Today’s episode is with one Karina Beltre. A Wife, Mother, Model, Radio Host of a Rhythm Lifestyle, she and Dr. MC go way back to their days rockin’ the front row of Zumba classes together, and together they discuss their self-care needs, life as married women, and reminiscing on their old “gurl” squad: “the Investments.”
As always we love to hear from our listeners! Reach out to podcast@drmcselfcare.com with any questions or topics you’d like to hear about on future episodes.
Additional Resources:
You can learn more about Dr. MC and this podcast on her website: https://drmcselfcare.com/podcast-home/
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Speaker 0 00:00:27 Well, welcome to another episode of Dr. MCs self-care cabaret podcast. I am Theresa Melito-Conners, a PhD level self-care expert in the greater Boston area who loves to help others take control of their health and wellbeing. Sometimes you meet people in life with whom you just click. Today’s episode is a conversation with just such a person. My friend, Carina bell tree. We met several years ago when we would rock of the front row during Zoomba classes. And we became instant friends. Corrina’s no BS, attitude and style are so refreshing. Although she no longer lives in Massachusetts, we remain in contact despite any geographical or scheduling challenges back in the day when Corina and I were showing up for Zoomba, we bonded with a few other special ladies attending these classes, calling ourselves the investments. I believe Karena herself came up with that name because some people are just worth investing your time and energy into Corina is a wife, mother of two beautiful children, a model. And recently she began hosting her radio show called a rhythm lifestyle. I am thrilled. The Corina was visiting Boston recently, and we were able to see each other and catch up. This is my conversation with her and I hope you win.
Speaker 0 00:02:04 So let’s, let’s get started. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:02:07 Tell me a little bit about your self-care practices and how you like to practice them.
Speaker 2 00:02:12 So for me, self care has a lot of things and it’ll definitely depend on my mood. So self-care could be reading a book, right? Just disconnecting. It could be a Netflix type of day, which doesn’t happen often. Right? Um, I even self-indulgent YouTube makeup videos. Nice. Right? Because you know how I like to do my makeup, right? Your makeup is gorgeous. I will self indulge and make up videos. Um, one of the things I also love to do as I write a letter to God, nice. I write to God a lot. And I have notebooks like lingering in my bedroom everywhere, sticky notes. Because sometimes when I’m feeling, you know, despair stressed, I feel like I have to run it down. So self care there. Now, one of the things that I started doing, and this was a long time ago before I had my gastric bypass, my doctor said, what do you, what do you want to do to make you feel beautiful?
Speaker 2 00:03:17 So at the time I didn’t have a lot of money. So I started with skincare, right. Taking care of myself. So what I would do is take my time with my skincare, with my moisturizer and all that stuff. Now it’s a little bougie now I’m going to say so by the time I get up, I think I last more moisturizing than I do in the shower, because it is the only thing that I know if my life is chaotic that day, those 20 minutes are important. So if I can’t do anything else, the moisturizing is my self-care.
Speaker 1 00:03:55 It almost sounds like the way you described that they, that the act of preparing your skin and moisturizing your skin. It almost sounds like a meditative practice. Like it’s almost like a meditation. Yeah. And I love how writing letters to God. I mean, that’s your, that’s your spiritual domain. You are, you are well suited in that domain achieving excellence. That’s awesome. And I know you mentioned a little bit about this, but I know you’re a mom and a wife and a model and you work a full-time job. And how do you find time to put your needs first?
Speaker 2 00:04:26 So I’ll be honest lately. No. Mm we, me and the hobby actually had a conversation that actually this morning, as a matter of fact about, okay, Corrina, you’re filling your schedule a little way too much. There’s no room for you. Right. Um, but when things were not as busy, you know, with the modeling and all that stuff, one of the things that one of my self-care practices was literally spending time with friends. I miss that about us. I miss that about that. You know, our investments. That’s one of the things about being here is so bittersweet. You know, I left a lot that I love behind, but I do spend a lot of time with friends, uh, when I can. And obviously with COVID things have been more difficult, but as everything opens up now, I need my friends. How
Speaker 1 00:05:17 Long have you been in North Carolina? About four years. I know,
Speaker 2 00:05:21 Five years. It’ll be six years in September. Can you believe that went fast? It showed did. Yeah. So I got a, you know, a cute little group of, you know, some ladies and stuff, but you know, it’s not the same. No one’s been replaced. You know, it’s just, uh, an add on to investments and you know, to the other friends that I left here behind. So, um, my Bible study fellowship women have saved me because they’re a different group. Right. They’re on the spiritual end and I need them a lot. I do.
