I think I’ve discovered a miracle.
After dancing for almost 40 years, I have learned something completely new.
Something I REALLY wish I knew before when I was dancing professionally and dealing with injuries, pain, discomfort and frustration.
Because that’s the stuff that is no fun in our industry!
Pain, discomfort and frustration…no thank you!
Do you ever feel like this?
I mean, I imagine you come to your Art because you love it! It makes you feel amazing, right?
This isn’t a 9 to 5 for you, I imagine it’s a deep calling. You want to create, and there is a deep fulfillment that occurs in your music, your words, your art, your images…that just doesn’t arise anywhere else.
I get it.
This is how I feel about dancing, this is how I feel about writing and speaking.
So, when I’m dealing with situations that keep me from dancing, it’s heartbreaking. As I did for the last three months…until last week, when I was able to return from a strained tendon and be back in dance class.
And the real saving grace?
Well…it turned out to be something bright pink. Something I had NEVER used before.
And something I actually knew about, but had looked at and said,
“Nah, that’s not for me”
Have you ever said this?
My husband is an Occupational Therapist. Literally the universe has brought the perfect man into my life. Every day I am so grateful for him, but with my calf injury I was beyond thankful. This injury was entirely new to me, and I was a total student asking him,
What do I need to do?
In the second month of recover,y he recommended I wear his compression socks. I had heard of compression socks before having several runners in my family, and had always looked at the socks and said,
Oh, that’s for runners…not for me as a dancer.
And now, here I was being handed these socks to put on, even though I had made a strong decision they didn’t apply to me.
What’s really interesting here is I NEVER wore them before. I actually had no direct experience with compression socks. I had just decided they didn’t apply to my body and needs.
So, being the good patient, I put them on…and the effect was miraculous. My calf instantly felt better. So much of the achiness was gone. When I asked my husband to explain them, he shared they actually help with blood flow and are really important post injury or post an intensive workout to keep swelling down.
Wait….in adequate blood flow and swelling are BOTH things I have dealt with my whole life.
In fact, they were issues I had as a professional dancer and performer that I was approaching in other ways that didn’t always help or work.
Maybe I had made a hasty decision…or maybe I had made a decision based on nothing…..
The day before I was going back to dance class, my husband surprised me with a gift…hot pink compression socks. Pink is my favorite color and I immediately put them on. I loved them! He instructed I wear them all day before I take my first class and then make sure to put them on right after class to help with any possible trauma or swelling.
So, I went to class. It was ups and downs, and my calf was definitely talking! Right after class I put the socks on and even felt a very strong heat at the injury site.
I was worried, and even more, was convinced I was going to be SUPER sore for at least 2-3 days. This was my first dance class in 3 months!
And then, I woke up the next day with no soreness.
I was flabbergasted.
Wow…turns out compression socks actually were completely FOR me.
I felt so good that within five days I was back in class and that went even better. The compression socks went on right after class and again, the next day, no soreness.
Total education.
So grateful…
Now I had an actual experience with something that was a HUGE help to my art.
So, what is causing you pain, discomfort and frustration in your work?
What have you looked at and said,
Nah, that’s not for me…
What solutions or help have you walked away from, even though they have been presented to you, maybe more than once?
Have you actually had a direct experience WITH it?
What do you really need HELP with right now?
I can’t tell you how many times I have made a decision on something to later find out it was exactly what I needed to grow, and it’s hilarious that compression socks were presented to be so many times over the years through my brother and my nephew who were both competitive runners.
Even more, I can look at the four years leading up to my divorce, and my deep desire to ask for help.
Yet, for years I would look at therapy or coaching and say,
Nah, that’s not for me
Meditation?
Nah, that’s not for me
And yet, these three things saved my life. And it was only when I had the actual experience of DOING them, of trying if FOR myself that I was able to really understand WHY I needed them so badly.
Pain, discomfort and frustration? Now, I had tools to deal with these, and even more so, NOT be taken out or stop doing the work I loved because of them.Check in…..what has been nagging at you?
What has been working for others around you that you are refusing?
Have you tried it
There is wisdom there.
What are your compression socks?
The answers to your pain may be right in front of your face….open your eyes and your heart, and step into a new experience.
You may learn something that will change your life.