Why I'm Here

It dawned on me today that I haven't shared my story... at least not this part of it.

Last year, I launched a kids brand, together with my business partner.  We introduced a children's hoop dance DVD called Molly and the Hoola Monsters, along with a new website and blog.  I told you how grateful I was (and still am) to see my dream turn into reality.  I let you know when the project was complete.  I asked you to purchase a copy and write a review on Amazon (and yep - I'm still plugging it ;).  But I never told you why I went down this path...  So, here's my story:

When I created Hoola Monsters, 7 years ago, I did so because hoop dance became one of my greatest passions in life.  I also loved business, and starting my own company was both challenging and exciting.  So, I made the tough decision to leave an 8-year marketing and public relations career to pursue this passion full-time.

I started selling my handmade hoops at the Saturday Morning Market, and I'm still a regular vendor there.  It opened up so many doors and introduced hooping to my local community.  (Our farmer's market is the largest one-day-a-week market in the Southeast US, with approx. 10,000 customers coming through every week).  People stopped, stared, and asked questions.  This led to requests for classes, performances and all sorts of interesting opportunities.

But there was one question that I dreaded, and it kept coming up.  Everyone wanted to know, "Do you teach kids?"

I said no for an entire year. I couldn't understand why people thought hooping was just for kids.  It was serious business!  It was movement meditation, and I was a certified hoop fitness instructor.  I even created a tagline to hammer this point home:  "Some call it child's play. We call it a revolution."

And every week, people wanted to know: "When are your kids classes?"

So, one fateful Saturday, after a little girl in a pink dress fell in love with one of my sparkly hoops, I caved.  "Fine."  I'll teach a six-week kids series and see how it goes.  I committed, and then the fear crept in...

I'm never around kids.  I don't have kids of my own.  How will I relate to them?  How will they relate to me?  Where do I begin? What will we do in class?

There was no guidebook. No tutorials. No plan. Just me, my hula hoops, and a bunch of little faces staring back at me.

And then something amazing happened... We figured it out together.

Six weeks turned into six years, and some of the kids who were in my very first class are still with me today... including Molly, the star of my DVD.  They stole my heart.  Completely.  And they made me a better person.  Take a look...



I've interacted with so many creative, beautiful children over the years, and no two days are the same.  We learn from one another.  They trust me, and I'll never shoot down their dreams.  I get to show them that anything is possible.  Whether it's a new trick we invent together in class or serving as an example that we can be whatever we want in life, we're in it together.

So, when a child asks me if faeries are real, my answer will always be yes.  After all, it was the faeries who gave me the courage to say yes when self-doubt and fear crept in.  And without them, I wouldn't have discovered who I really am or why I'm here.

Not In Front of All These People!

As a vendor at the Saturday Morning Market in St. Pete, I meet lots of people.  I've been selling my handmade hoops there for 7 years, and during that time, the market has grown to become the largest one-day-a-week fresh market in the Southeast United States, with approximately 10,000+ customers coming through every Saturday.

I love meeting people, and it's always fun talking about my business... handmade hoops, classes, the new DVD, teacher trainings, and performances.  Usually, the kids come running.  They're drawn in by the live music, sunshine and sparkly hoops.  Many adults feel nostalgic and reflect back on their childhood with fond memories of hula hooping.

Hoola Monsters at the St. Pete Saturday Morning Market

I always have "beater" hoops at my booth, for demonstration and play.  These hoops have been dropped, scuffed, scratched, scraped and worn out.  I think of them like old baseball gloves.  They have character, history and every imperfection has a story behind it.  One of my beater hoops was even run over by a car, and it's still kickin'.

They aren't as pretty as the sparkly new hoops I have for sale, but they serve a very important purpose.  They exist to inspire people to step out of their comfort zones... to try something new, and to be playful.  As adults, we sometimes forget how to play and lose ourselves in an experience.  Plus, it's fun to be silly and laugh at ourselves, right?

Or wrong?  For some, my innocent "beater hoops" are scary, scary things.  All too often, I hear statements like these:

"I used to be able to hula hoop."

"My hips don't move like that anymore."
"I was never a good hula hooper."

"I'm too old for that."

And my personal favorite:

"Not in front of all these people!"

Now, I'm not talking about the people who walk by without interest.  I understand that hooping isn't for everyone, and I certainly don't take that personally. It's the people who look over with curiosity and interest but refuse to try...  that's who I'm talking about.  Why do we care so much about what others think?  Why do people perceive it to be humiliating if they aren't immediately great at something?

