Shoulders are beautiful. When I use them, dance with them, they make me light and strong. They physically lift me up. I appreciate them. I like to engage and challenge them. Swimming has been amazing for this. They’re happy and awesome right now.

I’ve noticed that my emotions affect how they feel. When I’m anxious or having a stressful thought, the exact moment the worry comes, my shoulders tense and give me pain. The sinews move and the muscles shift in the wrong way. Clenching with fear. My shoulders are my emotional compass. My warning sign. And I think, if they’re painful, what other parts of my body are being affected by my worries? What other tricks are my emotions playing on me? And what can I do to stop them freaking me out?

I shake. I stomp. I say NO! I dance hard and fast. It truly is a battle of wills. I flow and move and make sure that my mind understands who’s in control. It’s my spirit. My soul. My light. I guide myself back to balance through the movement of my body. Through music and dance. Where thoughts are forgotten and emotions pacified. They’re beacons of light and my body is the conduit.