Why Dancing in the Kitchen is So Good for Stay-at-Home Moms

We all know that dancing - like any exercise - can improve your muscle tone, strength, endurance and fitness. But what about all the ways it benefits your emotional health too? You might already know that it feels good to occasionally dance around the kitchen to your favorite song, but read on to find out why you may want to make this your number-one form of self-care from now on.

1.It’s the best mental break you can take in your day

Dancing can provide a much-needed escape during long days at home with your kids. It’s a time to let your brain quieten down and to stop worrying about all the things you feel you still have to do or fixating on all the problems you haven’t yet figured out how to solve.

Letting yourself be in your body, moving in a way that feels good to you, and expressing yourself in your own unique way allows you to let loose and just be - even if it’s just for a short while. 

It lets you drop all of the (often unrealistic) expectations you have of yourself as a stay-at-home mom, and gives you the chance to get lost in the moment while taking responsibility for being a loving caretaker to yourself when you need it most.

2.It boosts your self-esteem 

When you’re dancing to music YOU love, doing moves that feel good to you, and not caring what you look like or what anyone else thinks about what you’re doing, you experience the joy of being you, exactly as you are.  

In that moment you are pure, authentic, and true, and simply loving being free and feeling fully alive!

And if you’re feeling low that day, you can choose to pick a sad song and dance it out. Or when you feel a sudden burst of energy, you can move madly to the beat and express yourself wildly until you stop, breathless and elated.

In this way, dancing develops your trust in yourself that you DO know what you need, and that you’re always in touch with what’s best for you at any given time.

The look of awe that you might be lucky enough to catch on your kids’ faces when they see you in your element may also give you a sudden certainty that there is nothing on earth you cannot do - as you see clearly in that moment just how capable you truly are. 

3.The rhythm is gonna get you

Rhythm has always been important to humans (as proven by Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures from c. 3300 BC), and we know that our brains are wired for safety, so your brain likely wants you to crank up the music and dance! 

In the same way that following a routine over and over, day after day, brings the security that your brain prefers, dancing to a regular beat that repeats again and again also brings with it that sense of safety. 

Rhythmic body movement is therefore something that your brain can easily get on board with, and you may find that sticking to a routine of daily dance parties comes more easily to you than other forms of self-care. The fact that it’s also been shown to trigger the release of endorphins - which can boost your mood - also doesn’t hurt!

Whatever the case, the key when it comes to self-care is always going to be to do what you want to do for YOU - and not just to fill your own cup so you can turn right around and immediately start refilling other people’s.

So if you’re starting to see how dancing can be as essential to your wellbeing as taking time out to eat a decent meal or get to bed on time, commit now to creating space for it in your day. You can make this as simple as dancing with your kids to your favorite song before you make lunch, or starting off your day with a solo dance party. 

Or make time for 30-minute dance sessions if you prefer - without stumbling into the trap of believing that everything will fall apart if you don’t keep doing exactly what you’re doing, exactly as you’re doing it. When you give yourself permission to dance for you, you’ll find you’re feeling so energized afterwards that you’re more productive anyway! 

But what’s most important of all for those of us who have spent years struggling in survival mode as we raise our kids, is taking the chance to reset our body-mind connection and finally come home to ourselves as we truly are.

If you’d like help with giving yourself permission to prioritize you, click below to sign up for a free coaching consultation.