Story & Lesson Highlights with Cori Dunn

Cori Dunn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Cori, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
When I open my eyes in the morning, the first thing I start with is 3 gratitudes. It allows me to take in the things we often take for granted like opening our eyes in the morning or a comfortable bed to sleep in. Next I do some gentle stretches from my bed to warm my muscles and joints up before I set foot on the floor which takes about 10 minutes or so. Then I spend 15-20 minutes meditating, it helps to prepare my mind and nervous system for the day ahead. After that I get up wash my face, brush my teeth then head downstairs to make a bunch of protein shakes for the day for my family of 6 as I prepare breakfast for my husband before he heads off to work. I head out to my garden to water, weed and harvest (if the time is right😊). Then I come back in, wake the kids for school, grab my protein shake and prepare for my morning workout.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Currently I am working on The Brickhouse Bites Nutrition Bundle which is a short, effective meal plan designed to support your hormones and help you feel your best. Forget restrictive diets and complicated instructions—this bundle simplifies healthy eating, providing you with a clear roadmap to nourish your body and promote hormonal balance. It’s perfect for anyone looking to reset their nutrition and build a foundation for long-term wellness without the usual stress and guesswork. I am very excited about sharing it with others.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My grandmother. She loved me and poured into me in a way that no one else did. She allowed me to be me which was priceless for a young girl who didn’t have the safety to just be. It took me many years to accept who she always knew I was though and I didn’t fully see it until after she had passed on.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
After my grandmother passed. She was so important to me and we had a bond that I didn’t have with anyone else. After losing her, I recalled one of the conversations we had about a month before she passed. We were sitting together while she crocheted a blanket and I was completing a diamond dots as we talked and she told me some things about my ancestry and she told me that the things I have survived was always supposed to be my story, that I was the strongest out of everyone and that I was always going to have to go through them because I was the changemaker, the one designed to break generational curses. I used that conversation to give me the strength to write my first book Note to Self: Lessons on Trauma and Thriving in It’s Aftermath.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Lol this question made me laugh because I just had this conversation with my husband. The answer is yes and no. There are 3 sides to my wellness the educator she the teacher, the activist-lite wellness queen calling out toxic trends, wellness BS, and industry myths, the Fashion-Fitness girl this is where we get “That Girl” energy with muscles, aspirational but still reachable and then there’s the Nurturer this is the heart work, where you will find The Melanin Wellness Podcast. It’s where people come to sit at the table with me and exhale.

Now which version of me you get will depend on where you meet me. Despite being so layered there is still a part of me that only my family and close friends get to see or experience if you will. One body. Three vibes. Strong. Strategic. Soft. And yes… I’m all of the above.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
That my test is my test and I will never pass it looking at someone else’s paper. Everyone arrives at the destination at different times and that no two paths are exactly alike. I have been teaching my kids this daily. They are all athletes and they are each on their individual paths but they are each having their moment in the sun at different times and each shines differently and it can sometimes feel overpowering to the others. Understanding this will make walking in your own purpose less stressful. I have had enough experiences in my life to be able to deeply absorb this lesson.

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