Practice Dancing Regularly – Making New Habits Stick

practice dancing - make new habits

Starting a new habit is easy, but sticking to it – well, that’s where most of us fall off the wagon. Whether your goal is to have a regular workout regiment, practice dancing regularly, do more stretching, it’s all about building habits. We all know it’s one thing to start exercising, and a whole different ballgame to maintain the exercising!  Use these 3 EASY steps to create a new habit so that these “routines” can become a part of your lifestyle. 

1. Schedule It

This simple act of putting it on your calendar makes sure you are making time for this activity in your busy life. What I find helpful is scheduling it before/ after an activity that I would usually do anyway. This makes it easier to remember.

2. Plan out what you are going to do ahead of time and start small.

Create a follow along plan at the beginning of each week, so you take the pain and “excuses” out of not knowing what to do. Take 5 minutes to write out what you plan to do for the activity. It’s better to start small and feel successful, so that you will keep going, rather than making ginormous plans that sound good, but hard to follow through.

Start with 5 pounds, or 5 minutes. The important thing is not just to START, but to KEEP GOING.

3. Reward yourself

Anytime you do the activity, reward yourself! For example, I do a meditation and 15 minute quickie workout every morning once I get out of bed. My reward.. is my COFFEE!!! It really works. I’ve been able to keep it going for 7 months!  Try it. Your reward can be anything, as simple as a “GOOD JOB”/ thumbsup, to face-booking 😉 , having your favorite snack etc.

(update on 5/10/18: I’ve been doing this for more than 1.5 years. Only exception is that I no longer need my coffee! And my abs have been looking really quite awesome 🙂 )

A final word to practice dancing regularly as a habit:

Give it a go. We all have new habits that we say “SOMEDAY” we’ll get going. Well, TODAY is a better day than tomorrow. And if you miss a day, a week, don’t beat yourself up, just pick it up and keep going. Feel free to let me know what happens with your new habits by leaving a comment below! ​

Comments

  • User Avatar
    Corine
    January 18, 2019

    So sharing this! Thanks LiWen and Tytus! You guys rock..cha cha cha!

    • User Avatar
      LiWen Ang
      January 19, 2019

      Awesome!! Cha Cha Cha back at ya, Corine! ??

  • Steve
    December 15, 2017

    Hi Guys, firstly thank you for such a fab website and YouTube videos, only came across your site a few days ago and so enjoyable, inspiring and informative in a friendly manner. I have only been dancing for 11 months and have found something by accident I love doing. Can you help with the crossover please, I understand how to get into it from hold but am struggling with my dance buddy on how to get out of it in a basic format as my dance buddy is not that experienced. I like your crossover and rope routine but she is put off by the rope bit, any suggestions please. Many thanks Steve from the UK. You both come across as so calm and friendly so that’s why you are the first dance website I feel comfortable with in sending an email to. ?

    • User Avatar
      LiWen Ang
      December 15, 2017

      Hello Steve! Welcome and thanks for your message. 🙂 Happy to help with the crossover… Just to clarify- Is this the video you are referring to? https://youtu.be/2olBhcmhcm8
      Let us know and we’ll get right back to you. Cheers!!
      Steve, also check out this other video we have of different ways to dance out of a Crossover/ New Yorker – https://youtu.be/Sf2jA2ieoX4

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