Feel stuck when choreographing? Try these tools!

Every choreographer's dream is to choreograph for hours with full creative focus and inspiration. For many of us, this is far from the real case. We often get stuck and dig ourselves deeper into the hole of analysis and self-criticism, which in turn kills our inspiration and momentum. 

This is why we reached out to professional dancer and choreographer Nura Awda for some creative tips on how choreographers can overcome this challenge. Nura creatively pairs human psychology with her extensive professional experience in choreography and dance. 

Below are the 3 tools that Nura recommends to regain momentum when you’re stuck:

Boost your immune system!

While I am not a fervent television watcher, I do watch the news – have to keep up with current events; and I can’t remember seeing Virginia’s Governor, Dr. Ralph Northam, appear on my TV as much as he has in the month of March. Breaking news flashed across my flat screen interrupting the one show I did enjoy, as the Governor and his team solemnly uttered words such as pandemic, immune system, social distancing, and face mask - before a room full of eager journalists. Like many other Governors across the United States, Governor Northam was now ordering his constituents to wash their hands and stay-at-home. Wait...what? Why have these directives now become enforceable? I mean, washing your hands is a normal, everyday occurrence that well, normal people do. Because he said something that stood out to not only me but to the world: COVID-19 aka Novel Coronavirus. What are some ways that someone with a weak immune system (like me) can do to boost their immune system during the outbreak from the Coronavirus?

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INCREASE YOUR VITAMIN C “Eighty percent of your immune system is in the gut, so when it’s healthy, we tend to be able to fight off infections faster and better,” as Yufang Lin, M.D. of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic told AARP.com. Dr. Lin continues, “When it’s not, our immune system is weaker and more susceptible to fighting off infection. That is why to me, there is nothing better than a sweet, juicy ripe orange. Packed with high vitamin C content, they can boost your immune system. According to Self.com, “just one orange has about 100 mg of vitamin C, which is 130 percent of that daily recommended intake.” I am also a huge fan of the “superfood” - kale. Just eating, “1.5 cups of kale has 120 mg of vitamin C.” Self.com

In addition, I cannot forget my hot water with lemon. I drink a ton of water (mostly hot) and always have slices of lemon in it. Lemons have 77 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams with one medium lemon delivering 92% of the DV. – Healthline.com

And now for the coup de gras – strawberries! One cup of ripe, plump strawberry halves provides 89 mg of vitamin C or 99% of the DV. Healthline.com.

There are more foods that will boost your immune system, but these are my favorites. A kale, orange and strawberry salad sounds amazing right about now!

EXERCISE YOUR BODY AND MIND I exercise daily. Being that most gyms are now closed and although we have the stay-at-home order in place due to the Coronavirus, we are allowed to walk in our neighborhoods or some parks – as long as we practice social distancing (6ft between people). So, I put on my face mask and walk – every day. Walking is a low impact exercise that has benefits physically as well as mentally. WebMD states how “moderate activity is all you need. Exercise improves your overall fitness, which can help boost your immune system. Researchers show that regular walking may lead to a higher number of white blood cells, which fight infections.” Meditating on the beauty of nature – the blooming trees, the sound of birds chirping around me as I walk, has been a welcomed chance to get out of the house for a short period of time. Staying on top of stress is also the best way to keep your immune system healthy. Even though we cannot avoid stress especially during the Coronavirus outbreak, I have adopted ways to help me cope – like prayer, meditation and viewing ASMR videos (I will explain that in another article one day).

GET ENOUGH SLEEP Getting enough sleep can definitely boost your immune system. It has always been recommended that you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep and that is what I do. It can help prevent a number of health issues. SleepFoundation.org says that getting the proper amount of sleep, “will keep your immune system in fighting shape...Taking two naps that are no longer than 30 minutes each one in the morning and one in the afternoon can decrease stress and offset the negative effects that sleep deprivation has been on the immune system.” We all need to make sure that we stay safe during these difficult times. One of my friends who is a registered nurse, called COVID-19, “the King of the Virus.” And some kings have been known to rule with a mighty hand. So do what you have to do to make sure that you and your family stay safe and keep your immune system as healthy as possible. Because as the rapper Cardi B says, “Coronavirus – this “ish” is getting real.”

