Grace

by | May 26, 2017

As dancers, we know the importance of grace. Even in a “grounded” dance form like tap or hip-hop, there’s still an element of grace. I’m coming from a ballet background and it’s all about grace (and strength and control), but I love that it permeates all styles of dance.

It’s easy to forget that there’s another kind of grace, though, and it’s one that’s every bit as important.

This week I’ve had to remember to show myself grace.

I’m really good at showing grace to others. Letting them off the hook when life gets crazy. But I’m not so good about showing myself that same patience. I get frustrated. I’m disappointed and annoyed.

This week is one of the busiest weeks in my photographic year. Sunday I took pictures at Dance Central. That means that I had hundreds of pictures to sift through, edit, and print. Tomorrow I start taking all the proofs to the dance studio and showing the parents and students and collecting orders.

Last year I realized that I needed help on the next part (showing myself grace, level 1.0). I hired a friend who was better with details than I am, and she helped me get all the pictures cropped and uploaded to the printer. This year I’m doing the same, so that part will stay sane.

But there’s an added twist this year.

I got sick.

It’s not a bad one. Just a head cold. And seriously colds-wise a super-basic one.

But with it: a nasty cough. The kind that keeps waking me (and my poor husband) up all night long. All. night. long.

So I’m tired. Fuzzy. Touchy. And I still have to get normal life done in addition to getting everything ready for the big reveal.

I’ve had to force myself to slow down. To not expect that I’ll get absolutely everything done, and to be okay with that.

This is such a hard lesson for me, as a Type-A person, and a mom, and an oldest child (a.k.a. perfectionism is a constant struggle). But I know I need to show myself the same grace I’m so willing to bestow on others.

So may this encourage you to show yourself the same grace. If you can’t do it all today, that’s okay. It’s not a bad thing to let yourself slow down. You’ll be stronger coming back out of it.