Motivation to practice Irish dance during the school year

by CAITLIN BUCK, Feis America Magazine contributor Exhausted or concerned about being buried in homework once the school year kicks in? Sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation to practice--especially in HS or college when homework is merrily delivered in a dump truck. Below are a few ways that have given me a little inspirational push in the practicing department. Goal for the week: Grab a post-it and write down ONE step or element of technique that needs improvement. Stick that goal on your bathroom mirror so you’ll see it often and feel accountable. Focus on improving that ONE thing during ONE week. Achieve it and you’ll feel good. Surround yourself with words of motivation. Quotes, lyrics from songs, pictures of what you aspire your dancing to look like...motivation is about feeling DRIVEN. You want to light a fire inside your chest, so that when you feel tired after 8 hours of school or work, you can dig up energy to dance for about forty minutes. Know how you feel is often affected by your thoughts. If you are thinking: I’m too tired, I can’t dance. So much for improving during the summer... Stop! Insert positive words instead like: I can do all things, through which God strengthens me. Drop what you’re doing, give yourself 10 minutes to see if you really DO have the energy. Go out to where you practice, put on a wildly energetic song and just warm up. See how you feel after that. Get organized. A trick to motivate yourself and quell negative, I don’t have time for this thoughts, is to show yourself otherwise! Sit down with a school planner every Sunday before the week springs into being and purposely pencil in a practice time for dance for every day of the week. Organize your time and you might find that you have more than you thought! What has helped you with balancing practice and school? Let us know in the comments below! For North America's favorite Irish dancing magazine delivered directly to your mailbox, subscribe now!