Tara A. Nicolas wants you to know that listening to your body is essential to improving your overall health. It may sound simple, but Nicolas recommends slowing down, practicing meditation, and getting in tune with your body’s needs. These days, Nicolas has a lot on her plate; she’s an actress, professional dancer, Global Nike Trainer, certified Reiki master, and meditation instructor.
Some of her career highlights include dancing on stage at the VMAs with Beyonce and working with Megan Thee Stallion on Nike Training Club workouts and the Well Collective. Throughout it all, though, Nicolas says that practicing meditation has helped her stay grounded. We recently sat down to talk to Nicolas about working with Megan Thee Stallion, her best fitness tips, and how she gets it all done (and makes it look good).
GU: How did you get started in the fitness industry?
Nicolas: It happened organically; based on a friend’s advice, I had already been dancing professionally and auditioned to be a trainer at Crunch Fitness. From there, I started getting more certifications and becoming more passionate about fitness. I realized that people out here think fitness is just about feeling snatched for the ‘gram, but it’s more about how you feel. I learned myself and saw my power, strength, and softness. I got to experience a new version of myself and want as many people as possible to experience that.
GU: Since joining the Nike team, you’ve been able to work with Megan Thee Stallion on several fitness and wellness campaigns. What’s it like working with her?
Nicolas: She is hilarious. She’s so fun and easy. We’ve done many different projects together and got to know each other. We can be real with each other, and I’m grateful that’s been the case from the beginning. Even before we fully knew each other, we got to be transparent and vulnerable about what we were comfortable with and what we were insecure about. There was never any putting on, which I really value, and that’s what makes her really special.
GU: When did you get into practicing meditation?
Nicolas: Meditation came in before I started really committing to fitness. I was juggling too many things, waitressing and doing all these odd jobs, and I started to feel like I was unraveling. Someone introduced me to meditation, and it was the beginning of my journey of understanding who I am, what I want to manifest in this world, and not being so afraid of my own power.
GU: What misconception do people have about meditation?
Nicolas: I think meditation gets a bad reputation because it has to be this exact way, or else you didn’t do it right. People think when you meditate, you have to completely clear your mind. But really, you’re carving out time for yourself to tune in to where you’re at. You don’t have to pretend that you don’t have thoughts. It’s like if you see a boat sailing by, acknowledge the boat, and as it drifts away, just let it drift away. Meditation is about noticing sensations. If you start to doze off and become aware, you can gently bring yourself back. You don’t have to scold yourself like you wasted time. The body knows what it needs.
GU: What would you advise people who want to start meditating?
Nicolas: I would start simple with just a few minutes a day. I’ve learned a lot from doing human radiant meditation. It’s where you bring something you feel grateful for into your awareness. It could be a person, a plant, anything. I live in New York and we’re suddenly getting great weather. So for me now, I would give thanks for this great weather. So you bring that in, and then you breathe that into your heart on the inhale and exhale back out. Feel that sensation in your entire body, and then repeat that for about five minutes, and as you do it, notice what comes up.
GU: What’s been the biggest benefit of meditating for you?
Nicolas: For me, it reduces stress and anxiety, and it lets me dream and manifest. My biggest accomplishments did not come from me chasing, running, or muscling them down. When I started getting into fitness, I intentionally went after Nike through Fit Modeling, but it wasn’t panning out. But later on, they found me and offered me the role. Also, when I got to perform with Beyonce, the opportunity came through a friend. It wasn’t from one of those auditions where I was fighting for my life. A lot of my biggest accomplishments came to me. Meditation allows you to get your head out of the way, tap into the source of your highest wisdom, and be open to receive.
GU: What’s the one fitness rule you absolutely live by?
Nicolas: Listen to your body. I’ve been listening to my body my whole life, but I think it’s different because, without realizing it, I was often doing it for the outside gaze. My new rule that I’ve been working in the three or four years since the pandemic has been to truly listen to myself. I need to do some movement just about every day, and I’ve been listening to my body’s messages about finding more play. Not everything needs to be so intense. That’s what I’ve been bringing back into my life: more experimentation and play.
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