Today I graduated from my Sunday Intermediate 1 class at The Pole Garage. Fourteen Sundays. My pole momma, Kelli, said we have no idea how beautiful it is to get to see our progress, over this much time together.

I have some idea. 😉 Because I see progress when I work with actors for a long stretch of time. I see their confidence improve. I see their inner light shine. I see their worlds totally open up for the first time in a long time (possibly the first time EVER). While my road may be physical on top of emotional on top of mental on top of spiritual, it’s similar to the creative journey I mentor actors through, I bet. But with more bruises.

I’ll take ’em. Today I climbed that pole all the way to the top, vee splayed out, and slowly lowered myself into a split to the floor. I may or may not have then kissed the pole. 😉

Fourteen Sundays. I am forever changed. It didn’t take fourteen weeks, but today — graduation day — I take the time to honor how far I’ve come. And to thank those who have been instrumental in getting me to this point.

• Fawnda — who first exposed me to pole in February of 2010, and who sold me my home pole a couple of months ago
• Danielle — who made sure I knew The Pole Garage was holding yet another “teaser” I could attend, and who patiently and lovingly answered every little question I had as I started my journey
• Kelli — who welcomed me with open arms, encouraged me, and continues to both push me and support me as I learn to fly
• Mary Grace — who taught me that grace *is* something I could build, if I would only celebrate my strength and flexibility
• Cat — who suggested I try front-spins with my eyes closed, since I seemed to embrace back-spins first but would overthink the front-spins
• Drea — who pushed me beyond my comfort zone for the first time and who always seems to know exactly when I could use a dose of that again; who created the home I celebrate being welcomed into, every time I show up

…and every single one of my pole sisters — both those who’ve been doing it for years and those I’ve brought along with me since becoming a pole addict myself — whose willingness to push through, to support, to encourage, to celebrate as we all grow and challenge ourselves and fly is both beautiful and essential to the comprehensive life change that this whole pole experience creates for us all.

Fourteen Sundays. Oh, and eight Thursdays, and eight Saturdays too. I’m staying on with Sundays, as we roll into “Intermediate 2” (ack!), Thursdays are now “Intermediate 1,” and I’m getting ready to start up another cycle of “Beginning Pole” on Fridays, because — let’s be clear — I am still very much a beginner. But also, I am inspired by getting to START this journey again and again. I’ll keep popping in on Saturdays, both for teasers and mixed level challenge classes, because there’s something really inspiring about working with women of all levels, simultaneously. Drea has built something IMPORTANT with The Pole Garage and I am proud to experience it.

I am also so grateful to have had something so exciting, empowering, and FUN come into my life so fully.

And this is only the beginning. Wow. 😀 I cannot WAIT to meet the future me, on this path.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!