Motivation is not real.

If I moved my body as much as I thought about moving it -I’d be so fit!

Motivation is not real. But gaslighting yourself in a recycled inner monologue sure is! Did you know we have around 90,000 thoughts per day? And about 90% of them are a repeat from yesterday? How many times have I said I’ll workout tomorrow? A bajillion. It’s one of my repeats I’m working on shifting. Did you also know that 80% of your thoughts are negative? It’s not your fault - it’s the cave person - you know, always worried about being eaten by something bigger. So there is just this very small percentage of thoughts that we have all that much control over, and my blog series is going to be about managing and practicing dancer thoughts.

A thought precedes an action. I am thinking all morning, Omg I’m not ready, before I do or don’t take one of the exceptional ASA! classes on the schedule. I know this thought doesn’t help me. So, I’m working on the how-to-take-action-thoughts. But, I just feel better laying in bed mindlessly eating popcorn in fistfuls. Yes, much much better. So my goal is to have both. Dance and lounge in butter. Focusing on the self care frame of mind isn’t helpful right now. I should dance because I want to take care of my body and it feels good. But lately my body says buttery salt feels good. Maybe you know where I’m coming from here - it’s a depressing, anxious time to be alive.

Maybe you’re like me - I rarely feel the URGE to run or dance so hard I almost throw up. And that’s the problem. Since I lack consistency, I am further away from some of the magic that comes with living a fit lifestyle, like craving a workout. I miss and dread ASA! class - please don’t let me be the only one!

When Akousa asked me to blog for ASA! Fitness I said yes right away. I’ve been in ASA! since 2012 or so and continue to be an enormous fangirl. I want this blog to be a collaboration. I still have so much to learn about being fitness minded, and I feel like our collective wisdom will be powerful here. What are the thoughts that make you come to dance class? How come you don’t skip all the time like I do?

So we’re talking about the mental push through, right? The thing that gets you to do the body movement more often than you don’t. For me, I found myself skipping class because it was the only thing I could skip. Like some weird control thing. I’m over that now, mostly.

If you are able to, share the thoughts you have that lead to action or inaction before dance class. I really want to know and I’m going to practice the ones that get me into class and report back! It really is time to ignore the thoughts that derail my wants. When I'm not saying, "oh no, I am not ready," my best thought on class day is:

”I want to go to class.”

WANT.

Not have to, want to.

It changes everything for me over the next few hours and then I’m more excited about making the time to jump online.

What about you? Try to write down all the thoughts you have the morning before class and reply in the comments!!

I'll see you in class!

- Rachel