October Challenge - Week 1

Monthly Challenge > October



I've got only one face for you.

∑(O_O；)

Yeah. That one.

What is that face, you ask? That face is the mask I sadly wore when I realized how seriously and fascinatingly out of shape I was.

I took my first dance class this week, and let me say that I was more than excited to tackle this month's challenge. Music fun? Check! Awesome dance moves? Check! This class had everything I wanted to do! And as the music began blasting through the stereo, my booty was moving like I wanted to own that dance floor! First came the one-two steps, then the kicking, then the jumping, then the rolling around, then the turning, then the running (right and left). At first, my inner voice was producing all kinds of onomatopoeia mimicking ease ("Pffff! I got this", "Psccchh! Easy, dude"). By the end of the third song, my thoughts were no longer with me. And then came the end of the fifth song... I started breathing so hard the girl next to me would think I've got asthma. Even I'd think I've got asthma.

And I thought that whole being out of shape at my age was just a myth. Psch! I can dance until 2AM when I go out! Yeah, turns out cardio dancing is quite different from regular dancing.

Let's hope by the end of this challenge/month, I'll still be alive and kicking!

Let's do the success dance!!!

♪(ﾉ´∀｀*)ﾉ

That's the best I can do.

Signing out,
MTam

October Cha-Cha-Challenge

There is always a silver lining.

Let me explain. I fell ill on one Friday morning, with extreme nausea hitting me like a bullet train, enabling me to even tilt my head sideways on my pillow. I remember seeing my entire week-end plans flashing before my own eyes as I tried to either bravely or foolishly (or perhaps both) stand up straight.

If there is one thing that I've learned from that bad episode is to never take my health for granted. Such a basic notion, and yet I've never really stopped to ask my own body how is it feeling today? Does it need to rest? Does it need energy?

I've decided that the first step is to work hard at building up my strength through exercise, and then, by experience, healthy eating habits will follow suit.

Enter October cha-cha-challenge!

All I remember doing that fateful day was setting my foot in the gym, scribbling down some letters, finding a bright spot so my picture could later be shown without silly comments being thrown in, and then carefully studying the schedule of classes.

At that moment, I clearly recall curiously peering into the glass window right next to the billboard and seeing some hands running freely and unsynchronisingly, although no one seemed to care.

I produced quite a few creases into my forehead that reflected my inner bewilderment. Seriously, what were they doing?

As I sped up to the glass door to get a clearer view of the situation, I saw that they were forming a human circle, wailing their arms in an almost crazed, lazy manner, as mismatched footsteps were clumsily dancing.

I had a strange love at first moment and knew what my October challenge was going to be!

I was going to take that damn dance class! Call it modern or interpretative dance, but that stuff's da bomb.

It is all about letting your emotions tingle through your body, freely letting it run loose with each movement, and not giving a crap about other people's thoughts.

I never quite knew how to really let myself go. My life has always been peppered with self-control. I think that this need for self-restraint stems from the fear of being judged and criticized, although it is very unjustly unfounded. People will always talk anyway, and if my actions do not harm anyone, why should I hold back and act how I feel?

And so, I present to you my October challenge: whip myself back into shape with interpretative dance classes, step classes and toning classes every week.

I've never dared to venture beyond the usual equipment in place, but these classes will definitely yield greater enthusiasm as I usually feel much more energetic in large groups rather than solo.

I cannot wait to tackle my October challenge!

Colour Me Happy Yellow!

Picture taken with my awesome Canon camera.

"Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don't have. It's so simple, yet so hard for the human mind to comprehend."

We may all be different in our makeup, but I believe that at the end of the day, we all seek some sort of happiness that can either be shaped by something or someone. It can be translated into work for some, into love, friendship or dreams for others.

Personally, I haven't given much thought as to what happiness means to me, nor have I tried to really understand it. That wasn't until misery found a friend in me. I believe that anyone who has ever been through a very difficult time knows what I mean when I say that I found my hell hole. I was never really alone, but that's how it always felt. In short and very poetically, I found myself staring into my own reflection and wondering who the hell I was.

But that's how life is, right? You go through sunshines and storms, and then sometimes, there's a violent storm that strips you of everything but your physical self. But sometimes, a rainbow appears out of nowhere.

There's always a trigger. And this is where my story gets awfully cheesy. Insert cheerful soundtrack, some hot guy and some love storyline. Oh yeah, something special and very magical happened to me one day. But I won't go into details, as it is tremendously personal to me, and I'd like for it to remain that way.

But funny how human relationships can change one's perspective on life; how a connection can make you question your beliefs.

Anyway, that's when my happiness hunt began :)

I decided to do monthly challenges, do new things that I have never done before. Sure, novelty gives me the shivers (I will now refer you to my last post), but doing something new gives me some sense of accomplishment.

So, starting from October, I will be revealing my monthly challenges, and of course, keep you posted about it.

For how long will I be doing this? Who knows, as long as I am having fun, I won't stop.

I am extremely excited about doing this, and hope that you'll have as much fun reading it :D!