Speaker 1 00:05:54 And I love that your husband was able to point out you and my husband does this to me too, when I’m not taking care of myself, I’m spread myself a little too thin, which is something I really try not to do anymore. But then he was able to kind of say that to you. You have that open communication. So did you come up with a plan kind of moving forward?
Speaker 2 00:06:11 Or so today was since he’s brought this up today, as I was looking at my itinerary because obviously April was insane and here we are in may and it’s looking like that. So I literally started looking at, okay, where can I squeeze some self-care mother’s day is around the corner, it’s this weekend. So I actually, um, do not plan on doing anything, ice. I’m not doing anything, what I actually wanted to do. And I think I’m going to do it. I have an event in Charlotte and I’m not going to drive home right after the event. I’m going to get a hotel room by myself.
Speaker 1 00:06:50 Nice. And really give yourself that break, those boundaries, physical boundaries there, and, and a break. And you may have to, as things, move on, like schedule time when you can do that.
Speaker 2 00:07:04 I have to now with the schedule being the way it is now I have to pencil in self care, which is not something that I did.
Speaker 1 00:07:10 Yeah. Sometimes though, when things get crazy, I have to do that too. It’s like, okay, I haven’t meditated. When can I meditate? Well, how am I going to move my body this week? When can I slot these things in? Because it’s so, you know, it just gets crazy. And these are the things that we let go when other stuff comes up. Right. That’s awesome. So I know we’ve mentioned a little bit about your modeling and you are crushing it modeling. And so I know you’ve struggled because we’ve talked about this in the past and, you know, with body acceptance and really getting comfortable in your body and accepting of your body, and I’ve been noticing on social media, your hashtag own your roles, which I love. So, so tell me a little bit about
Speaker 2 00:07:53 This. It was funny story about how, when your roles came to be, so I had a photo shoot in December, um, with, um, Denise, I’m going to name her, didn’t do Taylor, a two, two for you. And it was a Christmas, um, shoot and ended up being a, a Christmas shoot, but also a couple of shoots. Right. I wore this white dress and the dress look nice, but she took a picture of like the back of my dress. And all I saw was my role. Right. And I’m like, oh,
Speaker 3 00:08:25 She’s like, no, it looks great. I’m like, no, I’m like, look at all these rules. And then, and then, and I was like, I just wish I can own my roles. It’s just like, that’s a tee shirt. And I’m like, you’re right. That’s a t-shirt photo shoot about that. And
Speaker 2 00:08:44 When I tell you that, that literally was like the beginning part, because it is hard to accept your body. And I talk, I would tug a war with it all the
Speaker 3 00:08:55 A hundred percent, all the time. There are days
Speaker 2 00:08:57 I’m like, okay, I’ve come a long way, had gastric bypass. And I’ve lost a lot of weight, but I have all this extra skin that I don’t love and I’m trying to love it, you know? And, um, you know, and then now that I’m modeling, right? The pressure is even like higher to look better or statically better. So to speak because, you know, I would say most of the real women models, they don’t have all this stuff. They, you know, they’re nice and bold and voluptuous. And I’m like, I wish I could be that, but that’s not my that’s not my body. So trying to own my roles has now been the new journey because I’m, teeter-totter with plastic surgery. And I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m still, you know, I’m still like, but, um, I’m really trying to own the roles because this is this isn’t, uh, you know, this body that I have now is a proof of the battle scars. Sure. And I don’t know if I’m gonna lose my battle scars if I get rid of it. Does that
Speaker 1 00:10:00 Mean that does make sense? It does. And it is an internal tug of war. I mean, folks know I’ve shared this before. I’m in recovery for disordered eating and exercise bulemia and atypical anorexia. And I still have those struggles. I had it just recently, my, one of my latest photo shoots. I’m not crushing it quite as much as Corina, but I
Speaker 3 00:10:22 Guess you’ll get an itch. It doesn’t stop. So,
Speaker 2 00:10:25 All right, well, there you go. Keep going to this I’m Tom.
