We recently connected with Dani Johnson and have shared our conversation below.
Dani, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I grew up in an extremely active family. My mom was a gifted athlete and my three brothers excelled in tennis, basketball, and football. Sport, organized or pick-up, was always a part of our lives. As the only girl, I was determined to match my brothers’ athleticism. Initially, my self-esteem was firmly rooted in my ability to perform on the field. I played soccer. When I was very young, there were no girls teams in our area. I played with the boys. I took great pride in my ability to be a top player. As I grew older, the confidence from sport parlayed into the classroom. I enjoyed learning. That quickly changed in middle school. I was bullied mercilessly. It was brutal and went on for years. The self-esteem that I had relied on earlier wavered. I struggled. I was lonely and afraid. One summer, I started playing with a new soccer team. I was pulled-up to play with the older girls. It was incredible. My wounded heart started to heal. Once again, movement and sport provided a safe place where I felt successful and supported. When I returned to school that fall, I had new strength to weather the storm that waited for me. This chapter of my life was rough and no person ever deserves to go through that. However, I believe it solidified my personal narrative going forward. I learned that when I stopped looking for validation from others, I created a great capacity to believe in myself. To a degree, my self-confidence was fostered by fighting to get back up when I felt unworthy. In those times, I understood my power to persevere in difficult situations. I am happy to report that high school was a new chapter with wonderful memories, amazing friends, and beautiful experiences. In adulthood, I continue to hold tight to the lessons I learned earlier in life. I am strong. I am capable. I am worthy. For this I am forever grateful.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a wellness physical therapist, wellness coach, and fitness specialist who has worked in healthcare for almost 30 years. It has been an honor and a privilege. Wellness is an extremely personal journey. I feel grateful to help others discover what they love about movement, self-care, and work to explore their own wellness story. Movement has always been a very important part of my life. I am eternally grateful for the many gifts it has given me. However, my story of feeling successful and supported in the fitness world is not the same for everyone. In our society, only 1 in 4 people meet the recommended CDC activity guidelines. By the second Friday in January, 80% of people abandon their health and fitness resolutions. My patients and clients have been incredible teachers regarding what these statistics mean to them. I’ve learned that the reasons for poor adherence to activity are much deeper than lack of time or motivation. There are many layers that need uncovering to help individuals create a successful program. Many people feel that they have failed. They are told they lack determination or effort. I didn’t see it that way and was curious about what was really going on. Perhaps the problem wasn’t them. Maybe it was us. Had we really been listening to what “I don’t have time” actually meant? Perhaps it wasn’t 100% about time. There was more to this story. Wellness is a journey and it doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s meant to be explored. I came home from work one night dismayed about how many of my patients felt upset about their activity and wellness plan. I said to my husband, I wish I could shout to the world that it’s okay to be well-ish. Imperfect, growing, and learning. At that moment, I felt led to begin a conversation. I launched my company Wellish. The perfectly imperfect practice of wellness. Wellish promotes meeting individuals where they are at. Encouraging small and doable wellness experiments in movement, self-care, and self-discovery. Working to build on what a person likes and helps them feel successful. It’s about having realistic goals and expectations and knowing that it ALL counts toward better health. An environment of support, kindness, and community. Well-ish living isn’t about avoiding hard work, it’s about starting a conversation regarding how to do it with love and kindness. It brings me great joy to watch people investing in their wellness. When one person wins, we all win! What a beautiful thing!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Curiosity. As a wellness coach one of the greatest assists is to be curious. Asking open ended questions and helping the client discover new things about themselves. I started Wellish with a huge curiosity about why adherence to activity guidelines was so poor. I discovered that the answer was so much more complex than motivation or determination. I wondered if pushing forward a broader wellness approach for movement planning would make a difference. I found it did. Wellish is all about discovering things about yourself. Who are you? What motivates you? What do you like? What do you dislike? Curiosity opened my eyes and I looked at movement through a different lens. I’ve learned so much from others and I am grateful. Stay curious!
Consistency. Small consistent activities add up to big changes! A huge issue for me was looking toward the end goal first, without a doable and consistent plan to get there. When I started tuning in on the small consistent steps and building on success, things went much smoother! Now that’s a huge part of Wellish Living!
Courage. Courage is not the lack of fear, but the willingness to take action despite the fear. Yes, starting a business is terrifying. I’m scared every single day! I am also driven and passionate about the message of being well-ish. I want to grow a supportive and kind community that helps people be well. Passion wins over fear.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
The biggest influence in my professional life has always been my clients and patients. The truth is, I believe I’ve learned more from them than they have from me. What I do for a living has never felt like work. It is building relationships, learning about resilience, observing courage, and watching people confront and overcome adversity. I have been allowed into personal spaces during times of need and up close to celebrate successes. It has been an honor. My patients are the people who have driven me to give back in a meaningful way. To push forward in the face of fear and unknown and start a business with a message I feel passionate about. What a gift my patients have been.
I need to also express gratitude to my husband and children. They have been huge sources of support and encouragement for this new adventure. They are incredible humans who exude kindness, love, and are inspirations to me on a daily basis. Thank you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wellishliving.com
- Instagram: @wellishliving
- Facebook: (Group) Wellish Living
- Other: https://wellish.store
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
