When your 21 year old blog becomes your 22 year old blog.

How to make the dance teacher change to 22.

You don't. You just stay 21. You pack up all of your semi important belongings. Chanel, Addy, Molly, and tweezers. Buy the first one way ticket to Australia and never come back. My visa expires in about 343 days... So...

So basically my plan's a work in progress, but I think it's a winner. I'm of course 91 percent joking. But I'm 100 percent positive I could listen to Michael Bublé for the rest of my 21 year old immortal life and be perfectly content. Honestly I'm looking forward to my 22 year old times though. What could possibly go more wrong than my other 21 years? I'll most likely still be overly forgetful, still sleep deprived, still single. I know myself too well. But hey, I'm always up for a change. So if you want to share some memorization skills, have illegal insomnia drugs, and/or like me for some reason. Text me and I will reply, quickly even. (That's not a guarantee.)

Back to reality. I plot twist was actually in Australia. In a nice little hotel called "Break Free," so naturally we all sang the song as we arrived like Vanessa and Zac would have wanted. Besides the 6 days of sickness, Chanel being filled with prescriptions instead of real people things, oh and my blessed sister forgetting her passport on the opposite island in New Zealand, this was the best trip I've been on in awhile. I am so humbled by all of the incredible people I have met while I've been on this journey. Each one bringing something new and different to my story. It is one of the most rewarding feelings to know that ever since I decided to commit my entire heart and life to being a dance teacher, I have inspired others to commit the same. To never give up. To find it in themselves and create the same drive and passion that I preach in my classes daily. Even from the other side of the world. In the same way they look up to me, I look up to all of them. I appreciate you all more than you will ever know. I remember once being the little girl who couldn't find her voice. I didn't believe in myself. I had dreams of course, doesn't everyone? But I never actually thought I had it in myself to fight to achieve them and find the voice and story in the little girl. 

Alexa Moffetts gets semi older.  

When I was in middle school, around the age of 12, I was a social butterfly. I was always considered as I guess a "popular" girl. I spent my free time updating my latest AIM profile with tHe CuTeSt FoNtS, popping my collars of new polos from Abercrombie, and going to the local Friday night football games hoping to kiss my latest crush. Life was what any 12 year old girl would imagine to be perfect. But just like any high it must come down. I have always been the girl to take the blame, I'm guessing since I was never afraid to stand up for my opinion. Darn Leo's right? I went from the life of the party to begging my dad to pick me up for lunch. I was being bullied. I'm not saying this for sympathy but because it changed my life. Of course there were the typical girl things like the 3 way calls saying hurtful things to you then hanging up. The writing names and notes on the lockers. But it went far beyond that. This is absolutely when dance saved me. It became my sanctuary. Where I wanted to breathe and live every second of my life. I began to study it. I'm laughing as I'm writing this but I was a super fan/stalker of dance. I'm sure I've watched every single one of your YouTube videos from 2006 on. I re-centered my priorities of having the cutest locker at school to how long I could stay up past my bedtime creating the latest choreography in my formal dining room that I would later bribe Addison to learn. Which she never did just for the record. I found out that same year that I was going to be moving to Arizona. As I was relieved to have an excuse to escape my problems, at the same exact time I was heartbroken to leave my studio and all of my "new life." 

Moving states is a big change for a native 12 year old especially at some of your most insecure years. I know that many of you that have had the big move can relate. A new school, new friends, new dance studio, new home, that all seems like the end of the world for stubborn Alexa. It definitely was in my head. 

It goes on.

This is where I hit my lowest low. The happy part is coming guys I promise! I became shy and unsure of anything and everything. I didn't trust anyone. I sat at lunch my first day of 8th grade all by myself in the bathroom stall. Like you hear in the movies, yes. I met friends eventually but none that I felt I clicked with like my old life. Dance was a completely different lifestyle than what I was used to in Minnesota. I would stare at the blank walls in my room thinking about how maybe my old life wasn't so bad. Finally life started to come together. But I still had my new found sense of no confidence. I was enjoying learning new types of ways to move my body in dance. Guys I'm telling you even a hip roll was foreign to me. After the struggle of catching onto the vibe and the intimidation I started to feel comfortable in my new home. I was still as observant and obsessed with dance as ever though don't forget that. Since I was always at dance early for Addison I started to watch and study her classes. Fast forward a few years... This eventually presented me with the opportunity to assist. Which led to a young overly shy 6 year old, who I could relate to, finding the courage in me to choreograph her first solo. This was the day my life was changed. This was the day I found my voice. It wasn't your typical high school teen's dream but it was my escape. I learned that putting confidence into children gave me back my spark. *To be continued... 

I'm now grateful for the experience I had as a bratty self centered 12 year old. I learned first hand how bullying hurts. But it made me stronger and taught me that another person can't decide how you feel, only you can. 

"You're as happy as you want to be."

Be careful what you wish for. 

A wise 21 year old dance teacher once said. 

You may or may not know what you're getting yourself into. For the most part I enjoy not knowing. It makes life more real to me. Since I practically threw away my entire sense of sanity for following my dreams, realism has always been a major focus in my life. I'm glad I don't have everything I could ever want. Can you imagine how uneventful life would be? It takes a lot to get a reaction from me. People say my poker face is 100 percent. I am very reserved in my thoughts and feelings. Which can be the best and worst part of myself. In this life you have to learn to think fast, smart, and be willing. Which has taught me some things just aren't worth it. But has also taught me how much some things are worth it. That's the best part about dreams.

#currentthoughts 

Giving up. I've never been someone to use that term. But I'm not going to lie through personal hard times recently I have considered this. I believe everything happens for a reason and when I came across this quote it knocked some sense back into me. 

"I thought about quitting, but then I noticed who was watching." 

So simple yet so meaningful to me in this time of disbelief. I don't blog for followers or people to give me compliments of my writing. I even get embarrassed to show people my vulnerable side. I write because I am real and want people to see who am I. That everyone makes mistakes and sometimes you doubt yourself. I feel like sometimes we hide behind the media to show people what we want them to think of us. I absolutely have. I do have the biggest heart and often am misread because I am known to put on a great act. Not purposely of course. But under all of the posts, rumors, memories, pictures, we are all just normal people. With that being said I think I'm ready for 22. I know that my journey is still being written and 

"It'll all work out."