It’s Time for a Dance Break!

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Yep. That’s right. Starting February 5th, 2024 I’ll be hosting a weekly virtual dance break. No, I’m serious.

Since my kids were little, music has been an important element of our daily lives in our house. My son now plays drums and is constantly tapping to a beat on everything around him. My daughter is a competitive dancer, and as my wife says, is “never not dancing”. Growing up, I played piano and trumpet, and my wife sang, danced, and was in theater. In addition to listening to music in our house, we often sing aloud (sometimes without the music!) and dance together around the house. Why? Because it feels good!

Simply listening to music can help people feel connected with one another. Add some dancing, and you can positively impact your health and well-being - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“Dance can decidely improve brain health.”

SOURCE: Harvard.edu, in reference to a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

In a previous corporate role, we would host week-long leadership development courses. On the final night, we’d often have a DJ or a local band perform to help everyone celebrate the week. It would usually take some time, but eventually these senior leaders - many of whom didn’t really know each other too well before - would inch their way onto the dance floor. By the end, we always had a big group of people who had completely let loose, set all inhabitation aside, and danced (and sweat) their hearts out. It didn’t matter who you were, or whether you were a “good” dancer or not - there was no judgment, a lot of encouragement, and even more laughter.

Dancing requires vulnerability.

Vulnerability builds trust.

Trust improves leadership.

At another leadership program for our most senior level leaders, we even incorporated dance into the curriculum. Yes, there was, of course, lots of hesitation and reservation at first for many people. However, by the end, every single person - regardless of age or country of origin - was up on their feet enjoying themselves.

Why do we have to wait for this big event to dance together?

After a few years of noticing and enjoying the repeated benefits of people dancing together in the workplace, together with a friend of mine, I started hosting a weekly virtual dance break on video for anyone in the company to join. Word started to spread and we loved having people we didn’t even know join us for 15 minutes to connect, move, laugh, and enjoy music together. It was such a fun excuse to take a break, get up from our desks, move around, and maybe even break a sweat!

At my next company, I realized I missed this weekly dance break (especially during the pandemic), so I started one there too.

In a 2024 WebMD article, Smitha Bhandari, MD, talks about how dancing can improve our mental health. She goes on to share that dancing can improve your mood and attitude, increase your self-esteem, and even help ease anxiety and depression. No, seriously.

Working now as an entrepreneur in Chicago and currently counting down the often sun-less days of Winter, I realized once again that I miss this weekly dance break I used to have. So, it’s time to do it again. Except this time, it’s open to anyone in my network who is interested! (Don’t worry - there are certain rules in place that we ask everyone to follow so we can all feel safe.)

Join us for a weekly virtual dance break,
every Wednesday at 2pm Central.

Click here to learn more or go to wexlerleadership.com/weekly-dance-break to sign up.

It’s OK if you’re nervous. You can do it though!

I can’t wait to see you there.

Caring for Yourself While In-between Jobs (Part 2 of 2)

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Caring for Yourself While In-between Jobs (Part 2 of 2)

Last week, I offered up the concepts of personal Space, Pace & Place to help find inner stability while in-between jobs. In Part 1, I wrote about how my sense of Place was disrupted when my most recent role was eliminated, and I shared some practical tips for rebuilding your Place while looking for your next job. Below, I reflect on my personal Pace and Space, along with ideas for managing your Pace and creating Space. If you read to the bottom, you’ll also find a link to a worksheet you can download to guide your reflections and discussions.

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Caring for Yourself While In-between Jobs (Part 1 of 2)

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Caring for Yourself While In-between Jobs (Part 1 of 2)

My sense of day-to-day Place was abruptly changed for me earlier this year. I didn’t seek it out and I had no control over it. My position was eliminated, along with those of 7K other professionals, as a part of a mass layoff at my most recent company. While I haven’t written about Space, Pace & Place for some time, it continues to be something I anchor to in my life. Most recently, it is a framework that has helped me significantly to build resiliency during this uncertain, in-between time as I explore what might be next for my career.

When we’re feeling strong in all three areas of Space, Pace & Place, it is likely that the energy we feel and the energy we give to others is very positive. We’re more centered, grounded, and open to others. We feel a sense of fulfillment in our life. The opposite is also often true: if we’ve been rushing around, haven’t carved off time to exercise or eat well, or don’t feel like we belong to a community that matters to us (at home, at work, or virtually), our energy is likely to be depleted, negative, and even off-putting to others. This can have a huge impact on our process of searching for a job. Gaining some awareness of how you’re really doing and why you’re feeling what you’re feeling is necessary in order to progress in a way that is most impactful for YOU and your situation.

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Space, Pace & Place - Part 3: New Year / New Perspective on Power, Sacrifice & Choice

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Space, Pace & Place - Part 3: New Year / New Perspective on Power, Sacrifice & Choice

My invitation to you today is to consider, "What if Space, Pace, and Place were sources of power for you to pull from vs. pressures of power over you?"

When I think of reclaiming my own power and choice, lately I have been choosing to make Space for BOTH pain and joy. Just like the Disney-Pixar movie, Inside Out, so creatively articulates, we need to experience our full range of emotions to live our fullest life.

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Space, Pace & Place - Part 1

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Space, Pace & Place - Part 1

Sometimes it’s a feeling I don’t recognize until after it’s gone. A pressure from the inside out and the outside in at the same time.  Often in the moment, I can’t name the cause. It’s not really a feeling I enjoy, but I know I feel it more than I’d prefer. And lately, I’m learning it’s not a feeling I’m alone in experiencing.

More and more I hear from friends and colleagues that they struggle to settle their minds or catch their breath.  Maybe it shows up as being exhausted despite a full night’s sleep. A concern that you’re not connecting with the people you love most, or perhaps even with yourself.  It’s the symptoms that drive us toward solutions - many of which can help, but none that seem to name or cure the cause.  

After countless hours of self-reflection, meaningful conversations, reading and coaching, I’ve realized it’s a feeling that comes over me when one or more of my “3 Aces” are out of whack:

  1. Space

  2. Pace

  3. Place

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