Going back to dance after more than a decade away made me more nervous than I expected. This week I took a beginning-to-intermediate contemporary dance class with two friends. There was a feelings circle, a warm-up that looked a lot like yoga, and an Olivia Rodrigo routine we had to perform at the end. My flexibility isn’t what it used to be, but I had more muscle memory than I expected.
What surprised me most was how I felt walking out:
“I didn’t become a dancer. I’m already a dancer. I’m just a dancer that’s not dancing. So if you’re a painter that’s not painting, freakin’ start painting.”
In this episode, I share six takeaways from the experience:
- Stay long enough. Finish the class or the series, even when it feels awkward.
- Use it as a way to connect. Bring a friend who used to do it too.
- Novelty slows life down. It doesn’t have to be brand new. It can be something you’ve neglected.
- Bring back a former version of yourself you liked, in a way that fits your life now.
- You’re not starting over, you’re uncovering who you already are.
- Growth doesn’t have to hurt. Sometimes it just means getting back into practice.
Your challenge: Pick one former passion, dust it off, and take a class this month.
