shelving in my work area at home, which holds my audio equipment, hundreds ofmusic CDs, and piles of musical scores, is not mere heavy-gauge industrial shelving;it’s scaffolding equipment, strong enough for painters to stand on when they’reworking on the exterior of a house. In other words, the shelves are built for hardwork. That’s a personal aesthetic choice. I want everything around me, from mydancers to my dances to my shelves, to be strong and built to last

When you intentionally push yourself outside of your comfort zone and schedule periods of rest and recuperation, something interesting happens: Your capacity to endure stress increases. It’s as if you’ve created a new, set point for what feels normal.