We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Izzy Fuller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Izzy below.
Izzy , sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
My whole entire life I have struggled with eating disorders, exercise addiction, body dysmorphia, OCD, and anxiety. They have greatly influenced and impacted my life–in both good and bad ways. There have been moments in time that these took me away from living fully in the moment and experiencing all that life has to offer. They impacted my former marriage, my dance career, my job (which happens to be in the health & fitness industry), and various relationships. So much of my life has been taken away from me due to these mental health issues but through it all they have taught me a lot. Through my recovery and healing journeys, these disorders have taught me resilience and given me an inner strength. I know that if I can face these head on and keep choosing recovery every day I can do anything I set my mind to. I try my best to choose to live in the moment and say no to the behaviors related to these disorders.
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 like to call myself a movement educator and creative spirit. I love all things related to movement and find joy in creating things like my podcast, choreography, training programs, and playing around with my camera. I have been dancing for over twenty years and working as a dance instructor & performer for the last ten years. I teach ballet, modern, and a special class called STRUT-a cabaret burlesque/heels class. I also perform locally with the burlesque troupe, Frisky Business Burlesque, and various other private gigs in and around the Austin area. When I’m not dancing I am a personal trainer and group fitness instructor by trade. I have been working in the health & fitness industry for fifteen years. I teach Yoga and other styles of aerobics. My training style is all about helping individuals reconnect to their bodies and finding movement that makes them feel good. I’m not your typical personal trainer! I also host a podcast called Girl with the Big Blue Hair, where real people share their stories and we talk about anything and everything. I love meeting people and creating connection with others.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When I look back on my journey, especially the last three years (divorce, COVID, starting my life over again) the three themes that I see are: resilience, staying true to myself/authenticity, and knowing my purpose in life. There is a quote I remember from the Eating Disorders Anonymous Big Book that said, “life is not static and neither are we”. That quote has been a guiding light for me and one that I tell others all the time. Life is always changing. We are always changing. That is how we know that we are living. While we have characteristics and qualities that makes us who we are, we should also change and grow as individuals. Knowing your purpose is also key to overcoming obstacles or something to focus on when times get tough or you’re feeling a bit low. Lastly, connect and get to know yourself. By doing so, you can live in a way that’s true to you and you know who you are.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The book that has impacted me the most is Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road”. This book I have read multiple times and every time there is a major life change I read this book. It’s one of those books that every time I read it I find something new in the text. One of the many passage that I adore and love from this book are: “The only people that interest me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing..but burn, burn, burn like roman candles across the night.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izzyfullerdance/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
- Other: Podcast, Girl with the Big Blue Hair: https://open.spotify.com/show/6olbfyzfQ0sNyqAtLIdnAn?si=1d0c230a3e6943a5&nd=1
Image Credits
Asheville Elevated Photography, Noah Booshu, Xiomara Irrizary, Vance Strikland
