Hey dancers and welcome to the first From the Top blog post of 2019! As we go into a new year, I thought this would be a perfect time to discuss a topic that focuses on taking care of ourselves. Today we are going to talk a little about self-care. Dance is an extremely physical and mental profession and it is extremely important that we as dancers take care of ourselves as much as possible. So, if you are looking for some ways to show yourself a little love but don’t know exactly where to start or even how to go about it, here are a few tips on how. Let’s get started!
Self Care Tip #1
“Create A Balanced Diet”
As cliché as it may sound, eating correctly and having a balanced diet is actually one of the biggest keys to self-care. As I previously mentioned, as dancers, our bodies are our biggest instruments. They’re our office, our workplace, our temple. By putting good things in our bodies, we’re equipping it with the right fuel to not only sustain our careers in the present, but also securing our careers in the future. Ways to implement a more balanced diet is by making sure to eat three meals a day, snacking in between meals and drinking plenty of water and juices. Implementing habits such as these is the perfect way to keep your body in balance, as well as strong and full of energy as you go throughout your journey as a dancer.
Self Care Tip #2
“Meditation and Yoga”
Meditation and yoga is an awesome method of self-care because it really allows your body and mind to unwind. It’s the perfect remedy for those long dance days and it’s honestly one of the simplest, yet life changing habits to set into motion. Simply grab your yoga mat, light a candle to add to the ambience or even play relaxing music. Now, close your eyes and just let everything go. Don’t think about tomorrow, don’t even think about today. Be completely in the moment. During this time, you can tell yourself words of affirmation and encouragement. You can then add in yoga stretches, which come in many different difficulty levels and intensities, and really allow your body to relax into each movement. Take deep breaths and enjoy this time that is simply set apart for you.
Self Care Tip #3
“Hot Baths To Soothe The Body”
If you’re a person who loves a nice, relaxing bath, then this next tip will be right up your alley! After a long day at the studio, its always a great idea to take a nice hot bath. However, this time, instead of just using a bath or shower as a way to get clean, really relax and enjoy it. Feel free to add in Epsom salt to help soothe sore muscles or even add in your favorite bath bomb to add a little extra something to your time of self-pampering. Take some time and let yourself relax.
Self Care Tip #4
“Leave Work, At Work”
This last self-care tip is one of the most important and that is to leave work, at work. Just like most other jobs, being in the dance industry can be very overwhelming. However, once you’re done with all of your rehearsals, you’ve gone on all of your auditions and you’ve taught all of your classes, turn your brain off and enjoy the rest of your evening. If you feel your mind wondering back to if you did well at that audition or not, make a conscious decision to stop that thought in its tracks. Everything will turn out exactly the way it’s supposed to and overthinking or stressing won’t change a thing. Do your best in all that you do while you’re working and then at the end of the day, let it be . Tomorrow is a new day that will take care of itself.
I hope that this post encouraged you as you take a little more time for yourself. Naturally, we all want a prosperous career, full of longevity, but in order to do that we have to put ourselves first. Stay happy, stay healthy and I’ll see you all in the next post! Oh, and remember…
Keep dancing!
-Lexi
FROM THE TOP! 