This past weekend I travelled to Cleveland, Ohio on a bus trip to an Irish dance competition with my three kids. I know they won’t be dancing forever, so I jump at the chance to see all three of them participating in an extracurricular activity together. I love how all the dancers cheer each other on from the sidelines, congratulate those who reach a goal and support those who didn’t end up where they wanted on a given day.
I was chatting to someone recently who works in Human Resources and she mentioned that her last three hires were former dancers. She said they end up being gritty, hard-working, resilient employees who know how to rise after a fall. I love that. It’s why I pay for dance. It’s about life lessons rather than choreography.
At this competition, my 13-year-old son ended up coming first place in a group of 17 dancers which earned him a spot at the championship level moving forward. He was beyond thrilled and it was a lovely reminder of hard work paying off. My other two kids also placed well and it was another dance weekend that I will remember fondly when they have all spread their wings and flown on to other life milestones.
Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov once said, “I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” I remind my kids of this all the time. If you just try to do better than you did yesterday, you have already won. In life, in work, in dance.
Here’s to finding your tribe, competing against yourself and dancing like no one is watching.