Dancing, Painting, Watching and Asking

I do a dance practice called NIA which is a mixture of dance, martial arts and yoga. I've been practicing NIA for about five years now and have found fitness, agility, strength and peace of mind through this. This morning I danced and noticed, as I often do, a connection with my dance and my career as an artist.

The studio where I danced this morning has mirrors, as many of the places I dance do. I recognized a reluctance to look at myself in the mirror. I recognized a reluctance to make a gesture of asking for what I want and to look at myself in the mirror while doing so.

You can't get what you want unless you ask for it. You have to be able to look yourself in the eye and know this is what you truly want, before you think of asking it from someone else. You can't get what you want, unless you first ask for it. This doesn't mean that you're being aggressive or greedy or mean. It just means that you are honest and authentic with those you interact with.

So this year, I'm setting those BIG FAT HAIRY GOALS for myself and I'm going to ask for what I want. I'm not going to settle for the lesser goal, or the comfortable or for turning away from the mirror.

Look yourself straight in the eye and ask yourself for what you want. Tonight!