No Regrets

MY FOUR-MINUTE DANCING CAREER

A few years ago, I decided to pursue my dream of being a dancer. I was 37 years old and being a dancer was on my list of things to do before I die, so I thought I'd better get cracking before osteoporosis or some other age-related malady took hold of my body.

My goal was not to become a Vegas showgirl or to star in the next Flash Dance, but to learn how to dance and perform on stage ? just once.

I attended dance classes every week without fail for 10 months and hipped and hopped until I almost dropped.

Soon June rolled around and my group was scheduled to perform in two year-end recitals.

I tossed around the idea of quitting to avoid making a fool of myself on stage, but I had put myself into this situation for a reason.

I sought out the support of friends who I knew would encourage me and not let me back out.

They told me all of the things I needed to hear ... I was good, I had the moves, I could have been a professional! (Thank goodness for friends with a lot of hot air and big hearts!)

Thanks to the encouragement of my friends and 13-year old niece who wanted to see "Auntie shake her groove thing," I went ahead with the commitment to perform on stage.

Because I knew I was going to be on display for so many eyes, I turned up the volume on my practicing. I performed my routine over and over again on my back lawn, in my basement, in my garage, at work in my office.

I couldn't remember more than two or three combos to save my life and wanted to back out.

It was then the big guns had to be drawn. My husband stepped in.

He assured me I was nervous and fearful and that failure was an illusion I had created for myself; that I was sabotaging my goal and blowing everything out of proportion.

He reminded me that I took this on as a life-long dream and not to forget the fun and excitement of the experience.

He brought me back to reality by putting everything into perspective. Once grounded, I released the significance I had created around the challenge and focused on the fun again.

The steps came easier and I mastered the choreography.

Thanks to the encouragement of my friends and husband, I realized my dream and I'm glad I followed through with it.

I now have a lovely video I can look back on in the years ahead when I want to re-live my four-minute dancing career. :-)

I know that if I did not go the whole nine yards and take the action required to create the experience, I would have short-changed myself and would regret it to this day.

Not only am I regret free, but I have since taken on and accomplished other items on my "100 things to do in this lifetime" list and it feels great!

Is there something you have always wanted to create, achieve or experience?

Remember that when our time has come, it is usually not what we did that we regret, but what we didn't do.

Do you want to learn to paint, turn your passion into a business, write a book, learn a new language, or reduce your golf handicap?

There are so many things you can do in this lifetime, and we all have the same 24 hours in every day. It's up to you how you choose to use them and it's also up to you to believe in yourself.

Everyone else can believe in you and push you forward, but if you don't believe in yourself, it's not worth a hill of beans!

Remember ?

