Regret is the clutter in the garage of your feelings.
It's a bunch of mismatched emotional suitcases filled with unsent invitations, clothes you meant to take back, and pictures of people you meant to call, visit, or ask out on dates.
While actual clutter has immediate solutions like eBay, trash haulers, and a good old fashioned garage sale, Regret has the staying power of a barnacle.
That is, until you take action.
Don't Miss These 6 Social Dance Moments in Your Life
Yes, one of the enemies of regret is action. When you decide to get moving, decide that enough is enough and elevate your life in the present, it can be amazing how quickly that leads you out of the fog of the past.
While applying social dance in these moments won't cure all of your regrets, they will, for a fact, be a huge step in the right direction towards living a life without regret starting today.
A Wedding Reception
Whether this is your wedding, your brother's wedding, your son, your daughter, or your sister's best friend's cousin's wedding - a wedding reception is one of the best dance venues of a lifetime.
Why?
Weddings are designed for humans to remember. Every little detail, from the table centerpieces to the flower arrangements are carefully thought out, so you will hopefully remember it.
The same can be said for dancing at the reception.
From the first dance, to the last, there are opportunities for your dancing - good or bad - to live on in conversations and memories forever.
High School Reunion
Your reunion is both a reminder of your high school years, and an opportunity to improve upon them. While learning to dance can't give you a time machine to your prom, your high school reunion is the next best thing.
Whether that means dancing with the person you wished you had the courage to ask to that prom, or showing up with a date that will be your preferred prom date from now on - having the confidence to step out onto a dance floor and make your move will be talked about for 5 or 10 years, depending how often your class gets together.
Outdoor Festival
Let's get one thing straight, there are plenty of outdoor festivals that don't require glowsticks, mosh pits, or questionable decision making. As fun as that might be, there are countless outdoor venues from Wine Festivals, Art and Wine Festivals, or Jazz Festivals where you might enjoy Wine-festivals.
Regardless of the interest or venue, chances are there will be music... and where there is music, you will be dancing.
Your Office Party
Every Office Party presents the blessing and, sometimes, the curse of seeing your co-workers in a non-professional environment. Being a good dancer can potentially re-write your role in the social hierarchy at work.
We wrote about the advantages of dancing at your Office Party here. Essentially, there are those who find comfort and Office Party entertainment value through alcohol and copy machines. Then there are those select few who have learned how to dance. That have planned for this well in advance - like a 401k, but the dividends with dancing are far more immediate and long lasting.
With Your Kids
Maybe it all begins with a simple, impromptu dance party in the living room, but families that dance together seem to smile more. As the world around us becomes increasingly digital, and the video game and app store spends billions to secure your child's attention, having an offline way of connecting with your kids takes on greater importance.
Eventually this new habit can lead to a world of possibilities. Whether that is a new confidence building hobby for your son or daughter, or eventually a Father/Daughter Dance, or Mother/Son dance, at their own wedding.
These are moments that can begin now in the short term that can, truly, last a lifetime.
In the Moment
On a hike, it's the nature lover that sees the most wildlife. They are actively searching, they know what to look for, and they appreciate the opportunities any hike has to offer.
Social Dancers are exactly the same with dance opportunities. They know how to find them.
Whether that's in the middle of a restaurant, in an aisle at the grocery store, or in the kitchen while their favorite music is playing on their favorite music streaming service. While many non-dancers may overlook these moments, social dancers find each and every opportunity, and act on them.
Final Thought
Social Dancing is not the only cure for regret, but if you think about it, chances are that there are a few moments in your life where you may have passed up some great music, a great venue, or a great dance partner.
Having that skill in your back pocket, and with just enough confidence to use it, could be the first in a long line of potential regret dominoes you knock over. De-cluttering your mental garage before it ever becomes a problem...
... And now there's more room for dancing.
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