#2013alive: We've Discovered Our Talents

It’s month 4, week 2 of our 12 Months of Wellness series, and we’re trying to figure out what we’re good at. Sometimes uncovering our talents is easy—we’re drawn to a particular activity or sport, we try it, and we stick with it. Other things we try just aren’t for us. But that’s okay. There’s a whole world of things to experience.

When I was a kid I dreamed of taking ballet lessons. My parents really didn’t see the need for me to take ballet. It wasn’t until I was in my (muffled cough) 40s that I realized I could sign up for adult ballet classes. I had an amazing teacher, Deanne, who was in her 60s. She was much more agile than any of her younger students. I took a few classes, and that satisfied my desire to do ballet. I moved on to tai chi, which I enjoy even more.

I asked the alive staff if they’ve discovered their talents.

Sandi Gauvin, Senior Editor, says: “When my kids were both playing minor hockey, a group of us hockey moms decided it looked like so much fun we booked some regular ice time so we could try it ourselves. We played once a week for the entire season. None of us had the proper equipment, so we used whatever we could find: soccer shin pads and sponges for padding, old figure skates, and our kids’ hockey sticks! We started with the nets at the blue lines because many of us didn’t skate much, but by the end of the season we were playing on the full ice—competitively!“

Bryce Tarling, Editorial Assistant, says: “My school year is winding down, so I did something the other day that I haven’t done for quite a while: I picked up and played my guitar! My fingers were a bit stiff, and I’ve lost most of the calluses that I used to have, but I forgot how much I enjoyed playing. I used to spend hours practising guitar on my own. It was something that I took up on a bit of a whim a few years ago and quickly turned into something that helped me relax. I’ll have to think about how to make it a part of my life again.”

Leah Karpus, Editor, says: “Throughout high school, I did ballet and rhythmic gymnastics to stay active. When I finished high school, these lessons finished too, and I had a tough time trying to find something to do instead. My mom had always told me that I should do yoga, reasoning that I’d be really good at it because of my flexibility and strength from doing ballet and gymnastics. I don’t remember now why I put off trying it for so long, because when I finally tried it, I loved it—and yes, I found it much easier than most do in the beginning because of my background. Turns out once again my mom was right! Sometimes those around you can help steer you in the right direction, because they know you well and can see potential you didn’t think you had.”

Did you try something new this week, or return to something you used to like doing? Share your talents with us via blog or Facebook comments, or use the Twitter hashtag #2013alive.

These alive articles may inspire you to try something new:

“Flamenco”

“Ballroom Dancing”

“Run for Your Life”

“Bikram Yoga”

“Tennis, Anyone?”

“Journalling”