To Ease the Passing of Time

The other day I was watching a video on YouTube. A doctor specialized in aging was asked what was, according to him, the best thing that we could possibly do to maintain our brain in good working condition as we get older…apart from sleeping and eating well, of course. His answer was, “Learn something that is frustrating but yet achievable.” In other words, you have to leave your comfort zone to pursue a goal that is not easy to reach but that you know is reachable if you work on it long and hard enough. I immediately thought of dancing.

In dancing there are plenty of new tricks you can learn and plenty of frustration that arise while you are trying to learn them. In an article that I wrote in French not too long ago, I mentioned the fact that the things that you need to learn, not only with your mind but also with your body, often take longer and generate more frustration. It’s like the body had a mind of its own.

Maria and I know enough steps and turns to enjoy ourselves when we dance the cha-cha, the triple swing, the waltz, the rumba, the fox trot, and a few more dances. Learning new steps and turns is always challenging and can be frustrating. Sometimes, it is easier and more relaxing to stay in our comfort zone and only do what we know. For example, when we dance the bachata, we keep doing the basic steps over and over again, sideways and back and forth.

After listening to what that doctor had said, I thought that it would be a good idea to learn a few bachata turns to break the monotony and challenge my brain. I went online and found a few videos. You can learn as many turns as you want. I decided to start with one simple and basic right turn for me and my partner. After watching the video that we had selected a few times, we knew exactly how we were supposed to turn, and where our feet should be on each count. For Maria, it went pretty well. For me, it did not go so well. Even with a pretty good knowledge of the theory, I ended up on the wrong foot, out of balance, and facing the wrong direction.

I guess my body is not ready yet to follow my brain. I’m going to try again tonight, and every night until I get it right. It’s frustrating but I think it’s achievable.