Last week, I put on my leotard and tights and stepped into a ballet class for the first time in a year. Man, was it an experience.

Standing in front of that mirror in my newly soft body quickly rehashed the body image issues I always struggled with in the studio. I had gained some weight at school and could see it all right in front of me, as I critiqued my body and the way it moves for an hour and a half.

Throughout the barre exercises, I felt weak and rusty. I had to find my proper alignment again, stretch out my tight hips, and somehow push my legs to their limit due to the lack of conditioning they got used to over the past year.

I hadn't lost all my training, but my body definitely lost some of the strength and muscle memory it had built up after countless classes.

After I graduated high school last year, I rapidly went from dancing five days a week to barely dancing at all. My freshman year of college contained very little training and very little exercise for that matter. I struggled to keep a regular workout schedule while trying to adapt to college life, and my body is definitely feeling it.

In the fall, I'll be starting the dance minor at school, along with a pilates class to fulfill a physical activity requirement for my Kinesiology major. That being said, I will have dance or pilates every day during the week, which is a lot more than my body is used to right now.

My goal for the summer is to take strides towards getting back into dancing shape and building the habits to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the year (that way I won't have to do this again next summer). Going to the gym regularly and taking dance classes as much as possible is my top priority.

Getting back into dancing is tough, especially due to the ruthless self-judgment many dancers put themselves through.

You might wonder why you aren't better, beating yourself up for allowing yourself to get soft.

You might compare yourself to the other dancers, who probably are in the midst of their training and are in no way in the same boat as you.

You might think back to last year when you were stronger and had cleaner technique, and wish to be that dancer again.

All these thoughts raced through my mind as I pushed through that first class. By the end, I was sweaty and sore, but I felt accomplished. I was back where I belonged, where I felt at home.

Slowly, I am remembering why I love to dance. The passion that underlies every class, every dance, every movement. How pushing my physical and mental boundaries makes me feel strong, empowered, and confident. How mindful those hours in the studio are, how into my body I feel during and after.

You might feel discouraged. You might be mad at yourself. You might feel weak and like you're not good enough. I encourage you to keep pushing. Keep training. Keep stepping into that studio. Keep losing yourself in the movement.

If you have the passion and the drive, you'll get back to where you were. You'll get strong again. You'll improve your technique. Always push to be better, but don't get down on yourself if your best isn't good enough for yourself. Be realistic with yourself and your capabilities.

This is a reminder to you, as well as a reminder to myself:

You love dancing, and you are good enough.