The power of changing your reality with Kelly MacDonald

While the term itself is oversaturated, the exploration of how we define ‘being well’ for ourselves is more important than ever. It’s personal, but it doesn’t need to be preachy or complicated. Health and wellness can be nurtured in any aspect of our lives, from the physical to the mental, emotional, spiritual and financial. Any of these pillars, when examined and cared for, can contribute to a richer and more enjoyable existence. In this series, we share the stories, challenges and discoveries of a diverse range of people who each have a unique perspective on health and wellbeing, and how these pillars manifest in their lives.

“Wellness to me means prioritising lifestyle, nutrition, training, mental health, relationships and self care. It is also having the ability to set goals and achieve them and help as many people as possible in that process.”

For some, a love of movement transcends a run-of-the-mill exercise regimen, soaring beyond the iterations many of us are familiar with trying to fit around other aspects of our lives. This is the case for award-winning personal trainer Kelly MacDonald, for whom dedicating herself to mobility and holistic health was an impetus sparked at a young age. From beginning rhythmic gymnastics at the age of seven, she was selected for the national squad by 12 and travelled the world competing for New Zealand, before representing the country in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Having founded her personal training business in 2017, Kelly has gone on to become an in-demand mobility specialist, whose ability to connect with and understand her clients ultimately stems from her own experiences with health and wellness.

Kelly experienced a holistic upbringing from her mother, who sadly passed away from cancer two months before the Games in 2014. This, coupled with her own personal health struggles, helped to guide her career towards the health and fitness industry and holistic wellbeing. Nowadays, Kelly views the term ‘wellness’ as suitably well-rounded, encompassing many different aspects. 

“Wellness to me means prioritising lifestyle, nutrition, training, mental health, relationships and self care. It is also having the ability to set goals and achieve them and help as many people as possible in that process.” Wellness and balance are two terms that go hand-in-hand for Kelly, and the knock-on effects of not having balance are often directly impactful. “If I don’t get enough sleep, the reaction is that I don’t perform as well for my clients and that’s not fair to them,” she says. “Long story short, wellness is having all aspects of your life in balance — whatever that means for you.”

Having experienced issues with her digestive system growing up, plus hormonal imbalances, loss of her period for three years, migraines and seizures, Kelly says accepting that her body is sensitive has helped her prioritise its health and ability to function day-to-day. The most challenging of these has been her seizures, she says, which began at age 19. 

“I’ve had multiple since then and doctors haven’t been able to diagnose me with epilepsy. My brain simply decides when it’s burnt out and it decides to seize.” Lack of sleep, overstimulation and stress can all be catalysts, which is hard for Kelly as a go-getter who finds it challenging to relax. Because of this, her regular Hana sessions have been vital in helping her to prioritise taking time for herself.

“There is something about Hana, as soon as you walk in the door it’s like a zen zone — I feel immediately relaxed,” says Kelly.

“If you don’t like something in your life — change it. Only you have the power to change your reality.”

Other than blissful relaxation, Kelly has noticed several positive results from her regular weekly Hana visits. “My skin is so much clearer and I’m the healthiest I’ve been in a long time in terms of hormonal health. My period is back and regular, my digestion and gut health has not been an issue since I started and my body recovers so much better from all my training.”

Kelly has also loved the ability to bring a friend along to sit in one of the two-person saunas, combining a catch-up with beneficial infrared therapy, and plans to continue doing this moving forward as well as using it as a personal reflection space.

Other self-care practices that Kelly swears by are journaling, goal-setting and play. “Play is very important to me — I put a lot of pressure on myself to be at my best all the time, so giving myself permission to not take an activity so seriously sometimes, is so powerful.”

When it comes to her advice for a well and healthy life, Kelly says it’s important to remember we have the ability to make our own situation what we want it to be. “If you don’t like something in your life — change it. Only you have the power to change your reality,” she says. “Make sure you take some time to really find out what is it that you want to do, what your purpose is and how you feel you can help this world to leave your mark in a positive way. If you find your passion in life you will never be lost, and if you turn your passion into a career I promise you will never work a day in your life.”