The other night, I went to a Zumba class with about a dozen of my employees. The whole shebang is being paid for by OUR boss, who is a wonderfully generous man, as a kick-off to the new 'Plan for Wellness' program that he has developed to keep his employees happy and healthy. Let me say again, this is out of his own pocket. This is money he could use for whatever he wanted, but he's chosen to invest in his crew. I've been so excited for this event, but it has been almost a trial to get the rest of the store on board. The thing about taking a group of inexperienced kids to a dance aerobics class for the first time is simple. No one knows what they're doing and everyone is afraid to look like an asshole.
Does that sound ridiculous to anyone but me? We aren't invited to go to this event to present a choreographed masterpiece, we're there to have a good time and get some exercise. But I guess I can understand why they feel the way they do. Doing anything for the first time will always be at least a little scary.
Does anyone else remember Weird Al Yankovic? He did a bunch of ridiculous music parodies in the 80's and 90's including Dare to be Stupid. Can you guess what the song is about by its title? We take ourselves way too seriously, my friends. Why do we walk around with our heads held high like we don't fall down sometimes too? Like our you-know-whats don't stink. It isn't how many times we fall down to pick ourselves up, it is all about how hard we get to laugh at ourselves for falling down to begin with. There are few talents that I admire more in others than their ability to laugh at their mistakes.
Every one of my employees who came out (except for one certain Mauly girl who was amped before she got into the building. ) had that same initial look of uncertainty in their eyes while we waited for the class to start. No one really knew what was going to happen, no one knew what they were expected to do.To be honest, I didn't care for it too much either, but we all know how much I like to be in control.
The only way to keep them to worry about how much of an idiot they probably looked like, my boss, my champions and I took it upon ourselves to out-stupid anyone who was having those feelings. We ran around and cheered and tried to keep everyone focused on us and away from worrying about themselves.
Needless to say, it worked. By the time the class was into its second song, no one cared if they didn't know the moves and certainly didn't care that anyone else around them didn't. It was a wonderful time and I'm excited to see this program flourish.
But why does it even matter? I've always been a bit of a screw up, but I like to think I can laugh at myself. Have you seen my smile? That would be the best example I can give you. As much as I would like to have a perfect, pretty smile, I like to think of my gap tooth as being a badge of honour. I did something stupid one night and I will (hopefully not for much longer) sport my crooked teeth with a smile.
It isn't even about being afraid to be foolish, or be thought of as odd, or anything else that has your mind tied up and holds you back from doing something ridiculous for a change. Dare to be yourself, dare to be different. Don't Forget To Be Awesome.
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