My roommate pointed out the irony of this post-it note pictured above - RELAX! in bright red capital letters. LOL! I stuck it to my mirror on Friday, August 12th.

The week prior to the first week of instruction, I was already starting to notice the compulsive way I was checking my email, the tension that was accumulating in my body, and the time spent lying in bed before I could fall asleep: music, dances and activities running through my head. All this is part and parcel of what I love so much about the school year - I love the rhythm, I love the cycle, I love the intensity and the shift in energy that pervades everyone involved. However, it’s also extremely stressful and so, I have created some commitments / goals / guidelines for myself this year, on a personal and professional level, to help me live a more balanced life while teaching. My goal is to carry the calmness that I experienced this summer into the school year for the benefit of myself and the dancers I work with.

Below are some of my commitments:

The Personal:
- I will sleep for 8.5 hours a night.
- I will take at least one movement class a week.
- In addition to teaching dance, I will do something physical (for myself) 3 times a week.
- I will spend the first 5 minutes of every morning reading something that is spiritually enriching (instead of opening my email as soon as I wake up).
- I will be as present as possible with any and everyone I communicate with.

The Professional:
- I will let the sense of calm I experienced this summer permeate my work and inspire how I conduct myself in the classroom.
- I will be both honorable and honest in my blog posts.
- I will try new activities with my students and challenge myself as a teacher.
- I will provide more opportunities for dancers to move creatively and create their own work (vs. setting choreography on them).
- I will not throw the baby out with the bath water in an attempt to change things up every year - if I feel like certain aspects of my teaching are working well, I’ll try to hone them.
- I will engage in projects and collaborations that genuinely interest me.
- I will not take on projects or jobs that I am not ready for.
- I will not commit to, or do anything, that is rooted in a sense of guilt, fear, or “should.”
- I will not become a slave to my blog or online identity.
- I will be as present as possible with any and everyone I communicate with.

Things I want to experiment with but am not ready to commit to yet:
- Spend one day a week not focused on work.
- Meditate for at least 5 minutes a day.
- Blog at least and no more than one reflection per week.
- Check and respond to email at 2 designated times per day.
- Not multitasking - focusing on one thing at a time.
- Explore one new part of the city or it’s surroundings per month.

Thank you for reading. In making these commitments public, I’m held accountable to you and myself :)