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however. ? Richard Bach

It is never too late to be what you might have been. ? George Eliot

Laurie Hayes is a Life Coach and founder of Where the Heart Is Life Coaching. She is the author of a bi-weekly newsletter, "The Heart of Living," and an e-book,"10 Guidelines for Attraction." Her writing is designed to promote excitement and inspire action in others to pursue the best life has to offer. To secure a copy of her free e-book, visit http://www.wheretheheartis-lifecoaching.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101102619.htmlcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNH_Kd7Ih1osD2jorJ5P-pRASA-F0Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=9vTtEj-L7jIJimgurl=media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/10/11/PH2008101102621.jpg width=80 height=72 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Post/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2008/10/14/lions_use_2005_for_motivation.aspxcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNHGGqEidIa4AJeWX89ObexXdYKpwQLions use 2005 for bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Daily Collegian Online,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Andrew Wible When Joe Paterno addressed his team in the locker room following Saturday#39;s 48-7 win at Wisconsin, he wanted to make sure his players were b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tribune-democrat.com/collegesports/local_story_287234928.htmlcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNGgHE4YAUnc4kS1rG_0iTySvuMnBQEric Knopsnyder | Lions must know their history/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Tribune-Democrat/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/college/s_592975.htmlcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNFOwE26MeEWT6wipAFhPTQZPOMoWwLack of respect fuels Penn State/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPittsburgh Tribune-Review/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2008/10/12/features/penn_state_football/doc48f1841f1afa7383096143.txtcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEWQHqLGiM-YcZNjEsRapLm0KWepgPenn State.....3 21 17 7 — 48/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCarlisle Sentinel/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/896742.htmlcid=1256037303ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNFMX6Ruif-ERh0JyOB0bl3ZqHEXXAnobrCentre Daily Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256037303hl=ennobrall 728 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/sullivan/20081013-9999-1s13sullivan.htmlcid=1257394269ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNG0FdQnyj87FVnddGNz4XBml9e_FQPlain #39;ol victory tops payback for bmotivation/b in this game/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Diego Union Tribune,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Chargers couldn#39;t allow payback to become a priority last night. They couldn#39;t afford to nurse ancient grudges or reopen old wounds. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/10/13/sports/redzone/doc48f4116749822765885634.txtcid=1257533797ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEfFaUis1XRT_oatkXlHRfscy0YLQCity football title: Myth or bmotivation/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWaterbury Republican American,nbsp;CTnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1BY ROGER CLEAVELAND REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN It may be mythical in nature, but don’t tell the Kennedy High football team that the city championship isn’t b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68355-terrell-owens-needs-a-jessica-simpson-for-motivationcid=1257526918ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEUwFZC1UJzYKZxtQmyZ9Q3wFhikwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=wesCKPf3o4gJimgurl=bleacherreport.com/images_root/image_pictures/0103/4025/jessica_simpson_heart_romo_big_feature.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Bleacher Report/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68355-terrell-owens-needs-a-jessica-simpson-for-motivationcid=1257526918ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEUwFZC1UJzYKZxtQmyZ9Q3wFhikwTerrell Owens Needs a Jessica Simpson [for bMotivation/b]/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBleacher Report,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Terrell Owens needs a Jessica Simpson to tell the world that he is going to kick butt and have a 100-yard game. Well, that was before Tony Romo’s pinky was b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story%3Fid%3D6002372%26page%3D1cid=1255826864ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNG4H1NLkr0-jacJ9eXDy7dfae6L6wimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Y7_joKw_lggJimgurl=a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/ap_palin_mccain_081010_mn.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2ABC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/us/politics/12trooper.html%3Fref%3Dpoliticscid=1255826864ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNFGD3_JjZ9loVsEXChMDMeOLLh88AInvestigator Discounted Palins’ Fears as bMotivation/b to Seek b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The assertion about Ms. Palin’s bmotivations/b in trying to have Trooper Wooten dismissed were one conclusions in the report, which was the culmination of an b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dx7ugYO13sWwcid=1255826864ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEG5GAu9dauIy1IiyPLHwB2qF4eIAVideo: Palin Disputes Finding She Abused Power/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAssociatedPress/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/x7ugYO13sWw/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/x7ugYO13sWwtype=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3Da1bK5E1F0sPg%26refer%3Dhomecid=1255826864ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNHZhMVWl0QTMaStOP5Zj1ENy1uocQPalin Abused Power in Trooper Case, Alaska Probe Says (Update1)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/11/palin.investigation/cid=1255826864ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNF96gDXZ5IdNktyU6tHTE7gfBuR1APalin denies she abused power/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCNN International/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255826864hl=ennobrall 3,939 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/12/AR2008101202174.htmlcid=1257023247ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEcs1R3FtWdmeGo5xvYNpzvW8PQsgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=kr-mxb3v5fkJimgurl=media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/10/13/PH2008101300028.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Post/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/227/story/283736.htmlcid=1257023247ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEA12RzHRtjBWrnqCnYAwTK8h0EjwParker hears, answers call for bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPress of Atlantic City,nbsp;NJnbsp;-/font nobrOct 12, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By DAVID WEINBERG Staff Writer, 609-272-7186 SAN FRANCISCO - Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Juqua Parker has always considered himself a good listener. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm%3Fnewsid%3D20161726%26BRD%3D1675%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D18170%26rfi%3D6cid=1257023247ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNH5TWVQ57bzjO3DwQU3byDHfoaKUAMcNabb putting it on the line as Birds face must win in San Fran/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe Delaware County Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1257023247hl=ennobrall 515 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/67945-unc-searching-for-motivationcid=1257343539ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEaqhsBQKPVj2XQvOgNxPOqxDCsZwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=TbB4ExZQM7oJimgurl=bleacherreport.com/images_root/image_pictures/0102/8361/450ts1_05482_kansas_v_unc_feature.jpg width=80 height=54 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Bleacher Report/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/67945-unc-searching-for-motivationcid=1257343539ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEaqhsBQKPVj2XQvOgNxPOqxDCsZwUNC: Searching For bMotivation/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBleacher Report,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 12, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Their bmotivation/b and drive satisfied, they were content, even if only subconsciously, with a Final Four berth. Now, an off-season later, the answers aren#39;t b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews%2Barticleid_2702568.htmlcid=0ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEWHUkklcWWbguVU0IaD1_Fw6oiVwMeltdown or bMotivation/b: How Will You Cope?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fistockAnalyst.com (press release),nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1How will ordinary New Zealanders be affected by a global recession? Emma Page reports. -------------------- JOB LOSSES and reduced access to credit will be b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-761-Weight-Loss-Examiner~y2008m10d13-Weight-Loss-Motivation-A-Bonus-on-Your-Quest-for-Fitnesscid=0ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNHDEddIdiUGzD7LZLkqzRwZ9q4jDAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=O01KdgoFBzUJimgurl=www.examiner.com/images/blog/author/img469liz_renter_photo.jpg width=80 height=67 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-761-Weight-Loss-Examiner~y2008m10d13-Weight-Loss-Motivation-A-Bonus-on-Your-Quest-for-Fitnesscid=0ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNHDEddIdiUGzD7LZLkqzRwZ9q4jDAWeight Loss bMotivation/b: A Bonus on Your Quest for Fitness/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Elizabeth Renter, Weight Loss Examiner Weight loss bmotivation/b is certainly something we would all like. Many interviews with huge weight loss success b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2008/10/12/tough_practices_drive_motivati.aspxcid=0ei=z3D0SISkO6iY6AOqtMSTDQusg=AFQjCNEwamG5Pi9bYFfLOetwHM55JY6nPwTough practices drive bmotivation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Daily Collegian Online,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Eddie Gentile Junior Lauren McCarthy tossed her racket up and snatched it out of the air while mumbling furiously at herself after losing a point to b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
motivation - Google News

