Dianne Buswell: “Finding time for yourself is not a selfish thing”

Strictly Come Dancing’s Dianne Buswell joins Happiful’s podcast to share her love of dance, the importance of rest and the joy she feels as the author of her new book Move Yourself Happy

Diane Buswell brings joy to millions of people as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, and that joy is repaid tenfold, as she explains on Happiful’s podcast.

“I still pinch myself daily that I’m doing a job that is literally a dream,” she says, beaming.

Read the full interview with Dianne in issue 74 of Happiful Magazine.

Dianne has dedicated her life to date to dancing, having started when she was just four years old. “I remember so clearly just absolutely loving going to dance class,” she explains. “It was never a chore. I always wanted to be dancing.”

Move Yourself Happy

Fast forward to 2020, just two years after she met her partner Joe Sugg on Strictly, and dancing as she knew it temporarily came to a halt, as the first Covid lockdown was announced.

However, Dianne’s determination to move and support others kicked in and she started to provide free classes on YouTube and Instagram. The feedback was gratifying and spurred her on.

“I had people messaging me daily,” Dianne shares. “They were saying that it was the first time they’d moved their body in weeks and it felt good, had given them a purpose and helped with their mental health. It was just such a nice thing to hear from all these people and know that I’d actually helped them to have a bit of happiness in their day, in a time that was stressful for so many people.”

This was also the catalyst for Dianne’s beautiful new book Move Yourself Happy: 21 days to make joyful movement a habit. Her book focuses on four key pillars; movement, nutrition, rest and positivity. It provides a three-week plan for movement as well as personal insights from Dianne and reminders to honour and respect your body and what works for you.

“I find movement such a joy,” Dianne explains. “I treat myself with movement rather than it being like a punishment and that’s where the concept for the book came from.”

The importance of rest

Including rest as a key pillar within Move Yourself Happy was important to Dianne because of her own personal past experiences.

“The importance of rest is something that I’ve really learned as I’ve got busier in my life,” she admits. “I used to say yes to everything but you need to get to a point where you have to be OK saying no, because you need that rest yourself. I need to rest my body and be OK with that feeling.

“Finding time for yourself is not a selfish thing,” she notes. “Many people can label it as that. I used to be one of those people but now I think it’s really important to treat yourself well and rest your body. Allow that time just for yourself.”

Listen to Dianne on Happiful’s podcast I am. I have.

Move Yourself Happy: 21 days to make joyful movement a habit, published by Watkins is out now.

Photography by Katrina Lipska