[This week Hooping.org columnist Lara Eastburn reminds us to share the love.]
Every single one of us contributes to the hooping community in some way or another. But whether you participate in ways large, small, or in-between, we’ve all been known to grow discouraged. Would anyone care if I didn’t organize this hoop jam every week? Does anyone appreciate the extra time I put into the playlist for my classes? Where is the support for my new hooping event? Why did no one comment on my photo? Does anybody watch the hooping tutorials I make? Does anyone read my blog? (Yikes.)
Nobody jumps headfirst into the hooping community expecting to be praised for their efforts. Hoopers give their time for the same reasons that they hoop – it’s changing the way we approach our lives. We want to share it with others. We want to be of service to one another. That said, encouragement from the community is ultimately what keeps folks giving what they do. And encouraging one another is something each of us can and should do. Because our larger community enjoys a limitless online existence, that’s something we can accomplish in 60 seconds or less every day.
Here are the uber-pertinent and closing thoughts from one of the best articles to appear so far on Hooping.org, Philo Hagen’s December column, “For the Joy of Hooping All Year Round:”
“On hooping.org and elsewhere it only takes a fraction of a second to “like” something. It costs you nothing to do so. It only takes a minute to leave a comment and someone is really going to appreciate the minute that you spent thinking of them. Every photo, every video, every news story is attached to a hooper, or two, or three. Why practice random acts of love and kindness when we can practice deliberate ones daily, right where we are? We all find the joy of hooping when we start, but we all need a hoop hug from our peers from time to time to keep us in the spin.”
I can’t make the point more clearly than Philo does here, but that won’t stop me from underlining it and urging all of us to make it a habit. Nay, even to make it a part of our hoop practice. We can only strengthen our hooping community by demonstrating our appreciation for one another. In fact, I’m pretty eager to see what kind of new life we can breathe into one another just by giving voice to our appreciation. If you’re one of those feeling discouraged today, the fastest way to wrench yourself out of that rut is by taking a moment to give someone else the pat on the back you need yourself! Nobody knows better than we that it all comes full circle.
From the Mouth of My Mini Hooper. I don’t want to end this article without telling you who inspired it. Yesterday morning, as I was gearing up to write today’s column, I asked my four year-old daughter Navi what she thought I should write about. Here’s the conversation that followed:
Navi: Well, do you know the people that will read it?
Me: I know some of them. Some of them I don’t know.
Navi: And some of them know each other? And some don’t know each other yet? (LOVE how she threw in that “yet,” right?).
Me: Yes, I guess that’s true.
Navi: OK. You should email someone you don’t know and say, ‘Hi. I’m Lara. You’re an awesome hooper.’ Then, you should email someone you do know and say, ‘I love you.’
Add Hoop-Love to Your Hoop Practice. There you go, my friends. It’s as simple as that. I’m committing myself to doing some form of my daughter’s suggestion every day for the next month (We hoopers love our 30-day challenges!). And I’m inviting you to do the same. Comment on a video you especially enjoyed. Write your hoop hero a love note. Thank the person that brings your community together every week. Better yet, make a list of all the people you especially appreciate in the hooping community (the ones you know AND the ones you don’t know yet) and tackle one each day. (I put mine on a post-it note on the wall behind my computer). Remember, it just takes a minute, but the effects of showing small gratitudes will quickly snowball!
——————————————
Lara Eastburn has been dancing in meadows and singing with the moon while spinning in circles for eons at Superhooper.org. Beyond commenting here, you can also discuss this and other topics related to the Hooposophy for living in Hooping.org’s Hooposophy Group and Gorum. Lara is also the planting and gardening force behind discovering our hooping community roots at The Hooping Family Tree Project.
A couple of the people I super duper appreciate is KymSpins and Shekinah. They’ve been there since the start of my blog and help me when I’m in a hooping bad spot. Plus Kym and me are totally alike. <3
Lara, thanks for another beautifully written column. And I am not saying it because you told me to
. As one of those who puts it out there on Hooping.org, I can say first-hand that the comments and “likes” that people put up when I write a column mean the world to me. It is not about an ego boost. It is about making a connection to a larger community and feeling the acceptance and support and all that good stuff. I also love the ideas and inspiration that are shared in the comments–we can all get something out of those. Philo has created such an amazing space for all of us to come together. I think the more we interact and make it a shared space, the better.
This is great and I’ll start with you…
Awesome article!! I know when someone comments on my pics, videos or “likes” them, it really does lift my hooping spirit and makes me feel appreciated.
We all need to feel connected and it really does give a little boost every time we see a comment or like on something we have done or said.
I can’t be on-line all the time, but when I’m here I try to help others as much as I can and it makes me feel nice too.
YEAH Lara!!!
Another beautifully written colum. I love to read your stuff Lara. I have only been a part of hooping.org community for a small time, but it has helped so much. I like to read other peoples achievments, and tips, and then go out and practice some more, after I thought I’d be done Posting my daily practice routine for the day usually gets me all amped up to go spend another 1/2 hr or so back in the hoop.
