In March 2022, I began the next chapter of my life – single and in a new city. It was mid-June when I wrote a bucket list of the things I had always wanted to try. Different circumstances, including two cancer journies, had affected how I felt about myself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Because trying something new and out of your comfort zone is where you often find growth, I called the pole studio closest to my home.
After visiting the location to see what I was getting myself into, the love and energy I felt from the moment I walked in convinced me that this was the studio for me. It provided a community that I needed to be a part of. I took my first S Factor class on June 25th, and that was the start of my pole journey.
I’ve always been into fitness, and I love that pole continues to offer me many opportunities to grow physically. It has also introduced me to Lyra, Barre, Acro, opportunities to compete, and much more.
I can’t even begin to express with words the growth it’s helped me achieve both emotionally and mentally. This studio, its instructors, and my community of pole sisters have supported my journey to reconnect with my divine feminine energy. The studio is my safe haven, and this community is my family. A family who continues to support and celebrate my growth physically, emotionally, and mentally.
And as if all that were not enough, I also found the kind of love I never thought possible and, at times, questioned if maybe I didn’t deserve. My girlfriend, whom I adore and feel blessed to share this journey with, met at this studio, so as you can imagine, it holds an even more special place in my heart. I am so grateful for pole and this community, and I look forward to many more years of all of us growing individually and as a community.