I think it's a metaphor for life... We're going to fall and we're going to mess up.  It's how we handle the mess ups that make all the difference.  We can move through it and flow with grace or we can feel defeated, embarrassed and humiliated.  The choice is always ours.

I was thinking about all of this as I drove to North Tampa after the market on Saturday night, for a gig.  I was dressed in a gold disco hoodie, black and gold shorts, fishnets, combat boots, a black corset and wearing sparkly red lipstick... typical costume.

The talent agency booked us, and I didn't know much about the client.  I just knew that Matthias, Alice and I would be performing for approximately 100 people, and it was a corporate event.  The agency also requested crowd participation and asked us to get people out on the dance floor.  Turns out, we were performing at a dinner party for bankers, and this would be easier said than done.  It was a pretty conservative group, to say the least, and I think it's safe to say that most had never seen hoop dancing or a LED/ Glow show before (our hoops have more than 100 different modes and there are computerized chips that enable the patterns and colors to change every 15 seconds... makes for a great light show ;).  So, directly after dinner, the DJ announced us, and the lights were lowered.  The crowd went wild!!!!  Just kidding. They stared at us like deer in headlights.

So, when the time came for us to visit the tables and get people hooping, we knew it was going to be challenging.  I could see the sheer terror in their eyes as we approached, and our hearts were pounding too.  An excited crowd and interested participants makes for a much easier performance.  Eventually, people got up and hoop danced with us.  And when that happened, a handful of their co-workers sprang into action and started videotaping with their phones.  Ya know, to help lower people's inhibitions ;)

We offered mini lessons, and everyone who tried it succeded.  In situations like this, all we can do is be lighthearted, playful, expressive, creative, and fun.  We smile bigger, connect more, and engage the audience.  It works, too.

As we were leaving, we received praise and kind words from party goers.  Challenges make us stronger, and stepping outside of our comfort zones helps us to grow.  So, I invite you to do something that scares you today.

Chances are, it won't be as scary as you think.

Conquering Fear

I've never said, "I should stop working out hard and start eating poorly."

Sure, I can blame it on the holidays, the weather, or the simple fact that french fries taste sooooo good!  I can justify it, too.  I taught two hoop dance classes today, so I don't need to go to the gym.

Then the fateful day comes when those favorite jeans become a bit too snug.  Or maybe the wake up call happens when a simple friendly gesture turns catastrophic. Oh, hello no!  My arm just jiggled like jello when I waved goodbye!

While we may not make conscious decisions to let our fitness levels slip, it's never fun when we realize that we've fallen off the wagon. Four weeks ago, I had some of those, "It's time to get my ass in gear" moments.

So, I started taking body combat group fitness classes again and amped up my yoga practice.  I also cut back on french fries (my weakness) and alcohol.  Now, I'm not saying that I'm cutting fries and cocktails out of my diet forever. Moderation is key, and right now, I'm focused on jump starting a healthy fitness program.  Yep, this is what I'm talking about:

Organic goodies from the market, Raw Revolution & Purium's Power Shake

In making these changes, three things became crystal clear:
1) My energy level is much higher.
2)  I freaking LOVE cardio kickboxing, body combat and mixed martial arts.
3) I have a real passion for inspiring others to live happier, healthier lives.

I've been a cardio kickboxing enthusiast for more than 15 years (I've got the whole library of Billy Blanks Tae Bo videos; I've taken countless martial arts inspired group fitness classes, and I even trained with a MMA fighter back when I lived in NYC).  I've been wanting to teach Cardio Kickboxing for a long time, but I kept putting it off because I didn't think I was fit enough or motivational enough to teach it.  Simply put, I was afraid of failure.

Then, something interesting happened...  I found out that the most prestigious golf and country club in my area was searching for a new fitness instructor.  I'm up for renewal on my ACE group fitness certification, and I had continuing education credits to complete.  So, what did I do?  I got certified as a Cardio Kickboxing instructor (and I'm continuing to hone my skills with the Les Mills Body Combat teacher training, which is coming up in March).

I applied for the job, and I got it!  Not only am I teaching hoop dance, I'm also on the schedule for Cardio Kickboxing, and starting in March, I'll be subbing some group strength training classes.

As I sit here typing this, my muscles ache, but I'm feeling motivated and determined.  Sure, it was stressful teaching my first official class to a room packed full of fitness freaks (including the recreation program supervisor).  I definitely have room to grow.  My counts are a little off, and sometimes I forget to cue the moves in advance.  But I'll get better.  I know I will.

So, I'll end this blog post with two questions.  Feel free to comment or just marinate on it...
Is there something that you wish to accomplish but fear is holding you back?  What's another possibility?