Do you think of yourself as a positive person? Are you always encouraging family members or friends to look for the positive sides of situations? Are you the parent who cheers their kid on, no matter the situation? I definitely can say that about myself. A friend gets what they think is a bad haircut, and I see them rocking a brand new style. One of my sons has what he perceives as a bad day on the soccer field, and I point out a new skill I saw him master. My husband and I disagree about something, and I try to think through the most positive and productive way to approach the conversation (okay, maybe not immediately, but soon thereafter!).
It’s just a general attitude of looking for the positive before looking for the negative, and if you’ve ever attended a Studio Barre class, you might have noticed that our amazing and accomplished instructors put theory into practice right there at the barre. The drive comes from not telling people what we DON’T want them to do, but rather telling them what we DO want to do, which then remains the focus. Instead of saying “Don’t let your heels drop,” we try to say “See if you can get those heels up even higher!” Instead of telling you NOT to let your shoulders hunch and hang over, we tell you how beautiful you look with shoulders back and perfect posture. Instead of criticizing you for leaving a pose prematurely, we encourage you to get right back into it and push towards your limits. And this difference, albeit sometimes subtle, is critical to defining what Studio Barre is all about.
Now even more important is how you talk to YOURSELF once you leave the barre. You use a positive approach with your family and friends, but why not yourself? That inner voice can be awfully cruel sometimes, and it’s important that the encouragement that you give yourself is just as strong as the encouragement that you provide to those around you. Instead of focusing on what you COULDN’T do in barre class, focus on how far you’ve come since you started. Instead of bashing yourself for being to busy to get to class as often as you’d like, applaud yourself for fitting it in where you could, even with a hectic schedule. Instead of comparing yourself to the client next to you at the barre, be proud of the strong and healthy body staring back at you in the mirror. All of this matters. And whether you realize it or not, all of this directly affects how you interact with everyone else in your life.
Just remember that we’re all a team, here to support each other through thick and thin. We make every effort to practice what we preach, and it’s our hope that you do the same once you leave the studio and get on with your day.
Together, we are STRENGTH DEFINED!
Happy Tucking!
Shannon
