Hippy Go Lucky Hoops: 25 years of life and 4 years of hooping: self reflection

Turning 25 a few weeks ago has prompted me to do some reflecting in my life so far. This is the quarter century mark. Things have shifted. I have changed. I ponder questions like, "What makes an adult?" "Do my socks have to match?" "Am I too old for blue nail polish?" "Do I need one of those mature hairstyles?" "Will my car insurance rate go down?" ...Jokes aside, hitting the quarter century mark was definitely something to celebrate.

I feel like I'm at a place in life where I have finally caught a little bit of footing. Although I still fight my battles and have ups as well as downs, I feel like things are starting to level out. I'm not just a wandering, hula hooping, Subaru driving, college graduate with no purpose. I'm coming into my own. Living a life that is mine.

I've also been prompted to consider everything that I have learned at this point. I thought it would be fun to reflect on 4 years of hooping, 25 years of life and what the hoop has taught me...

* Stay committed *
I would never have learned the tricks that I know, or landed some of the gigs that I've had if I wasn't committed to the hoop on some level. There have been things that I have backed down from, and I definitely missed out. Wasting opportunity is something that I will always regret!

* Practice, network and revisit *
My Dad always says, "It's not what you know, but who you know." Networking in the hula hoop community has been essential for my growth. I have reached out, been reached out too, and felt lots of love and compassion within this group of spinners. I always say, practice makes progress! There is no such thing as perfect. Personal growth is so beautiful to recognize. Revisit. Every now and then I just hoop around my waist. I revisit the very first and most basic movement with the hoop. I have learned to decompress from the pressure I put on myself to learn more tricks and to be better...and to try and really appreciate each moment for what it is: completely mine!

* It's okay to put yourself first *
This journey is mine. This hoop...it's mine! It is a mistake to live your life according to how we were told to live it.

* Put yourself out there! *
When I got my first hoop ...it was the last day of a music festival. I forked over the last $12 bucks in my pocket for my very own hoop. I refused to give it a spin until I got home to my apartment. It was there that I practiced for hours until I finally had the connection down and could get it spinning around me with ease. Hooping in public is now almost second nature to me. I still get shy, but It has really helped me to open myself up to a new kind of appreciation for my own body -- flaws and all!

* Say yes! *
Saying yes leads you to opportunities and experiences. This year I got to hula hoop on channel seven news, perform, and teach my own class for 5 straight months. Saying yes is difficult. It means commitment. It means you need to prepare yourself. It means stepping up to the plate!

* Say No! *
Just as saying yes is hard, saying no can sometimes be even harder. I am a chronic people pleaser. I want to make everybody happy...which I have learned is impossible. One of the most important things I have learned is to be honest. Don't commit to things that you know you won't follow through with. Don't make promises you can't keep. It hurts you and other people.

* Patience *
I try to remind myself it is more about enjoying the journey than getting there.

* Keep Learning *
In the last year or two I have hit several hooping plateaus. I feel like I can't learn anything new. I'm bored with my flow. Taking workshops and classes have been huge in helping me to break free from the constraints of my own mind. I try to put myself in situations that inspire me.

And now, I overload you with a bunch of pictures through the years of my life....

One of the biggest joys in my life: Hippy Go Lucky Hoops!

My 21st: A surprise party planned by my best friends, my brother and my sister. I felt so incredibly loved and special on this day.

My first brand new car. I bought it the summer of 2010 and immediately drove it to a music festival. And then a few years later I drove it all the way around the country and back to Maine. I still have about a year and a half left of car payments until it's all MINE!