I do this multiple times a week. Probably multiple times a day truthfully. I joke that my kids are the only ones one our block who's mom wears a skating dress around the house to cook dinner or watch TV. You don't know do that? What a shame. You should.
I'm being serious.
The 2018/19 Figure skating season saw the incredible Mariah Bell skate a short program that EVERYONE fell in love with instantly. It doesn't matter if you are a die hard Celine Dion fan or you can't stand her and have no idea how she still continues to sell out shows in Vegas. Regardless, Mariah Bell skated this short program to TO LOVE YOU MORE with such joy, happiness and freedom, you just fall in love. Maybe it's the costume? Maybe it's the pure joyful expression on her face. Maybe it's the jumps and spins. I think it's all of this and more. Here's the program. Be prepared to fall in love.
So I added this song to my play list. I have several playlists. Skating, Christian, December and yes, even a playlist for my camper-- don't judge. Well, I made a playlist called WARMUP. This is my "I'm freaked out and need to calm down, chill and get ready to compete" playlist. Typically my days skating start with me driving 30ish minutes to my rink. During this time, I listen to two or three Conference talks from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. These are like the ultimate podcasts full of self help, love, and all things Christian values. After I get off the freeway and start the long daunting task of driving 15 mph several blocks down Provo Center Street (seriously, 15 mph. And don't you dare even think of speeding. The cops will find you. Trust me. I know), I turn on TOBY MAC and jam out to one or two songs before arriving at the rink. I've found that this centers me and puts me in a great mood to skate.
When I arrive at the rink, I put on my rose gold headphones (I'm considering adding crystals to them) and I turn on my SKATING PLAYLIST. I jam out to LONE DIGGER while doing all my cardio off ice jogging. After I'm completely out of breath and wonder if I'm actually an athlete or not, I turn on my WARM UP PLAYLIST so I can calm down, do yoga poses and find my balance. I LOVE this time. It's almost sacred to me. I try to not get annoyed when someone wants to talk to me during this time. This warmup just feels so good.
Okay, back to the topic. TO LOVE YOU MORE helps me find my balance, joy and remember who I am and why I LOVE skating.
A few things have come to my mind.
Do YOU have a warm up in life? Maybe you aren't a skater who needs to run laps to get his or her legs prepared to work out on the ice. But I bet you are a mom, wife, daughter, co-worker, neighbor, friend. You are a waitress, a mailman, a lawyer, a nurse. A dad, husband, son, uncle. There is SOMETHING you are doing in your life that would benefit from a warm up.
Do you ever just let go and dance in your kitchen? I'm not saying you need to have on yoga pants or a skating dress (but hey, skating dresses do look pretty good in the kitchen, just saying). I'm just saying-- do you ever let go? Let go of worrying "what would my children/roommate/neighbors/ girlfriend think if they saw me dancing by the dishwasher? " Let go of "my form/ choreography/ toe point isn't perfect" Let go of " I'm not good enough/trained/skinny enough/ strong enough/happy enough". Just let go. Like Mariah Bell does in this program?
True story. I used to be so embarrassed to warm up off ice. I'm not an elite athlete. I'm not super skinny or buff or in my own eyes, gorgeous. But I knew the benefit of warming up. I had been taught by a very smart coach and was even given his elite off ice training plan. I knew it was important. So I started. I would go to a far corner of the ice rink where no one would see me and I'd do my warmup quietly and timidly. I never fully let go and I never owned it. So shy.
I don't know what changed but suddenly one day I felt powerful. Maybe it was the red lipstick I had one. Or maybe it was a good hair day. But regardless, I felt so amazing. My rink has two Olympic size ice sheets (it housed the 2002 Women's Olympic Hockey games). We usually skate on the south rink but up by the north rink, there is a new fitness center on what used to be an indoor soccer turf. There are free weights and classes. Looks bootcamp style. Usually at 8 or 9 am it's pretty packed with awesome adults getting stronger and enjoying each other's company. Well, on this particular red lipstick morning, I decided I would do my full warmup down by that fitness area while gazing meaningfully at the Olympic rinks that hang by the Olympic rink.
I turned on Lone Digger and started jogging. I stretched, I kicked, I skipped, I freestyle danced. OH MY GOSH! Suddenly I was an Olympic figure skater (after all, I had the rings over my shoulder in my selfie. Must be true, right?). My point- I was EMPOWERED!!!!
So how can YOU apply this to your life? Maybe you skate, maybe you don't. Maybe you are sick in bed. Maybe you are sick of life. Maybe your husband left you, or maybe you really want to be a dad but you haven't found the right person yet. Maybe your community doesn't accept you or maybe you don't accept yourself. Have you tried dancing in your kitchen?
The Celine Dion song talks about LOVING YOU MORE. Do you love yourself more? Do you think you can try to love yourself a tiny bit more? Just a smidge more today than yesterday?
Let go of worrying what others will think if they see your warmup and just do it. Play that Celine song and dance like the principle dancer you are. Be your own Star!
