's the hard, gritty parts of life that refine who we are. Our challenges shape us and define us. It's the Universe's way of honing and forging our authentic selves. Looking back at the most painful experiences I've had in my own life, they've turned out to be the most transformative. It was these experiences that pushed me to my breaking points, and that when I came out the other side, I was more than I was before. This is where our real opportunity lies to practice gratitude.

If you're feeling like me and want to step up your gratitude practice, here's a few ideas on ways to embrace gratitude in your own life:

1. Start a gratitude calendar. I simply love this idea, and starting January 1st I'm going to be setting one of these up. Just think, with less than a minute each day you can reset into the mindfulness of gratitude and after a few years, what a lovely record you'll have to reflect back on.

 

2. Watch Louie Schwartzberg's Ted Talk on gratitude.

3. Write a letter of gratitude to someone who has helped you in your past, maybe a teacher, spouse, mentor, or coach. Let them know what their help has meant to you.

4. Take a vow of gratitude for 1 day, 7 days, or a month. A vow of gratitude is like a vow of silence, only instead of saying nothing at all, you say only positive things. Don't complain, criticize, or gossip. And if you start thinking these things, gently remind yourself to return to a place of gratitude. See how this makes you feel. How much time and energy were you using on negativity?

5. Start a family practice of gratitude. It's fairly common on Thanksgiving to go around the table and have everyone say what they are thankful for. It's a beautiful moment. So why not do this everyday as your family sits down for dinner? Or even try it with your coworkers over lunch?

Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo Credit (top): www.huffingtonpost.com