Get your groove on.

Do you remember when you used to crank the tunes and jam out in your room when no one was home? There are now dance classes (usually at yoga studios) where you can go and just dance in whatever way you want to move it, move it. People close their eyes and pretend that no one else is in the room cavorting, spinning, and shaking it next to them. By the end, everyone is grinning and laughing.

Whenever I put music on at home, my daughter starts undulating in this groovy little dance with a huge smile on her face.

Today, S.M.A.C.K. that Inner Critic, turn up the stereo and dance, baby!

Smackdown Success Story: Alysia Reiner

Alysia Reiner (www.alysiareiner.com) plays the recurring role of Cindy on The Starter Wife on USA. Her latest film is The Vicious Kind, produced by Neil LaBute, and she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as Christine in Sideways. She is also expecting her first child with husband David Alan Basche.  

When did your Inner Critic first rear its ugly head?

Been there as long as I can remember.

What’s the worst part of having an Inner Critic, or what’s the worst thing it’s ever said to you?

That it never goes away – you just learn to deal with it.

What have you been able to achieve by smacking down your Inner Critic?  

Not just achieving goals but living a life with more joy and peace.

What’s your all-time favorite smackdown?

Thank you for sharing, now shut the f@%& up.  

What do you do when none of your smackdowns are working?   

Call and email friends to help me whip um into shape, put on great music & dance it away, go to kickboxing class

Over time, does it get easier to smackdown the Critic?

Absolutely – it’s a muscle, ya gotta work it.

What keeps you motivated?

I wanna live my dreams, be happy and at peace – the more I do the less the Critic talks.

Acting is one of the toughest careers you can have. How do you handle the Outer Critics?

Don’t read reviews while you are working on something. Period.

Are you scared of raising a kid? If so, how do you smackdown that fear?  

It’s a mix of educating myself, choosing what to use (i.e., choosing supportive, not fear-based, books, videos, classes), and listening to my intuition and heart more than ever.

What are your favorite sources of inspiration?

SO MANY! Nature, music, meditation, yoga, love, art, notes from the Universe, my friends & family, sex, laughter, being of service.

What advice would you give to someone who was stuck in fear and inaction?

Go do something! Get your ass out of bed or out of the house and:

Volunteer somewhere

Go to a museum

Make a list of goals, start with tiny ones

& take one action today – just one.

Recruit a friend to be action buddies

Anything else you’d like to add that I haven’t asked?

Action and Smackdown with faith/hope/belief in yourself are muscles – ya gotta work um. And sometimes they get sore when you first learn to use um or are getting stronger… Work through the pain. Pain is weakness leaving the body. And damn it feels good to be strong, believe in yourself and live the life of your dreams!!

Dance around the kitchen.

It’s Saturday. Today’s smackdown: Turn up the stereo so it drowns out the Inner Critic’s voice and dance around the kitchen! But first click on the link and watch the video for inspiration:

All Around the Kitchen

The lead singer is Dan Zanes who used to head up The Del Fuegos, an amazing bar band in Boston in the 1980s. See Alicia’s (thanks Alicia!!!) comments under “We Interrupt This Program” for links to articles about them. Zanes now makes music for kids. So is he a sell-out? Or is he making money and having a blast?

 

Use Your Body to Heal

Use your body today in a creative way. Dance. Do yoga. Breathe with your entire body. Stretch to your four corners. Yawn as loud as you can. See if you can touch the ceiling and the floor. Balance on your tippy toes.

Relationships: Alone Together

Katie and Joshua.

The Happy Dance Smackdown

Yay! Smackdown. Watch this when you’re feeling blue.