Each week we change the words/quote/saying that we are displaying on the noticeboard in our kitchen; these are the words we try to live by individually and as a family that week. Some weeks may focus on lifting our mood, others may be about motivation or attitude to life; something that speaks to us on some level and that we can directly apply to our lives. Changing the words each week stops them from becoming just another thing you walk past without really seeing, it keeps things fresh and stops them losing their power. This series is where I share those words with you in the hope they may help you and your family too. If you a new to the series and want to learn more, you can read the first post here, or check out the Words To Live By tab in the top menu.
January is always a busy month; a time for dreaming big and committing to our goals. If we’re not careful though we can work ourselves too hard, to the exclusion of everything else, and then burn out. Forget keeping it up till the end of the year, many of us will struggle to make it to the end of the month. This is why so many new years resolutions fail before they’ve had a chance to become habits.
You all know the saying about too much work and not enough play, so this week we are lightening things up a bit.
I had an extremely busy day yesterday, one of those days where you just don’t know where to begin or how on earth you are going to get everything done. Amazingly, both children were being really good on the morning and I did get a lot done, but by the afternoon they were getting bored, I was getting tired and we were all a bit grumpy with one another (read – lots of screaming and shouting, not my finest hour).
There was only one thing for it. I stopped working, turned the music on and invited the kids to have a dance party. Within 20 seconds we were all laughing and having a good time and smiling at each other instead of shouting. After two songs I felt like a weight had been lifted, I wasn’t tired anymore, and what work I did have left to do suddenly didn’t seem so bad anymore.
One thing I should clarify, when done well dancing is a beautiful thing to watch. What we do isn’t that. I am most definitely not a dancer and on the rare occasions I am anywhere near a dance floor I won’t venture onto it until I’m so drunk I can barely stand, then I’ll think I’m the best dancer in the world. A dance party in our house is really more about jumping up and down, waving your arms around, running around the room, twirling, you get the idea. The kids can get away with it and look really cute, I just look insane. But you know what? Who cares? No-one else is there and anything that makes the kids laugh is a good thing.
So this week, whenever things start to feel like they are getting on top of you, whether it’s work, the kids, the neighbours dog who won’t stop barking, stop what you are doing, turn on some music and dance. Don’t worry what you look like (hide in the bathroom if you have to), just jump up and down and wave your arms around like a 4 year old high on sugar, I promise you’ll feel better.
To get you started on your dancing journey, here is the song that is getting us dancing this week. You’re welcome ladies 😉
Before you go, I just wanted to let you know that one of the things I was busy setting up this weekend was an email list (see below). I’m creating some workbooks to go along with these Words To Live By posts that will only be available for subscribers, so pop in your email and you’ll be the first to know when they’re available.
UPDATE: If you need some more tunes to get you moving I’ve made a list of ten I think should do the trick: 10 Feel Good Songs To Get You Dancing
Have a great dance filled week x
Aww I love the idea of the motivational quotes and changing them every week! And yes, doesn’t dancing just lift your mood?! I can often be found dancing around like a lunatic with Baby Lighty! #BigPinkLink
Thank you. Babies make the best dance partners, they don’t care if you look like a lunatic x
This made me smile on a day that I really just want to scream!
#marvmondays
kristin mccarthy recently posted…O.M.G. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Just Got A Bit More Magical- THEY SERVE ALCOHOL
And it was born out of one of those days too. Glad it put a smile on your face x
My child favourite dance track right now!!! I have 2 left feet, but just Love to watch her dancing away. Makes my heart smile. #globalblogging
It’s addictive isn’t it? Don’t worry, I have two left feet too, that’s why I only do it in front of the children 😬
I love these! Great group of dance quotes!
Thank you x
Love all these quotes! And it is so true, I think we all feel better after a little dance/jump/wiggle around! x #CandidCuddles
Madeline (This Glorious Life) recently posted…The greatest mistake
Thank you, it certainly helps loosen us up a bit x
I love this week’s Words to Live By! I missed a few while I was on vacation so I need to catch up, but it’s awesome to see this one on my first week back to blogging. #DreamTeam
Thank you, hope you had a good time off x
Aww this is just fab! Dance is sooooo good for the soul. Right I’m cracking up the tunes today and treating myself to a huge dose of kitchen dancing! #DreamTeam
justsayingmum recently posted…Celebrating All The Bad Mums
Thank you. Hope you enjoyed getting your groove on x
I love the word this week! We have a dance party every morning. It looks much like yours tho, me flailing about the house!! Is amazing what a difference it can make to the mood!#GlobalBlogging
Thank you, we’ve had one every morning this week too and it’s an amazing way to start the day x
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dancing! You’re right it does take all the stress away! You’ve got me dancing now! #DreamTeam
Yay, I’m starting a dance revolution 😬
I love this! What a great approach. I love dancing with my daughter, it’s so much fun. #bigpinklink
Thank you. Kids make the best dance partners x
Such a great inspirational read. Especially on those days when we feel so down trodden!!