Starting Over

I worked hard for the past 17 years. I felt... Read More

Motivation: Tearing Down Your Own Limitations

Q.: I've always been sort of cynical about all this... Read More

Mastering Emotions: Taking Your Life To The Next Level

Hello,How is your day coming along? Better, I am sure,... Read More

What Being Vs Doing Really Means

So often we hear about "being" rather than "doing." Often... Read More

Do You Have Staying Power?

"If you are going through hell , keep on going"... Read More

Rut Busting

IntroductionWordNet defines a rut as a groove or furrow (especially... Read More

Grit or Grace?

The grit of life is hard to swallow. You make... Read More

Motivation - The Power of Drive

My experience tells me there are three stages people go... Read More

5 Forgotten Secrets to Beating Procrastination at Home

It's not easy to stay motivated and beat procrastination while... Read More

Tips To Get Motivated and Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is a complicated behavior that affects all people to... Read More

Five Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone

Expanding your comfort zone isn't quite the same as building... Read More

About Creating a New Life

1. Where do I start to create a new life?There... Read More

Making the Invisible Visible: The WOW Behind the HOW!

"We must be the change we wish to see in... Read More

Were Good at the Things We Like

Read that again. It doesn't say "We like the things... Read More

Activity Versus Accomplishment

Each and every day, all of us continually search for... Read More

Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life

When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't... Read More

Taking Responsibility

Taking action about our current station in life involves taking... Read More

Secrets to Motivating Yourself and Others

There is hardly anything more personal that what motivates each... Read More

Keep the Channel Open

Why do you do what you do? What is your... Read More

Keep On Keepin On

In those times when everything seems to be going just... Read More

Change Your Life, Release Fear, and Create What you Really Want

Do you have a dream? Or do you just have... Read More

Are You a Self-Saboteur?

Take this questionnaire to get clear on what you may... Read More

Overcoming Procrastination

What are the reasons that YOU procrastinate?Are you a perfectionist?Do... Read More

Need Help? Look Within First

After eating a turkey and dressing sandwich for breakfast, I... Read More

No Excuses

Don't you just hate it when people make excuses for... Read More