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For the past 50ish days I have done a "soft launch" of the "75 Hard Challenge". This challenge includes the following each day for 75 days.
I started this challenge right after Thanksgiving and it has been a refreshing approach to my redundant fitness routine. I love to be active and I find myself at the gym daily, but I love how the challenge is not only concerned with physical health. This challenge nudges the participant to get outdoors, to stay hydrated, to grow in self awareness, and practice some much needed discipline in our instant gratification world.
This is an extremely hard challenge and I only made it twenty-two days before I broke my streak by having a tequila and ginger beer. Now, technically, I am supposed to start all the way over with my "streak"....meaning, I have to go back to day one. However, that is not really my focus with this challenge. Instead, I am taking a softer approach to the "75 Hard Challenge". Each day, I have the full intention of hitting each mark for the day, but I am also practicing moderation and temperance by allowing myself to indulge in a drink ever so often. Some people would argue that this defeats the purpose of doing the challenge in itself, but I disagree. I think an important part of fitness and health in general is being in tune with your mind and body even if it falls outside of the protocols of the "rule book". The "75 Hard Challenge" has been a great gaurd rail in my daily practices and I have seen many positives. I have built muslce, my skin feels more soft and hydrated, I have read some beautiful words from beautiful authors, and I feel like my clothes are fitting better. I would ecourage anyone to give this challenge a try and to pracitce patience and mercy with oneself. There is no need to be perfect, but there is a need to step outside of ones comfort zone and practice full body self care. Furthermore, I love this approach because it pulls away from diet culture, which I abhore. There is no need to starve oneself or to make oneself smaller....instead, this challenge is concerned with strength, in all capacities.
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Dancing has always been an outlet that I have loved. Actually, one of my earliest memories is of me dancing on the top of a vacuum cleaner that I had laid down to create a micro-stage. I remember dancing and shaking my tiny body to the Michael Jackson music video that played on the television. It was shortly after this that my parents enrolled me in my first dance classes at "First Step" dance studio off of Sheridan and Alameda. At this tiny little studio I learned how to tap dance, jazz step, and walk a balance beam with Ms. Juanita. This was my first exposure to organized dance and it was my first "sport", but it quickly took a back seat as I turned my tap shoes in for basketball shoes.  Baby Brianna headed to dance class. Now, almost 30 years later, I am back in a dance class....but this time, I am a mature adult enrolled in a mature form of dance...burlesque.
Last Sunday was the first class of my nine week course. I bought the course a couple months ago and I found myself getting more and more nervous as the first day of class approached. Yes, I love to dance. Yes, I have rhythm. Yes, I have the confidence. But, still....I was nervous to embark on something that I am completely new at...to be the "new girl" at something that is a niche of its own. But, the date came and I opened that dance studio door and walked into a new chapter of my athletic and performative hobbies. The class began with some basic intros, some stretching, and then we jumped into our group choreography which consisted of a lot of eight counts, hip sways, and sexy self touching between counts. The whole class felt comfortable, fun, and liberating. I truly did feel like I was stepping into myself further and allowing myself to express myself in a way that feels extremely natural. Even my cousin (I am taking the class with her) said, “You already walk with a hip sway…even if you’re just at the grocery store”. At the end of class we were told that at the end of the nine week course we will do a debut performance at a local club. We were also informed that we will not only be performing as a group, but we have the option to perform a solo. My cousin then asked me, “Are you going to do a solo?”. And I enthusiastically responded, “Of course! I am already thinking about my costuming, my music selection, and stage name!”. Obviously, my nervousness has dissipated and instead I am excited about all the learning and creating that I will be doing these next several weeks.
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AuthorBrianna is a proud native of West Denver and she is an avid admirer of the arts. Her admiration of the arts is centered around her draw toward the beautiful and good of everyday life. Brianna finds beauty in a well-worn book, in the eclectic colors and textures of a thrift store find, and in the sound of a killer guitar solo whether it be live or through a well thought out Spotify playlist. Her passions are varied and many, but they all center on appreciating the fullness of life. Archives
April 2025
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