Dancing- shake it offffff

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Overhaul
Time Commitment: 1 evening


I love to dance.  Really.  When I go out dancing, it really is for an overhaul.  I NEEEED it.  My life has been so stressful in unpredictable ways that I schedule a night to go dancing once a week, and I notice a huge difference in my abilities to cope if I skip one of these nights.  When I dance, I stop thinking with my brain and start to connect with my body.  I tend to get lost in my brain and logical thought patterns throughout the week.  It's as if my brain is just floating along and my body is no longer important.  Dancing allows me to let go, to trust and appreciate this mass of bone and muscle that hauls me from work to class to work all the time.
Even my nephew loves to dance <Dec 2010>:  (pay no attention to the creepy laughter in the background...lol)

Procedure: If you are not one to go out dancing, I highly recommend dancing around your house to music of your choice for an extended period of time.  It may not accomplish as much as a night out might, but it will accomplish something, and that counts.  Now I will focus on going out dancing for the night.  Preparation at home is almost as important as the going out part.  I turn on the upbeat tunes, and allow myself plenty of time for my makeup, hair, and clothing.  I am an artist, so I love to experiment, and reinvent my style depending on what mood I'm in.  Although you may not consider yourself an artist, I recommend using awareness in the preparation part.  Makeup, hair, and clothing can be forms of armor.  They can prepare and protect you for the night.  But, keep in mind to do only as much as you can be confident and comfortable with.  Rock your style!! If you are uncomfortable with your look, you are vulnerable.  I don't want you to be super susceptible to stress or criticism when the night is for shaking all of that off! :)  When you meet up with friends at a dancing venue, take your time.  Let the music pull you out of your seat.  Forced dancing is not fun, and adds stress.  I just recommend if you don't normally dance, to get up if you like a song, and try!!  Sometimes I close my eyes when I dance and just let my body follow the beat.  I have to trust my body.  You have to trust your body.  Let gooooooo...  Just try.  And drink plenty of water.
This video should pump you up:

Why this is wonderful: It attends to 2 senses: sound and movement (movement is explained in my "Music" post).  This technique has the potential to disconnect you from your critical thinking mind, which can be such a welcome release after a long week!  I have also found this to be a crucial way of expelling stress from the body, literally shaking it out. I have found that my body stores stress in my shoulders and back.  These areas get tight throughout the week and it is so difficult to relax them.  Dancing gets my muscles moving.  I move my arms, hips, legs, torso; I turn and bend; I let the music move me and I feel exceptionally better afterwards.  Also, on a more physiological side: dancing is a work-out.  This not only allowing you to burn calories easily, but gets your endorphins pumping which results in a happier mood! Whoa!