Well FTT Family, we’ve come to the end of another year! 2022 was filled with so much insight in so many ways, as well as so many wonderful opportunities for us to learn and grow in our craft. We have had such a wonderful time sharing training tips and hacks over the past twelve months, as well as keeping the conversation going on important industry topics. Now as we stand on the finish line of one year and on the cusp of another, we would love to take the time and discuss some of the things that we ourselves want to keep in mind as we go throughout this new year, as well as what we like to pass along to our From The Top Family for the year 2023. Let’s get right into it!
Reminder #1
Progress Comes With Patience
One thing that we ourselves learned throughout many years of training that we always like to pass along to others is that progress in your goals is indeed achievable, but usually doesn’t happen overnight. I know we’ve all seen the articles, videos and even shorts about how to achieve X, Y, Z in a matter of three weeks or so. However, the reality of those methods are usually ridden with the unnatural push of our bodies and a huge risk of injury. The proof of true progress, however, is actually found and achieved in patience. All good things come with time and by allowing yourself to have patience with the process of growth, you will give your body the time it needs to not only gain new abilities, but also retain new abilities (because muscle memory FTW!) So let’s keep in mind to always fall in love with the process of reaching new achievements, as well as the time it takes to master new skill sets! It’s so worth it in the long run.
Reminder #2
Mental Health > Career
This next reminder is one that we can’t discuss enough and quite frankly, the title says it all. Having a career and/or training for your career is fantastic. It’s filled with exhilarating highs that most of the time outweigh lows of injury or rejection, you achieve many levels of professional success and gain notch after notch to add to your dance belt. But none of the things I mentioned above or even anything that I may not have mentioned is worth your mental health and peace of mind. None of it. In a society that tells us that success equals “having it all together”, it is important to keep in touch with the fact that it is actually our mentality and the health thereof that truly allows us to thrive. It can be so easy to get swept up in the routine of career that we can forget to check in on ourselves. As we head into the new year, let’s continue to be mindful of who we are and extend ourselves love, not as dancers but as human beings. Dance goals are important, but our peace must rule above all.
Reminder #3
Your Best Is Indeed Good Enough
Now I know this might sound like a huge cliché, but it’s a reminder that is so important to keep in mind at all times because it is a realistically soothing thought. As we have said before (and will proudly say again) perfection is a mere idea whose definition differs from person to person. I’ll never forget one day someone asked me a rhetorical question that I pass along to all who may be struggling with this subject, and that question is “What is perfect anyway?” No matter how hard we try, we will always make a mistake from time to time or find something about our performance that we could “do better”. But what if we looked at ourselves from the perspective of doing our absolute best instead of looking for perfection? Our very best, whatever that looks like for you, is truly all we are able to give and it’s more than good enough. How do we know? Because it was your best that got you where you are in your journey right now and if you ask us, you’re doing pretty dang good for yourself *wink*. So let’s continue to put the bondage perfection on the shelf and lead into the new year being our best selves!
Reminder #4
Take The Plunge (Do What Scares You)
You miss 100 percent of the chances you don’t take…too cheesy?
However, it’s incredibly true. A Lot of the time the career breakthrough we’re looking for, that goal we desperately want to reach or that new experience we want to have in our careers is on the other side of our nerves. However, as much as we would love to give you yet another guided meditation mantra to solve this, the simple answer is to just go for it, full speed. It may be scary, nerve wracking and even downright intimidating, but it’s always better to have a “at least I tried” instead of a “what would have happened if”. Taking the plunge will literally get you everywhere, so let’s grab hands and take a leap of faith together towards our goals in 2023!
Reminder #5
Don’t Forget To Enjoy Life
And finally, our last reminder that we’re taking with us into the new year is to remember to enjoy life, both in your career and out. Life can be at its happiest when it’s balanced correctly and trust us when we say that finding this balance is beneficial in numerous ways. While methods such as meditation, unplugging electronically and taking time to rest are widely mentioned as forms of self care, establishing a space in your life where you put all things career on the shelf and take the time to indulge in other areas of life that make you happy is extremely important. Setting aside time to prune your skills in other hobbies, travel or spending time with family is absolutely amazing in rejuvenating your mental space and taking some time away from the hustle and bustle of work and training. Love for what you do does not necessarily mean that it’s all you focus on. As a matter of fact, I’ve personally found that the more balance I establish outside of my career, the more peace and enjoyment that I find in it. So as we head into the new year, let’s continue to make time for ourselves, our families and our outside goals, all while continuing to work for our dreams!
That will do it for today’s blog post! We hope that these small reminders will be of great encouragement as we head into this brand new year. As always, we wish you a weekend filled with love, light and until we step over into 2023, remember…
Keep dancing!
Lexi
FROM THE TOP! 