no regrets

My roommate writes songs. One of her songs is called No Regrets and it has been running through my head for a couple days now. I think this is significant. Why? Because I just got off the phone with my little sister, Camrie. She is 11. soon to be 12. next month actually. That just blows my mind. I was not that small when I went into young womens. Anyway, that's besides the point. Cam and I had a conversation about dance. Surprise! ha no. Typical Chelan. But from what my mom had told me, it was an important conversation. 

I often have this thought: If I could go back, what would I do differently?

Instantly, the answer that comes to my head is that I would most definitely dance harder. 

Speaking of this brings THIS post to my mind where I talked about how when you put in the effort for something, it makes you fall in love with it even more and that all the blood, sweat, and tears will one day be worth it. As a child, I didn't realize this at all. I thought, "oh ya. I'll stretch at home. I'll practice." and I am proud to say that sometimes I did. But not nearly as much as I should have or could have for that matter. 

Sidenote: I have this thing where when I can't get something, like a tap step, then I will keep trying until I do because it drives me crazy not to be able to do it. It used to drive my mother nuts when I would tap in the kitchen until I would get a step. But I could see how proud she was of me when I would actually get the step. or maybe that was a look of relief to know that I would be done tapping in the kitchen for the time being. Either way, it was a good look, letting me know that she was happy that I had finally got it. 

Going along with the title of this post, I just want my little sister to know how much potential she has as a dancer. I want her to have no regrets. I don't want to push her to do dance if she doesn't want to do it, but I know that she likes it and that she could love it just as much as I do and that dancing could easily be one of the most rewarding things that she will ever do in this life. 

Just like me.

 and dancing has definitely been and continues to be one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. 

There is such a sense of fulfillment whenever I get a compliment from my teacher. 

Or whenever I've improved in my flexibility. 

Or when I finally catch on to the tap step that I have been struggling with. 

Or especially when I get the opportunity to perform and I hear the crowd enjoying the performance. 

I see so much of myself in Camrie and I have a hard time not sharing with her my thoughts on the regrets that I have so that she can learn from what I have gone through. 

Here at BYU I look around me at all the spectacular dancers. And let me assure you, there are plenty. I get overwhelmed but instead of letting it get me down, I let it inspire me to want to be a better dancer myself. 

I want to look like 'that' when I dance. 

Today I debated whether or not I should go to ballet... its a struggle I deal with every day even though I love ballet. Sometimes I just don't want to look gross ok? Then I saw THIS... How could I NOT go to ballet after having seen that?! 

I know that that video is a little extreme.. but seriously. I want to be able to do that. Or at least a fraction of that, ya know?

If I work to improve myself as a dancer everyday then I know that I am doing something right. 

A lil blurb to my Camrie Clair: 

I know life has not been easy for you lately.

 I know that people can be mean. 

I know that sometimes you just don't want to dance. 

But I can promise you that if you practice and you put what you are feeling into your dancing, you will experience something incredible. 

As cheesy as it sounds, a fire will light inside of you and you will fall in love with dance like I did. 

You will become the amazing dancer that I absolutely know you can be. 

I want you to stretch at home.

 I want you to practice at home. 

I want you to think about your dance steps. 

I want you to try to get your teachers to notice you and if they don't say anything to you at dance one week, then just use it as the ammunition you need to inspire you to try even harder next week.

 Do your best because that is all you can do and then Heavenly Father will know that you are working hard and He will help you through it. 

He will help you become the best that you can be and to reach your full potential, not only as a dancer but as a person as well. 

He will see that you are putting forth the effort to be better and then He will make up the rest that you cannot do. 

It'll be hard but in the end I promise you that it will be worth it. 

You will love dancing just like I do and you will be a heck of a lot better than I am now.

Do it for me. If not for yourself, do it for me. 

You will thank me later ;) haha

 Don't give up. 

Just keep pushing to be awesome. 

You already are awesome, but I know you know that you can be awesomer :) 

I love you Cam!