Speaker 1 00:10:28 So, you know, when I first saw the pictures, I really struggled and was like, Ooh,
Speaker 3 00:10:34 Who’s that, that, and
Speaker 1 00:10:36 Those pictures that ain’t me. And I didn’t like it at all. And I was like, well, that was a giant waste of time. Glad that’s over and was ready to move on the next day. You know, I looked at the pictures again. I’m like, that’s me. Yeah. And I look beautiful in the picture and it doesn’t matter, you know, society tells us how we showed or should it look, or what’s healthy and what’s not healthy and enough like own it hashtag own your roles. I think that might be the episode title. <inaudible> Awesome. I love it. And you also have a background as a fitness instructor. I remember back when we would rock the front row in Zumba. Um, I got my Zoomba certification. I remember you asking me about, and next thing I know you’re signing up. You’re doing all the suit
Speaker 3 00:11:22 Was doing the certification. I still have them. Oh, that’s awesome.
Speaker 2 00:11:25 Yeah, no, I still have all six. And up until the, my injury for my neck, I was teaching Aquazone before health tracks and I was teaching every Thursday and sometimes I would, um, sit in and do a Zumba class for, you know, like, uh, what’d you call it like, uh, can’t even think right now, but when you know, they were the original teacher wasn’t there. I would be the salvia, that’s it. That’s what I was looking for. Like the sub I would be the sub and it was so much fun. I miss that. So much of my, this neck injury that I have has literally robbed me from some of my joy. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:11:59 I’m so sorry to hear that. So how do you, so now we have this injury been this love of movements or how are you managing to, to move your body?
Speaker 2 00:12:07 So, so I’ve been doing sorta kind of yoga stuff by myself, right. At the house, but it’s not fun because I’m a studio girl. I love being around people. I love the energy. I love to smile. Or, you know, when you look at the person next to you, like, oh, I’m so hard. And you know, it’s just, you know, it’s you and the other person having the same facial expression. Cause you know, it’s hard or in Zumba in this case, you’re laughing. Yeah. And I love that. I love that human connection, part of exercising for me. Um, and, and I know that, you know, people are doing the zoom and us. I, it’s just, not me. It’s just, it’s not in my heart.
Speaker 1 00:12:49 It’s not the same. I mean, I like it. I’m appreciative that we have it as an option and I’m definitely engaged in it because, well, we can’t necessarily go back to how we were pre COVID in terms of, you know, group classes and whatnot. But if you lose, you definitely lose an aspect of that. So you’re still able to, to Zoomba down in North Carolina and a little bit,
Speaker 2 00:13:11 So lately my back has been doing a little better and I’m going to think modeling for that. Right. So with modeling, because I call myself a tree trunk, right? I’m so stiff that I cannot move my hips. Um, as much as I used to when I was teaching Zumba, but with modeling, you kind of have to move your hips to, you know, stretch your stuff down the runway or whatever. But even the shoots, the same thing with the shoots, you know, you got to put your body in different angles and all that stuff so that, you know, the pictures look right. So that’s what made me at least do the yoga aspect of it. But, uh, as far as cardio, the walking it’s helped me. The most of my cardio comes from walking and then the stretching is from like the yoga moves that I do myself at home and it’s helped at least with the modeling for me, because since I’m not teaching, but the self with the monitor. So now, you know, my stride is a little better. I’m able to pose a little better for photo shoots and stuff, but I am not a hundred percent. And I, you know, and that’s the part that’s, I’m starting to lose patience. Mm.
Speaker 1 00:14:11 Yeah. That’s hard. Yeah. Tell me a little bit about how all this modeling got started because it seemed like, oh yeah, shoot after shoot and magazine. It’s just so cool.
Speaker 2 00:14:23 Um, the three, you know, the elevator talk about it. I’ll tell you this. It started with someone from my church. She, you know, she was a, like a stylist and she wanted to do a fashion show for the church. Right. And she was like, Hey, Krishna, do you want to do it?
