Recovery from the flu has been frustratingly slow. My energy is still not at 100%. I go to bed around 8:30pm. I have this lingering congestion in my head and chest that refuses to leave, no matter how much medicine I throw at it. And I have developed painful knots in my neck and shoulder, a combination of coughing for over two weeks and working in my lesson on Tuesday as hard as I was two months ago, without consideration of the fact that I haven’t been working my body that hard for two months.

But my hip connection is feeling solid!

I was giving myself tough love pep talks on the way to my lesson on Wednesday evening. Rain was moving into the area and making my cough worse, and the muscle strains were aching and making me wonder how I was going to sway my head if I couldn’t bend my neck. “Pull it together!,” I told myself, “Just take some Advil. You can do this.” 

We aren’t even one month into 2017 and new obstacles to my dreams are popping up left and right.

I don’t think so. Not this year.

Now, I know a determined attitude won’t remove any financial obstacles on its own. But it did get me past the silly physical ailment obstacle on Wednesday and help me enjoy a really productive lesson for the second night in a row. My head congestion must have been a little better because I didn’t get nearly as dizzy dancing pivots as I did on Tuesday!

Teacher and I briefly talked competition goals for the year and we came up with three to shoot for. I know some do three comps in a month, but it will be a huge triumph for me if I’m able to save/make enough money for that many comps in one year. Especially since we’re looking to compete in 9-dance (Smooth and Rhythm). Two styles means the cost is basically doubled. It might be time to clean out the closet again and see what I can sell.

Another obstacle may be lesson and practice time. Learning nine routines instead of four, along with the technique and styling to go with them, will require more work. Work isn’t a problem; I can work harder. The problem will be the partner work. Common sense would say just increase the number of lessons I take each week to prepare for the additional dances. But I’m not in a financial position to do that. I can afford my two per week, maybe the occasional third when my credit card bill comes out lower than expected, and that’s pretty much it.

So the question is: can one effectively prepare for competing in two styles with only two lessons a week and a LOT of solo practice?

Not to sound conceited, but I feel like if anyone can do it, I can. What I lack in funds, I make up for in stubborn determination.

2017 obstacles beware. I got myself a bulldozer for Christmas! Time to clear the way!

(I’m sure at some point soon, my demons’ laughter will get to me and I’ll waver in my determination, but that’s part of the process. #dontgiveup!)