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Wisdom for Wannabes host Jackie Morreale explores the deep connection between body health, self-image, and personal well-being through personal stories and reflections. She emphasizes gratitude, self-acceptance, and the importance of viewing our bodies as vessels of strength and resilience. Topics: • Body image and self-perception • The importance of health and wellness • Reframing personal flaws as strengths Quotes: • "Nothing else matters when your body's in pain." • "No matter how thin, I always thought I was too big." • "Disease begins with dis-ease, out of alignment." Chapters: 00:00 The Journey of Body Image and Health 03:08 The Importance of Movement and Gratitude  Transcript: What if the thing you hate most about your body... actually proof that it's working? My name is Jackie Morreale and I'm the host of Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that seeks to wise words in business, beauty and betterment. Today, the focus is on betterment, personal wellness through the lens of physical fitness and body image. This morning, I finished a 5k, probably my slowest time on record. 33 minutes. Somehow that made me smile because 33 always felt lucky to me. I've been seeing it everywhere: 3:33 on the clock, 33 on receipts, little winks from the universe. I figured this was my cue to speak. Earlier this month, someone I love very much drove himself to the hospital in excruciating pain. That night, he woke up at 3:30am. I woke up not long after. There's almost nothing more helpless than watching someone you love suffer inside of their own body and not being able to fix it. It turned out to be... a kidney stone. A tiny black speck of a thing, something that his own body created, probably from too many sugary drinks, too much salt, not enough water, the usual suspects. After fluids, medication and fear and uncertainty, it finally passed. The kidney stone. It was the reminder that when your body is healthy, your mind gets to wander. You can think about dreams and goals and deadlines and magazine covers, but when your body is in pain, nothing else matters. Health is the only thing. It's bizarre timing because right now I put myself out there as a candidate for the cover of a fitness magazine. I've even made the top 10 by some miracle. And thank you to everyone out there who's voted. Still, let's be honest, body image has always been personal for me. We tend to study what wounds us. I look back at my career in fashion design and I can trace my body confidence through the hemlines. When I felt lean and model-like, I designed things that were tight, sheer, bold, unapologetic. When I didn't feel enough, my designs were longer, darker, more covered. I went back to school in my late 20s and studied body image as part of a fiber science and apparel design program. My instinct was to research bathing suits because what makes you more aware of your own body than that? But my professors wisely redirected me to jeans, because everyone wears jeans. The truth is no matter how thin or fit I've ever been, I have always thought I was too big. There's something broken in that. Not in my body, but in the way of seeing it. I could run marathons and still only see the jiggle. I could be at my smallest and still compare myself to five years younger. I could achieve the goal and still move the finish line. That's not health, that's distortion. So lately, I've been trying to reframe what I see. If I notice a softness under my chin, I remind myself this mouth has given me a voice. It is sung. It has spoken ideas into existence. It has smiled at my children. (Hi guys!) If I see a stomach that isn't flat, I remember that stomach stretched not once, but twice, to give life. If I look at my hips and thighs that I once criticized, I remember these legs have crossed marathon finish lines. They carried me through 26.2 miles more than once. It had me thinking: What if everything that we call a flaw... is actually a metal? We rarely appreciate our bodies until they scare us, until a kidney stone, until the diagnosis, until something stops working. I've heard it said that disease begins with dis-ease, something out of alignment, in our habits, our emotions, our spirit. When I run consistently, I feel better, not just physically, mentally. The noise quiets, my focus sharpens, and I have more energy, not less. Movement doesn't deplete me, it multiplies. We put a lot into our bodies, fast food, sugar, caffeine, stress, expectations. And somehow, our bodies keep showing up for us, breathing, digesting, healing, carrying. Would I give this loved one a kidney? Without hesitation. But the fact that I even could, that I have a healthy body capable of offering something like an organ, that's not something I take lightly. I'm grateful for this body. Not just for having visible abs on a magazine cover, and if that happens, wonderful. I hope that it makes another woman feel more at home in her own skin. We need more real bodies out there, more mothers, more women who have lived. But the goal isn't the cover. The goal is longevity, peace, a healthy, vibrant old woman someday. Modeling for my children that caring for your body isn't vanity, it's future-proofing. So 14-year-old, 27-year-old, 39-year-old Jackie, stop chasing a smaller version of yourself. You are not behind. You're not wrong. You are here. And this body, this resilient, imperfect machine, is doing its job. So thank you, body. Thank you for running, even slowly. Thank you for healing. Thank you for carrying babies and dreams and groceries and grief. Thank you for forgiving me when I've criticized you. We only have the best version of ourselves at this moment. Not compared to 10 years ago, not compared to her or him. Just here and now. Health is the foundation, gratitude is the shift. Everything else - the aesthetics, the numbers, the pace - is just a detail. Final Reminder: You are a beautiful person, exactly as you are, right now, inside and out. Have a beautiful day.  Thank you to HERS Magazine, for the opportunity to compete for Ms. Health & Fitness 2026!
