This topic is based on my personal injury experiences in the past; now, as a mindset coach, I can analyse it and approach it differently. It's important to understand the psychological response to injury to begin with. Over the years, I have had many injuries. Some of them were inevitable, some were a result of overload, and some happen completely unexpectedly. Either way, it's never the right time to get injured. Every time it would crush my spirit.
Many of us dancers are willing to endure a lot for the price of being in a creative process and making it to the stage. Next to that competition is high. Nobody wants to miss out on a one-time opportunity that might even get you a promotion. Those are, to name a few, internal motivators and reasons to be upset when facing an injury.
Here is an example of how my mind used to function when I faced an injury to give you a clearer picture of my past struggles.
I am back in the physio room, and this is the second time I am experiencing the same pain in my ankle. After a series of examinations, nothing majorly was wrong with it, so yet again, I had no answers ( it is very common amongst dancers that pain is not always justified ). The first time around, a cortisone injection has given me an entire season pain-free. And a chance of the pain being gone forever, but here I was again. I found myself feeling desperate and not hopeful at all. "I am going to be miserable like last time. I will probably push through it again until I can't anymore ", "I have no options left, "Is this it for me?" How typical of us all, whether a dancer or not, we tend to spiral down the negative path. It goes like this: thought, emotion, action. So in my case, my experience brought desperate thoughts, which led to feeling like a victim again, which led to apathy and inaction. Not only that, but guilt and feeling of failure came creeping in too.
The difference this time around was that I started addressing my emotional needs. My awareness around my energy and what choices I make came to me when I took Energy Leadership Assessment. I learned that my thoughts and actions are directly related to how much energy I bring to each situation and how I deal with stress. Now the coach in me can recognize those patterns, acknowledge what it's costing me and be proactive about it.
That's what's excellent about ELI assessment ( Energy Leadership Index); it gives an understanding of your unique energetic combination that constitutes how you lead your life. Becoming aware of your patterns gives you the power to move through obstacles with ease and create more fulfillment and success every day.
I can't turn back time, but if I knew then what ELI gives me today, I would have healed faster and come back stronger. For some dancers, being injured can lead to stress, anxiety, and a feeling of unworthiness. When we are at our lowest, we see no options or light at the end of the tunnel. Trust me, been there. I was not taking care of myself the way I should have; I was too busy listening to the negative voices in my head.
With my new mindset, It's amazing that today my body and mind are very receptive to all treatments and I have a chance at healing. It makes such a massive difference in the way I approach things. It's not easy to step up the ladder, but know that you will see more opportunities on the way up that ladder to the conscious life.
Growth comes to those that want it. Learn how you can take control of your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Take the ELI assessment and get an in-depth debrief of 2 hours with me to learn how you can be a stronger and better dancer. It's the fastest way to create a mindset that will serve you for the rest of your dancing career and overall life.
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