written by Angelena Craig |  

Remember how you once loved to dance? Maybe it was while you were still in school and there were plenty of opportunities to go out and dance with your friends or on a date. You might vaguely recall how good it felt to let your body move to the music. There was always a smile on your face as you danced and instead of making you tired, you felt more energized and lighter.

And then somehow the seriousness of life (marriage, babies, jobs) got in the way. You forgot how the pleasure of dancing and you never took it up again.

But now that the kids are grown and you are feeling less pressure to work hard and get ahead, you may have more time to take care of yourself and to explore this form of activity that was once a part of you.

I believe we are all dancers. Knowing how to dance is innate and embedded in our DNA. Since the very beginning of time there has always been the drummers and the dancers responding to the beat. So what stops us from exploring what comes naturally?

We become self conscious and self critical. We tell ourselves….“I am too fat” or “I am too clumsy” or “People are watching and laughing at me” or “I have no one to dance with”.

These are poor excuses that prevent us from enjoying this form of movement, and the key here is to dance as if no one is watching. In fact, probably is no one else is paying attention to you on the dance floor. They are too busy enjoying themselves.

I encourage you to go out and dance, with friends, a partner or, if you dare, alone.

There are many opportunities to explore this forgotten part of your life. Maybe there is a club in your town where you feel comfortable and relaxed enough to get up on the dance floor. If not, you can take a dancing workout class such as Jazzercise, Nia, or the latest craze, Zumba.

Many health clubs now offer these classes. It is a fun, easy way to do aerobics , to get your heart pumping and move all the joints, while following ...