Slowly peeks out from the wings...

[MermaidAstra]

Well, hello there fellow mers! My name is Mermaid Astra, and I have been lurking for almost a year now... I have very bad social anxiety and have been terrified of finally posting my introduction on here due to rejection I guess lol? So here I am to share how I found my fins.

First and foremost I am a mer-mom. I have a wonderful littler mer of the age of 3! A year ago she was 2 and I was taking her to a local meet and greet of two mers where I live in Washington. While waiting in line, I was talking with my husband about how swimming in a tail must be a great work out and having been a good swimmer in my high school days that I thought it would be fun to try it out (mostly as an athletic thing)

And wouldn't you know it? The woman behind me in line laughed out loud at me and said to her friend, "She's too fat to be a mermaid, more like a whale."

The song "dont believe me just watch." Went through my head then and every day since. My husband bought me my first monofin for our anniversary two weeks later. Between child care and normal houshold expenses (plus buying a car) we did not have any money for a new professional fabric tail much less a silicone one.

I made friends with rhe one local mer who I will not mention due to some personal issues we had (such as extreme elitism on her part, telling me I could not be professional or make any name without having a silicone) and I began some training. I did mass amounts of research, joined mernetwork, and started to handsew my first tail!

I pushed myself much more than my mer trainer did lol. I swam 3 times a week for 2.5 hours a day and started running 4 miles every other day. I have lost 30 lbs in the last 6 months and toned down a bit. I never realized how cathartic it was just to get away from problems and just swim.

Our local pool closed down last year in November after I had finally gotten the hang of it all and was able to do lots of tricks and able to hold my breath for 1.5 lengths of our olympic sized pool while using the 10 lbs diving brick held! I was disappointed to say the least since we live on an island and had no way to swim in the colder months and the closest pool was almost 45 minutes away. Needless to say we didnt have the money for me to be driving there 3 times a week so it dwindled to 3 times a month.

I have not let this disappoint me too much however and have instead turned to crafting my own crowns and wants, resin pieces and mermaid themed soaps and bath salts.

My experience has been rewarding and fun and I've been able to talk more with other mers and have decided to slowly come out of my shell as it were. So that's it guys and thanks for reading if ya stuck with me and my long post. [emoji170]

@mermaid_astra on IG435594356243563

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid_Rain]

Welcome to the waters! I also have anxiety and lurked for a while before my first post, but the people here are super nice and helpful so it doesn't take too long to settle in. I'm so glad that you didnt let the ugly thoughts of others get in the way of your happiness!

I'm also a mom (3 kiddos here!), and if I had given in to the ridicule I would have never discovered the pure joy and catharsis that mermaiding brought me <3

[Mermaid Kristy]

Anyone who says the phrase “you’re too fat to *insert activity here*” doesn’t deserve to be listened to. Ever. What a jerk! Who does that?!

You look great, your tail is awesome, rock on with your mermaid self.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)

[MermaidAstra]

Welcome to the waters! I also have anxiety and lurked for a while before my first post, but the people here are super nice and helpful so it doesn't take too long to settle in. I'm so glad that you didnt let the ugly thoughts of others get in the way of your happiness!

I'm also a mom (3 kiddos here!), and if I had given in to the ridicule I would have never discovered the pure joy and catharsis that mermaiding brought me <3Being a mom is so rewarding but sometimes we need time outs too lol! And you are so right, there is something just so calming under the water.... [emoji170][emoji305]

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[MermaidAstra]

Anyone who says the phrase “you’re too fat to *insert activity here*” doesn’t deserve to be listened to. Ever. What a jerk! Who does that?!

You look great, your tail is awesome, rock on with your mermaid self.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)Thank you so much! [emoji170] I am so happy now that I didn't let her negative comments push me down. But I guess in a way I'm grateful to that woman because I love swimming now more than ever [emoji170]

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Mermaid Kristy]

The rudeness of some people is just astonishing.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)

[Kwilena]

Mermaid Astra, you look so powerful and beautiful!

[Sam is here]

welcome! ^^
you are a beautiful mermaid, and your tail looks amazing! :)

[inanna]

*waves from a different part of washington* ello

[MermaidAstra]

The rudeness of some people is just astonishing.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)I am always amazed when humans open their mouths and bubbles of hate come out. [emoji38]

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[MermaidAstra]

Mermaid Astra, you look so powerful and beautiful!Thank you so much! I have really been trying to push myself to remember that its all about how we feel. Even though I felt like I was pretending in that photoshoot I've gained so much confidence from it! [emoji170]

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[MermaidAstra]

welcome! ^^
you are a beautiful mermaid, and your tail looks amazing! :)I am always so grateful when anymer says my tail looks cool! I worked so hard on it and love hearing it doesnt look like a ship wreck lol

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[MermaidAstra]

*waves from a different part of washington* elloHello fellow Washingtonian!! [emoji170]

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Sam is here]

I am always so grateful when anymer says my tail looks cool! I worked so hard on it and love hearing it doesnt look like a ship wreck lol

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app (http://MerNetwork mobile app)

your hard work really payed off!
how did you do the scales?they look very neat!

[MermaidAstra]

your hard work really payed off!
how did you do the scales?they look very neat!I dont have the original seller anymore but I used this 4 way stretch fabric.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/450125016/royal-blue-mermaid-scale-4-way-stretch?gpla=1&gao=1&utm_campaign=shopping_us_FashionFabricLA_sfc_osa&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_custom1=0&utm_content=10045541&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3_nhhubE3QIVgsBkCh0VmAS6EAQYASAB EgL-VPD_BwE

The scales will eventually fade (ive swam in a highly chlorinated pool probably about 100 times) and that's what happened here. They still look great and I'm really grateful!

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile app

[Agent Dragon]

Your dedication to training is inspiring. I need to get better at that; maybe you could give me some pointers?
Also, I love your makeup! Not much of a makeup person myself, but daaaaang.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork

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