Ode to creating space, dancing + a return to blogging

Well… hello again.

It feels a bit strange to be posting here after such a long time away. And while I can’t entirely wrap my head around the fact that it’s been 8 months (?!!) since my last post, I can tell you that the time away has brought to light so many gratifying insights and revelations.

Let me backtrack a bit here.

I left this blog in late March of this year, after a series of untimely events required me to shift gears and focus all my energy on work. I’ll admit I struggled a lot with stepping away and it was not a decision made lightly (I had just finished my e-book and was riding on a creativity wave – definitely NOT the time one takes a writing break!)

Unfortunately (or fortunately, as you might learn) life doesn’t always play out the way you think it should. Overwhelmed with my to-do list, I decided to quit pushing against what was and made peace with my blog hiatus, a silent promise in tow that I would return in a month’s time as soon as my schedule cleared.

Something unexpected happened though. April came and went, my to-do list gratefully shrunk, but I wasn’t feeling inspired to sit down and write. In fact, I seemed to be craving the exact opposite of productivity – what I was desperately longing for was some much-needed space. Disconnection and slowing down. Less digital time and more nourishment-for-the-soul time.

If there’s one thing I prioritise in my life, it’s feeling. I’m constantly checking in with myself, asking questions and gauging where I’m at on the emotional scale.

Am I still having fun?
Am I feeling depleted somewhere?
What do I need more of in my life?
Where do I need to let go?

Asking powerful questions like these is so important, as they are key to gaining more clarity.

“Ok inner Diana. So you don’t feel like sitting in front of a computer screen. And you’re craving a massive time off from social media. And what’s that you say? You’d like to feel more alive? Totally get that. So what are some activities that would make you feel this way?”

Spending time outdoors in the sunlight. Going on nature hikes. Swimming in the ocean. Taking road trips with friends. Indulging in quiet time with a good book. Journaling. Sketching. Painting. Listening to some juicy meditations and inspirational interviews. And I want to dance.

This past May I found myself guided to a dance studio, a place I haven’t ventured into in the last several years. To give you some background, I grew up with dance in my life, having started ballet at age 5 and jazz soon after that. A large portion of my childhood was spent in leotards; I loved performing. But – and I think we can all relate to this – Life Happens and we get too busy to prioritise the things that really light us up. And so dance was one of those activities that fell to the side over the years.

Until now. Being in that class back in May, connecting with the familiar beats, feet pointed, my whole body sparkling and exuding grace… the emotional response I was gobsmacked with in this class is hard for me to fully convey. It was like every cell in my body lit up and came alive. Like something was unleashed inside of me and given full expression to emerge, a flood of joy that sent my spirit soaring. I became part of the music and it moved through me. It was one of those moments that almost made me cry, so strong was that feeling of “YES, this is where I’m meant to be.”

I immersed myself in class after class after that, a full range of ballet, lyrical, modern, contortion, and dance stretch classes. It’s been so wonderful to let this old passion of mine blossom and to reconnect with this part of myself that’s long been packed away. This was exactly the energy I needed to feel: Radiance. Bliss-soaked creative expression. Open graceful movement.

And this experience has really reminded me of the importance in creating space for dreams and desires like these to appear.

We have so much going on in life and it seems we are busier than ever right now. There’s this energy running rampant to do more, experience more, work harder, make more money, and don’t miss out. We often get so caught up in the doing that we end up losing touch with our why. We forget how we want to feel, along with those things that make us the most passionate and alive.

I’ve realized what a gift it is to stop, not just in the “smell the roses” kind of way, but in the “I-love-myself-so-much-that-I’m-focusing-on-some-serious-ME-time” kind of way.

Press the pause button to give yourself breathing room and a chance to see things with a fresh perspective.

And yet.

And yet, throughout all these months of feeding my soul, throughout dance classes and studio work, throughout traveling and cooking and everything in between, this blog has called to me. Soft beckoning whispers and the pull of pen to paper have drifted and danced into my mind more and more as the months passed by. I have missed this space so, this bubbly burst of creative freedom and community, my little home on the web.

With autumn upon us and seeds of change floating in the air (at least in my area of the world!), these soft whispers have also transformed into something much stronger now. Something louder. The urge (no, make that NEED) to write again. To communicate. To share and inspire and create. It is time for me to come back and this time, it feels just where I want to be.

Beyond that, I have some exciting plans in store for The Wellness Explorer as we head into 2015. Among them:

+ the start of a video series
+ the release of my new wellness guide e-book (at last!!)
+ plus some great opportunities for coaching sessions with me (more details on that soon!)

This has truly been a year of discovery in so many ways. And while this path of self-discovery is not so straightforward as I imagined it should or would be, it is the natural cycle of growth. Two steps forward, one step back. Learning and relearning. Letting go of all the ‘should of’s’ and ‘could of’s’ and replacing them with kind, loving acceptance and a big ol’ bear hug.

I’m excited to continue on this wild and crazy wellness adventure and hope you will too. It feels oh-so-good to be home.

Massive love to you all xx
Diana

Tell me: where do you need to create more space in your life? And what would you do with that time? Share in the comments below!