A Holiday of Feeling and Freedom

My Post- Vacation  Takeaways

Welcome back, everyone! I’m so excited to be back in Taipei after a great vacation trip!

My holiday in Thailand was exactly what I needed, a chance to press pause and replace “doing” with just “being.” 

For the first time in what feels like forever, I had nearly two weeks with no Zumba classes, no guest teaching, not a single booty shake. Instead, my days were filled with stillness, stretching, and a few quiet strength workouts—the things that so often get lost in the shuffle of a busy life. Of course, there was no shortage of delicious Thai food, ocean swims, and losing myself in a couple of good books.

Mostly, though, my screens were off and the music was muted. I had a front-row seat to the clear ocean waves, and it was the perfect backdrop for reflection and for some amazing people-watching. It had been quite some time since I’d seen that many people from so many different countries, heard so many different languages, and observed such a rich tapestry of body shapes, fashion styles, and unique ideas of beauty.

Lounging there beneath a coconut tree, I felt a deep sense of wonder and awe at the sheer diversity laid out before me. And in that same moment, I wondered what ingrained standards and messages each of us on the beach were carrying  —to be slimmer here, plumper there, tanner, paler, more “natural”, frozen in eternal youthfulness, more modest, more confident, and so on. There was no single idea of "perfect," just an appreciation for different.

With no one standard of comparison, it was so much easier to hone in on a theme I've shared with you before: the focus on feeling.

I focused on how strong I felt swimming against the waves, how grounded I felt as I dug my toes into the sand, and how appreciative I was to have the energy to walk along the shoreline. Truthfully, stripped away from my own tendencies to compare, from screens and mirrors, and down to a bathing suit at 40+ years of age, I felt freer and more accepting of my body than I probably ever have.

Could I bottle up that feeling and bring it back with me?

We all know how quickly the magic of vacation can fade. But yesterday, I laced up my sneakers and taught my first Zumba class back. And there the feeling was again. After nearly two weeks away, I was amazed as the muscle memory kicked in, so grateful that my body, even if a little slower, found its groove. The joy and the feeling of freedom surged with the beat of the music. For a moment, I turned away from the mirror, closed my eyes, and smiled to myself. THIS is why I love to dance. 

This is that holiday happiness, bottled up and available for a daily dose.This is the energy I am bringing to class as we return this week, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Hope to see you on the dance floor!

Keep moving!

xx,

Katie