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Do you wake up in a good mood? It’s a rare morning I don’t wake up happy. But there was a time when that only lasted about four minutes and then the day ahead came rushing at me and I had a sense of, if not dread – at least displeasure about what would come next. I was overwhelmed most of the time and always had a to- do list much longer than I could manage in one day. Mostly that list was devoid of anything for or about me. Meaning, I might have had household chores and other personal things on the list, but there wasn’t a space in the day to just connect with myself. Pilates helped change all of that but it’s still a daily conscious decision to make time in each day for me.
If you’ve been reading the blog, you know that I start each day doing Pilates. I don’t answer the phone, teach anyone anything or check e-mail before I work on my own body. This gives me focus, ensures I have time and energy for my workout and sets a tone for the day. But there is something else I’ve been doing for the last year that is all about me – and about starting my day with a few minutes of simple joy. Here’s how it started…
Almost exactly a year ago I woke on my birthday in an incredible mood. I was making my bed and a song I love came on the radio and I just started dancing – naked. I danced around the room with abandon and it made me laugh. I liked the feeling and decided at that moment that I would dance every day of my 42nd year. And I did.
Now if you know me, you have first-hand experience of my total lack of rhythm. I am not a dancer and never will be. But something about just privately letting go to some great music can really drive my energy and put me in touch with a more basic side of me. I think we all wake up and start thinking, planning and sometimes fretting about what has to get done during the day – for many of us, it’s almost like “the race is on!” We hit the floor and push go and never stop to be in the moment. We are all continuously focused on what comes next. But when I stop and just dance, for two minutes in the morning, everything that “comes next” is off the table. I’m just dancing for a few minutes, but it’s like a hiatus in what can become a really hectic morning. Think about how much fun it is to just dance – with nobody looking. Are you getting it?
Now add in “naked.” Yes, I’m not just dancing, I’m dancing naked. Let’s see if I can explain well enough to convince you to try it. Most of us don’t spend a lot of time naked. And I’m not suggesting you need to join a nudist colony or flash the neighbors, but being naked is freeing and it allows you to be in touch with your body. And frankly, you don’t worry much about how great a dancer you are when you are naked. If there is another way to not take yourself too seriously please share it with me – dancing naked is all about being joyful and silly and in the moment. Picture a little kid of one or two – as soon as they get rid of those clothes they run and dance around the house with abandon. Somehow as adults we lose that abandon.
Did I mention the “in front of the mirror” part? Oh yeah – that’s part of it too – you don’t need to stand in front of a mirror the entire time, but make sure you get a good look at yourself – dance around the room – stop in front of the mirror – laugh at how goofy you are – pick out something you love about your body. In fact, pick out five things you love about your body every day. It’s all part of the deal. You see, dancing naked is a great way to become comfortable with your body and to get used to the way you look naked. It’s much harder to criticize and pick yourself apart when you are a moving target – and we need to look at our bodies every day and to look without a critical eye. Notice the changes your workouts and nutrition have made. Notice that some days you look better than others – but that every day you are absolutely beautiful – after all, if you are able to dance naked – you have working parts – they might not be twenty year old parts anymore – but they are working parts and you should rejoice in them.
Yesterday morning I started a second year of dancing naked – why don’t you join me – well, not join me but you know – go ahead and just dance naked.