Pole Dancing

I tried pole dancing. Twice. My arms hurt.

Pole dancing is offered as a fitness class. It will definitely get the heart rate pumping and not for the reasons you think. It is difficult. I couldn't get my feet off the ground. I was too scared. Kind of how I am in the pool. My feet must be able to touch the ground. But in the pool, I've gotten to the point where I can bring them off the ground...as long as I know I can get them there if need be. Is that a metaphor for my life?

But I digress.

I had fun for the most part, but during the second class I almost started crying because I couldn't do what they were describing. I felt very defeated. I felt like my body was letting me down. I even felt a bit worthless, useless, hopeless.

All because I couldn't pole dance. How is that for irony?

Such a perfect example of negative thinking and how it can grab hold of your brain and derail your emotions. Luckily, this time, it only lasted a few minutes and then I was able to be more objective about the situation.
1.) So what if I can't pole dance. It's not a necessary life skill.
2.) So what if my body isn't built to make pole dancing easy. It probably wouldn't be easy for me if I was thinner, either. Also, I'm here to work on my body.
3.) It's okay to not be able to do or enjoy everything. I love my hip hop dancing way more.
4.) I had the cajones to try it and that is awesome.
5.) I did get a work out.

I've often seen pole dancing  on groupon and living social deals and thought about it. Now I've done it. Check that one off the list. And as I found out that evening at a meetup event, it makes for a great story.