When I grew up, there was a lot of emphasis on having good manners and being graceful.
- Our bathrooms had etiquette books in them for reading pleasure.
- Every dinner required full manners.
- My dad wanted me to be a polished woman.
That desired polish also applied to how I walked.
- I was to walk smoothly.
- I seemed to float as I moved if I had a long dress on.
- No looking like I was plowing the fields for this girl!
We perfected my walk by balancing a book on my head.
- I got really good at it.
- I could walk with my book on my head, turn with grace and pick something up off the floor.
- I even had a very hippy, sexy walk I could do without losing my book.
Imagine my shock yesterday when my Pilates trainer, Jen, told me I should have a gentle up-down movement in my walk.
- My gliding was messing with my gait.
- I was horrified at the concept.
- Will my dad haunt me if I start bouncing as I walk???
Jen had me walk back and forth across the studio several times.
- I need to soften my knees.
- Roll my feet more.
- And pretend I have little air pillows under my arms to free up my upper body movement.
All of that in addition to creating an up and down in my walk!
- My mind was boggled.
- And so was my body!
- I’m surprised I could walk to my car with all that running in my head!
That said, Jen is brilliant with bodies, so I’m going to give it all a try.
- We’ll see what my gait looks like in a month.
- (And if my dad has made an appearance!)
Makes me think of successful women raised as Good Girls…how willing are you to try something beyond how you were taught growing up?