Feminine Strength

"I can't let go. I will fall", I said to my pole fitness instructor as she tried to pry my pale distressed hands off the pole. By this point, I had been committing to pole fitness on and off for almost a year and a half, well over the amount of time that it should take to master this simple task. Her response was transcendent, in that she spoke beyond that moment of fear where I found myself weakly dangling upside down from the silver pole being choked out by my femininely muscular top thighs. Her words wrapped my skin and floated around my being with a feather-light touch, one that was strong enough to keep my weary physique in an inverted position. She guided my torso as far back as eyes could see and said, "Just let go. You are clearly strong enough. Trust yourself enough to know that you will not fall." She continued on with encouragement by saying, "You just finished your whole MBA! Now let go of this too." And just like that, courage radiated out of my hands like hot fire, so warm that my fingers couldn't bare to hold on any longer. I let go! I trusted myself to keep me from falling, and I haven't quit since. I found beauty in my strength. Sweaty and just outside of my comfort zone, I felt stronger than ever.