If only we could tap into the positive aspects of everything that happens around us, we could be in the healthiest mental state.
They say that a healthy mind just requires a positive and happy mindset. This is a simple and cardinal truth. However, in today's high pressure world ridden with multiple struggles, one needs to make a conscious effort to grow and retain a happy mindset and attract positive energies and vibes. Yes we are constantly contending with contradictions too in our quest for happiness. While on one hand we want to have very comfortable and luxurious lifestyles on the other hand we have to struggle to earn the money that will make this possible.
Dance is one of the tools to achieve mental sanity, happiness and peace. Let us face these upfront- sometimes physical exercises and movements can uplift the mind when everything else fails. Second no matter the scale and extent of our conscious efforts to keep ourselves positive and cheerful, the perennial hassles of our life can mar our efforts and pull us down. To say the least these hassles do affect our mind and body subconsciously. Given this context, it is easy to understand that dance can do a lot for our mind. So let us add dance to the list of activities (meditation, sports, hobbies etc) that can relax the mind and lead to mental wellness.
Terms like anger, depression, anxiety, fear, over-thinking, etc have become our daily vocabulary and reality. Through dance one can express and release negative emotions in a way that is both cathartic as well as beautiful.
It is easy and natural to feel sad. In dance we have a concept of dancing out the sadness. In other words the dancer lives that emotion, accepts it and releases it out of the mind. Expression is the foundation on which the mind can feel lighter and dance translates to a veritable medium for expression.
Have you ever noticed that when you feel happy you tend to listen to upbeat music and songs? And on days when you are emotional your playlist tends to have sad songs. Dance is very similar. When you are happy you will dance happily and when you are sad you will dance sadly. If you are angry you will automatically portray anger through dance and so on. In other words dance will help you realise and release all your pent up and uncomfortable emotions.
There is so much actually that weighs us down. The responsibilities and monotony of our day-to-day schedules and chores, our deadlines and targets, our expectations and reality, our relationships and even our aims and ambitions do weigh us down. This weighing down takes a toll on our minds and thought processes and this is just when we need to give ourselves that 'Dance breakthrough'. It could be something as simple as a 1 hour class four times a week or every day but trust me it does create magic. When we set aside everything else and devote ourselves to dance for an hour we actually gift ourselves some healing time. We give ourselves time to get back to life with a fresh energy recharge. Consequently, we gain a positive outlook.
From dancing lightly on something very simple (like you are only grooving) to high energy and high-speed moves on the floor, dance is the key to stress relief.
Therefore do make a conscious effort and incorporate a little dance into your life and see how your mind becomes happy and healthy.
With ballroom dance lessons are making inroads in Assam and the North Eastern Region of India. So this is your chance to enrol for ballroom dance lessons and give yourself some 'me time' and mental health therapy. You can heal and create magic along with learning some Latin American dances like rumba, samba, cha cha, jive, paso doble and standard ballroom styles like waltz, foxtrot, Viennese waltz, quick step and many more.
By: Ankita Dolawat
Latin and Standard Ballroom Dance Professional/Television Host
ankitadolawat@gmail.com
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