Episode 186: Reframe Stress
Dr. Chelsea: Dancers are used to being stressed. It feels like the norm, but it doesn't have to be the norm. You can learn to reframe stress in a way that helps us train and perform with less stress and more joy. I've talked to hundreds and hundreds of dancers all over the world, and I hear from each of them about the heavy load they experience as dancers. There's pressure to perform. We never feel like we have enough time to get everything done. There's performance anxiety and burnout. But it doesn't have to be that way. Reframing stress can lead to a better performance, mental resilience, and personal growth.
Today, I'm going to break it all down for you on the Passion for Dance podcast. Hi, I'm Dr. Chelsea, and my mission is to create happier, more successful dancers through mental skills. And today we're going to focus on the happier part, because there are four different ways that you can reframe your stress as a dancer, and it's rooted in the idea that stress isn't always a bad thing. It can be positive rather than something to fear and loathe and try to always eliminate. I'll break down the four ways to reframe your stress and turn pressure into your power!
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Hi, I'm Dr. Chelsea, a former professional dancer and mental performance coach. I know what it feels like to be a passionate dance teacher who cares about your dancers, but you want to challenge them and help them be their best, and I also recognize that some traditions and teaching practices in the dance world are harmful. So I'm on a mission to change our dance industry by creating happier, more successful dancers using positive mental skills.
When you understand how to help your dancers with their confidence, how to find their own motivation, work together as a team and more, your dancers will unlock new levels of competitive success and happiness. And it's not just about them; you deserve the same. So we'll talk about how dance teachers can use positive mental skills to be more confident, resilient, and motivated as well.
Be sure to hit “subscribe” wherever you listen to podcasts. There are new episodes every Thursday, and each week you'll hear from me and my guests with advice and actionable tips for building mental toughness, covering topics about mindset, motivation, resilience, and building a community. Passion for Dance is a show designed to help dance educators like you have a positive impact on every dancer you teach.
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So many dancers I talk to want to eliminate stress in their lives. They're always struggling with stress and are never able to accomplish this completely unachievable goal of eliminating stress. Stress is not likely to go away. It's not a likely experience to live a fully stress-free life if you have dreams and goals and values and things that are important to you, and that's okay. Even if stress doesn't go away, how you reframe it, how you think about it matters. Stress can actually be a positive fuel in your life. It doesn't have to be something to be afraid of. So here are four positive reframes for how you can think about the stress you experience as a dancer.
First Reframe: Stress is a Sign That You Care – 3:06
The first reframe is to consider the fact that stress is a sign you care. Stress usually shows up when we're invested in something. Like I said, if you live with strong values and goals, you're invested, and that's going to create opportunity for stress to show up. We stress more about school when we care about getting good grades. We stress more about work when we care about the work we do. Dancers often stress about their performances or doing well in rehearsals, and that stress is a sign of your investment in your personal goals. It's a sign of investment in your teammates or other members of your company and your commitment to the artistry and sport of dance.
That's not a bad thing. As an example, if you feel nervous while you're standing backstage about to go on, consider those nerves as a sign that you care. It simply means you're invested and you care, and that's a good thing. We want to be dancers who care about our performances, dancers who are about showing our best onstage every night. Being invested as powerful.
Here's a specific example of how you can use this reframe. I always want to be tangible for you. So if you're feeling those nerves backstage, and you reframe stress as a sign you care, you can say, “It's completely normal to feel nervous. It's because I care about doing my best,” or you could say, “Those butterflies are there because this means something to me.” When you're stressed about your performance, acknowledge that it's a sign you care about being a dancer and are invested in doing well, and again, that's a good thing. Lean into that.
Second Reframe: Remember That Stress is Also Excitement – 4:43
The second reframe is to consider the fact that stress is excitement. As I mentioned at the top, stress isn't all bad. Stress is actually a sign of positive energy and excitement. Think about what your body feels like when you're stressed. Do you get tense or butterflies or sweaty palms? Our bodies often have the same physical reaction whether we are nervously waiting backstage or excitedly getting on a rollercoaster (assuming you like rollercoasters). When you feel the physical signs of stress backstage, you can reframe it to notice it as positive energy. Your body does the same thing. You decide if that signal means you're nervous or you're excited.
So for example, if you start to feel tense before competition, you can interpret that tense feeling as excitement, giving you more focus and encouragement rather than perceiving that tense feeling in your body as a negative sign. Again, your body does the same thing either way, whether you're nervous or excited, it's all in how you interpret that sensation in your body.