I love This community, you are all so great to talk to, and listen to, and hoop “with”. Have a fantastic day.
Big heartfelt appreciation for YOU and your words of connection and inspiration. Always grateful for this community and for all our creative expressions of the dance and the movement.
Lara-
Thanks so much for the inspiring post! I want to thank YOU today. You and I have met, but you may not remember me. Several years ago, I bought my first hoop from you online, then I attended a workshop in Piedmont Park and decorated another one. Not long after that I made a bunch of hoops, giving most of them away. I hooped a LOT for a while and lost a lot of weight, then life happened and I fell out of the loop (and gained the weight back, unfortunately!). I have been reading your blog and FB posts all along, and it’s helped me keep part of my consciousness in hooping. I recently started back, and helped a friend find hooping, too! Thanks so much for inspiring me at the beginning of my hoop life, during the time that I was “away”, and now that I’m back. You are my hoop mama.
Love this!! Thanks!
This makes me want to give hugs to everyone! Wonderful, Lara! I’m going to out to spread some hoop love right now! One a day…for 30 days…my list is longer than 30. I’m going for 60!
Holy cats, your daughter is like a friggen’ enlightened oracle or something. Seriously, the line of questioning to get to that final, simple yet BRILLIANT answer…I am in awe.
And I think I’m going to do it. I’m going to make a list of hoopers I know and want to thank over the next thirty days, then I’m going to find a hooper I DON’T know every day and say hi.
Well said, Lara! xoxoxo
I love you Lara. And I love my hoop inspirations – Trish, Brigitte, Anne, Sophie, teachers, and students. Thanks for communally fueling our hoop spirit.
Love this and your inspiration of a daughter (too cute!). While I’m at it, love all you hoopers and this site (mahalo Philo)! Often we don’t have time to comment, but this is a good reminder…
Tell Navi she is a smart girl! What a great idea
Not only an excellent point – but you make it so beautifully! Thank you, Lara.
tell navi she is awesome as her mother!!
thank u lara!!
Great article Lara! And great thinking Navi! I cant wait to meet you both in a few days!!! YAY!
I adore this whole community!
me too, ‘love this community
You’re right Lara ! Some words can change our lives !
thank you to every single hooper out there.
i will begin my list, but for now, you are all amazing, each and everyone of you!
from the people who started the hoop community and keep perpetuating it forward. to the person who just started hooping yesterday!
if it wasnt for any of you, none of us would be here today!
amen, amen, AMEN! well said, Lara! let me start by telling YOU that I think you’re pretty special…thanks for cotributing such greatness to the hoop community here on hooping.org!
I’m not one for comments, probably due to a lack of confidence, but your article is so beautifully written it has given my fingers a voice to reach out. I take such inspiration from the hooping community, I will give back with your 30 day challenge and probably learn much on the way…. thank you
Since my very first hoop class, I have said that hoppers are, by far, the BEST. COMMUNITY. EVER. Encouraging, helpful, and loving. All the things our whole world needs.
Thank you, ALL of you.
Well first of all I would like to tell you that I absolutly love your columns, I get excited when I see it’s you on my computor screen. This article came at the best time possible for me as well. I am in love with hooping, and have been since the first time I picked one up a year and a half ago. I live in a place that has verry few hoopers, and I have been trying my hardest to change that. By teaching classes, and trying to get together for jams and such.I also learned to make hoops and I often end up just giving them to others in the hopes they will find as much joy inside as I have. One problem is I verry much want to attend retreats, and workshops in neighboring provinces to be able to learn new skills, meet new people. Unfortunatly my partnew disaproves of me being away for a couple of days here and there, I think he is jealous that I enjoy something that doesen’t involve him. It feels sooo discouraging that, well believe it or not I think it is time to hang up my hoop. Even the thought of it makes me extremely sad, and I feel an emptyness inside of me without my hoop. Hooping is such a big part of my life It’s going to be hard to find something else that fills that empty spot. Just feel that it’s not worth it to have to fight for every hooping related moment that happens outside of my home. Truth is I just feel so lost right now I don’t know what to do. Thanks so much for all of your inspiring articles, they have carried me through many times. Thank you.
I know how you feel so much! My husband has said, “It’s unfair that you can do that hoop thing and I can’t even go to a gaming convention!” If you ever need a friend to talk to, message me/add me.
I really, really do know how you feel and I don’t want anyone to feel lost in the hoop. Where do you live? Maybe there is a smaller retreat you could go to? That’s why I opted for Flow Camp. It wasn’t as much as a fight cause it wasn’t across many states.
Shannon
Thank you for your kind words, and friend invite. I feel better knowing i’m not the only one in this silly position and. I would like to chat more with you more. This may sound kinda crazy but I don’t know how to work this site verry well. Does it have a friends spot kinda like facebook or something? All I ever do on here is watch the videos and read the articles. My full name is nadine gaudet, and I live in Canada, don’t know if that narrows the search down any. Sorta not computor savy myself. Anyhow, thanks sooo much for reading, I don’t feel so alone anymore. Take care Shannon