The other day I was feeling crappy. We all have crappy days now and again, and I couldn’t seem to shake my bad mood.
My husband and I were walking through a mall, and we stumbled upon two youngsters playing “Just Dance” on X Box, with one of those giant live interactive screens between the Aldo and American Eagle stores.
In case you aren’t familiar, “Just Dance” is a video game where you learn choreography to all the latest hits.
I stood on the sidelines, watching, captivated by these two young people having so much fun.
Because my husband knows me, he could tell I was doing the choreography in my head and he said, “Well, if you’re gonna do it, go do it.”
The next thing you know, my jacket is off and I am dancing beside them. Move by move. Step by step. Dancing with two others. Smiling the whole time. I was fully immersed in this dance video game.
And within 3 minutes and 25 seconds, the length of Justin Beiber’s “Sorry,” my bad mood had evaporated. Gone. Vanished.
I want you to get this. In 3 minutes and 25 seconds, you can change the molecules in your body and your brain, allowing you to see the world and yourself differently.
That’s it.
(If you want to see a video of me learning this dance, you can check it out right HERE.)
You see, I think in life, we often overcomplicate things.
We think that solutions need to be difficult and hard-won.
And yes, some things DO require great thought.
However, as we move into 2017, and you think about what you want to create, do, and achieve, I invite you to ask yourself this,“What if it DOESN’T need to be all that complicated?”
I have some big things I want to do this year. Huge. Some of it scares me. But this little mall dance reminded me of a few lessons I want to carry with me into the new year.
Perhaps you can let them be a guidepost for all your goals and dreams.
And how about you? I would love for you to share ONE thing that you want to take into the new year. What is one lesson that had an impact on you that you want to keep in your pocket?
As always, there are so many great suggestions that show up in the comments section, so please leave a comment.
And again, if you want to see what I look like dancing in the middle of a mall, with passersby watching, you can watch it right OVER HERE.
Happy New Year!
Love,
Erin
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I am so not techy…..all this twitter, instagram , blah blah blah stuff …..lol…I just can not keep up with it all! However, I have been trying to follow another website this holiday season called the MMHolidayChallenge and I would have to say , the one lesson I would take away and keep in my pocket would be SELFCARE!!! Really figuring this one out as we move into 2017….but changing a habit takes time, patience and movement…..working on starting small and creating more , one breath, one step, one moment at a time! Thank you so much for the Soul Strolls and all you do Erin!
After watching your video, ONE thing I will do more is spontaneously move: dance, stretch, yoga, walk during the day (not just in classes or on schedule) to elevate my mood naturally and give my teaching day shots of strength and fun! As an elementary art teacher, this physical practice will alternate with the Mindful moments where we’re teaching the children to calm themselves and the creativity they learn during art making. Perhaps just adding DANCE will uncomplicated the rest! Thank you for this timely post! 😉
The one thing I want to take into new year is th actively practice presence. It takes but a second to decide to listen more than we speak. I read somewhere that “when you speak you repeat what you know but when you listen you learn something new.”
What came to mind this morning is gratitude, attitude & action!
Then-I saw your post and video and smiled coz I would have joined you dancing in the mall =)
This is so so true and I’m so grateful you shared this with us Erin. I think what happened is you got out of your head and into your body. So whatever feelings of fight/flight, fear, worry were literally forced to turn off:) The setting couldn’t have been more non competitive, purely for fun and play. So cool!
In the New Year I will be newly unemployed for the first time in 5 years. My job was so easy and well paying that it unintentionally ended up coming first in my life. Now literally any and every door could hold a potential opening. Instead of panicking and choosing one, I want to say “yes” to as much as I have the time/money/energy for. Because life isn’t about reaching some pinnacle goal, it’s about every single moment put together.
I think you are exactly right and it was such a fun environment:)
And this is SO exciting about what you have going on as you step into the new year. It sounds like your heart and mind are in the right place. I can’t wait to see what unfolds! xo
Am taking in the New Year active dates! Dancing, Classes and walks! Friendship, fellowship and walks! Loved your mall video awesomeness!
I love the idea of active dates! And thank you!:) xo
Last year was a grind. Big change. Painful. Feeling all the feels but showering love to heal. I’m putting a big layer of love on it all. Amazing how choosing love over ego, fear, loss changes me. (And a morning soul stroll is still magic)
Wow! If we could only live like kids do. They just follow their joy! Thanks for this reminder. In the New Year I want to work more on working from my inside out. I tend to let others around me (elderly parents, teenagers in my house, and my 4th grade students) influence my mood (especially with their negativity and resistance). I want to work on meditation and taking more ME time to tap into my heart and get my emotions back on track.
I can really relate Robin! I’ve been trying to do that (live like a kid and follow my joy instead of my to do list) over the holidays while the world slows down a little bit and it have been brilliant!!! It’s easy to get caught up in things again but keep reminding yourself, it’s been really nice and worth it and I actually think I may have gotten a lot done but I’m trying not to pay attention! 😀
Following the laws of the Universe and vibrating always at a higher level. Let’s do this!
Loved watching your bliss just bust out. This week had some crappy moments, also for me–and I knew I had a choice to make a choice: wallow or move–Soul Stoll 2 outside in nature and later while I got ready for work. Rhythm in movement and mantra–aka rhythm rescue. Move your body, move the emotion–it tranforms it ,whether it exits or it becomes less powerful. Let us all encourage one another to turn crappy into happy. Thanks, sweet Erin!!
Yes! Turn crappy into happy! I love it:) xo
I’m trying to learn how to be braver this year and to take more risks. My job has been definitely been trying to teach me how to be braver and have more confidence in myself.
Looking forward to seeing your show and seeing your new website!
This is probably my biggest problem like ever… I’ll be having a crappy day and try to think of 50 reasons why. Then I’ll go to the boxing gym for an hour and everything magically gets better.
Now I know that instead of trying to think my way out of things, I need to just move and get a little sweaty. Being stuck in your head sucks, the fasted way out is through the body.
When you are stuck in your head, the fastest way out is through the body!! BOOM!!