Me and Loreen get sweaty. The way of the Warrior part 4, take responsibility for your happiness…

I allowed myself to get dragged into the abyss’s that are Britain’s got Talent and the Eurovision Song Contest.  Both TV programs that I normally consider a brain numbing waste of life.

This year was different, on both counts. Massively so! Massively so!

Maybe Life changingly so.  I certainly find myself fired up more than I have been in a while, let me explain.

I have been dancing with my sword for a while now.  I have blogged about it and use various images in my marketing on a regular basis.  I find myself dancing whenever a beat hits me, to the embarrassment of my wife.  There’s a video coming that I shot in the lake district where I dance quite unashamedly in several locations. Keep your eyes peeled for that.  I love to dance.  I love movement, movement and expression.

Remember that retreat I’ve mentioned several occasions now, well I went to some dance classes, I got told by the instructor that I am a very expressive dancer. I’ll take that.  Every day!

I’ve blogged before about how I can get into the zone when dancing.

The level of talent on display as Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) was amazing, almost across the board.  There were several acts that I was astonished by, however there were two in particular that really got my attention.  A fella who had lost his leg to cancer and could dance. Really dance, with one leg and a crutch.  Determination and talent to not be defined by a disability.  Absolute respect, his name was Musa Motha.

The other was Lillianna Clifton, 13 and dancing like every bone was double jointed and a natural flow and grace such as I don’t know as I’ve ever seen before.  A real mishmash of dance and gymnastics.  Desire and passion in one so young, again massive respect, and she was so humble too.

I was blown away.  And inspired.

In the final Lillianna danced to Loreens song Tattoo. The song that won the Eurovision song contest.

There were several songs in that competition that I would actually distinguish as songs, rather than nonsense rubbish just constructed for the telly.  Loreens song stood out hands and shoulders above every other song in the competition.  To my relief it actually won by a country mile. Deserved.

After the competition I promptly forgot about it.

Until Lillianna danced to it in the final of BGT. Awesome.

Now I had to dance to it too.

A while ago I bought some earpods.  They were cheap in an online store.  They are not really my thing.  Especially when outside, there is too much natural music I don’t want to miss.  I do use them to meditate though, whatever music or recording I am listening too becomes my world.

However, I could use them outside with only one earpod in!  So, that what I did.

Earpod in, sword at the ready and phone primed to play tattoo.  The music started and I immediately found a level of dance, or enthusiasm at least, that I’ve never found before.  Natures still there, but there’s music too.  I danced to three more of Loreens songs too.  Exultation as I’ve not found before in a long time.  Absolutely fired up is the only way to describe it.  I had no time limit on me that day and I only stopped because my advancing years meant I was knackered.  Very sweaty and knackered.

That’s not happened before either, normally in my role as ‘Captain slow’, the heady realms of sweaty don’t get reached.

That feeling of exultation and enthusiasm stayed with me right through the day.

One other realisation, the first of a few, also filtered through to my conscious brain as the day progressed.  One of the reasons I could actually have this experience was because of the space that I have designed my garden to be.  An open space and several paths that need more careful negotiation. I like my dance to be with an awareness and connection to the space around me. This adds to the experience for me more than just a big open space.  Again, my garden is designed that way.

The following day began the same way, a little less time, but just as sweaty and just as exultant.

Again, I carried that feeling with me through the day.  Even through one or two more challenging moments.

That pointed out, or reminded me, because it’s easy to forget, that I am responsible for my moods and the emotions I feel. 

And I don’t need alcohol or any other kind of drug to help me find peace and exultation, just an awareness and a couple of props.

To put it another way, happiness is a choice.

Thank you Loreen, thank you Lilliana, thank you BGT and thank you Eurovision.

What could you do to fire yourself up and make life easier…?