Is what I'm currently doing, serving me well?
This is a question that I've had to ask myself a lot over the past two weeks.
After taking my usual monthly break from posting content on Dance Care Australia's Instagram page, I felt pulled to extend it by a week. But what I found was a greater pull to release myself from the obligation of posting regularly altogether.
I acknowledge that I don't need to explain my business decisions to the world and the Dance Care Australia community but I felt that there were some valuable questions that as dancers we don't always take the time to consider and reflect upon.
So buckle up, let me take you on a journey of the last two weeks.
I had a goal and I stuck to it. But something came up...
I was encourage to trial a marketing strategy. To post regularly, every week, at least four times. I needed to show consistency, to stay in my followers feeds regularly so more dancers would be able to hear about the services that I offered.
And I did it! I was honestly surprised at how long I was able to continue posting!
Granted, some came later than others, and certain posts appeared more thought out. But I was able to stick with it, and I took breaks where I needed in order to stay on track.
However, this two week break brought up some realisations and it reaffirmed opinions that I had become a little disconnected from. So I had to ask myself some questions around my social media presence going forward.
What I realised....
Firstly, social media, is an excellent tool for small businesses! And it's true, Dance Care Australia has been gaining and constantly increasing it's following and engagement over the past 12 months that I committed to posting regularly. But as my client base began to increase I became aware that social media is not the place that these dancers and dance schools are connecting in from.
Secondly, I always try and strive towards a more simple and minimalistic life. Because I believe as humans and dancers we can function so much better when distractions and just 'stuff' is not filling up our space, our time and our minds.
While taking a step back from putting my own posts out there, I began to notice how overwhelming it was for me to simply try and sift through all the posts and information that filled my own feed. I found myself trying to decrease the clutter so I could pay attention to what was most important, which caused me to wonder how much of my own 'stuff' was contributing to others digital clutter.
And finally, over these two weeks, I was able to spend a huge amount of time focusing less on creating content and more on learning, building and developing what I originally sought to create within Dance Care Australia.
A safe counselling space for the dance community. A space where they feel heard, understood and supported by someone who knows what it can be like to be a dancer.
So I had some questions to consider....
If social media was not where dancers were engaging and reaching out for support from, who was this platform actually reaching? And if no one from social media was engaging in these services, where were the individuals, the dancers, that needed the support? This prompted the ultimate question:
Should I be spending a large amount of my time producing for an audience that does not include the ones who most need the support?
Then there was the marketing strategy, that had me to believe that the more I produced, the better my engagement and ability to support more dancers. And whilst there might be some validity behind these tactics, I had to ask myself the question:
Do I want to base my services on being successful, or the values that I want to live by and demonstrate through Dance Care Australia?
But at the end of the day. With more time on my hands, I was able to focus truly on what Dance Care Australia started out to do, and who I wanted to be, support dancers as a counsellor.
I still do really enjoy creating content, and engaging with the community, sharing tips and tactics, but I never studied to run a social media account. So I had another question to ask myself:
What is the most important and beneficial area of focus that will help me to achieve my goals?
So, I'm making some changes...
I'm not completely abandoning social media, but things are going to look a little different.
Instead of creating because I have committed to consistency, I will be creating content when I have the time and capacity to, because I 100% believe in it's value, I feel that it is needed and is not going to contribute to anyone else's online clutter.
At the end of the day, social media is not my priority, my clients and local dance communities are.
I'm not going to spend time trying to improve my engagement and skills as an online presence, because I'll be spending time improving my skills as a counselling practitioner and small business owner.
So that instead of watching my followers grow, I'm watching my dancers mental wellbeing thrive!
BUT, Caitlin how can this apply to dancers?
The biggest take away for me was that some things can be good, and they might even prove to work, but they might not be the best way for you to use your time in order to get your best outcome. So sometimes we have to pause to ask ourselves the question, is what we are doing serving us well?
You might be at a really great dance school, with excellent teachers and you are even seeing improvement in your dancing!
What could be wrong with that? Nothing!
But what's to say there might not be something better for YOU as a dancer, AND a human.
Maybe there's a school just as great as your current one, but this alternate one opens up more opportunities for education that you know you want to investigate in the future.
Just because we might see some things improving, getting better and bigger, doesn't always mean it's giving you what you need to become, and do what you ultimately want to do.
Both paths might get you where you want to go, but one might be a lot shorter and less work than the other...
I watched an Instagram Live this morning with Austin Crumley & Terry Hyde (from Counselling for Dancers) and they talked a little on visualisation.
They spoke about how when we can't seem to get a step we think we need to keep trying and trying the step until we get it right. But it actually wasn't until the students stopped trying and instead visualised the step that they were then able to do it well.
If these students kept trying to practice this step over and over they might also have eventually been able to do it well. But by taking a moment to try something different, it actually got them to their desired result quicker.
Both were helpful approaches, but one served them and their goals much better.
So take a second...
Try to connect back in with what it is that you want, and take some time to reimagine some alternatives to how you can approach your goals.
Is there a better, different way that you haven't tried yet?
Is your current way not completely aligning to your values?
There is no harm in trying something new, something different. It can only ADD to your journey.
Something to note is that whatever it is that you're deciding to leave behind, it is not wasted time. It has provided a bridge for you to get to where you are now, and hopefully closer to where you want to be.
The future for social media and Dance Care Australia...
The community that is rallying to provide effective and valuable support services to ensure dancers are well taken care of, is growing fast and I could not be happier to be a small part of it.
The resources this community puts out to the dance world is invaluable and are making a significant impact on the way the industry is raising and training young dancers.
I truly hope this doesn't change, but for now that is not what Dance Care Australia is focusing on.
I'll still see you on Instagram and Facebook! Heaven knows I've got more than my fair share of ideas that I can't WAIT to share with you all.
But where you will see me most is in session, in workshops, in collaborations to ensure that you, the dance community are supported and your mental wellbeing is being looked after. And finally creating and finishing a mindfulness journal for dancers!
Feel free to take a look at our Services page to look at how you might like to engage with my offerings, I would love to work with you in whatever way it is that you need.
I'll be seeing you around and dancers never hesitate to ask the question, is this serving me well?
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