My Year of Aerial Anniversary: How it Changed My Life
After celebrating her 1 year aerial anniversary, ALT member Danielle reflects on how it changed her life:
It's been one whole year since I did my first aerial class and I need to write a wee love letter... It's changed my life.
As a fairly active person and after 2 years of lockdowns, all I wanted was to get back to my regular classes, but I also found myself with a fresh energy and drive to give new things a go.
Yet despite the urge to step outside my comfort zone, I'd always had a script in my head that aerial was for other people. To me that meant ‘other people’ who are strong, who are flexible, who have had a long history of moving their body in similar way and have no fear.
Even when my finger hovered over the button to book Aerial Hoop for Beginners with ALT Fitness, I debated heavily if I was being stupid and maybe my mid to late 30s wasn’t the best time to start trying such activities.
However, I went for it and guess what, during my very first class I was shit. In fact, I was worse than I anticipated. I couldn't do the basics of pulling myself up into the hoop and I felt humiliated. I could feel tears in my eyes because I was so embarrassed. The teacher had to come over and shove me up each time and during that class I swore to myself that once my 4-week block was over I would never go back.
Then something weird happened on week 2. I surprised myself. I could pull myself up. I managed to do the thing I thought was beyond me. By week 3 I felt brave enough to film myself, and the thing that struck me most when I watched it back was how much I was smiling. That’s when I knew I had to keep going, because regardless of being good or bad at something, it was bringing me joy and that’s all that mattered. By week 4 I was asking if I could join the mixed level class for the next block.
Aerial has taught me many wonderful things and I'm not referring to the tricks and shapes. It has taught me to have absolute compassion for myself, to have patience with myself and accept where I am today. It has created the best relationship I've ever had with my body because I'm so proud of what it can do and what it is capable of. It doesn't matter how it looks. It has taught me to have less fear and trust myself. It is also helping me let go of the need to be perfect and that the idea that failure is negative, because failure, in fact, is a wonderful thing. When you finally get that move that's alluded you for weeks or months or longer, it feels even sweeter when you know how hard you've tried and stuck with it, even when it seemed so far out of reach.
Aerial has taught me an important lesson that life is not a competition. It’s fascinating when a move that feels comfortable for someone else can be another person’s kryptonite, and the genuine delight when a fellow classmate nails a trick that has challenged them is just as satisfying when it happens for you.
But most of all, going to aerial class makes me very, very happy. Even if it’s been a harder session or I’ve not felt my best, every time I’ll walk away knowing where I’ve made the tinniest bit of improvement and it feels like a huge win.
None of this would've been possible without an incredible teacher, with endless patience and a great sense of humour. It also wouldn't be possible without a wonderful, inclusive safe space, with many lovely, like-minded people that made me feel so welcome.
So, I just want to say thank you to ALT Fitness and Caitlin. Thank you for being one of the best decisions I've ever made and thank you for all the positivity you have brought into my life. I can't wait for the rest of the journey.
PS: A year later and I still don’t know my left from my right. Some things will never change!”
Guest Blog Post: Danielle Gray