From Pain To Play: A Path to Personal Restoration
"One day, she realized,she could have been dancing all along."
I wept as I read this quote for the first time during a particularly painful season of my life. I had been so consumed with trauma and recovery, my own and the women I walk alongside that I rarely spent time doing things that brought me joy.
In the face of so much pain and injustice, I became obsessed with productivity and accomplishment. Staying busy doing “the work” gave me a (false) sense of control over the chaos. It felt frivolous and irresponsible to spend time doing things just because they were fun, restful or life-giving to me and me alone. How could I spend a day at the beach when there is so much suffering in the world?
I worked and worked and worked until I found my very self disappearing. I was no longer a human being, but a human doing. I learned the hard way, rest, play and restoration are not an impractical waste of time, but necessary to my survival and my ability to put my hand to my purpose in a sustainable way.
I discovered the truth of one of my now favorite quotes…
“If we are going to be present for life’s suffering, we will need all the nourishment and rejuvenation that comes from life’s beauty”. -Laura Van Dermoot Lipsky
This video was taken a few months into finally learning to salsa.
I regret that I do not have any footage of the height of my salsa hay day. But please know that I could do lifts and split drops with ease.
It grieves me that chronic pain from a resurgence of endometriosis and adenomyosis currently stands in the way of dancing– and most of my favorite physical activities. I hung up my salsa shoes and replaced them with a disability placard for my car. Temporarily, I hope.
But finding a way to engage in things that are playful, restful and restorative remains a matter of survival. The way I practice restoration today looks different than it did in my salsa hay day, but it remains just as vital.
Which is why I created a resource to help you create your own personalized restoration plan. Whether you have 5 minutes or a full weekend this guide will help you discover the activities you find restorative and create a practical plan to incorporate them into your daily life. It even comes with a customizable printable you can hang on your fridge as a reminder to pause and practice your favorite activities.
When you don’t have the brain energy to think about what will be restorative to you, you can glance at your customized plan and find something to nurture yourself. You won’t always have a full day or even a full hour to practice restoration, but even setting aside one minute can help you develop the habit and begin to experience the restoration.
Harmony Dust
Discover the activities you find restorative and make a practical plan to incorporate these activities into your life.
Download “What Gives You Life?” a guide to developing a personalized restoration plan.