Such a great inspirational read. Especially on those days when we feel so down trodden!! #globalblogging
Thank you, it definitely lightens the mood x
Hello Alana
Happiness is something that we all strive for. We hate being miserable. Perhaps this quotes will help cheer us up or at least get us thinking a bit..
Good luck to you now and always.
Alice Clover recently posted…Health and beauty benefits of currants
Thank you x
I a. Last definitely the same. I will not enter a dance floor until suitable under the influence, but when it comes to my kiddies they love to dance. I think they all do? So we can be found regularly busting a move like loons in our living room. Whatever gets you through the day eh. Thanks for joining us at #familyfun xx
Kids certainly give you the freedom to act like a loon and not be judged on your dodgy dance moves x
I got a lightbox from Sinterklaas and I now put a new statement on every week. Keep on dancing was my last one! Seems great minds think alike. #FamilyFun
Ha ha, that’s brilliant, I guess they do x
I totally just did this with my two! We’re in the middle of trying to negotiate a house purchase and to say that I’ve been a bit frazzled today would be an understatement. Thank you. This has honestly just made my afternoon and we have our next dance party scheduled for in about 30 minutes! Thanks so much for sharing this with #DreamTeam x
Aww, thank you. Glad I helped, my work here is done x
While reading this week’s post I couldn’t help but think of ‘Dancing through Life’ from one of the best musical’s out there. #GlobalBlogging
Helena recently posted…I am #Rocking Motherhood ….Here’s why….
Is it bad that I just had to look that up? I’d love to see Wicked, it looks amazing. Sadly I’ve not been to a musical in far too many years as we don’t get that many round here 😢
Everyone needs an outlet, mine is running but I love dancing too #Best&Worst
Fiona Cambouropoulos recently posted…How Cities Work from the Lonely Planet Kids Series
I really wish I could like running, I’ve taken it up a few times over the years but I always end up getting injured and by the time I’ve recovered I can’t seem to muster up the enthusiasm to get going again.
I do know what you mean, even my ass hurts after a run with a friend this morning, though I feel strangely relaxed too!
Fiona Cambouropoulos recently posted…How Cities Work from the Lonely Planet Kids Series
Oh honey I agree, we danced last night to all sorts of music, my 9 and 7 year olds were having a ball! And of course so was I. Great quotes here! #bestandwosrt #gloablblogging
Thank you, dancing really is so much fun with the kids x
What a fab idea! Love the new saying a week & this one is brilliant. We love that Justin Timberlake song in our house & is regularly danced too. Looking forward to seeing the rest of this series. #sharingthebloglove
Thank you, it’s so catchy isn’t it?
I like the sound of a dance party! Sounds fun! #bestandworst
Crummy Mummy recently posted…My Good Morning Britain TV debut!
Do it, do it, do it 😁
First, this is one of my songs that totally gets me all crazy and I jam to it like nobody’s business…to my daughters horror. I saw your word this week and just smiled. Love it. My favorite quote was the Hard times call for Furious Dancing.
I’m jamming to the song now as I write…which is a little distracting. How can you not be happy with this song!
I forgot…#bestandworst =)
It’s an instant mood changer in this house. Thankfully my kids are too young to find me embarrassing just yet (as long as we’re in the house and no one else can see!) x
Oh I love this. When it’s been a tough day and I’m trying to do dinner, I put on some music and the girls and I dance around the kitchen. It really does make me feel better and lighten the mood. Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove X
Laura – dear bear and beany recently posted…Sharing The Blog Love…#28
Ha ha, glad I’m not the only one. It works wonders doesn’t it?
