I met Mallory a few weeks after making the move to New Zealand. One of my coworkers mentioned that I would love this shop called GoodFor and needed to check it out. Little did I know I would walk out of there with some healthy treats, AND a new friend, who is one of the most inspiring people I know.
Mallory made the move to Auckland around the same time as me, allowing us to bond over the challenges (and excitement) involved with being in a new country. We share a passion for all things health and wellness related, and our early morning beach walks quickly became a post workout ritual that I cherished (and still miss to this day). We would daydream and bounce ideas off each other for how to best support one another, our community, and clients.
I wanted to highlight her on my blog, as one of the beautiful souls I have met in my travels, who will undoubtedly remain a lifelong friend. She has been a wellness coach for 8 years, and is a shining example of someone who has so clearly found her purpose in life. If you’ve been in her presence, you can feel the passion exude from her when she starts talking about anything wellness related, and nothing gives her greater joy than supporting people in achieving their goals. She’s often so busy focusing on others, that I thought it would be fun to focus on her, so here’s a little Q&A with Mallory.
What got you interested in health and wellbeing?
I’ve always been active, participating in every sport under the sun. When I got to University I was no longer participating in competitive sports but found yoga my first year. I fell in love and developed a new appreciation of mindfulness, strength, & flexibility. That door opened my eyes to the importance of nutrition and I spent most of my University years studying towards a degree in Dietetics. Just three semester away from graduation I took a different path, earning my degree in Exercise Science. The combination of my passion for yoga, semester of nutrition courses, and tying it together with anatomy, biology, and physiology, my four years of University was essentially gearing me up for what I would naturally fall into as my career. Right out of University I landed an internship at a women’s only health and weight loss retreat. I was able to not only utilize all of my skills, but learned a new approach to living a healthy lifestyle. Needless to say, I knew I found my place and what I was meant to do.
How did you get into being a Wellness Coach?
I was the Fitness Director of a recreation centre in Southern Vermont and we ran a lot of programs through the local hospital. I became a member of our community health team, a non-profit branch of the hospital, supporting individuals in need but with barriers. At the time, Wellness Coaching was relatively new, but I was approached to join a few other team members through the American College of Sports Medicine Wellcoaches training program.
Who is your typical client?
My typical client is someone who is over the diets, over the quick fixes and okay with being patient for the results. They understand they are on a journey towards lifelong change and it doesn’t happen overnight. It doesn’t matter where they are starting or where they want to go, they just have to be patient and ready to show up each and every day.
What’s your favourite wellness habit?
My personal favourite habit is my morning hydration routine. I started drinking a big glass of water right when I woke up on days that I would teach an early morning spin class. On the days I didn’t, I noticed I felt so awful and soon realized starting my morning at 5am with no water, only coffee, and an intense workout just wouldn’t cut it. 7 years later I never miss a day without my 32 oz glass of water and it happens effortlessly.
What’s the number one tip you give to clients?
My go to tip for all of my clients is the “rule of one”. We get trapped in an all or nothing mindset. Most people get really motivated, go all in, maybe even succeed, but don’t actually think about how it will continue to find its place in their lives. A few weeks, months, or years later, they are right back where they started. My approach is to KEEP IT SIMPLE AND SMALL. Baby steps are the key to long term success. And when I say baby steps, I mean simply putting on your running shoes after work…any maybe not even going for a run. It’s making sure that every step of the journey has either a moment of learning or a success.
How has your business changed in the past few weeks?
Tremendously! Is that an answer? I just left my teaching job to commit to my coaching business 100%. I’ve been able to offer my skills and classes to everyone because they are wanting to try it and have the time, and don’t have another option if they want to move! One of the biggest barriers for my clients is time, and now that they have it, I can offer so much more. I’ve ramped up my live classes* (always a fear of mine) in order to support those that are ready or to simply help those that are struggling to deal with these times. I’m also taking more time to figure out what my community wants/needs, and working to figure out how I can support them when all of this blows over and we go back into the daily grind again.
What is your hope for humanity during these times?
Be Present. We’ve been gifted this time to slow down. It’s Mother Nature telling us to STOP! Listen. Take 10 minutes of silence, no cell phone, music, tv, etc. Just be.
Thanks for answering the questions so candidly Mallory! Looking forward to walking on the beach with you again someday soon!
xx
Laura
*For those of you interested in checking out her live classes (she offers HIIT workouts and yoga classes), or want to know more about her offerings, I’ve attached a link to her website below.