Trouble Staying Motivated? 4 Tips for Finding Motivation to Dance At Home
Have you lost motivation? Are you feeling discouraged, like there’s no point in dancing? Has it been 3 months since your last plié?
Before we get started, we’ve put together a collection of quotes to help you remember that you that you’re not alone in your struggle. The greats who have come before us have all experienced hardships, and we all face them too. We all have times when we want to quit and give up on our dreams and passions. It may be for different reasons at different times, but this is part of the human condition, and you are not alone!
Tip #1: Find something you enjoy, even if that’s just movin’ and groovin’
Get in touch with your body, move with some music, and keep your body active. During quarantine and “safer at home” it’s all too easy to become really sedentary. Try to find something active to do that you look forward to so you can stay motivated during the times when the couch is calling you. Even if that’s just groovin’ in your kitchen to a sweet playlist!
Tip #2: Think of things to be grateful for
Find gratitude. Instead of focusing on everything you’ve lost about the in-studio experience, focus on what you can still have. Even if the barre wasn’t your favorite part of class, remember that the strength and flexibility we gain at the barre is what allows us to dance in the center. The work we do now will benefit us the next time we are able to leap across the floor.
Tip #3: Try shorter on-demand videos to fit them in when the mood strikes
Want to take a ballet class but don’t have time or energy? Try on-demand videos and shorter practice sessions. That way, if the mood strikes and you only have 15 minutes before you have to start dinner or before the baby wakes up from a nap, you can hop on, dance, and still be ready to finish your day on time.
Tip #4: Don’t forget that every litlte bit counts!
*Most importantly, don’t forget that something is always better than nothing! A few releves, a few clamshells, or a couple minutes with a theraband add up. The longer you go without doing anything, the harder it’ll be to get back into it later. Inertia is hard to overcome, so try to keep momentum going towards your goals. Every little bit helps!
There are so many reasons to quit! We’ve listed many of the ones we’ve heard below. Do any of them resonate with you?
Reasons to quit
Too busy
Can’t find time
'Work is too stressful or busy
Need to take care of family members
Too expensive
Too discouraged
Not making progress
It’s going to take too long to be good; how good could I really get anyways
I just can’t do pointe
Petite allegro gets me so mad
I’ll never be as good as *insert dancer name*
What’s the point if I’m not going pro
Lost motivation
Physical limitation or injury history
I’ll never be as good as when I was a teenager again
I can’t touch my toes
I can’t start ballet until I lose some weight
I’m intimidated or don’t feel welcome
Too old
Reasons not to practice at home
I have pets or kids at home who distract me
I don’t have the right flooring
I don’t have a barre
I can’t figure out zoom or how to find videos
It’s too hot in my house/apartment
I am too sad or anxious
I don’t feel like dancing at home
If I can’t be at the studio, I don’t want to do ballet at all
There isn’t space to dance at home
I’ll develop permanent bad habits
I’ll just wait to come back until this whole thing is over
Let’s figure it out, together!! We’re here to help!
If you need a pep talk, recommendations, or help with a specific circumstance, send us a message below and we are happy to help you problem solve your way back to ballet, however that looks for you! We are here 🙏💙
