The BuzzFeed story is live! And this one is different than past media coverage I’ve received. It tells my real story – the truth about how hoop dance changed my life and why I’ve made it my mission to share this art form with others. Take a look:
Depression affects so many people. Some of us hide our pain behind smiling faces. I did that for years… Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Healing isn’t linear, either, and different things work for different people.
For me, it’s hoop dance, creative self expression, meditation, clean eating and reaching out to those who I love when I need support. I used to see a psychiatrist regularly, and I was on antidepressants too for a while.
Depression is scary, but you don’t have to go through it alone. If you or someone you know suffers in this way, PLEASE ask for help. Some great places to start are the National Alliance for Mental Illness American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Believe that healing is possible. Notice which healthy habits make you feel good and do more of that. Be open, and you might find your life change in totally unexpected ways. I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m saying you’re worth it.
#youarenotalone
*To protect my family’s privacy, some elements of my story have been changed.*
Click here more information about hooping and healing.
Abby here! I’ll admit… I was scared to death the first time I stepped into the studio to teach hoop dance.
It was more than 10 years ago, and I’d never taught group fitness before. I literally taped my notes to the mirror, and I worried that I wouldn’t do the art form justice.
Hooping had transformed my life in the best ways possible, and I felt as though it was my duty to share it with others (even if it scared me). Hoop dance caused me to become more physically fit; I also attribute this powerful movement meditation practice as my main healing mechanism from depression.
Still, I had my reservations…
What if I’m not good enough to teach?
What if people don’t take hooping seriously?
How do I teach flow (the transcendent state of being where one loses sight of space and time, becoming one with the moment)?
What will keep my students engaged and coming back?
What will I do if an advanced hooper walks into my class of beginners?
These were some of the thoughts that consumed my newbie hoop dance teacher mind. Now, here we are: a decade later and I’ve turned my passion for hooping into a full-time career. In doing so, I’ve since it made it my personal mission to inspire, motivate and spread joy to others through this powerful art form.
It’s my vision to bring hoop dance to more gyms, dance studios, fitness centers and schools nationwide, and I now do this by helping people step into their power as hoop dance educators. There’s no reason to go through the same growing pains that I did.
Simply click here to join me for the free master class.
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DoYouRemember.com names Hoola Monsters one of the best companies for hoop dance classes in the country!
Who can forget the feeling of accomplishment one has after successfully spinning a hula hoop for the first time? For many, this was a childhood achievement akin to riding a bike without training wheels or going for a spin on new roller skates without crashing onto the pavement. Fast-forward several decades, and now grownups can get in on the retro craze as hula hooping has graduated from playtime to exercise. The newish fitness fad, which counts Kelly Osbourne and Catherine Zeta-Jones among its circle of fans, promises to tone, tighten and help people slim down.
Bummer! They took the story off of their site – but we were happy to be featured.
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