Esther Lee - Discussions Responses

Question #1. Have you ever been in a situation where your perception has been affected by possible low brain function caused by stress? Describe how you felt during this situation and what steps you took to destress.
I have been in a situation where my perception has been affected by possible low brain function caused by stress. There have been many instances in my ballet class when I would panic because of the stress of not knowing a combination. This stress is also caused by the need to look good and perform well in front of others. Dance can be therapeutic, but also very stressful. When I feel like I am the only one who can not execute certain movements, especially in a class full of the best NYC dancers, I stress myself out. This leads to a quiet, but evident mental breakdown in the middle of class. My body can not physically keep up if my mental state is not well. The stress of potentially not being good enough overwhelms me and affects how I dance throughout the rest of the class. I am getting better at de-stressing myself in these situations. For example, I would first remind myself that it is all in my head. Then, I would close my eyes and take a deep breath and repeat this 3-5 times. If I am still overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, I quietly excuse myself from the ballet class and stretch in the corner to decompress. I used to think that sitting out is equivalent to giving up when a class gets hard. However, I learned that when I am feeling this way, it is better that I sit out and take the time to calm myself down rather than potentially get injured forcing myself to keep dancing. This is how I learned to destress in these situations.
Question #2. How have you overcome negative thoughts or pessimism?
It is still difficult for me to be completely unaffected by negative thoughts or pessimism. It is a conscious effort I make to remind myself that the judgement of others does not matter. I am proud to say that I have accepted that not everyone in this world you meet will like you. One way I overcome negative thoughts is by telling myself: If you do not think this issue will affect you in the next 5 years, there is no point in worrying about it for more than 5 minutes. This is a simple, yet excellent reminder. Most of my negative thoughts are extensions of my own insecurities. I must remind myself that they are so miniscule and overthinking will not help the situation. Another way I overcome a negative thought is by setting a certain time to worry about the thought. For example, I would tell myself to set aside whatever I am worrying about until 4pm that day. By doing this, I eventually forget what I was overthinking about and by 4pm, I am going about my day without that negative thought. These are a couple things that I consciously do to overcome my negative thoughts.
Question #3. How can you be more present and intentional in your everyday decision making and activities?
I can be more present and intentional in my everyday decision making by trusting my gut and first instinct. For instance, when I am hungry and I need a certain type of food, it is best to listen to my body and eat what it is telling me. The body knows what it needs and depriving myself of treats will only ruin the relationship I have with food. Another way I can have more intention with my decision making is by using certain phrases that give me more confidence. Some phrases I can practice include using “definitely” instead of “I guess” and “I will not” instead of “I can not”. I can also make more of an effort to not say “sorry”. Again, constantly apologizing, even in situations I do not need to show others how I view myself. It gives off the impression that I am unconfident and unsure of myself. These are some ways I can be more present and intentional in my everyday decision making.