Speaker 3 00:14:37 And I was like, yeah, sure, Nicole I’ll do it. She goes, oh, you know, you got style, you know?
Speaker 2 00:14:40 Cause you know, when you dress a church, whatever. Yeah. So she asked me to be part of the show and you know, I obliged had a great time right. Missing people. And then I kept, I think I did maybe I think it was maybe two or three more events with her after about three. And then sometimes I would do events and I wouldn’t be the makeup artist. Right. So I started getting into those little, you know, local fashion show circles and you know what? It was fun, you know? Cause you know, me, I like to meet people. I love makeup. I love fashion. I love beauty. Right. So yeah. So it, it wasn’t, it wasn’t uh, a bad joy to find so to speak. Uh, and I did it when I could, it didn’t ever impeded with my, with my job or you know, my part-time job, but I loved it.
Speaker 2 00:15:33 So then one day I was reached by an agency has entertainment and he’s like, Hey, you know, I want to see you. I saw you with the BDU awards at the BBU awards. I was actually an MUA. I was makeup artists backstage. And he had heard down the grapevine that I’ve had done a couple shows and he was like, oh, you’re pretty. Maybe, you know, you know, they give you, I’m going to say, they give you the salesy pitch about how pretty you are and you have some potential and blah, blah, blah type stuff. And you know, me, the positive person that I am, I’m like, what do I got to lose? Nothing. Nothing at all, nothing. So, and that’s a good thing to have an attitude of just, you know, what, if you’re not going to lose anything, why not say, why? Say no, say yes, cause you never know where it’s going to take you.
Speaker 2 00:16:17 Right. So I said, yes, I signed the contract and of course, uh, COVID happens. Right. Because that was literally in 2020 when I signed up and I did, um, I think there were two shows that I ended up doing in 2020. Uh, and then as the summer progressed, I did more photo shoots. Right. So I started, I would, I don’t want to say falling in love with it, but I started liking it a little more and it just, that COVID didn’t allow me to enjoy it more than I could. Right. So with this whole thing now, now that everything’s open up, I’ve been doing way more shoots, way more shows and then I’ve been published in, I, it sounds, I hate to say it because I don’t even want to come across narcissistic. I’ve been in 12, 12 magazines.
Speaker 1 00:17:06 Yeah. That’s so cool.
Speaker 3 00:17:08 It is cool. You know, I, it
Speaker 2 00:17:10 It’s, um, it’s weird to say that, you know, I don’t, I don’t say it a lot, but you know, it’s weird. Um, to know that I got published in 12 magazines. I mean, I think it was five in February, this past February alone. Um, but you know, I mean, it’s all part of the journey. I don’t say no. Let’s see where it goes. It’s still being told. Um, but there’s a lot of hard work now because now I’m in more demand now. So that’s where the scheduling is.
Speaker 1 00:17:40 I felt very lucky. I was able to squeeze you in,
Speaker 3 00:17:44 Listen, you know what I was
Speaker 2 00:17:45 Here for. And you know that I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.
Speaker 1 00:17:49 I’m just giving you a hard time. I love that though. I mean, you were open enough to receive a new opportunity and be willing to explore it. And sometimes we tend to, you know, wall ourselves off or our own defense mechanisms and our own protection. And not even let ourselves try, like you, like you said, what did you have to lose nothing. So they, you go now you went on this journey, you’re still on it and it’s unfolding and it’s exciting and it’s fun. And you want at the very least doula gorgeous and you have these unbelievable
Speaker 3 00:18:21 <inaudible> I love it as it is. I think
Speaker 2 00:18:26 That, you know, you know, let’s say for your listeners, just try something new, try something new. Don’t hesitate. Don’t let like, you know, oh, I’ve never done this before. Oh, I just, I won’t be perfect. Who cares? Let it go. Just let it go. You know, just try something new because you don’t know where it’s going to take you. It might be a new passion, a new hobby. You might meet new people. If you’re single, you might meet a significant
Speaker 3 00:18:54 Other there, you know, it is, it is just amazing
Speaker 2 00:18:58 How, you know, life happens when you walk outside of fear, you know, growth is when you grow. It is, is it’s. It’s when you’re uncomfortable is where you grow. So get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Okay. Because let me tell you I’ve been uncomfortable quite
Speaker 3 00:19:20 A few times. It may not show on these uncomfortable in some of them, but some of them, honestly, no, they’re not.
