Find Your Swagger Again

Nothing thrills me more than to be good at something. It's very rewarding, and I feel grateful and blessed, and I never take it for granted.

~ Jane Elliot

Remember when you were really, I mean really, good at something? Feeling the excitement, the zone, the pride when you rocked it. Sports, music, art, public speaking, A+'s, the leading role at the playhouse?

Trophies, awards, accolades, applause ... they buoyed you up. They made you swagger. You were cool. You could do no wrong. You were Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Bruce Springsteen, Nancy Lopez, Bill Gates, Mary Lou Retton, Wayne Gretzky, Meryl Streep.

I was talking with a friend of mine during the pandemic time, and we were lamenting how in our grown-up age, we did not have that swagger we did when we were younger. We were both pretty adept athletes growing up and had our fair share of exciting accomplishments. We used to practice and practice. The better we got, the more we had that swagger... and it felt great! When you were spot-on with something, you knew it. You were proud of it. You held your head up high. Your swagger showed up in your walk and your attitude, which I hope was appropriately humble for the most part! For us mere mortals who did not make it to the big time like the folks above, this swagger mainly occurred in our childhood and young adult years. We were young, flexible, strong, fast. We had the time to put in hours and hours of practice. We loved the thrill of competing, performing, accomplishing and succeeding. Over and over again! Then we joined the working world and spent most of our time at a desk, behind a counter, behind the wheel, or immersed in our families and kids. We became a little curvy, a bit lumpy. We started to lose our ability to do what we used to do so well. We didn't have the time to practice as much. We became the weekend warriors - out of shape and out of breath! Our muscles weren't as flexible as they used to be. Our reactions weren't as quick, and we slowed down. Our joints became creaky and eventually replaced with titanium versions. Can we find that swagger again? I would love to conquer those black diamond mogul ski runs once more, but maybe I can master something new - with less damage to my body! Just thinking about one of those awesome bump runs on a beautiful Colorado blue sky day brings back a happy smile. Remembering those things we did well is gratifying and can even fuel the next fire. So why not find something new to be good at and find your swagger again? What does it take to find your missing swagger? Take a few moments to ponder what you want to rock at. What gives you an adrenaline rush, a flutter in your chest or the heartwarming sense of true success? What would make you feel proud at accomplishing? Why not concentrate on that more? Spend some time perfecting it. It's never too late to start a new hobby, or revive one that has been sitting on the shelf for a long time because of too many excuses. Perhaps there is more than one that you want to conquer. Why not? Get that vibe of excellence back into your heart. Remember the fun of that old swagger. What about Painting? Pickleball? Golf? Travel? Writing? Decorating? Cooking? Disney-ing? Dancing? Bowling? Yoga? Tai Chi? Piano? Guitar? Pilates? Hiking? Swimming? Reading? Kayaking? There are so many things that can be taken on at any age. If one doesn't suit you, then try another. For me, this writing gig is becoming my primary focus. But I also have golf, piano and guitar sitting in the wings as well. I just need a bit more practice on honing my attention to them! The idea is to fuel your inner self with a bit of confidence, pride and joy. Build up your self-esteem. Be brilliant at what you like to do, and soak up the enjoyment too. Have fun with your newfound passions and even turn them into playtime. If they start becoming chores, then pick another! Be kind to yourself as well, and replace any defeating self-talk with encouragement and self-love. Immerse yourself in spending time at being good at something again. And then ... Swagger into the room because you still 'got it' baby! What's going to make you swagger again?

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