What a fabulous idea, I bet they can really lift your mood. We love a good dancing session too (although it’s usually to My Little Pony Equestria Girls) 🙂 #sharingthebloglove
Ha ha, we had a bit of dancing to the Care Bears theme tune earlier, whatever works x
Just brilliant! I tried shouting, like pure screaming the other day to get that feeling out. Dancing is way better, I’ll put it on my list… signing up to your news letter Thanks for linking up to #familyfun 😀
Karen | TwoTinyHands recently posted…Award Winning #FamilyFun
Aww, thank you x
Yes! We tend to have a family disco late in the day when everyone’s getting a bit restless and it really works! Love all the quotes as ever. Love the jazzed up blog too 🙂 xx #familyfun
Hayley@ Mission: Mindfulness recently posted…Guest series: Mindfulness and Me #5
It really does help doesn’t it. And thank you, I’m slowly learning x
Love this! I am in no way a dancer, but I love a dance around the room with my son! I say dance, it’s more like chasing each other around the kitchen really, but it has us both in fits of laughter! Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove
Katy – Hot Pink Wellingtons recently posted…The Pregnancy Diaries: Week 19
That’s my kind of ‘dancing’ too x
I love this and actually I was dancing to the JT with my girl on that note. What a fab post! I have subscribe too! Thank you so much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost x
Su {Ethan & Evelyn} recently posted…#FabFridayPost Linky #67 {20.01.17}
Aww, thank you so much x
This is such a brilliant idea and so positive. I sure am a firm believer in dancing things off and you will often find my daughter and I dancing around the house on a regular basis 🙂 #sharingthebloglove
Thank you, it’s definitely a great de-stresser x
Ah I love the dance furiously one! Your paragraph describing how you dance totally cracked me up! The kids and I dance so rarely despite being huge players of music but some of my fondest memories with them are spontaneous totally nuts danceathons! A gorgeous #candidcuddles post. Thank you.
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Thank you, think it’s time you had another spontaneous danceathon! 😉
Ahh I love all of these quotes, dancing really does make everything feel better, especially when you dance like no-one is watching! #fabfridaypost
five little doves recently posted…10 ways I am #Rocking Motherhood
Thank you, it’s definitely better when no one is watching, then you can really bust some moves x
Oh how I love your words to live by series! We often do the crazy dancing thing too, it can really lift the mood of all of us. Thanks for being a #bigpinklinker this week!
Louise Pink Pear Bear recently posted…Big Pink Link 46
Aww, thank you 😘
Oooh we love dance parties in our house too! We call it a “disco” so that mummy has a perfectly legitimate reason to close the curtains before throwing herself around the living room! haha #PoCoLo
Lucy At Home recently posted…Bloggers Bluff #13: This Is Me Now
Ha ha, good idea. I always make sure the lower half of the shutters are closed 😬
I love to dance (in fact I do properly) – in the kitchen mostly while I’m cooking. But N rarely joins in with me. I think he’s only agreed to once. I think it’s the best thing for a release, and it’s fun. Plus that track is amazing. You can’t fail to dance to it! #Sharingthebloglove
Ooh, you’ll put us all to shame with your dancing x
Oh, we do this in our house all the time Alana! Great advice. My two little ballerina’s are always whirling and twirling and I try to get in step too! It is fun and lightens everyone’s mood. When in doubt, dance it out! Great post! #ablogginggood time
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Brilliant, “when in doubt, dance it out”, may have to use that one! x
This is a lovely idea! I regularly dance myself and my toddler around the living room if a day is falling a bit flat (or even getting a bit too hectic!). Music and dance have a way of bringing balance back to things, great choice of word for the week 🙂 #fabfridaypost
They really do don’t they. Thank you x
There’s nothing like a good dance! Loved your 10 songs too 🙂 #fabridaypost
Thank you x
Who doesn’t love a bit of a boogie to put a smile on your face 🙂 Such a positive post, thanks for linking up to this weeks #bestandworst stop by again!
Thank you, always does the trick for me x
oh i love a good dance and often bop around the house regardless of who is at home
It’s good for the soul x
I LOVE all these quotes and it’s so true; music and dancing are guaranteed to lift your mood. I would have got up to dance to the video if I wasn’t eating right now! The word of the week is a great idea, I might try that too. #CandidCuddles
Aww, thank you. Give it a go and let me know how you get on x
I completely love and agree with this weeks words to live by. We often do the same thing, dance in our kitchen without a care in the world and it is the most wonderful and uplifting thing. I want to try and have even more moments like these this year 🙂 Great post, thanks for sharing it on #MarvMondays. Emily
Thank you. It definitely lifts the mood around here x
There’s nothing like a good dance around the kitchen to get your mood to happy! This song is fab – I’m desk dancing now listening to it lol Thanks for sharing with u at #candidcuddles lovely xx
Becky, Cuddle Fairy recently posted…Monopoly Token Madness Vote
Ha ha can’t beat a bit of desk dancing🕺 x
I love a “dance out!” It’s where we put on some music and all go a bit crazy! Anything from Queen to Taylor Swift – love it! Sarah #FabFridayPost
Sarah Stockley recently posted…High Chart and Limpsfield Common
You definitely need to let the crazy out every now and then before it takes over!
i love to dance with my toddler – we are doing it more and more and she loves it! #ablogginggoodtime
Susie at This Is Me Now recently posted…Recipe of the week: Peanut butter and dark chocolate cookies
It’s so much fun, and toddlers make the best dance partners x
It is hard to dance, feel the music and be grumpy isn’t it? Definitely a great tip there – thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo x
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Ha ha, it really is. It’s like they can’t coexist and as long as you keep moving grumpiness gets kicked out x