Speaker 2 00:19:28 I found I was, I had found really comfortable shoes, but honestly, being uncomfortable at the shoots have not been easy. I just,
Speaker 3 00:19:36 Eh, but you know what, who cares? You showed up.
Speaker 1 00:19:40 Yeah, you did. Yeah. I love it. So lastly, I want you to tell us a little bit about a rhythm lifestyle, because I want folks to know where they can find you and where they can listen to you. But also if you could just tell me a little bit about how you got started with your radio show. I love it.
Speaker 2 00:19:58 Okay. So another long short story, right? Years ago, I was at a bar listening to jazz with a friend self care. And for some reason, a rhythm lifestyle, I was looking at my cosmopolitan on the table and the word over rhythm lifestyle. Literally it was like a voice in my mind. And this was what, 2017. Yeah, it was 2017. I was at a jazz bar and the voice said over the, my style and I didn’t know what that was. Right. Don’t know what that was now with, you know, eventually, like I think COVID had, has a lot to do with it, but of course, a lot of people have had a lot of great things happen to them because of COVID. And you know, for me, it’s been a blessing, right? So here you are, right. You got people that are looking up to you for like fashion, not fashion, but like advice, you know?
Speaker 2 00:20:58 And I’m like, well, you know, I don’t mind sharing my story. I don’t mind sharing my journey with people because you know, we’re not alone. We’re not. And I think the more we share our stories, you know, and we stick together, the more we’re able to help one another. Right. Um, without shaming each other, because that’s another thing, you know, we, we’re so quick to shame one another and the more we stay together, I think the more, you know, the more encouraging we are with one another, I think that we, women would be in a far better place and we wouldn’t be beating ourselves up for it. Right. So the rhythm I saw the opportunity was someone had just put my name as like a reference. It’s almost kind of like those people that do those vacation club or like those times, and they won’t be
Speaker 3 00:21:44 Calling me and they won’t stop calling you. Right. So somebody gave my
Speaker 2 00:21:48 Name to the radio station, to the radio station. Right. And I’m like, who did this? But again, opportunity. Right. I’m like, so we had to drove all the way to Charlotte. And I was like, let’s see what they got to say.
Speaker 1 00:22:04 So the radio station reached out to you.
Speaker 2 00:22:06 Yes. Because somebody had given him my, you know, had given him my name and my number. So, you know, I mean, I thought it was insane at first, but again, as long as you, all I had to do was go there, hear him out and come back. There was no, yes, no, no, no nothing. I’m just saying that again. You’re you were faced with an opportunity and don’t let fear stop you from it. So I went, heard him out some really good. And for some reason, again, the spiritual voice, whatever people want to call it, it said a rhythm lifestyle was guiding you was God. Yeah. And it came, it came in literally that, you know, that way. And of course I had to have a conversation with God, talk to him. I said, okay, wait God, wait a minute. I might, what radio show, wait, wait, wait, wait, I gotta do this. Wait a minute. I was like, what am I going to say? What do I start? And I literally asked God. I said, okay, if this is an opportunity for me, you need to guide me, which is why I pray every time, because it knows most of the time, the words are not from mine. They’re from him. If that makes sense.
Speaker 1 00:23:19 Oh, you’re channeling, you’re channeling that voice to help guide
Speaker 2 00:23:22 You. Yeah. To, to have, you know, guide me with the show or I have, you know, now I have listeners that will, you know, ask for suggestions and you know, and sometimes I’m like, whoa, wait, I don’t know. You know, I’ve never experienced this, you know, this particular journey. And I will say, well, I will talk to God and I will ask for discernment and whatever. Um, I, I, I publish, you know, it’ll be, it’ll be from him, you know, then you know, something like that. But the radio show was a surprise. It was not planned. And again, another, it was like literally another gamble at life.
