Feeling a drag in your step? A wish for a happier time, or place, or way of doing things? Or simply tired of the same old routine, the decreased options of a typical pandemic day?
Or perhaps you’re a skiing fan without enough snow, a hiker log-jammed by too much spring slush or mud, an active (or sedentary) person sidelined by an injury or long-term physical restriction?
There’s a form of exercise that can brighten your day, customize to your needs, be done inside or out (depending on your daring), express your preferences, and support your health and wellness.
I call it…. “Dance Party”!
Pretty much any tune you want to wiggle, jiggle, or sizzle to can be heard online nowadays. If you’re computer-challenged, get a little help from someone with a tad more tech savvy if needed, or simply pull out some CDs or cassette tapes. Bu not radio please, unless it’s ad and interruption-free, as you don’t want to break that flow. So queue up what you’re in the mood to move to, using multiple browser windows if necessary. If you’re not sure what you want, Google up your preferred genre for the day– danceable rock, show tunes, funk, bluegrass, disco, big band, etc., and have at it!
Dilemmas have you down and you need to vent your feelings? Go for those bluesy or dramatic tunes. Extra points for belting your heart out! Letting off some steam can go a long way in helping you cope. Just don’t make playing down-in-the-dumps music habitual, as it may then have the opposite effect.
Maybe you can’t move to the music the way you’d like to right now, or like you used to, but chances are you can move something. (And if you choose music from a time when you moved with ease, that may help some.) Start with whatever’s working best for you or feels fun—a foot, a finger, a hand, a head. Dancing from a seated position can be full of variety, and even freeing if you go into it with an open mind. You can tap, clap, and wiggle along, and move slower or faster to any tune. Explore what you can do without pushing the river. Notice as much as you can about how moving one part of your body affects another. The more you get your brain in this game, observing what’s happening, the better off you’ll be. Plus, this can keep your mind too busy to get “judge-y” on you. “Dance Party” is meant to be fun, not win prizes! You can do it in a safe way, and with as much privacy as you like, or get social by Zooming with friends, taking turns choosing music.
If your mobility is not restricted or medically ill-advised, give yourself some freedom and move through as much open space as is reasonably available. Pay attention to what your body wants and needs as you go. If this is your first time dancing in a while, start with a shorter duration than you might expect, and build this up gradually. You can be an excellent biker, skier, or hiker without using your muscles, joints, and tendons in the ways you may when dancing.
Do your best to get your blood flowing, your parts moving, and that smile back on your face as you create your own Boogie Wonderland. Happy Spring!
Roslyn McGrath helps you live your true spirit to uplift your world through Empowering Lightworks & Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine. Visit EmpoweringLightworks.com for more info. on upcoming webinars, appointment scheduling and related products.
Excerpted with permission from the Spring 2021 issue of Health & Happiness U.P. Magazine. Copyright 2021, Empowering Lightworks, LLC. All rights reserved.
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