Our rockstar community comes from all over the US! Read about Oklahoma rockstar, Joyce, and learn what Body Empowerment means to her!

The two major things I have focused on in my life is being healthy and feeling good. I never realized how those two simple things could come with so many hurdles. Born in Colorado and raised in Seattle, WA, the outdoors and travel are my passion. I spent a lot of my childhood hiking, camping, fishing and exploring the Rockies, Cascades, and Olympic mountain ranges. I thought it was normal to be physically active and didn’t give much thought to the idea that I might not be as healthy as I believed.

I was born with an allergy to dairy and at five years old developed severe asthma due to the dust and dry air of Colorado. I spent many days over the next 15 years in and out of hospitals with every kind of lung and throat illness that was going around at the time. There were no food substitutes for allergies back then so my mom improvised and I never knew the difference. It was all food to me and I was grateful for it. I took up playing a musical instrument to strengthen my lungs, as well as gymnastics and dance team for fun. Anything that got me moving was a good thing.

At age eight, I fell eight feet from a playground toy and hit my head on cement. This was the first in a series of mild to severe head injuries over the next 20 years. Because of those head injuries I began to notice I was thinking and acting differently which I thought was a good thing, even if others did not understand. Since little was known about head injuries until recently, the idea that being different was a bit of a challenge. But like every other experience, I saw it as a good challenge and something I can grow from.

In the last few years I found out that I was also allergic or had a chemical sensitivity to wheat, corn, some fish, meats and processed foods. Now before you drop your jaw and say “oh my” let me tell you that each one of these experiences has given me a unique insight into myself and those around me. By adapting to life with each of these experiences, I have found myself to be physically stronger, healthier, and more mentally clearer. I started dance fitness a few years ago to strengthen my body and mind. It made an incredible change in my life and now thanks to BollyX I can even include my passion for Bollywood.

So when it comes to body empowerment I have to say that whatever my mind or body needs to change to be healthy and feel good, I do everything I can to make it happen. Each hurdle, no matter how big or small, is a learning opportunity to empower not only myself but others as well. So at this stage, I guess the only thing left to say is “bring it on!”