Day 22 - More Energy, Less Worry

This marks my third week of Ayurvedic living. Three weeks ago I was full of mucous and coughing all the time. I can safely say I’ve rid my body of all the excess mucous that had been wreaking havoc in my body for weeks. Draining all those toxins has definitely helped my energy level.

I’ve got shows booked three nights in a row. Tonight was the second gig. Thinking back on how I felt when I started all of this, I imagine I would have felt intimidated by having three consecutive nights of dance gigs. I probably would have been fearful of burn out. But now that my body is in better shape and I know what I need to do to ensure that I’m renewing my energy, I’m not worried at all.

Let’s talk about worry for a bit. When a person has a Vata imbalance as I did, they have a tendency towards anxiety. In fact, when I was in high school I used to joke that I wasn’t satisfied unless I was worrying about something. If there wasn’t something for me to worry about I would find something. I was so used to my Vata imbalance that I thought I was the imbalance. I defined myself as a “worry-wart”. I actually thought it was normal for me.

Life is easier to deal with when your body is imbalance. It doesn’t mean challenges won’t arise, it just means you’re better equipped to handle it. So the old me would most likely freak out knowing I’ve got shows three nights in a row. But this new balanced way of life allows me to prepare myself for what’s ahead of me in a logical way.

Since I knew tonight’s show was going to be high energy I was sure to eat very grounding foods. Good old immune soup and kitchari is warm, satisfying and delicious. Those two dishes are so comforting and nourishing to me – I was confident that my meal would serve me well and provide me with the nutrition my body needed to perform. I also made sure to bring a bottle of my personal blend tea. Water is a great hydrator, but when it’s infused with herbs, it provides therapeutic nourishment that also keeps me grounded. I’d choose my tea over one of those popular energy drinks any day.

When I arrived at the show tonight, my dance partner (and owner of the production company) decided to change our show set to include some songs I had never heard before. Again, the old me would have had a mini panic attack. I’m a planner and I like to be prepared, especially when I’m performing. But the new me took it in stride. I didn’t worry about it, I just rolled with the punches. I’m really starting to dig the new me.

I noticed that my performance was more grounded, I had more energy and even if I messed up a little on the choreography I didn’t sweat it. I didn’t leave the show kicking myself for forgetting a movement like I used to. I didn’t obsess over minor details. I had fun and when I got home I celebrated with a warm cup of immune soup.