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Summary: In this episode of Wisdom for Wannabes, Jackie Morreale discusses the challenges of fitting in, especially during the back-to-school transition. She reflects on her own experiences with self-doubt and the importance of growth through discomfort. Jackie offers valuable advice for middle schoolers, emphasizing the significance of belonging, being present, and embracing one's individuality. She encourages listeners to find their community, not sweat the small stuff, and enjoy the journey of personal development. These six areas of advice apply to not only starting middle school or a graduate degree program, but also to anyone starting a new role, business venture, or chapter in their life. This message has been lovingly made, and (thankfully) approved by my daughter. Go girl! Takeaways: • The transition back to school can be challenging for both parents and children. • Self-doubt about fitting in is a common experience at any age. • Growth often comes from discomfort and challenges. • Creativity can be a powerful outlet for frustration and anxiety. • You belong in the spaces you occupy; trust your journey. • Being present is crucial for personal development. • Embrace your uniqueness and let it shine. • Building a supportive community starts with being a good friend. • Don't let small setbacks overshadow your progress. • Enjoy the journey of growth and learning. Quotes: • "You belong here." • "Keep going." • "You got this." Chapters: 00:00 Navigating the Journey of Fit 04:14 Words of Wisdom for Middle Schoolers, especially my daughter! 08:35 Embracing the Journey Ahead  Transcript: Hi there, it's Jackie Morreale, the host of Wisdom for Wannabes. I am here today with some thoughts to continue in the area of fit. This time, let's talk more about fit in terms of fitting in. With back to school looming on most of us, here in Florida, we had back to school this week. We're on day three. To all the parents out there who have survived changing schools: Congratulations. This week some new stuff happened. I started middle school for the first time, for the second time in my life. I also started a graduate program for the second time in my life. It seemed to me that either being 40 years old or 30 years old or 20 or 10, where you're going into middle school for your first day and everything is brand new, social structure is brand new. It's totally different than the sheltered beautiful experience that hopefully you had in your elementary years. The question is always this: Am I going to fit in? Why is it that we place this self doubt on ourselves about our fit as an integral piece of whatever community we're in? So whether that means:
Why is this, that no matter what program in school it is. If we're starting a new program, we have all this programmed self-doubt into ourself about our fit. Is it the right fit for us? Will we fit in? Am I good enough? Am I smart enough? Am I dedicated enough? Am I interested enough? Do I even care? So let's talk about that for a second. Do I care? As parents, we care a whole lot. It really stinks when you see your child going through some of the stuff that you hoped were just part of your own experience of adolescence, that you're hoping will just be irrelevant. So why? Why God have you put this middle school experience into all of our lives? Why do we have to go through these years where we're constantly questioning ourselves and our fit and if we're wearing the "right" thing, if we're saying the "right" thing, if we're listening to the "right" music, if we're watching the "right" programs, if we have the "right" technology.... Why... can't we just skip it? Wouldn't that be nice, moms and dads out there? I have given this some thought. I think the reason is: Change is hard, but we're here on earth to learn. Our evolution is necessary. On the other side of discomfort, there's growth. If you are a creative person, try to take any sort of frustration that you might feel with going back to school or discomfort in a new role or a new situation, a new office. Try to take that extra energy that you're wasting on feeling frustrated, lost, anxious, and put it into your art, and create something really beautiful. Maybe you'll look back on it later in your journey and say, Wow, wasn't that an interesting time that I was able to take those emotions and really make something beautiful from it. There will be challenges, especially if you're a motivated person. If you're an ambitious person, expect challenges. How else are we to grow? Are we to go from cute little babies in elementary school to functioning adults? There has to be something in between. There has to be this weird, ugly growth period, this place with padded walls, and all these blessed individuals who have chosen to go work with all these pre-teen and