What if you’re already enough?
So many dancers focus so much of their energy on all of the ways they are not yet enough:
I’m not good enough, flexible enough, strong enough…
I can’t get my legs high enough, my turns fast enough, I can’t balance for long enough
[pullquote position=”right”]Focussing on what you’re not is one of the most effective ways to not get where you want to go and not make the improvements you want to make.[/pullquote]
What if you focussed on the ways you are enough instead?
How would that affect your confidence?
Your willingness to try new things?
I gave a poetic task like this to some ballet students earlier this year, to get them thinking about the many skills, characteristics and traits they already have that will help them be the dancers they want to be and achieve the goals they want to achieve.
Honestly, most of them found it to be a pretty challenging exercise…
They wished they had a thesaurus because it was hard to think of so many positive traits! (…maybe an unfortunate sign of how little we usually emphasise the positive traits in ourselves and others?)
But there’s more in you than you realise…
And sometimes taking the time to find the words that describe your strengths, skills and resources is enough to wake those parts of you up again and give them a fresh chance to shine!
Here’s an example for you to read of this little poem put in action. Have a read… but I’d much prefer you to download the template, find a cozy corner on your couch and write up your own.
I am enoughI am enough. Yes, really. I am strong enough. I am beautiful enough. I am smart enough.
I am happy enough, humble enough and good enough to be content with my life right now. I have enough hope, enough courage and enough patience to be optimistic about the future. I am tall enough, pretty enough and happy-being-me enough to be content in my own skin.
I remember a time when I had enough perseverence to be able to walk the agonisingly slow path of recovery from a big ankle injury until I was able to dance again. Another time, I was aware enough to realise my injury was coming back and look after myself to avoid a full relapse.
I have had enough vulnerability to be able to face people putting me down and still find a way to believe in myself. I’ve also had enough wisdom to know that many, many things are out of my control and yet be able to learn to accept them and focus on what I can control.
I know I have enough drive, enough passion and enough of a sense of humour to become the dancer I want to be. I know I have enough experience, enough support and enough lateral thinking to be able to get through challenging times ahead. I have enough confidence, enough character and enough creativity to trust that I will find my way. I am enough.
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Download the template here and write your own I Am Enough Poem. Feel free to share your poem in the comments below!
P.S. It might take longer and you might have to think harder than you expect… It’s surprising how little attention we pay to our strengths – but they are in there! Have fun remembering them all.
🙂 Philippa
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Wow this is great!
Thanks Jemima! 🙂