There is one rule of thumb that we like to follow when we are encouraging young dancers—treat yourself as you would your best friend. Sometimes we need to take a step away from ourselves, not just kids but adults too, and realize that we’ve got a negative radio show happening in our heads!
So, we say, “treat yourself as you would your best friend”. We treat our best friends with kindness, support, and love. We try to teach our young dancers and athletes to treat themselves this way too. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself and with others. It’s amazing how thinking with a positive mindset can change everything! Instead of “I can’t do four pirouettes” or “I won’t be able to run that far” try “I’m going to try my best to do four pirouettes” or “I can definitely run that far”.
We encourage kids to train their minds as well as their bodies. You can train so hard, for hours and hours and still have something holding you back. Having a positive mindset and positive radio station playing in your head can be the difference between achieving your goals and staying where you are.
Not only can this positive self-talk help with a healthier mindset, but it can also relieve stress!
So, encourage your athlete to try something new today…encourage them to treat themselves like a best friend; try speaking kindly to themselves!
“I will try my best and lean on my teachers and teammates for support.” You’ll be surprised what a simple mindset shift can change.
