4.10.2009

Tango lesson 11

My tango partner wasn't looking so great this week. That is, he had really injured his thigh during a capoeira class a few hours before. So for the first few dances, his movements were stiff, his face was tense and his frustration was running high.

He kept repeating, "I don't know if I can stick it out tonight."

But he took a couple deep breaths, put himself back into the moment and was soon leading me across the floor with his usual smile. By the end of class, his leg was feeling better.

This week's lesson has nothing to do with the health benefits of tango - although I'm sure there are many. It has everything to do with that one attitude that most people refuse to adopt:

Breathe. Relax. You'll accomplish more than you can imagine.

I don't know about you, but that's something that I definitely needed to be reminded of this week.

4 comments:

siobhan curious said...

I am trying to convince myself of exactly that today, as I "waste time" (ie. investigate bookmarking apps and blog promotion tools instead of marking papers.) I've been hyperventilating for a couple of weeks, I burnt myself out by working through my spring break and so have been avoiding and procrastinating ever since, and I've been wrestling with my usual focus problems (ie. whatever I'm doing, I should really be doing something else.)

So thanks for the reminder. I'm going to go try to breathe for a while.

ad said...

Let me know how it works for you.

I'm just caught in the how-did-I-get-here? tailspin and am frustrated with how-do-I-get-myself-out? part.

InhaleExhaleInhaleExhaleInhaaaleExhaaaale

Alston Adams said...

Someone I know just called that the "Get up, Trinity" moment.

ad said...

The Matrix? That's good - I like that.
Thanks Alston (and thanks MK)