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Greetings!
The first time I saw A Chorus Line, I was in college. I flew into Seattle to visit my sister in Wenatchee, Washington. I had several hours to kill before catching the bus over the Cascade Mountains to her home. I was walking around downtown Seattle and saw that The 5th Avenue Theatre was presenting the touring company of A Chorus Line in a matinee performance to begin in an hour.
Without pause, I purchased a ticket. My seat, being a single, was in the orchestra front and center. I sat transfixed with tears streaming down my face as one dancer after the next described how dance transformed their lives. In the ballet studio, they felt beautiful, alive, a part of a community. During the grueling auditions, I was transfixed by the tension of trying to do one's best, the heartbreak of being cut, the thrill of "getting the job." I experienced it all from my seat in the theater.
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a dancer. I was a dancer, but I dreamed of being a dancer on a larger stage. As I grew up, I decided not to pursue that direction for my life's work, but that didn't mean that I didn't still identify with that yearning to dance on a stage with lights, orchestra, and an appreciative audience.
I was reminded of this recently as I watched the documentary film about the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, called Every Little Step, which showed the dancers as they auditioned for the coveted spots in this new production. They were going through the extreme rigors of the audition process because it was something they truly loved.
What do I love now? I was asking myself that question because of a colleague, Terry Lamb, who is a new member of my business networking group. He is a video producer who is developing a video series called "For Love of Doing," where individuals describe on film in 30 seconds to 2 minutes what they love. He has invited me to do a taped interview.
That got me thinking about all of the things that I love: my husband, my family, my cat. And I thought about what I love doing: hiking, yoga, writing, gardening, cooking, going out to see live performances of music, dance and theater, and more. And then I thought about what I really love doing now is my work.
I love seeing a client's face light up as she tells me how she took a new approach to a problem at work and got better results based on our conversation the previous week. Or when another client describes how he has begun a practice of taking time each noon hour to sit still in mindfulness. He describes how this short break in his day is helping him to feel more relaxed and focused in the afternoon. Or the young woman who is getting clearer about what her next career will look like and the skills she wants to use on a regular basis. Now that she has some new ideas and is doing research and interviewing people with careers she is considering, she doesn't feel so stuck in her current work. Or the thank you email messages I am still getting many months later from the client (and his wife) who finished his doctoral dissertation after struggling with it for many years.
What do you love? Sometimes it helps to think back to your childhood. What did you love to do when you were in elementary school? When was the last time that you built a model airplane, wrote a story or dug up worms in the yard? Maybe it is time to reconnect with an old love. I'm thinking about taking a dance class. What about you?
Happy Valentine's Day,
Sue Schleifer
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For Love of Doing
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Stay tuned to see my video clip. In the meantime you can watch others at For Love of Doing.
Sue and Mark Cajun dancing.
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Writing Down Dementia Writing Workshops
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Kim Fowler and I are offering new Writing Down Dementia Workshops. These workshops are for people who would like to write, in a supportive atmosphere, about their experiences with a loved one with dementia.
You may join one workshop or come to them all. They will each be unique experiences.
Tuesday, February 23, 7:30 - 9 pm
Sundays, March 14 and 28, 3 - 4:30 pm
Additional dates in April tba
Held in Oakland at the home of one of the facilitators
$20 per session
To register, please contact Sue
Sue@Oak-Communications.com
510.269.4434
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Coaching with Sue
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Have you been thinking about working with a coach?
Perhaps you are tired of feeling stressed and overwhelmed and want to feel a sense of clarity and energy.
Do you yearn to bring your creative side back into your life and not sure how to proceed?
Maybe you would like support in making a change or moving forward in your life to feel happier and more at peace.
I would love to talk with you about how I can be your partner in moving forward with your life. Call me for a complimentary half hour telephone coaching consultation.
Sue Schleifer
www.Oak-Communications.com
Sue@Oak-Communications.com
510.269.4434
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