Judgements and stigmas. Whether it's about what kind of clothes we wear, how we act when out in public, or the different places we hang out...etc, we have all experienced them at some point in our life. I'm going to be talking about one that I've dealt with for 11 years....dance class. Some of you will know what I'm talking about, even if you've only taken a couple dance classes. It's that feeling where you think you are being judged or talked about because you can't get your leg that high or you think that you aren't that good at the exercise that the instructor wants you to do across the floor or in center.

As I stated above, I've dealt with this for 11 years, which is all of my dance life. It's not like I went to a very judgmental studio, in fact, it was anything but. I was usually ok while we were doing the exercises at the barre (yes, I did spell it correctly...it's supposed to have the 'e' at the end), but once we moved to the center and doing them across the floor, now that was a different story.

Whenever your classmates are doing an exercise in groups, whether it be in the center or across the floor, it is considered dance class etiquette that you watch them, that way you can see what the instructor is talking about if the student needs corrected or if the student is doing something that the instructor really likes. This is where I struggle. I know that I am not being judged by my classmates, but if I see them watching and then they start to whisper, I feel as if they are talking about me. Now, I know that they most likely aren't, but it took me a while to actually believe that.

It's taken me being in my dance classes in college and my one instructor saying, "This is the place where it's ok to try to figure out what works for you and to not be afraid if you look goofy or weird doing something," for me to finally be able to not worry about what others are thinking about me. I've stopped worrying about how high other people can get their legs and how well they do while in the center or going across the floor and started focusing on myself and my technique. Even though I still struggle with the feeling from time to time, it has gotten SO much better and for that I am thankful.

I know that I still have a while to go before I'll be completely not worried about what others think and I'm ok with that because I know once I get over that feeling, I'll be unstoppable. I'll leave you with these quotes from Misty Copeland, "The greatest lesson I've learned is to be vulnerable and believe in myself" and "Finding your power doesn't have to be scary. Instead, it makes you feel in control, strong, and proud."