The Wellful Welcomes Mimi Cole!
Mimi is the founder of @the.lovelybecoming, a blog discussing all things about mental health, intuitive eating, disordered eating, and Health At Every Size (HAES®). Mimi is on her way to receive her degree to become a therapist!
Introduce Yourself!
My name is Mimi, and I will be a graduate student studying Clinical Mental Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at the University of North Caroline – Chapel Hill beginning in August. I am an aspiring therapist passionate about disordered eating, OCD, and anxiety disorders. I hope to practice from a trauma informed, weight inclusive approach.
What does health mean to you?
To me, health is engaging in activities that bring joy and moving as my body speaks to me. Health is incorporating all of the foods in a way that allows us to come together in community and experience other cultures. It is not defined by weight, shape, or size, and moves beyond the physical into the realm of emotional, mental, and psychological well-being. Health is not just checking off boxes to fit into beauty standards or ideas about perfection; it is about feeling well and pursuing a life in alignment with one’s true values. Health is showing up to be present with others and with ourselves, and it is complexly informed by a variety of factors.
How did you get started and what inspired you to start your business?
I started my Instagram at the beginning of 2019, with the intention of reaching people with my words and sharing parts of my story. I was inspired by the vulnerability and work of dietitians / therapists I had been learned from via Instagram.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in this process and how did you keep yourself motivated?
The biggest challenge I have faced is fear of negative feedback and how it might affect me. I am resilient and brave, but I am also human and worry that what I write may not come across in the way I intended it, or that things that feel true for me may not resonate with others. I keep motivated by checking in with trusted friends and by reminding myself that it is okay to be corrected or to get it wrong, but that this shouldn’t keep me from trying and sharing.
What is the most important message you want your viewers to receive through your platform?
I want others to know that they are not alone in their journey of unlearning, whether internalized beliefs and narratives about themselves or their trauma or their bodies. I want others to know that they are not their thoughts or the size or shape of their body, and that so much healing can occur from the messages that have harmed us.
>
“I want others to know that they are not alone in their journey of unlearning, whether internalized beliefs and narratives about themselves or their trauma or their bodies. I want others to know that they are not their thoughts or the size or shape of their body, and that so much healing can occur from the messages that have harmed us.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
To trust myself and my voice, that I can trust my own lived experiences.
What is your favorite way to relax?
I love to bake and to read; I also really love Netflix!!
What advice would you give to your early 20’s self?
Lol I’m 21 😉 so I would say, you are so brave. It is okay to keep showing up as your authentic self: I see you.
What’s something you are currently obsessed with? (could be anything that comes to your mind!
Object, things, place, restaurant, product): tacos and guacamole
Current tv show?
Little Fires Everywhere
Current book?
This Is How It Always Is
Favorite podcast?
The Liturgists
Where can our audience find you and what are you most currently up to? (share handle, current podcasts, books)
IG: @the.lovelybecoming and I am excited about being on some podcasts in the near future; you can hear more about them as they are recorded on my IG
>
“ I keep motivated by checking in with trusted friends and by reminding myself that it is okay to be corrected or to get it wrong, but that this shouldn’t keep me from trying and sharing.”
