|
“I’m not sexy.”
We get so wrapped up in sexy as an aesthetic and it’s based solely on other people’s opinion of what sexy should be and what it should look like. We do that instead of exploring it as an internal feeling for ourselves. What does sexy FEEL like? We need to switch our whole concept of sexy from a look to a feeling. If you think you’re not sexy, maybe you’ve never taken a moment to let go of thinking about it aesthetically and start to explore how it feels. The studio gives you the tools and space to start exploring these things. We’re here to help you tap into things that already exist inside of you. Whether that’s the most obvious thing – physically (you have muscles already, you just haven’t developed them) or the things you need to grow emotionally and energetically. Our space is free of judgment, and you don’t have to worry about expectations. This is a space to play, explore, and observe what happens without trying to anticipate or label any outcome. There is no wrong way to feel or move – we’re letting go of the right, wrong, good, and bad based on societal conditioning. Join us in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago and start peeling away those layers. Connect with YOU without worrying about the approval of others. Taking the time to develop these things is how you tap into the different aspects of your personality that have yet to be explored. All you need is an open heart and mind! For real-time updates on what’s happening in the studio, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
0 Comments
I know it’s almost become cliche to say “Comparison is the thief of joy”. When we think of this statement we assume it pertains to comparing ourselves with others, but how often do we catch ourselves comparing ourselves to ourselves? Even worse, nothing can send us spiraling down the rabbit hole than comparing ourselves to the version of us we think we would have or should've been.
What are you doing to replenish yourself? Mind, body, and energetically?
Nobody feels a problem or guilt when it comes to making the time to do something that’ll exhaust them (physically or mentally). But the guilt comes when you take the same amount of effort to set aside time to reset and restore. We seem to view rest as something that’s earned or something that just happens because of our overexertion. But it's non-negotiable! It needs to be a part of regular self-care. If you don’t consciously make time to rest, your body will force you to rest. Your to-do list is never going to be complete. There will always be more to do. So, prioritize rest – schedule it just like you do with everything else. Your mind and body will thank you for it. Our studio is a place to slow down and not obsess over whatever end-goal you might have set for yourself. We want you to know that through showing up, you’ll hit those goals. There’s no sense in stressing or worrying about them. We can’t force or fast-track anything. When we try to force things, it’s not sustainable. That’s how we end up exhausted, injured, and burnt out. Let’s focus on reconnecting with YOU. This is not a process that can be rushed! By the time we’re adults, we’re this culmination of things we’ve been trying to be for other people – something that has taken a lifetime! And if it’s taken that long to get to the point that we’re at now, we can’t expect a quick fix for embodiment and awareness. It takes time. If you’re ready to start stepping into your most authentic self, we’d love to see you in class! CLICK HERE for the class schedule. For real-time updates on what’s happening in the studio, follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I can’t possibly be the only one who has this thought on occasion (sometimes frequent occasions). We’ve collectively been through some shit the past couple years, then throw in all the things we go through in our personal lives…it’s been rough! I’d be lying if I told you I haven’t had many days where I’m driving to the studio or sitting down to write or create and think “fuck, I’ve got nothing…I don’t know how I’m going to do this”. Obviously I can’t show up for class and tell you all “I’ve got nothing today-let’s all go home”. And being a firm believer in practicing what you preach- I show up and do it anyway. I’m sharing this because of the tremendous lessons that I’ve learned from the “show up for yourself and do it anyway” mindset: -I have never ever ever regretted showing up. Not once! Even as a student, I was always grateful I showed up. -On the days I felt I had nothing to give I’ve had some of my best classes (as a teacher and student). -When my brain wasn’t busy thinking of all the really cool shit I was going to do at the studio I was more connected with my body. This allowed my body to move more intuitively. -The growth and learning that occurs when I stayed devoted in these moments outshines what we learn on our best days. Don’t rob yourself of these moments by only showing up for yourself on the best of days. So, the next time you're thinking “I’ve got nothing”. I’m here to remind you, you have more inside of you than you ever imagined. It's absolutely normal and ok to have the "I've got nothing" days. Just show up. You’ll surprise yourself over and over again. You don’t have an expiration date.
Yeah, read that again. Let it sink in. We’ve been programmed to think that once you hit 30, if you’re not married with kids, established career, white-picket fence kinda shit, then your “market value” has somehow shrunk. FIRST OF ALL-- We don’t have a “market value”. Stop that narrative. Society is constantly telling us no, especially as we age. “You’re too old.” “You’re too young.” “You’re not established enough.” “You’re overqualified.” But when the clock strikes thirty, we’re just starting to realize who we are. We’re finally feeling more like ourselves than ever. And it’s around this time that we usually start to realize how much the opinions of others we’ve taken on. So let me say it louder for the people in the back: YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE. Hey, thirty-somethings — whether you meet societal approval or not, what’s your FAVORITE thing about this stage of life? Your life doesn’t need to be some cookie-cutter version of societal norms. We spend our whole lives trying to fit into perfect little boxes, based on what other people say is acceptable. Newsflash: You DON’T have to do or be certain things. You don’t have an “expiry” date. Your version of success, strength, confidence, sensuality — the list goes on — doesn’t have to look the same as anyone else’s. It’s time to STOP CARING about external validation and START focusing on the things that you really want and the things that feel good to you. At Catalyst Movement Arts, you have the freedom to define what strong and sexy means to you. Come to class! You’ll be surprised with a) how fun it is b) how supportive everyone is and c) the cool shit that happens when you tune into what YOU want. We can’t wait to see you in the studio! Here’s the class schedule and if you want to connect, drop a comment here or head over to Instagram. We’d love to hear from you.