Here's an example of a reframe you can use when you feel stress in your body. “That feeling in my body is me getting ready, like a rocket about to launch. I am ready, and this hip-hop routine is going to be so strong.” You could say, “I'm feeling that buzz. That excitement is telling me I'm ready to take on the challenge. These butterflies mean I'm ready to take stage. Let's do this!” Remember to use high-energy language and describe your stress as excitement. It's all in how you label it and interpret it for you.
Third Reframe – Consider Stress as a Sign of Determination – 6:18
The third reframe is to consider stress as a sign of determination. When you notice yourself feeling stressed, take it as a sign that you are resolved to overcome this challenge. There's a challenge in front of you, like a skill you really want or a combination in class that you're struggling with, but you want to get it. It's not coming easy, so maybe it's making you feel stressed. But take that stress as a sign that you're ready to overcome that challenge.
For example, if you go to practice and your coach has a training plan that feels stressful, you know it’s going to push you and you're feeling stressed and you're not sure you'll be able to do it. View that stress as a sign that you're ready to push yourself to be a better dancer. You're ready to improve today.
So if you feel stressed before an audition, maybe, reframe that pressure to succeed as simply a sign that you're determined to reach your goals. A phrase you could say is, “The pressure I feel means I'm determined to improve. It's part of going after my big dreams,” or you could say, “Stress is a sign I'm challenging myself and working toward what I want. There's no reason to back down.”
After particularly intense practices or competitions, reaffirm your efforts. Remember that stress fuels your determination to be a better dancer. It's what's going to push you to keep going.
Fourth Reframe: View Stress as an Opportunity – 7:42
The fourth reframe is to consider stress as an opportunity. It's rooted in a growth mindset. It's the idea that stress is only present to indicate an opportunity for personal growth.
For example, if you're stressed because you think the person you're competing against In an audition is better than you, that can feel defeating. It's tempting to give up. Instead, reframe the challenge as an opportunity to test your skills and build your confidence. Confidence comes from evidence. Every time you show up and do something hard, you'll build confidence. So if you're facing a hard challenge as a dancer, you can use a phrase like, “This is a big opportunity to push my limits and see what I can do,” or you can think, “I've faced challenges before and grown from them. This is another step forward.”
When you feel that sense of stress, consider past examples in your life when you have turned stress into growth. When you were stressed about anything in dance but you didn't give up and you saw it as an opportunity to get better, and you are a better dancer because you didn't back down. Notice the patterns of progress and personal growth that have come after tough situations. And if you can't think of anything, you’ve got to start somewhere. Again, confidence comes from evidence, so step up to that challenge, see it as an opportunity, and you'll start to gather that evidence.
Practical Stress Reframing Tips for Parents, Teachers, and Coaches – 9:02
I want to end with some practical tips for parents and coaches. I want parents and coaches to know that the first step to this ability to reframe stress is to recognize opportunities to reframe in the moment. Coaches and teachers listening, or parents, you can help your dancers learn to recognize stress that's bubbling up for them and remind them that they have the ability to reframe that stress into something positive.
Usually, when we're stuck in the middle of the stress, it's hard to remember this, but the more you reinforce these reframes, the easier it will be for dancers to use them and believe in them in the future. Because again, stress isn't going to go away in our lives, but I don't want you to take that as a bad thing. Actually, it's good. Even when we engage in really good self-care, stress comes up, but that stress is a sign that you're invested and you care, you have values, you have commitments, you want something in life. That's a good thing. Stress means you're excited about class or performance coming up. You're determined to reach your goals. This challenge is simply an opportunity for personal growth.
So parents and coaches listening, when you notice that stress bubbling up in your dancers, remind them about these reframes and how they can start to think about it differently. I will also note it helps to have this conversation when you're not stressed, so that when that time comes up, it's a simple reminder. None of us can handle a big lecture when we're in the middle of it. So have the conversation ahead of time, plant the seeds, and when you need it, that simple reminder for your dancers to reframe will be more accessible.
Learning to reframe stress in this way will not only benefit you as a dancer, but like all other mental skills we learn in dance, it'll help you manage stress in all areas of your life. So thank you for listening and keep sharing your passion for dance with the world!
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Thank you for listening to Passion for Dance! You can find all episode resources at www.chelseapierotti.com/podcast, and be sure to follow me on Instagram for more high-performance tips at @Dr…chelsea.pierotti. This podcast is for passionate dance teachers and coaches who are ready to change the dance industry by creating happier, more successful dancers. I'm Dr… Chelsea and keep sharing your passion for dance with the world.
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