Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
This past summer of 2024, I was honored with the Business Leader Award at the Installation Dinner for the Santa Monica Chamber. What a great award and I was and am so thankful. We celebrated at the Fairmont Santa Monica in front of 300 people. In my thank you speech, I made sure to thank Joel Rieck for covering for me at the studio for all the times I was away at a Chamber Ribbon Cutting, Ambassador Meeting, Biz@Sunset mixer, or any other Chamber event that I was a part of and absent from our own business.
I also thanked my parents who gave me the desire and abilities to serve. Daddy was always someplace somewhere doing something for others. My mom was charismatic, and she never knew a stranger. Their legacy hopefully lives inside of me and through me.
I feel that the service our studio gives to our Chamber is also our way of helping support business growth sustainability in Santa Monica. The need for leadership is so great in our City of Santa Monica in all areas.
One reason I love our Chamber so much is the people. The leaders of the Chamber are movers and shakers. The Chamber takes great pride in advocacy and helping our business prosper.
As for the members, they are leaders, entrepreneurs, risk takers, mentors, determined business owners, and they also give back to the people of Santa Monica. Many of the members I know and meet are organizers and they raise funds to support many causes in the City. They sit on one, or many boards. They mentor other business owners and they are known for their philanthropy.
So where does today’s “Save the Ribbon” title come from? I love to attend ribbon cuttings for new business’s grand openings. We have had two ribbon cuttings at Arthur Murray Santa Monica. First, our grand opening in 2013, then our 10-year anniversary in 2023.
I have two ribbons in my drawer at the studio. They are carefully wrapped up and they are in the front of the drawer so I can see them and easily pull them out. On my rough days, and we all have them, I take out our ribbons and hold them and remember the wonderful moments that they represented, and I am inspired.
Now, I often hold the huge five feet tall scissors and assist with new ribbon cuttings. After all the photos and the cheering, I take their ribbon and roll it up. I find a quiet time and say to the owner, please keep this in your desk drawer and on a rough day, pull this out and remember the magic of today. All your friends and family here cheering you on. The Santa Monica Chamber and City dignitaries, and the news photographer. All with you to celebrate and cheer you on. They always seem to love this gesture and often give me a hug.
In my personal life, I use the same memory exercise to motivate my day. On my walls I have service awards and glass awards on my desk. On rough days, I look at them and remember the exciting moments that went along with them. They are often bright lanterns that illuminate my office, my mind, my heart, and my day. I then take my own advice and remember what they all represent, and I use those moments to motivate me once again.
Do you ever have a time of needing a boost? Do you need to clean off you lenses so you can once again see you vision clearly? Are you in a position where you are motivating others? How do you rejuvenate yourself? How do you feed your fires of passion for your own dreams? Who gives back to the giver?
It’s never easy doing these things. What a joy it is to live the dream on a great and perfect day. What is it like when things are not so great? It happens to you or your partner, family, staff from time to time. We all go through this.
This is what I do during bad days. I get up and get going. It may take me a morning, a day, or even two, to recharge and focus the dream. But I do get up and start moving. Then I go out and meet the challenges of the day head-on and I forget the bad and live in the good. Yes, once I’m in the fray and I’m going, I usually feel great and I’m ready for another red ribbon day!
Good days and good memories are meant to be cherished and remembered. I love my good days and I always mark them and luxuriate in them. I don’t need, or even want, every day to be a blockbuster day. Yet I do want every day to be the best day it can be, and I want to be my best as well every day.
We all need a little cheering up right now, so I wish you a Red Ribbon Cutting Day soon. Please remember to save the ribbon and the memory to renew and inspire you!
Thank you for reading and Keep on Dancing!
David Woodbury