Love the Process

Not even a year and a month ago when I started pole I told myself something I am grateful and proud of all of the time:
"I am in for a very difficult, challenging, frustrating, rewarding, beautiful journey."
I knew even before I could do a spin on the pole that I was in for a lot of work and a lot of struggle and a lot of joy.

I go through phases like I'm sure many pole dancers do where I either get a ton of tricks at one time, I feel like I can get no tricks at all and I have probably peaked or at least have a lot of work ahead of me, or I am getting some tricks but not all of them.

I went through a minute in December where I realized that I had accomplished so many strength moves and tricks that now it was time to learn the really scary and hard stuff...

The fonji and reverse fonji, the back flip, the aerial cartwheel, the kamikaze, etc.

I was willing to learn all of it, but since they are all so much more intimidating I couldn't get them like I had been getting other moves in the past.
I wasn't getting them right away and I felt like I hadn't been able to achieve any new moves that I had been working on for a long time.
I started to feel frustrated, as I have in the past in various other periods,
but I always remember what I told myself.

I accepted what was ahead of me and when I realize that it's part of the process, I learn to love what I hate.
I learn to understand that each thing that is more difficult to learn is all that much more special when I can do it.
I have a million tricks that I want to work on right now and all of them are going to take more time that I would like to get them, but I am accepting of this fact and believe that I can get all of them someday.

It's easy to get upset and want to bail and want to dip out of training all of the time.
Sometimes it's okay when you are frustrated to step away for a little while until you can come back. I have realized that when I am frustrated after doing an hour of training and feel tired I really need to just get some food in me and breathe for a few before I return.

 I just want to remind all of my polers that we all go through shitty stagnant and unhappy experiences in pole, but if you keep at it you will get a move and suddenly that feeling disappears. And in the mean time - be proud of what you have already achieved.

Also if you feel like you aren't doing that great, I recommend just free styling - finding yourself through losing yourself and being proud of dancing to a whole song that no one could ever dance like you to.
The fact that you pole at all is incredible and requires a great deal of strength and passion.
Be proud of all of the little things you forget about, because if you pole, you probably kick ass ;) 

Pole Anniversary!

Today is my very first pole anniversary!

One year ago today I walked into the doors of Boulder Spirals in Boulder Colorado into a room with 4 girls wearing booty shorts and sports bras, climbing 14 foot poles.
I was nervous and enthralled all at once.

I took an intro to pole class with my friend, and the amazing and beautiful platinum blonde Colfax  Chrissy taught us our very first class. She was wearing blue brazil shorts and clear 7 inch high heels.

I was instantly hooked and knew that I had to come again.

Two weeks later I bought my very own pole and set it up in my house.

I remember asking my sister to take photos of me whenever I started feeling more confident and she soon got tired of how often I wanted to capture new moves because I just kept learning them everyday.

Since the day I went to Boulder Spirals I have looked up pole tutorial videos, studied pole stars, watched competitions and performances, and have devoted my entire life and energy into pole.
What I eat, who I hang out with, what I do with my time, why I work out, and what I have dreams for all surround pole.

Never in my life would I have imagined having such a powerful thing to come out of no where and change everyday of my life forever.
I am so grateful that I came to Boulder because I know that I otherwise wouldn't have probably heard about pole for another 15 years.
I couldn't imagine anything else coming into my life that could be better or make me happier and healthier.

This pole world has the best people I've ever met.
It's a community of mostly women who are supportive, and loving, and caring.
I feel more confident, strong, healthy, and happier than I ever have in my life.

I am so excited to continue to grow, to meet more people, to discover, and to bring more people into the amazing lifestyle.

These are some of the first photos on the pole I ever took: