If only New Year's resolutions were like wishes from a magic lamp...
"Give me a six pack." Poof!
"Make me a great dancer." Pow!
"What do you mean you can't wish for 100 more wishes?"
Yes, unfortunately, the resolution is the first step, not the final one. And yes, in order to achieve your goal of great dance skills, you'll need to take some actual steps to make it happen.
The good news is, you don't have to wait to find a genie to learn to dance this year.
Here's the thing: No one ever says they are glad they waited to learn how to dance.
They definitely don't say they are glad they missed out on all of those fun dance moments while they were waiting either.
So consider this resolution like your "learning to dance alarm clock."
Oh, and there will be no more pressing of the dancefloor snooze button this year either.
Sure, you think your brain is fun-loving and adventure seeking.
That is, until you decide to do something outside of your comfort zone. That's when the insurance adjuster version of your brain shows up to spoil the party.
That side of your brain is going to panic a bit. It will try to find all the holes in your rationale and make efforts to convince you that staying home is a much more suitable alternative.
Don't listen.
From the moment you first contact Arthur Murray, your goal should be to take the initial lesson as quickly as possible. If possible, within 48 hours.
You've got to "close the window" between your first contact and your scheduled appointment. Otherwise, you run the risk of #2 ("Overthinking").
Have you ever called someone before you did something risky because you knew they'd talk you out of it?
Don't call that person this time.
If you absolutely have to... feel free to tell your closest companions (but maybe after your lesson just to be safe). A study covered by Psychology Today revealed that the most successful resolutions come from people with great self-efficacy.
Meaning: They believe that they were in control of their success, not anyone else.
Not to mention - you're not the only human that has the capacity to overthink things. The last thing you want is someone you know to talk you out of this resolution.
Don't panic. We'll help you find them.
Well, first... there's learning how to dance. That's a biggie.
Now let's examine some of the other great side effects from this activity that you may not have even realized are included.
Whether it's weight loss, happiness, stress relief, or self confidence - there are plenty of additional benefits to learning to dance.
Here's an idea: Pick a few and share them with your teacher so you can knock them out faster.
This should be taken in every sense of the phrase.
Open the door to the possibility that within five minutes of your first lesson, you could be dancing. How cool is that? And yes, you will need to, literally, open the door to your house, to your car, and to the dance studio to make this all possible.
Want to know the secret to actually following through with a resolution?
Sticking with it.
This isn't just a snarky thing to say to people who make resolutions, studies actually show that people with the best success failed at some point, but continued.
You wouldn't let one donut get in the way of a fitness resolution, so don't let a missed step in your dancing do that either.
(For more on this, we recommend reading about the Arthur Murray Curve of Learning.)
Did you show up? Celebrate.
Did you have more fun that you thought? Celebrate.
Did you reveal to your friends and family that you have a new dance hobby? Mega-Celebration.
In addition to the high fives, the positive posts on facebook, or a sake bomb if that's how you roll - this is also a time to redirect your strategy.
Each little celebration is a rung up the ladder. Once you're there, and the confetti has fallen, it's time to raise the stakes, map out your strategy, and move up another rung.
Do strike while the iron is hot, but don't quit while you're ahead.
There are plenty more great dance milestones, benefits, and exciting dance journeys in the future.