The Dangers of Over and Under Confidence
For some people, nothing can bring you down. Maybe it's because your dance or fitness playlist is particularly inspiring, you feel really good in your outfit, or you're connecting with your choreography/work out routine especially well - whatever the reason, it seems like nothing can bring you down. Mistakes made are just learning opportunities, and you've never felt better about yourself.
Flying too close to the Sun
When one is too confident, they have a tendency to become complacent and less cautious of their actions and surroundings. This hubris can cloud your judgement, making you less thoughtful about your routine (be it a technical exercise, a dance routine or a workout). This means that you're more liable to making mistakes and injuring yourself, as over-confidence can lead to you taking basic steps and safety for granted.
In the long run, over confidence can also hinder your future ability to grow and improve. It makes you less susceptible to critiques and corrections from your teachers and peers. It results in you letting your ego get in the way of your progress, as you think there is little left for you to work on. This makes it very hard for you to motivate yourself and reach for greater heights.
When dealing with over confidence, it is vital to remind yourself to remain humble and keep working hard. You need to watch yourself practicing/working out (either by videoing yourself or watching yourself in the mirror) and think critically. There's no need to be overly harsh, but there is a need to be frank and honest to yourself. If you're doing something wrong, admit it and work on it. If you could do something better, don't accept "good enough" and try again. There's always something more to work towards, so get a working!
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But others go in an entirely different direction. No song seems to get you in the right mood, your training clothes don't seem to fit right, and you feel like you're just going through the motions because you're unable to connect with your moves. The littlest inconvenience drives you to doubt yourself and all your abilities.
Sinking under your own weight
A lack of confidence can be equally damaging to your growth and progress as well. A lack of confidence can lead to immense feelings of self doubt, which results in you second guessing every move you make. This prevents you from being able to dance or move with intention. This can have two effects. First, when you don't move with intention, it becomes very difficult to connect with your choreography/body, thus preventing you from achieving your personal best. Second, when you move with doubt, you increase the risks of hurting yourself physically. Questioning your own judgement while moving means that there is no clear connection between your mind and body, which gives rise to the possibility for errors and injuries.
A lack of confidence also hinders your overall development in the dance or fitness style of your choosing. When you don't give yourself credit where credit is due, it causes you to lose your passion, which may cause you to be less committed. This means you won't give it your all, and may even lose interest and quit entirely in the long run. It also causes you to be overly harsh with yourself, which creates a dangerous cycle of repeatedly undermining yourself and losing even more confidence.
When dealing with a lack of confidence, it is important to give yourself positive reinforcement and a bit of self-love. Buy a new outfit or accessory that makes you feel good about yourself, or listen to a song that always helps you feel good. These small actions can have a big impact on your mood and help increase your self confidence, even if just a little. Remember to try and critique yourself objectively - while there are always things that can be improved, remember to praise yourself for what you did right! Even if it wasn't your best day, remind yourself that you are trying, and that in itself deserves some self appreciation.
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