Meet Alexandra — Professional Ballet Dancer @blocla formerly ABT, Wellness Advocate, Yoga, Meditation + Ballet Instructor. When she isn't in the studio, she is fighting for equality both on the streets and on her social platforms. We sat down with Alexandra to discuss her personal wellness journey, favorite foods, and how she lives her life in confidence. Get to know Alexandra...
I AM Alexandra Pullen AND I DEFINE CONFIDENCE AS fully stepping into your power.
I feel most confident when I am the most at ease. Real self-confidence begins when you start unapologetically being yourself, with no effs given! Owning who you are. It’s an ongoing practice for me. Ask yourself— what are things that make you feel good? What activities make you feel good? Who are your friends that make you feel good about yourself when you are around them? What clothes make you feel good about yourself? For me it’s wearing comfy flowy clothes and comfy shoes like my docs! It’s being around people that appreciate and love my silliness and don’t make me feel like a weirdo. It’s saying no to people and situations that don’t align with me or bring me joy and having the confidence to draw boundaries when necessary. I feel confident when i put on makeup for no reason just because I feel like it! The bottom line is confidence comes from within YOU, not from others around you.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
I’m originally from just outside of Chicago, and I now live in LA.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO?
I’m a professional ballet dancer, wellness advocate, yoga instructor, and blogger!
HOW DOES THE CONFIDENCE CO MISSION REASONATE WITH YOU?
As someone who has struggled with IBS and tummy bloat my whole life, it's really important for me to find products that support a healthy and happy tummy so I feel confident and comfortable!
WHY IS HAVING A HEALTHY GUT IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Your gut is your second brain! A healthy gut is imperative for overall health, balance, mood, and wellbeing.
NAME YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT.
Hmmm so hard! Right now I’m really into Sugarfish sushi!
NAME THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS.
Tahina/hummus, ice cream, a big hearty salad, lamb burgers, sweet potatoes...I think that was more than three! I’m such a foodie :)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE?
I’m really into the New York Time’s Matzah Ball Soup Recipe! It was my favorite as a kid and we just made it for Passover and it was INCREDIBLE!
ANY MAJOR WELLNESS MOMENTS IN YOUR LIFE?
This past summer, while on vacation in Israel---I decided to stop being a vegetarian after 8 years. It had gotten to a point where the label and restricting was giving me a false sense of control, and I faced a fear head on and started eating meat again and I’ve never felt better! You can read more about my full journey on it here.
WHAT'S YOUR CURRENT SELF-CARE ROUTINE?
Self care looks a LOT different for me in quarantine. Since I have the extra time to indulge, I definitely have been doing a lot more at-home facials/facemasks/self manicures etc. But the biggest act of self care for me right now is taking time for myself to sit with my own energy and ground through meditaiton.
WHERE DO YOU GET OR DRAW INSPIRATION FROM?
All over! Although people can tend to say a lot of negative things about social media, I find it to be a powerful tool to connect like-minded people and make artists work more visible. I see things I’m inspired by daily on IG and Pinterest. I also read a lot, listen to amazing music, and draw inspiration from experiencing and viewing other mediums of art.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR 18-YEAR OLD SELF?
Oooof! When I think about my 18-year-old self I just want to give her a big hug! I would tell her to love herself harder, to choose herself daily, and to follow her intuition no matter what.
HOW HAVE YOU KEPT UP YOUR CREATIVITY DURING THIS TIME?
I have bouts of creativity and then I also have periods where I don’t want to move/dance/create at all -- and that’s ok! This is an extremely weird time for all of us, and more than anything else we are just trying to wrap our heads and our nervous systems around what is going on in the world! So either way I try not to be hard on myself. But the main thing for me right now is not forcing anything, and that enables the creativity to flow a little more easily (when the pressure is taken off).
HAVE YOU FOUND CREATING ART TO BE HELPFUL WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON? IF SO, HOW?
Yes! I dance every day. I think more than ever, the world needs artists to keep doing what they do best. Art is relief and an escape...not just for the artist but for those interacting with the art as well. With social media, I can share my art still in a different way--which is not the same but a beautiful thing nonetheless. I also have a lot of extra time to create content and engage with my community I’ve built online which is a really amazing thing!
WHAT ARE IS ONE SELF-CARE RITUAL YOU'RE LEANING INTO FOR COMFORT?
Home cooked meals! We’re all stuck at home, so making delicious and nourishing meals is simply the best! Oh, and yummy healthy desserts too!
DO YOU HAVE A QUOTE, POEM OR SONG THAT YOU WOULD DEFINE AS YOUR ANTHEM?
My favorite quote is from the torah: “ein od milvado.” In English it means “there is nothing but God.” The Kabbalistic mystic interpretation is that this phrase is a powerful meditation reminding us of the divine in every moment, person, place, and situation. There is beauty in all, nothing in life is a coincidence, and everything we experience occurs for a bigger divine purpose. This thought is a powerful one, especially in times like these.
Learn more about The Confidence Co. If you know someone who you feel should be featured as a Confident Human, please reach out to us: support@theconfidence.co. :)