I believe that part of being successful in midlife dating is stretching one’s comfort zone. By doing activities you normally wouldn’t do, you gain more confidence and explore if you’d like to do that activity again.
This is the attitude that drew me to participate in a flash mob dance. My Jazzercise instructor was joining with another instructor who had planned to do a routine in the middle of a popular shopping mall. If we wanted to participate, his email said, he’d teach us the moves in the Sat. morning class before the flash mob two hours later.
I made sure I made it to class to learn the routine. It was to Lady Gaga’s “I was born this way.” Although the steps were pretty pedestrian, there were a few tricky spots so I appreciated that he went through it a few times.
Arriving early, I saw a few classmates and wasn’t sure if I should say hello. Part of the intrigue of a flash mob is the seeming spontaneity of it. But I approached a pair and introduced myself. Soon our instructor arrived and the organizer.
We waited impatiently for the other instructor to start the music. She eventually did, starting the boom box hidden in a baby carriage.
The 4-minute routine went by quickly. I was conscious when I screwed up as there were lots of cameras capturing our antics.
All in all, I’m glad I did it. It got me to push my limits and self-consciousness of dancing in public.
What can you do in the next week to expand your limits? It may help you in your dating life as well.