Some Words I Need to Say

Photo Credit: Jason Munoz

Rather than having one giant New Year's Resolution or a big Lenten challenge, I am trying to work on achieving small goals of mine on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The past few weeks have been incredibly busy, thanks to the endless midterm season, but looking back, I realized how many little goals I have recently accomplished.

Dance consumes a lot of my life, but in the best way. I began and ended the month  of February performing in Hanging by My Tears, dancing my way to bodily and mental peace. This included two performances on campus and one in Ventura, and I am as grateful for the drive up the PCH as I am for the studio space and the opportunity to perform off campus.

This semester's 6th Week Workshop and performance was so much fun for me. During my freshman year, I was completely overwhelmed by the jazz and hip hop dance scene in LA, but this year, I took it in stride. My hard work and my budding confidence paid off when I realized I was actually enjoying myself while dancing the choreography of Gina Starbuck and Jackie Sleight.

When my family came to visit, I finally rode the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel. I have been to the pier a few times, but never taken the time to see the view from the top of the wheel. Spoiler alert: it's gorgeous, but I still recommend seeing it for yourself.

Last Sunday, I received the privilege of singing my first song at the 8pm LMU Mass. I am so blessed to find spiritual and vocal nourishment in church choir, and after a period of training, I am honored to be return to singing my favorite part of Mass at my university.

On Monday, I read two of my poems at Open Mic Night. I write constantly - for class, for this blog, for myself. I recently filled a notebook, and the last clip I wrote said, "I need to find my voice out loud and not just on the page." So I did, and I felt so justified and relieved and strong.

I'm currently blogging from a cute little coffee shop in Seattle where I am drinking green tea and sitting across from my best friend, the wonderful Ali Alderman. This is the first trip I have ever taken for myself, by myself. It is a lovely feeling, and more will follow in next week's blog.

As much as I would love to take ownership for all of these little accomplishments, none of my small goals would happen without the help of others. The enriching dance experiences I owe to LMU's Dance Department, and the various choreographers I have worked with. My parents and my brother made the ferris wheel ride possible, and my choir director trained me to sing the psalm. Mirella, a high-school-friend-turned-RA-coworker, found me quaking before Open Mic, texted me to remind me to sign up, and stayed to watch me read my poetry, even though I know she has engineering homework to do. My dad helped me figure out my trip to Seattle, from the flights to the transportation to the little details of advice about the city.

It is a good humility check to remember there is still very little I can actually do on my own - but that's ok. I think it's always going to be that way, and it does not detract from my accomplishments. Rather, it's a good reminder that I rest on the people who support me, and I am so thankful.

A few more goals I have for the next few weeks include running to the beach, trying Shake Shack, and cooking a meal in Del Rey South, and I cannot wait to see who will help me accomplish these adventures.