Loved this one, M! There is something so liberating about venturing out solo onto the dance floor of life. Also the sweet gentleman who asked you to dance...my heart 🥺
Thank youuu! Ah so well said, I think I venture out solo onto the dance floor of life more often than I even realize. He was super kind and after that I felt infinitely better.
I could really picture this! It was so clear seeing you all nervous "hugging" your beer. Awesome visual writing. I can see you easily making friends everywhere. This must have been years ago?!
This is beautiful Michelle! Great reminder that indeed, "it takes time to build relationships" and there's a lot of hit and miss in the process. Thank you for writing this!
After reading your last essay, I think you really get it Oscar! It’s about putting yourself out there over and over because the hits outweigh the misses.
Awwww Sandra!! I appreciate the virtual hug. It's funny to reflect on and realize everything turned out find, but then also knowing that I'll 100% feel that way again if I'm in the same situation haha.
With so many people in Austin, we can go visit and go full honky tonk if you like. I can confirm, it seemed to me to be the full experience, which was also what made it an interesting place to find myself in this situation.
I love this piece and the lesson to be courageous. You’re writing is so visual, you inspire me! I felt like I was watching your story in a film! Also, love those sweet gentlemen who invited you onto the dance floor and taught you some honky tonk moves. You’ll have to teach me some day! Can’t wait for next weeks essay 💕
Thank you so much Elizabeth, that means a lot coming from a literal visual artist like yourself! It was super sweet of him to teach me, I'm not even entirely sure what dance I was doing but it took a lot of patience so I appreciate it. I may not remember it, so we will have to go to a honky tonk together one day and get some two step lessons!
Oh I felt my own mortified sense of terror at the edge of a dance floor as I read this! Great storytelling - I'm loving the new Michelle-story teller energy on here!
Good on you to have gone ahead anyway and danced that night. Sometimes, as you say, the value can only be discovered after the fact thanks to a global pandemic lol. I love this idea of meaning making (of uncomfortable/bad situations) in ways that service us, whether or not they are objective truths. Something similar to what Derek Sivers seems to be saying of late.
Thank you Malavika, that's so kind! I'm glad you're enjoying the story pieces too. I guess those have been speaking to me recently.
I love that comparison to Derek Sivers' idea - there's something to it, just appreciating how we can accept the way we choose to see things if it serves us
I have gone out dancing many times when I knew no one, and you have captured that feeling SO WELL in this piece. It's amazing how quickly the experience turns around when someone comes up and asks you to dance--even if it's not a great dance! I'm sure there's something we can learn from this 🧐
Also I love the sign "Please do not stand on the dance floor". Reminds me of this fun and highly danceable song:
Oh yes, I'm sure you can relate! After a few times it's this weird combination of knowing it's going to get better but still have to wait until it happens. My motto whenever I go anywhere where I don't know anyone is "the first ten minutes are going to be the worst and then we're good" and I try to remember that whenever I know there's a warm up period.
You take it one step further and create the events which I admire! It is funny though to be in a new city and feel like you're back to stage one haha. Glad you are enjoying my dancing memories!
Loved this one, M! There is something so liberating about venturing out solo onto the dance floor of life. Also the sweet gentleman who asked you to dance...my heart 🥺
Thank youuu! Ah so well said, I think I venture out solo onto the dance floor of life more often than I even realize. He was super kind and after that I felt infinitely better.
I could really picture this! It was so clear seeing you all nervous "hugging" your beer. Awesome visual writing. I can see you easily making friends everywhere. This must have been years ago?!
Thank you so much Sarah ❤️ This was a few years ago, and I guess it worked out ok haha
This is beautiful Michelle! Great reminder that indeed, "it takes time to build relationships" and there's a lot of hit and miss in the process. Thank you for writing this!
After reading your last essay, I think you really get it Oscar! It’s about putting yourself out there over and over because the hits outweigh the misses.
100% agree! It is indeed a great formula :) Let's keep doing that!
Awwwww GOOOOOSE<3
“I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt so awkward.” This made me want to go hug you.
You should have been showing off your cool flash mob dance moves!!
A bartender recommended that place to me and a friend, but we decided it might be a lil TOO honky tonk for us lol 😬
“What if people are there and I’m awkward?” are you inside my brain? 😅
Awwww Sandra!! I appreciate the virtual hug. It's funny to reflect on and realize everything turned out find, but then also knowing that I'll 100% feel that way again if I'm in the same situation haha.
With so many people in Austin, we can go visit and go full honky tonk if you like. I can confirm, it seemed to me to be the full experience, which was also what made it an interesting place to find myself in this situation.
SO many virtual hugs.
So many honky tonk hugs.
"also knowing that I'll 100% feel that way again if I'm in the same situation haha."
😌 it's nice to know when you can survive the hard awkward things!
lol I don't know if I have the strength for the honky tonk life, but with you by my side, maybe.......maybe. 😵💫
You're stronger than I
Haha maybe we can start with line dancing and work our way up 😝
I love this piece and the lesson to be courageous. You’re writing is so visual, you inspire me! I felt like I was watching your story in a film! Also, love those sweet gentlemen who invited you onto the dance floor and taught you some honky tonk moves. You’ll have to teach me some day! Can’t wait for next weeks essay 💕
Thank you so much Elizabeth, that means a lot coming from a literal visual artist like yourself! It was super sweet of him to teach me, I'm not even entirely sure what dance I was doing but it took a lot of patience so I appreciate it. I may not remember it, so we will have to go to a honky tonk together one day and get some two step lessons!
I loved it
Thank you so much Daniel, I’m so happy to hear it resonated!
Oh I felt my own mortified sense of terror at the edge of a dance floor as I read this! Great storytelling - I'm loving the new Michelle-story teller energy on here!
Good on you to have gone ahead anyway and danced that night. Sometimes, as you say, the value can only be discovered after the fact thanks to a global pandemic lol. I love this idea of meaning making (of uncomfortable/bad situations) in ways that service us, whether or not they are objective truths. Something similar to what Derek Sivers seems to be saying of late.
Thank you Malavika, that's so kind! I'm glad you're enjoying the story pieces too. I guess those have been speaking to me recently.
I love that comparison to Derek Sivers' idea - there's something to it, just appreciating how we can accept the way we choose to see things if it serves us
I have gone out dancing many times when I knew no one, and you have captured that feeling SO WELL in this piece. It's amazing how quickly the experience turns around when someone comes up and asks you to dance--even if it's not a great dance! I'm sure there's something we can learn from this 🧐
Also I love the sign "Please do not stand on the dance floor". Reminds me of this fun and highly danceable song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux0ijnseN-Y
hahaha Claire this song and video is so fun!!
Oh yes, I'm sure you can relate! After a few times it's this weird combination of knowing it's going to get better but still have to wait until it happens. My motto whenever I go anywhere where I don't know anyone is "the first ten minutes are going to be the worst and then we're good" and I try to remember that whenever I know there's a warm up period.
Love the dancing series 💃 and yes, not every event is a hit!
Resonating with your awk feelings you shared when attending events in a new city 😅
You take it one step further and create the events which I admire! It is funny though to be in a new city and feel like you're back to stage one haha. Glad you are enjoying my dancing memories!