Tara A. Nicholas wants you to know that listening to your body is essential to improving your overall health. It may sound simple, but Nicholas recommends slowing down, practicing meditation, and listening to your body’s needs. Nicholas currently leads a busy life as an actress, professional dancer, global Nike trainer, certified Reiki master, and meditation instructor.
Her career highlights include dancing onstage at the VMAs with Beyoncé and working with Megan Thee Stallion for her Nike Training Club workouts and Well Collective. But Nicholas says that her meditation practice has helped her stay calm through it all. We recently spoke with Nicholas about working with Megan Thee Stallion, her best fitness tips, and how she manages to do it all (and look good doing it).
GU: What inspired you to get into the fitness industry?
Nicholas: It happened naturally. Based on a friend’s advice, I was already dancing professionally and auditioned for a trainer at Crunch Fitness. From there, I gained more qualifications and became even more passionate about fitness. I’ve noticed that people here think fitness is just about feeling like you’ve got the gram, but it’s more about how you feel. I learned about myself and knew my power, my strength, my softness. I was able to experience a new version of myself, and I want as many people as possible to experience that.
GU: Since joining the Nike team, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Megan Thee Stallion on several fitness and wellness campaigns. What is it like to work with her?
Nicholas: She’s hilarious. She is very fun and easy going. We have worked together on various projects and got to know each other. We can be true to each other and I am grateful that we have been that way from the beginning. Even before we knew each other well, we learned to be transparent and vulnerable about what we were comfortable with and what we were nervous about. I value that so much and that’s what makes her really special.
GU: When did you start meditating?
Nicholas: Meditation started before I started getting serious about fitness. I was juggling so many things, waitressing and doing other odd jobs, that I started to feel like I was fraying. Someone introduced me to meditation. It was the beginning of a journey to understand who I am, what I want to represent in this world, and to be less afraid of my power.
GU: What misconceptions do people have about meditation?
Nicholas: I think meditation gets a bad rap because it has to be exactly this way, or else you’re not doing it right. People think that when you meditate you have to completely clear your mind, but in reality you’re carving out time to tune into where you are. You don’t have to pretend that you’re not thinking. It’s like when you see a boat sailing by, you acknowledge the boat and then let it drift away. Meditation is about noticing sensations. When you notice that you’re starting to doze off, you can gently bring yourself back. You don’t have to scold yourself for wasting time. Your body knows what it needs.
GU: What advice would you give to people who want to start meditating?
Nicholas: Start with something simple, just a few minutes a day. I learned a lot from Human Radiant Meditation. This brings the feeling of gratitude into your consciousness. It can be anything, be it a person or a plant. I live in New York and suddenly the weather has been wonderful. So for me right now, I am grateful for this wonderful weather. Bring it into your consciousness, inhale, inhale it into your heart, exhale, exhale. He repeats this for about five minutes, feeling the sensation throughout his entire body. And notice what comes to mind.
GU: What is the biggest benefit of meditation for you?
Nicholas: For me, meditation reduces stress and anxiety and allows me to dream and make it come true. My greatest accomplishments didn’t come from chasing, running, or building muscle. When I started getting into fitness, I intentionally tried to become a Nike fit model, but it didn’t work out. But later Nike found me and offered me the role. It was also through a friend that the opportunity to perform with Beyoncé came up. I didn’t risk my life to audition. Many of my greatest accomplishments have come naturally. Meditation allows you to clear your mind and open your heart to tap into and receive the highest sources of wisdom.
GU: What fitness rules do you absolutely follow?
Nicholas: Listen to your body. I think it’s different because I’ve always listened to my body, but I often did it for the sake of the outside world without realizing it. A new rule I’ve been working on for the last 3-4 years since the pandemic is to really listen to myself. I need some movement almost every day, so I listen to my body’s messages to find more play. Not everything has to be so intense. That’s what I brought back into my life: more experimentation and play.
Read “Update your hair mood board with summer braid ideas”
