Guilt

Guilt has come up a lot in these conversations relating to aerial. Feeling guilt for..
– times we are not training
– food we are eating
– rest we are taking
– letting coaches/ students down
– not commiting enough time
– not working hard enough
– having a social life
– taking breaks
ect

In a industry which is heavily reliant on the needs and approval of others aka directors, funding bodies, audition judges. We might be prone to forgetting our own needs and because of this feeling guilty for attending to them.

Aswell as feeling guilty for letting people down and disappointing, I also feel guilt when I am given an opportunity. I feel guilty for getting it as other people would want the opportunity.

For me guilt is very heavy and when i feel guilt for one thing I feel guilty for everything I do. And this heaviness is regardless of how ‘valid’ it is for me to be feeling guilty. If guilt was this orange rope, this is how it would look on me

This is clearly something that I personally struggle with a lot. But from these conversations I dont think I am the only one.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experience of this in the aerial or performing arts industry 💛

P.s The book ‘How to do the work’ by The Holistic Psychologist has helped me a lot with reducing the heaviness of guilt.