Top down in the convertible, with the California breeze blowing through my hair bald head, I found myself moving farther away from the person I’ve always known. 

Just like getting stuck in LA traffic, the journey is a slow-paced one. You can have all the intention of getting somewhere quickly (it’s not that far away!!), but it’s actually going to take you a lot longer to get there than you planned. (P.S. I would NEVER own a convertible.)

In NYC, you walk 10 blocks because you’re convinced it’ll get you there much faster; you’re muscling through things and forcing your will. You don’t like how long things are taking? Great, you’re about to make them go your way.

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Getting to live in NYC but spending time in California makes you zoom out because you have much more time and space to fully absorb things.

I guess you could say you get the best of both worlds ;) And yes, I was absolutely freaking out over this shoot.

It’s easier to take stock of what’s going on, and it gives me the space to feel new things… as well as some of the same feelings I can’t escape, like fear. 

A great point was raised with me recently by someone close to me, 

What would you do if the main way to achieve your goals went out the window?

Uh, what do you mean, it’s all gone? I don’t really want to think about that; that’s a little scary.

Through my job, I get to share my love of movement and work alongside people as they achieve their goals. I get to be part of the process of helping people get stronger and contributing to a better quality of life for them. Truly, it’s a dream come true.

So what happens if it’s all gone?

I’m in my 40s, and while my goal is always longevity, what if I sustained a serious injury that changed how I move? What if I could no longer teach classes? There will always be a way to find movement in some way, but how will I react if my life is upended?

Besides, nothing in life is promised, and I know this so viscerally. You can be perfectly happy with no plans to change until the rug not only gets yanked out from under you, but you fall through the five floors and land in an apartment below you.

Dramatic, but you get the picture. We all know that feeling when something upends us in such an unexpected way that we can’t remember what things were like before.

What would I do if one day, my life as I knew it changed? How would I get the same fulfillment? Well, my friends, while we know that if you don’t squeeze your glutes, no one will, it is also true that if you don’t diversify your (ass)ets, there’s a chance there won’t be anything left in your portfolio worth squeezing.

Now, while all these thoughts were rumbling around in my brain, I got to attend the live performance of Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars.

It was nothing short of inspirational and brought a lot up on this topic. First off, for anyone watching at home, you might not realize the insane transitions happening. From the time the show started to the end, cast and crew were zipping around. Camera here, microphone there, oh, now a host is over in that corner of the audience. Dance break! Competitor! Judging! Commercial break, reset… Maybe it was because it was new to me, but Thunder45 was starting to seem chill. 

That crew is one of a kind, truly.

But what really got me was how these contestants woke up one day and said, “You know, I want to diversify my experiences; how about I TRY SOMETHING NEW IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET LIVE ON CAMERA FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE AND THEN GET JUDGED.”

That’s insane.

I think the courage it takes to do something so publicly and complicated is incredibly admirable. Whatever happened that night was also going to be recorded to be shared over and over again on social media. Long, long ago, I took dance classes and performed in recitals; I loved getting to move my body. But the fear of failure in front of millions and the shame that would come from that makes DWTS feel like something impossible to me. It’s why I find what these contestants do so respectable, and I also think it’s a smart way of diversifying.

Diversification means that if one means to an end is no longer possible, you have plenty of other irons in the fire; you don’t have to go back to square one. 

There is a lot that can happen to a person who starts something new: they realize they have a passion for it, they learn something new about themselves, they meet new people, they’re led to new experiences, and much more, but you also realize there is more than one way to do something.

For example, the way I teach my classes, the music I choose, and the programming are different from all the other instructors on the platform. You probably wouldn’t want to just take one person’s class; you’d get sick of things, and you might miss out on working different muscle groups. It’s when you push yourself that exciting progress is made. 

Now, I’m looking at my life through the lens of what would happen if everything was taken away tomorrow. If my entire happiness and purpose rest on one sole thing, I’m destined for a catastrophic collapse.

But if I’m smart, I’ll start looking for other ways I can feel fulfilled in all areas of my life, be it professional, personal, or physical. I’m not about to just do glute bridges for glute strength; I’m going to throw in work with a squat rack and some lunges. In other words, I’m going to start diversifying and remembering to shake my (ass)ets… just like below ⬇

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

If you just move sagittally, you might fall apart when you move laterally. Rules for physical movement are similar to those in life; you have to be agile and ready to try something new. You never want to get stuck with your back against the wall.

Your turn! Journal your answer, or if you find yourself sharing the progress of your Great Things on social, tag me at @greatthingswith_adrian so I can join in on cheering you along!