A little personal
In honor of Global Wellness Day…
I wanted to share a little about my story of wellness. So many of y’all only know me as peppy, shiny leggings, barre babe Mallory… but ‘many moons ago’ I struggled every day to accept my body and it’s beauty.
I grew up dancing. I loved the rhythm, sequences, friends.. but I wasn’t the ‘right kind of’ dancer. I was short (yes much shorter than I am now), round, premature, under developed, awkward, and all types of goofy.
And not in the ‘aww adorable way’ in the ‘hopefully she grows out of that phase’ way.
Not every teacher treated their students with kindness and love. There was a roughness to almost every ballet teacher. How to look, stand, feel, and flutter on your pointe shoes. And me… a little rounder, louder, and goofier. It was not for lack of trying! I always gave my all… but the dancer world still was not as accepting
“You look like you just ate a big mac and fries...
Your jelly is hanging out... I can buy jelly at the supermarket
:: quoted by the less delicate Ballet Teacher Pedro”
These are words an 11 year old should never hear or experience. Thankfully my home life was filled with food and love… maybe a little too much food. Going home always played a tricky role in my body acceptance. As big, southern, Jewish family of eaters we were expected to ‘clean our plate’ and probably eat more!
Balance did NOT come easy to me. College took me through that ‘extreme’ phase of workout all day and party all night. Luckily it’s where I started teaching fitness classes and slowly found a happier balance for my body.
Accepting your body does not mean loving every inch of it. To me it means: accepting the love your body shares + receives. I am blessed that my career involves movement and that my body (at 34 years olds!) can sustain the work I need to deliver. I am thankful every day for the toughness my dance background put me through, but more appreciative that it did not lead me down a darker path. Many of my friends growing up struggled with eating disorders, workout anorexia, or binging and purging. Eating Disorders are forever engrained in the dancing community and something I hope can be lifted before I have children one day.
As I got older… hit puberty much later in life and gained a few inches.. I also gained perspective. If i’m proud of my body- my body will provide a strong home for me. I am careful when to slow down and rest. I watch how I nourish and replenish my body when it’s been overworked.
Body Positivity is very important to me. I have slowly altered my branding and business to reflect more about positive well being. ‘Everyday Wellness’ is an inclusive virtual wellness program. It’s about finding the right fit for you: fitness, food, and self love.
What makes you feel proud of your body? How do you show self love to yourself? What is one positive nonphysical attribute you love about yourself!