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WHAT IS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

The Oxford Dictionary describes it as, “the organs and processes of the body that provide resistance to infection and toxins. Organs include the thymus, bone marrow, and lymph nodes.”Basically the way our body defends itself against infections.

Written by Mia Nicole

Disclaimer: The information in this post is strictly informational, and the writer shall not be held liable for any risks.

How to stay positive when the world as we know it is changing

My best advice is to live life as normally as you can. Here are some things I do to make me stay sane, which in turn helps me feel calm and keep a positive outlook.

* Make sure to get some sunlight on your skin and go for a walk around the block (or as far as you can). Vitamin D (which you can get as a supplement from the supermarket or pharmacy) is very important for us, as well as moving our bodies

* Work out at home. I love the LesMillsOnDemand streaming program which I can do whenever I want from the comfort of my own home. I love the sh´bam and body combat classes! (No equipment needed.) There are many pros with working out, such as releasing endorphins which makes you feel happy. Exercising make your brain younger and happier, as well as your body.

* Sage your home and/or light incense or candles. Sage can clean your home from negative energies

* Take a warm bath if you have a bathtub or a nice shower. Feel free to combine this with a home spa ritual. I use a hair mask, body scrub, and a face mask once a week to pamper myself

* Tap! Look at EFT videos on Youtube, especially on how to deal with anxiety (or whatever feeling might be bringing you down at the moment). There are even videos on how to boost the immune system and it doesn´t take many minutes to do, and you´ll feel better after (even though it might feel strange the first few times you do it if you are not used to it)

* Watch funny videos, movies, and documentaries! This is the time for Netflix and chill! (Or why not dive into Gaia, HBO or Amazon Prime)

* Get inspired by online learning. I love online courses and have more than 30 (!) courses waiting for me at Udemy. They often have cheap offers and I love the personal development ones. Skillshare offers the 2 first months for free and there are lots of other online learning platforms available for cheap learning from home, so dive into some new things you always wanted to learn but did not have time for before

* Learn a new language

* Or, why not share your knowledge with the world and create an online course? This might also give you a good passive income once you have finished it

* Make a vision board filled with all the dreams you would like to achieve

* Make a scrapbook with ”real” photos in a physical album/notebook or on your computer

* Clean and declutter your apartment and wardrobe (as a bonus this might open up for more abundance flowing into your life!)

* Declutter your desktop and go through old photos, documents, etc on your computer – is there anything unnecessary you can delete?

* If you miss traveling, watch travel movies and documentaries, and plan where you´d love to go and what to do when you can travel again

* Write letters to your friends and family and share some extra love

* Start a blog or write your thoughts and dreams in a diary

* Call someone you haven´t talked to in a while

* Write a book (that´s what I am doing and it is so much fun!)

* Start to paint or use an adult coloring book

* Fix the things at home that always makes you annoyed about not having fixed yet

* Start writing in a gratitude journal, where you write down everything you are grateful for

* Think of new jobs you can do from home and apply for them

* Listen to inspiring podcasts

* Write a song

* Actively look for positive news and share them on social media. There are lots of people who need more positivity in their lives now and who needs to hear YOUR words to feel better

* Also, distance yourself from negative news, media and negative friends at the moment. Also, start the day with meditation rather than browsing the latest Facebook feed

* Learn how to meditate, or listen to a guided meditation (there are heaps of free ones online)

* Practice mindfulness and observe everything around you, without any judgment

* Brainstorm ideas for starting (or expanding) your own business

* Connect with your closest family, talk about your day, your dreams and vision, play board games or video games (I love Mario Cart!), etc.

* Research Law of attraction and Law of vibration, and learn how to make your dreams come true and vibrate on a higher frequency

* Help someone somehow – maybe offer a free coaching session, help an older neighbor buying food or support the local business with getting take away/home delivery for dinner

* If you feel worried, imagine a white healing light or bubble surrounding you and your loved ones wherever you are, which makes you safe

* Just breathe. Count to five when you breathe in, hold your breath for 2 seconds and count to another five when you breathe out This too will pass soon enough. Lots of love

Written by Tina Bergqvist