Australian Natural Health Magazine

Discover how she limited fears and overcame self-doubt.

You may know Melissa Ambrosini as the best-selling author of Mastering Your Mean Girl and a pioneer for self-love and acceptance. Now, Ambrosini is teaching women how to push through limiting beliefs and overcome self-doubt in order to live a more conscious, present life.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming who you are today…

Back in 2010, I was a professional dancer at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, did acting and TV presenting, and although it looked like I had the ‘perfect’ life, I was dying on the inside. I hated myself and my body, which led to disordered eating habits, depression, and being very unhappy and unwell. It wasn’t until there was no more candle left to burn that everything spiralled out of control and I ended up in hospital. It was then that things started to change. I realised that I needed to master my inner ‘mean girl’ and cultivate some serious self-love – even though I had no idea what self-love was.

From there, I became obsessed with self-development and read every book I could get my hands on. All the wisdom I was immersing myself in sparked a shift inside me, and I started to feel better and happier from deep within – which is something I had never experienced before. At that point, I started sharing my insights on my website and started working with women one on one, creating products to serve my tribe – such as e-books, online courses, and guided meditations – and speaking around the world. I am still on my journey and it’s a lifelong process that I’m deeply committed to.

How did you manifest your newfound knowledge, both personally and professionally?

After hitting rock bottom, I was willing, open and ready to evolve. I asked big questions and was ready to receive the answers. We all have this knowledge within us and the question is: are you ready to hear the answers?

Your best-selling book Mastering Your Mean Girl has inspired women all over the world. What was your vision for this book?
My vision for Mastering Your Mean Girl was to get the book into the hands of as many women as possible to remind them they are enough. The messages in MYMG are so important because we all have that inner ‘mean girl’ who sometimes tells us we aren’t good enough. I believe it’s my role to help women remember that’s not the truth and unlock their full potential.

Over the past few years, there has been a shift in consciousness and an increasing interest in health and wellbeing. What do you believe is inspiring this movement?
I believe people are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. They’re searching for other ways of living, being and feeling. People are waking up to the fact that they don’t have to live a mundane life, doing work they hate, and feeling crappy in the process. They know there is more, so they’re looking for it and seeking out ways to feel better.

Each year, an increasing number of people are turning to practices such as meditation and yoga. What do you believe is driving this shift?
Yoga and meditation are modalities that have been around for thousands of years – and they work! The rise in interest is [due to the fact that] people are seeing and feeling such profound results within themselves. Once you try these tools and you experience the effects, you can’t turn away – it’s life changing! You become a better version of yourself and that intrigues others, their curiosity builds and the ripple effect occurs.

It seems that more and more people are searching for meaning in their day-to-day lives. What advice would you give to women who are on this path?

I have two pieces of advice. Firstly, tune inward and cultivate some form of meditation practice where you connect with yourself – this is when you unlock the answers you’re seeking. Secondly, master your ‘mean girl’ and get out of your head and back into your heart. Follow your curiosity, as it will always lead you to the right place.

You speak a lot about coming from a place of love rather than fear. Can you explain that theory in more detail?

At times, it can feel like we have 50 choices, but in every moment you have one of two choices: love or fear. For example, you can choose to move your body because you love your beautiful temple, or you can flog your body at the gym because you hate what you see in the mirror and you desperately want a six-pack. You can eat to nourish your temple because you honour it, or you can eat because you want to punish, deprive or limit yourself. You can do work you love because you love being of service to others, or you can go to a job you loathe because it’s the ‘right’ or ‘sensible’ thing to do because you need the money. When we do things from love, life flows effortlessly. When we do choose fear, the Universe always has a way of reminding us to come back to love.

What do you believe are the essential steps to wellness in body, mind and soul?

[Wellness is] feeling inner peace within yourself and not looking outside of yourself for it. If you can feel a sense of inner contentment and happiness, then no matter what happens outside of yourself, you will feel grounded and connected with you.
The truth is that things will happen for the rest of your life, but the way you respond to those situations will differ the more connected you are with yourself and the more inner peace you feel. It’s a daily practice and one I’m still working on.

Do you have any predictions on where the future of health and wellness is headed? Are there new trends or practices emerging?

The biggest thing I predict is that more and more people will start waking up. There is a definite rise in consciousness, which is awesome! Meditation was not cool only a few years ago, and now, most people have heard of it. Like I mentioned before, people are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired and they are seeking the answers to support them in their fast-paced, over-stimulated life. 

To keep up to date with Melissa’s teachings, courses and meditations, check her out on Instagram @melissaambrosini and visit melissaambrosini.com.

NEXT: Looking for more inspiring stories? Read more about Jessica Sepel's journey toward wellness.