Speaker 1 00:23:55 I love it. What did you have to lose? Absolutely. Nothing but no, that’s so beautiful, really in a great reminder for our listeners and for me, because sometimes we forget and we, you know, we, the journey sometimes is we want it. We want it done. We like, we want to, we want to achieve everything. And like, but that, that process and that really finding where you fit and saying yes to some opportunities and maybe saying no to others, but you know, figuring out what’s going to be best for you. But then taking that first step. One of my favorite quotes take the first step in faith. Yup. The staircase will unfold or something like that. I might be butchering that a little bit, but then that’s what we have to do. Just start, you don’t have to know the end journey.
Speaker 3 00:24:40 I don’t know people go, oh,
Speaker 2 00:24:41 I don’t know. I live in Tampa. I don’t know. Even with the modeling, I don’t know. All I know is that I’m operating in a place of joy. So if it brings me joy, I’m gonna do it right.
Speaker 1 00:24:53 The moment it stops, I’m done.
Speaker 3 00:24:56 I’m done with it. Yeah. Yeah. But
Speaker 1 00:24:58 For now it sounds like these are wonderful, wonderful opportunities. And I’m so happy that you’re getting to experience all of this. And so I’ll definitely make sure that folks know where to find you so they can listen to over the lifestyle. Okay.
Speaker 2 00:25:10 So read them lifestyle airs every Saturday morning at 6:00 AM on WDRB media. Uh, but you can also reach out to me via the social media handles. It is Korean about tree. K a R I N a B E L T R E. Both on Facebook and Instagram. And no, I don’t do Twitter.
Speaker 1 00:25:29 Um, meaning either I might have to at some point, but not yet. I, you know, people like you should do take talk. Oh, we should be dancing.
Speaker 2 00:25:37 Um, I, I don’t know. I haven’t gone to take to I’m trying. Um, but you can also reach out to me, uh, on the Gmail. <inaudible> gmail.com.
Speaker 1 00:25:46 Excellent. Well, thank you so much for joining us here today and so exciting and so nice to see you. Nice to see you too. I love you. Love you too.
Speaker 0 00:26:01 Wow. That was so much fun. Our conversation really emphasizes the idea that we need to be open and ready to receive new opportunities. You never know where they may lead both Corina’s modeling and her radio show happened because she was brave enough to say yes, as Bernay brown says, you either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness. Corina certainly owns it. And I love watching the journey unfold. What have you got to lose? Say yes to life. Be willing to try something new, get uncomfortable and show up for yourself. I also appreciate how she recognizes that what she needs for care depends on her mood. And she has a lot of practices that she pulls from. It is so important for us to have a bank of self-care practices that we access, but like any bank account, you have to put into it as well.
Speaker 0 00:26:55 You cannot just withdraw from it or eventually they will be empty. So try new self-care practices and methods as your deposits. And then you have more to pull from when the time arises to meet your needs. Some days you may just need to stay in bed all day. Others may find solace in a workout and some maybe need to just do some deep breathing. The key is knowing what you need and when, and I love that her skincare routine has become a meditation for her. That’s so wonderful. And I want to shout out to Corina’s hubby too. It is wonderful that she has such a relationship with her husband, where he is super supportive, but can also tell her when she needs to take a break. I always say that open communication is key to a successful relationship. The ongoing tug of war with our bodies is so real.
Speaker 0 00:27:47 So many of us struggle with this. I want to encourage my listeners to think about all the wonderful and beautiful things your body does every day for you. Next time you catch yourself being negative about your body. Try to express some appreciation. Instead if you’re the journaling type, try writing a letter of appreciation for your body, oh, and hashtag own your roles. Thanks for listening to this episode. Remember to subscribe and rate this podcast on your preferred player, the ratings help us grow and share the message of self-care. If you have comments, suggestions, or questions, please reach out directly by emailing podcast at Dr. MC self care.com that’s D R M C self care.com and come join the cast party at Dr. MCs self care cabaret on Facebook and Instagram at Dr. MC self care or on my website, Dr. MC self care.com. Be sure to like subscribe and love me across all my social media platforms for the most up-to-date information on care. See you next time. Stay well and do good.
