Emotional Resilience- Mindfulness and Flow

Mindfulness and Flow

“Your schedule may become so busy that you don’t have time to stop and truly pay attention to what you're doing. Being this busy creates stress.”

*Professional ballet dancers train on average 6 hours a day, and performances can last for 3 hours! So yes it is true in just an average life that you may not pay as much attention to yourself. But with ballet dancers they have to work their bodies to the utmost extreme, and often neglect/don’t feel they have the time for a little downtime to themselves. Or for looking after.

The body is a dancer’s instrument. I find that as a dancer, not looking after myself, mentally as well as physically, it will be a lot harder to improve and work towards performing. (Distractions, injuries, malnutrition, and STRESS!)

Taking the time to learn how to become more attentive, conscious and mindful as you go about your daily activities can increase your enjoyment of those activities, and also help you to maintain a resilient attitude in the face of pressure and stress.

When a situation is more familiar, there is a tendancy to ‘act and react mindlessly.’ As stress builds, the mindless state can worsen.

It is easier to concentrate when we have a focused, attentive state of mind rather than ‘racing through experiences.’ When not fully present, life opportunities can be lost and we may not act upon a situation as effectively.

*We only appreciate an experience to the max when we are fully focused

*In ballet when working towards a show, you want to initially do as much as you can to perfect your dancing before. If a dancer misses these opportunities to grow, they won't feel at their best and will lack their sense of satisfaction- one of the greatest rewards as a dancer on stage. Overcoming those obstacles to push and strengthen yourself towards those goals and moments onstage will be a lot harder to push through if the mind is not fully attentive.

Eudaimonia- Happiness that comes from doing things excellently and with noble purpose

*Happiness that could come with performing too, starting with a purpose through excellence and a dancer’s best.

Flow:

‘An unselfconscious absorption in an activity.’ (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)

Development of flow:

Pursuit of a task requiring skill and concentration-intense focus and  goal directed-progress-activity seems effortless- feeling in control- living in the moment, ‘time seems to stand still’

*All what a ballet dancer aspires to feel and have when performing. They are qualities that develop through their years of practice of this specific art-form, become almost like a habit to work a certain way and stay dedicated.

   

   Being more attentive during your usual activity helps  reduce stress of being ‘busy,' as well as maintaining a resilient attitude, thus keeping emotions in control

Artists are driven by the intrinsic reward of creativity, and with dancers most likely self-expression through movement and striving for perfection. Flow happens naturally when that person performs that activity with full appreciation, feeling a connection between them and doing what they love. Appears to be universal- everyone seems to enjoy the feeling, the essence of ‘flow’, of whatever that brings joy to them.

"It feels good to flow. Flow leaves people feeling more confident and competent and promotes a sense of well-being and vigor."

*Could be a possible ingredient to promoting motivation through any challenges. If a dancer can stick to this sense of flow, even subconsciously, and if he/she is aware of their reason behind their intentions to dance and why they dance, initially can enhance a positive approach to this idea of flow and its characteristics that come with it. Thus creating them to be more aware of their own body, feelings, energy flow, emotions…

What enhances your daily flow:

·      Setting goals

·      Endeavoring to immerse yourself in activities you like

·      Paying attention to what is happening

·      Enjoying the immediate experience

*Dancing, training, rehearsing and going through the whole process as a professional ballet dancer sets you up to develop the first three qualities (setting goals, enjoying activity, focusing.) However, from what I have observed through my experiences with different companies and within myself, appreciation can be neglected. When I sent out a few interviews during the process of my inquiry plan, what I did pick up from most dancers is that dancing is a way of life and that sometimes they stick to it because it is all that they know…Professional ballet dancers train a lot to become the best they can, and have done for absolute years. Therefore it is understandable that dancing has formed part of their life for them. Certain areas or approaches in the dance world can easily be taken for granted (e.g. doing a class everyday, so some days you don’t work as hard as others. Perhaps not appreciating all the training you have had in that moment in time, therefore sometimes missing out on invaluable advice, or information.) To enjoy and appreciate immediate experience helps hugely to promote a more positive aspect in any situation when dancing, or even thinking about it. When injured, learning to practice this  helped hugely with my recovery. I took everyday one at a time, and took it in small steps. I appreciated all the other little things in my life that I was lucky to have rather than being frustrated on how I couldn’t fully dance for so long. These positive thoughts multiplied, helping me brush off the negative thoughts and approach any problems more effectively. One quote that really helped: “Now is not forever.” –Tiny Buddah

Increase your flow by living life, or an experience, more intentionally (being aware)- be aware, be more alert, know the intention of your goals and aspirations when facing a challenge whatever phase you are before performances?

‘…Work takes up so much of our time, and once you've used time, you can never get it back.’

Mills, H., Dombeck, M., June 2005. Emotional Resilience, MentalHelp.net (online). Available at:
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=5790&cn=298