Dancing to the right kind of loss

CHENNAI: For someone holding a senior position in an MNC, life has always been about juggling work and home. With the total lockdown, I have realised how important it is to prioritise activities that are fulfilling for me, along with those that help me be successful in my career. In many ways, it is a total reset — in terms of routine, mindset, and my activities. At first, I was quite appalled at the prospect of not having my maid and my cook to help. But as my family and I started sharing the chores and cooking, we discovered a new bond.

We have always been fitness-conscious and it was a big blow to find that all the gyms were closed and we could not even walk around the lake in our neighbourhood. Walking around the building was making my head spin until I saw a post from my college friend on how she has taken up dancing and lost about 800 grams in a few weeks. The amount of weight loss seemed pathetic, but the prospect of dancing set my heart soaring.

I am an enthusiastic dancer, but my partners generally steer clear of me as they value their precious feet! Thus began my hunt for a high-intensity low impact routine that would also satisfy my craving to dance. And it was not long before I found it on YouTube. Now you can find me glued to YouTube in the evenings, trying to master complicated steps. Initially, my family members were skeptical, but nowadays they also join me. The enjoyment clearly outweighs the fear of being stepped upon! In more ways than one, this lockdown is helping us discover what is most meaningful to us.— Neelima Ghani  (Write to cityexpresschn@gmail.com and tell us how you are spending this quarantine)