There’s this assumption that whenever we’re doing deep work to reconnect with ourselves on our self-discovery journey that it’s going to be so heavy… like you’re going to have to wade through human doom and gloom to “get there”.
But it’s not like that! It’s not a heavy journey. Don’t get us wrong — it can be. There will be moments of struggle, both physical and emotional. We’re building skills and that’s just a part of it. But if we’re approaching this as a big, heavy skillset of something we “have to do”, we’re taking away so much joy from the experience before even starting! All you need is an open mind. Explore what happens! When you show up to class just to have fun —without the goal of mastering a trick, being the best dancer in the class, or whatever other thing you’ve decided you “have to” do — you’re making space for the lightness and happiness that comes with movement. One of the cool things that happens at the studio over and over again, is that women who’ve created that space for joy start to see the beauty in everyone around them. You’re in this place with women of all ages, shapes, sizes, and walks of life. Through witnessing how beautiful they all are, you start to take that inwards and see yourself in a brighter, better light too. You do not have to have a certain body type for us. You don’t have to change anything about yourself for us. Everything we’ve been told about what “ideal” beauty standards is absolute fucking trash. You are beautiful, exactly as you. Right here, right now. When you come into this space consistently, you’re going to witness beauty in a variety of forms. It’s kinda magical. And you don’t want to miss it. JOIN US in the studio! We can’t wait to get to know you. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below or reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to hear from you! Hey friend, all that shame you carry was never yours in the first place. It’s time to let it go…3/8/2022 This is one of the biggest, most transformative realizations of my adult life-and one I wish I’d come to a lot sooner. It seems most of us carry some amount of shame with us especially when it comes to our bodies and sexuality. Still, it’s almost like the elephant in the room. We all know it’s there, but don’t have conversations around it.
All that shame we’re given about our bodies, our sexual pleasure, our desire to want more for ourselves, that’s not ours. Shame runs deep and sinks it roots down to the very core of our personhood. Every time we’ve presented our authentic selves and were met by insults, ridicule, rejection, trauma, etc. the roots dig down a little deeper. We begin to believe every bit of bullshit that’s been told to us. We begin to disconnect from our true selves and try our best to fit into all the boxes society has set out for us instead. Fuck those boxes (more on that another time) The more I’ve worked through my own struggles with shame, the more I wondered why we aren’t sharing and helping each other get to the other side of shame faster. There is so much joy and pleasure to be found on the other side. Pleasure, connection, love..those are your birthrights, not shame. One of the most beautiful things about the studio is having that space and time devoted just for you to explore and reconnect. Our mindset begins to shift to one of appreciation of what our bodies do for us. We begin to feel safe and strong and beautiful in our skin, sometimes for the first time ever. Fuck, it is hard to be vulnerable, but if you’ve had the resilience to carry all that baggage for so long, you are strong as fuck and more than capable of using that energy to heal. How many times in our lives have we dismissed ourselves from what we want? Often before we even give ourselves a real chance. Sometimes before we even try.
So much time and effort is spent talking ourselves out of things based only on “that’s not for someone like me”. “That’s for someone _______, not me”. Insert whichever word you choose: younger, smarter, more confident, stronger, etc. The list goes on and on. We’ve been raised on comparison, spoon fed it our whole lives. Comparison to other women, comparison to the images and bullshit messages we’re shown on mainstream media. Comparing and subsequently writing ourselves off becomes second nature. Over time, when we are thinking about something we really want for ourselves, our brains jump to “that’s not for you and here’s why…” It’s time to flip the script. Fuck what you’ve been told you should be like, what you should want, what someone else thinks should be for you. And to be fair, fuck our brains for going to “I can’t” on autopilot so often. Everything in the world may not truly be for you, but you're the only one who can decide that. That is just one of the reasons why reconnecting to ourselves is so important. What lights up your soul may have been hiding in what you wrote off as “not for me” this whole time. We all, to some degree, have been disconnected with ourselves. Whether it’s years of social conditioning, adapting our personalities to fit in with others, or even remnants of shitty relationships-we all have something about ourselves that gets buried along the way.
Our disconnects can be physical, emotional, sexual, etc. The list goes on and on. What parts of yourself have you hidden for the sake of others? Why do we prioritize making others feel good about themselves over feeling fulfilled and happy in our own skin? Moreso, why is this so acceptable and even worse, expected of us? How the fuck did this become what we are supposed to accept as our “normal”. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be. No matter how far down we’ve hidden these most precious parts of ourselves, they are still there waiting for us to find them again. Yes, it takes work. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it can (and will) be really fucking hard. Yes, it’s the best gift you can ever give yourself. Even better news…you don’t have to have your life turned upside down or run away for an Eat, Pray, Love type experience to reconnect with yourself. But, more on that next time. |
AuthorAndrea |
RSS Feed