I have always felt deep joy in dancing and moving without limits, but when I was 36 years old I suffered a spinal injury and had to undergo surgery. Following my surgery, I had to learn to listen to my body more carefully. Though the experience was painful and difficult, I am now grateful for it, as it showed me my limits and opened new, less steep paths. I now feel inspired to encourage other people to engage more consciously with their bodies, to work with the signals of the body rather than fight the pain. I often use the word work because it reminds us that we are always responsible for our physical and mental health.