Reinventing Joy at Any Age
Today I went to my weekly Dancing for Brain Health class at the University of Utah’s School of Dance. I signed up because something in me — something deep, childlike, and playful — wanted to come alive again.
For years, I forgot how to play. I was serious, driven, weighed down by trauma, perfectionism, and responsibility. But today, as music filled the room, my body remembered: joy doesn’t need permission.
Brené Brown teaches that “we cannot selectively numb emotions — when we numb the dark, we also numb the light.” For too long, I numbed. But dancing, laughing, moving without agenda — this is how I turn toward the light.
Reinvention is not just about careers or goals. It’s about choosing to live fully — to thrive instead of just survive. For me, thriving looks like dancing, like showing up for myself, like daring to be playful at 77 (or as I like to remind myself, 57 biologically ✨).
This is what I want for you, too. To remember that you’re not too old, it’s not too late, and joy isn’t frivolous. Joy is medicine. Play is healing. Connection is growth.
So today I ask you: Where can you invite more play into your life?
Because reinvention begins not with a grand plan, but with a simple, brave choice to move differently — one playful step at a time.
If this resonates, I’d love to hear: How are you inviting play into your life right now? Leave me a comment or send me a message — I’d love to connect.
