Hula Skirts and Air Kisses

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Don’t be afraid to try something new.

Here’s my story…

don't be afraid to try something new

While at a family reunion, I saw a performance of a Polynesian dance troop. I said to myself, “I want to do that, too!”

It took a few months. Months filled with excuses.

  • I’m too busy.

  • My kids are too young.

  • I’m white.

That last excuse really didn’t bother me. I figured anyone who could learn the steps would be welcome.

hula dancer.jpg

Yes, I was welcome. But there is a different culture among Pacific Islanders than I am used to.

They kiss.

I kiss my children. I kiss my husband. But that’s about it.

It took me longer than it should have to get used to the cheek-to-cheek air kiss. With every person. Each time someone arrived at class!

That’s a lot of kissing!

WikiHow has an entire article about the nuances and etiquette and culture of air kissing. Read it here.

Don’t be afraid to try something new.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. I’ve talked about this before.

Why should I try something new?

Here’s five reasons to try something new:

  1. Bucket lists shouldn’t be just for old people. We don’t know how long we’ll be on this Earth, so don’t wait.

  2. You will gain self-confidence. You may not like the new activity after all. You may fail. It doesn’t matter. You will come out empowered!

  3. You will be exposed to new opportunities, skills, and areas of interest. You have paths to take and choices to make that you never would know are open to you, unless you try.

  4. You will be more interesting to talk with. Variety is the spice of life! The more things you try, the more dynamic you’ll become both for yourself, and in socializing too.

  5. You will meet interesting people and make new friends. All of us, even introverts, need human connection in our lives.

And here I am! This is my beginning hula class performing at the county fair. I’m in the back row, usually in front of the ‘ph’ in “Ralphs”. At the end, you can see me give a little wave to my daughters in the audience.

It’s your turn! Go out and try something new!

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