Take the Dang Picture
Aerial Dance is a fitness studio. Which means for one reason or another, you joined to improve your health. For some the goal is weight loss, others toning, and for some it’s just getting active. But you also can’t deny that whatever your reasons for starting your aerial fitness journey, you’re body has changed.
The changes might not even be what you expected them to be. I started my journey wanting to lose weight. I was unhappy with how my body had changed since moving to Wisconsin and living off of so much take out from working as a travel nurse. I also knew that exercise was just a GOOD thing to do for my physical health.
They tell you when you’re on a fitness journey that you should take progress pictures. Progress if often slow so when we see ourselves on a day to day basis we don’t notice those changes. But being able to compare a side by side helps you to actually see the progress you’ve made. I feel like the same applies to our aerial journey. I am a picture taker – I LOVE having pictures of me taken and documenting life. But even I was shy when I first started my aerial journey and only took ONE photo during my beginner term. This is something I regret immensely.
My first photo at the studio!
Taking photos and videos more often would have helped me to reinforce what I was learning in class by being able to review them in my free time. It also would have allowed me to tell that inner voice that thinks I’m not good enough or not progressing that it can go to hell. It’s hard when you feel like you’re not making progress. I know we have all been there where you just feel like you’ve reached a plateau and everything you thought you might want one day is no longer in the realm of possibility. Even your instructors have felt this way on their journey.
I look at that first picture that I finally had the courage to take and love to compare the progress I’ve made since that day. I love to see comparison photos of when I first learned a move to what they look like now after more practice. I love to see the strength I’ve gained. I love to see the confidence that radiates on my face after I get a move that I’ve been working on for a long time. I love that even though I haven’t had any changes in my scale I can SEE how being at the studio has made me carry my body differently. I am proud of what this body is capable of doing.
I highly encourage everyone at the studio to document their progress. No I’m not saying you have to share it for the world to see, but YOU should see what you can do and how far you’ve come. We are often plagued with self-doubt and thoughts that we aren’t good enough, but when I look at my progress pictures I can’t help but be reminded of how far I’ve come on my journey. And the pictures aren’t to compare to other people’s – because we’re already always comparing ourselves to others. They’re to document YOUR journey and YOURS alone and remind yourself that change is happening even when you aren’t paying attention to it. So take the dang picture!
