How to Cope with the End of a Dance or Sports Career
Give yourself time to accept the end of your career., Don't be ashamed of feeling sad and angry., Try writing or keeping a journal., Try breathing exercises that reduce anxiety and depression., Consider seeing a counselor., Don’t self-medicate or...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give yourself time to accept the end of your career.
Grieving a loss is different from person to person.
The way you respond may depend on the length of your career, your emotional investment in your career, and the reason your career ended.
Don't rush things, but take the time you need to emote, process your feelings, and gain acceptance.
Remind yourself that life goes on and, in time, you will find happiness and self-worth outside of your dance or athletic career., Allow yourself to experience emotions, like anger, frustration, or sadness.
Avoid minimizing your emotions or being ashamed of them.
Let yourself emote, but try not to dwell: experience emotions then work to move on with your life.Keep in mind that your grief will not suddenly disappear one day.
You may start to have more good days as your emotions resolve over time, but you may also go back and forth between good days and bad days. , Writing can be a helpful way to both experience and release your emotions.
You can try a couple of different strategies to help process your grief:
Write down your feelings on a piece of paper, then burn it or otherwise destroy it.
Imagine that the burning paper symbolizes the process of releasing your emotional burden.
Keep a journal to vent your feelings of grief and read your past entries to track your progress.
Try not to dwell on the feelings you’ve expressed, but focus on the progress you’ve made through grief’s stages. , Sit in a comfortable position, and breathe slowly but naturally for a bit to relax yourself.
When you’re relaxed, breath deeply and expand your belly as you visualize a color you find happy or calming.
Count to four as you breath in, hold your breath for a four count and, as you slowly exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles to squeeze out all the air in your body.Imagine letting go of your feelings of worry, sadness, or frustration as you squeeze your breath out.
When you inhale, envision yourself filling up with calmness, hope, and strength.
Set aside about 20 minutes to do your breathing exercises free of any distractions.
Wear loose clothing that won’t restrict your breathing.
Do your exercises daily, or whenever you feel anxious or depressed. , A counselor can help tailor your coping process and provide you with specialized support that you may not get from family or friends.
It’s normal to feel like loved ones can’t relate to what you’re going through.
Talking to a grief counselor or therapist who specializes in dance or sports psychology can offer the comfort of knowing someone understands your struggle.Try using the online search tools at Good Therapy (http://www.goodtherapy.org/find-therapist.html) or Psychology Today (https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/).
Search online for “sports psychologist” or “dance psychologist” near your location.
Specialists in these areas, including psychologists who were former dancers or athletes, are becoming more common.
You can also try asking your team or dance company for a referral to mental health professional who has experience with dancers or athletes. , Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol can be a tempting coping mechanism, especially if you’ve suffered a career-ending injury.
However, they'll only isolate you, damage your health, and keep you from processing your grief.Well-meaning friends may offer to take you out drinking to get your mind off of things.
However, this is not a healthy way to cope.
You might want to tell friends that you are avoiding alcohol for a while to ensure that you cope with your emotions in a healthy way.
Seek counseling if you have any issues with self-medicating or addiction. -
Step 2: Don't be ashamed of feeling sad and angry.
-
Step 3: Try writing or keeping a journal.
-
Step 4: Try breathing exercises that reduce anxiety and depression.
-
Step 5: Consider seeing a counselor.
-
Step 6: Don’t self-medicate or abuse any substances.
Detailed Guide
Grieving a loss is different from person to person.
The way you respond may depend on the length of your career, your emotional investment in your career, and the reason your career ended.
Don't rush things, but take the time you need to emote, process your feelings, and gain acceptance.
Remind yourself that life goes on and, in time, you will find happiness and self-worth outside of your dance or athletic career., Allow yourself to experience emotions, like anger, frustration, or sadness.
Avoid minimizing your emotions or being ashamed of them.
Let yourself emote, but try not to dwell: experience emotions then work to move on with your life.Keep in mind that your grief will not suddenly disappear one day.
You may start to have more good days as your emotions resolve over time, but you may also go back and forth between good days and bad days. , Writing can be a helpful way to both experience and release your emotions.
You can try a couple of different strategies to help process your grief:
Write down your feelings on a piece of paper, then burn it or otherwise destroy it.
Imagine that the burning paper symbolizes the process of releasing your emotional burden.
Keep a journal to vent your feelings of grief and read your past entries to track your progress.
Try not to dwell on the feelings you’ve expressed, but focus on the progress you’ve made through grief’s stages. , Sit in a comfortable position, and breathe slowly but naturally for a bit to relax yourself.
When you’re relaxed, breath deeply and expand your belly as you visualize a color you find happy or calming.
Count to four as you breath in, hold your breath for a four count and, as you slowly exhale, tighten your abdominal muscles to squeeze out all the air in your body.Imagine letting go of your feelings of worry, sadness, or frustration as you squeeze your breath out.
When you inhale, envision yourself filling up with calmness, hope, and strength.
Set aside about 20 minutes to do your breathing exercises free of any distractions.
Wear loose clothing that won’t restrict your breathing.
Do your exercises daily, or whenever you feel anxious or depressed. , A counselor can help tailor your coping process and provide you with specialized support that you may not get from family or friends.
It’s normal to feel like loved ones can’t relate to what you’re going through.
Talking to a grief counselor or therapist who specializes in dance or sports psychology can offer the comfort of knowing someone understands your struggle.Try using the online search tools at Good Therapy (http://www.goodtherapy.org/find-therapist.html) or Psychology Today (https://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/).
Search online for “sports psychologist” or “dance psychologist” near your location.
Specialists in these areas, including psychologists who were former dancers or athletes, are becoming more common.
You can also try asking your team or dance company for a referral to mental health professional who has experience with dancers or athletes. , Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol can be a tempting coping mechanism, especially if you’ve suffered a career-ending injury.
However, they'll only isolate you, damage your health, and keep you from processing your grief.Well-meaning friends may offer to take you out drinking to get your mind off of things.
However, this is not a healthy way to cope.
You might want to tell friends that you are avoiding alcohol for a while to ensure that you cope with your emotions in a healthy way.
Seek counseling if you have any issues with self-medicating or addiction.
About the Author
Nicholas Pierce
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.
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