“Find something only you can say.” ~ James Dickey
Hey sweetie pies, it is Friday! *throws confetti* Who is so happy that it was a short week? I know I am!
For those of you who may know, I am a dancer first. I started dancing and performing at the age of 5 and I started training at the age of 8. Dance has always been a significant part of my life. And even though I am my most confident and happiest when I am dancing, I still have struggles just like any other dancer. Some of these struggles might be familiar to you if you’re a dancer, athlete, or just pursuing anything on a professional level. I am going to be a little vulnerable and share my struggles and challenges that are personal to me developing as a dancer.
Throwback pic of me 2 years ago 🙂
Comparing myself to other dancers
For anyone with a little common sense knows that this one is a big NO NO. I think the main reason why I even struggle with this one is because dance can be such a competitive world. You are usually always being watched and judged by somebody. It can be difficult to not join on the bandwagon and judge yourself especially at auditions and workshops where you are often competing against one another. The only dancer you should compare yourself to is the dancer that you were the day before.
Comparing my level of success to that of other dancers
This one can be a big struggle as well, especially if you know you are working your a** off. But the reality is, so is everyone else. You just have to focus on yourself and work hard. I guess that when I do compare my success to other dancers’ that just means I am not working hard enough. If I have enough time to complain about my success not being equivalent or better than someone else’s then I can’t be working that hard. (Can someone say REALITY CHECK?!) *Come through hard truth!!!* Remember that everyone will have their time. God may be trying to prepare you for your breakthrough and you may not be prepared yet for what He has planned for YOU. Remember, minor setback for a major comeback!
Being too tough on my body
Whether that it is in poor diet, lack of exercise, or body shaming – I am entirely too tough on my body. Now I personally feel that I have gotten better at this overall. I struggled with this in college for a while because I was very curvy and so sometimes costumes would be too tight on my boobs or thighs. But if I were to go to the next size up it would be too big so it was kind of awkward for me. I think that I was also conscious of my size because growing up I thought that dancers had to be skinny. It took me growing up to see that dancers come in all shapes and sizes.
Giving myself unrealistic deadlines/goals
What I mean by this one is that I often feel that I have to be at this certain level by a certain time in my life. While there is no problem of being ambitious, I do believe that there is a thing of being too ambitious. Give yourself realistic goals and always be gracious (best revenge is your paper, lolz I HAD TO!).
Appreciating the grind/Enjoying the ride along the way
Remember that success should be viewed as a journey, not a destination. As cliche’ as that sounds, it couldn’t be more true. There is so much beauty and amazing things that come from grinding. (Think of diamonds!) There is always something to learn and grow from.
I hope this post was insightful and maybe even inspiring for you!
What is something that you struggle with? Leave me a comment below!
As always, XO and Stay FAB! ~ Stormie
So Stormie 