Fitness, dance, food, positivity. What more could you want in life? These are the four words that Lita Medinger, popular Tumblr blogger and dancer uses to sum up her blog titled “Back On Pointe”, which is as visually pleasing as it is welcoming (her ask box, she says, is always open to questions from anybody curious about dance, fitness, or body positivity- but be sure to read her FAQ first, which is so candid and unapologetically honest that it’s hard not to love her already). This week I had the pleasure of asking her a few questions about her thoughts on dance, break-ups, and self-love, and what she had to say is equal parts insightful and relatable. Read on for some down-to-earth advice from a beautiful ballerina.
What do you do, and why do you do it?
Nowadays, I basically just wait to turn 26 (I feel so old), force myself to chug water, and browse Tumblr while claiming to be working on my editorial calendar. But for real, I run Back On Pointe, a blog that was born out of my self-hatred and my eating disorder, and has grown with me over the years to be a positive, fact-focused place for people interested in fitness, health, mental wellness, and dance. Back in college, I was a dance major, but now I’m just constantly scraping together pennies to attend classes as an adult.
I grew up wanting to dance. In kindergarten, I, like many other little girls, wrote that I wanted to be a ballerina. But my family didn’t have the money for classes, so it wasn’t until college that I had the chance to experiment with dance. Back On Pointe came out of the stress of classes, but both the blog and my dancing always served to make me feel amazing. Nothing feels as freeing to me as being allowed and encouraged to take up space in a studio, and encouraging others to do the same.
What’s the most common advice you give to people who want to take up dancing?
To actually do it! Dance (especially ballet) is one of those things that people always say they want to try, but they let fear of looking silly stop them from ever doing it. So my biggest piece of advice is this: look up adult classes in your area, buy a pass for the class, and show up. If you hate it, you don’t have to go back. But if you love it, you’re doing something you love.
How have you bounced back from a bad break-up?
Oh goodness. My last relationship (the only one I’ve been in besides my current amazing one) was a total disaster. We were highschool sweethearts, engaged for a while, together for almost 7 years. He was also a piece of abusive trash. When we broke up and our shared lease was up, I moved 1,200 miles across the country back to my home state and sold all of the jewelry he’d given me over the years. I’m now doing things I loved that he wouldn’t let me do and no longer write sad poetry about missing the people I love. It’s good to be home.
What’s your favorite self-care ritual?
Lately I’ve been sharing this ritual with a lot of people, and given that I’m hosting “Love Yourself Month” on my blog for February, it’s only appropriate. My go-to self-care routine is to focus on my body. I tend to get wrapped up in my thoughts and worries, and this ritual forces me to get out of my head. I massage nice foot lotion onto my feet and cover them with fuzzy socks. Then I cover my entire body in sweet-smelling body lotion. Then I rub cuticle cream and hand cream into my hands. Maybe smooth some coconut oil into my hair and wrap it up into a bun for a while. The next day, I’m moisturized and smell good and I feel great.
Do you have any specific advice or a personal life motto that you tell yourself on bad days?
Having spent so much time in appearance-focused circles (both in college and now as an adult), I remind myself a lot that everyone is unique. There’s no reason for me to get upset that I don’t look like someone else, because I’m not someone else. I look just like me, and that’s okay.
If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
I’d tell myself that the memories you’ve shared don’t mean you have to keep making them in the future. Whether in a romantic or a platonic relationship, you need to end anything that doesn’t fulfill you.
