What Aerial Dancing Taught Me About Love

Back around 2012–2013, I felt like I wanted to challenge myself. I had the urge to really do something that I would feel accomplished about. I wanted to challenge the impossible. I wanted to feel and look better.

I wanted to try aerial dance, but I didn’t know if I could do it because I had never done it before in my life. I felt really nervous about being able to conquer the moves that were shown in class. I watched some other students excel at seemingly difficult moves. In my head, I wanted to do what was shown, but didn’t know if my body would follow. I had uncertainties and a lack of confidence because this was new.

There was a point where I was unable to finish one of the classes. My emotions got the best of me. I started crying. It had been around a year since my mom’s passing. My love life was broken and questionable. I wasn’t feeling good about anything.

I went on to challenge myself and finish more classes. I went to a couple different studios to learn from different teachers. I had the desire to learn and accomplish new and exciting things. Aerial dance gave me a challenge to conquer. I took risks and trusted myself.

When I was listening to the instructor and completing moves, I stopped listening to voices in my head that said that I couldn’t do it. I gave full effort to the movement that I was committing myself to and saw myself completing it. I looked for how I could do it. I didn’t stop myself before I began. I stayed open minded and open to instruction. If I was not able to complete a move, I knew that I at least attempted and needed to either strengthen my mindset or muscle groups.

There was a point when I went to a third studio and the instructor was seemingly young and not very good. He was not encouraging of everyone in the class and seeking to praise the students that had been there awhile and had already mastered the moves. My hands got blisters and a rash on them the next day from working with their equipment. I vowed to never go back to that studio. It was an atrocious experience.

I learned that not every instructor is good. I learned that you must have experience to be good at something. You must have a good instructor with good experience leading you to achieve what they have done. I learned that mindset is a huge factor in dividing what’s possible from the impossible. Some people think it is impossible for them to do aerial dance. I had the drive and was willing to take risks to see if I could. Once I was able to attempt and stick some moves, I felt that I could do it. I felt empowerment from the experiences.

In love, when we don’t think that it is possible for us to have a good love life, our mindset sets love in the impossible category. Have there been attempts made? Have risks been taken? Do you trust yourself? Do you have the desire to have it? Is there fear surrounding the attempts made in love? You have to try. You have to make attempts. You have to take risks. It is the difference between what’s possible and what’s impossible.