Julia Erickson's 5 Tips for Thinking Like a Ballerina

Not only is Julia Erickson a principal dancer at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, but she’s also the co-founder of Barre: A Real Food Bar–a company that makes healthy energy bars. It’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about finding balance in a busy life.

In a blog for the Huffington Post, Erickson lays down five ways that thinking like a ballerina can help you find balance in your own life. Luckily for us dancers, we already know how to utilize the tools she describes. But it’s nice to know that the skills we developed as ballet students will serve us both inside the studio and out.

Erickson’s rules:

1. Understand that discipline is your friend, not your enemy.

2. Focus on the present moment.

3. Trust your creativity.

4. Fake it until you make it.

5. Manage your time and know when to “take five.”