teenage people that are experiencing things in their lives. Despite all these insecurities and trauma that comes out of this adolescent period in our life... How I can fit in my own way, and be myself authentically? At the end of the day, I would like to offer a few words of advice for my child who just started middle school that she can watch any time that she wants to and who knows, maybe think a little bit differently about her own experience. Words of advice that I wish that I could go back in time 30 years ago and tell myself on my first week of school. Number one. I just got this in my own graduate degree program orientation and it was a really great reminder. You belong here. You've already paved the way. You've worked so hard. You are an integral piece of this community that you just joined. You belong here. No self-doubt about it. You are in the right place, for the right reason. This is your path that has led you here. Everything that you have done up until this point has led you here. Just continue on your path. Stay positive. So lots of cliches coming our way. So first one, you belong here where you are. Number two. Be present. The past is over. Close it out. Close chapter. Learn from it. The future is a gift. Don't worry about it. It'll come. Be present. Today is the perfect opportunity to be the best version of you. Don't let anything behind you tie you down or anything in front of you slow you up. Be present today. Stay focused. Limit your distractions. Know what you want. Our life is about knowing what we want and paving the way there. In Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat asked where she wanted to go, because any other path will take you there if you don't know where you're going. But if you do know where you're going, you'll get there. It's about manifesting. So be present. Keep moving forward. Every day is a new opportunity to be you. Number three. Let's talk about you. You're amazing. Be yourself. Let yourself shine. Just like the Rihanna song, Shine bright like a diamond. Everybody else is taken. We're so worried about fitting into what our little small box is, that we can fit into. No small boxes. Be you. Be big, shine bright. Don't let anybody dull your sparkle, as one of my special colleagues has told me before. Don't let anybody tell you who you are. You are the only one who can define who you are at that moment in your life. Let's talk about community. Number four. Find your community. It all starts with One, really. You're never alone. If you want to find good friends, be a good friend. I wish somebody had told me that too. It's as simple as that. Put it out there, be a good friend, and you'll find your good friends back. Let's talk about the Mean Girls. Unfortunately, that is a reality. I thank Tina Fey for putting out there her Mean Girls movie that's gone to Broadway. It's such a quintessential adolescent drama that we can all watch and relate to. I love that she took that experience and made it creative, from a hardship that we can all identify with. Mean Girls. Are they your friends? Do you know their names? Do you know anything about them? If they're not your friend and you don't know anything about them, why would you care what they think? What does it matter? If we're not friends, whatever your thoughts are, are great for you only. Number five, speaking of small stuff. Don't dwell on the small stuff. You're on such a big journey, a big path. Don't let anything keep you down. It does not matter. If nine good things happen to us in one day. Why does the 10th thing anchor us and distract us from being productive or happy? Why can't we cut the cord with that one thing and just focus on the amazing other things that are happening on our path of growth? So don't sweat the small stuff. Don't dwell on it. It doesn't matter. We're talking big picture here. Three years of middle school, it's quick. It's this chapter that's amazing and you're learning so much. You're growing up, you're going from baby to now teenager. And it's scary for all of us, including you. Don't dwell on the small stuff. Dwell on the great stuff! In fact, if you have a mirror in the morning, tell yourself how great you are. You are so beautiful. This last one is probably the hardest because it's fleeting and we don't realize until afterwards. Number six, enjoy the journey. You're going to learn so much and do so great. This is a stepping stone towards the next stepping stone, towards the next stepping stone. So you belong here. In summary: Summary: Wisdom for Wannabes host Jackie Morreale reflects on the concept of fit, both in clothing and in life. She shares a personal story about an old suit that no longer fits her, prompting a deeper discussion about how our clothing choices reflect our personal growth and aspirations. Jackie emphasizes the importance of understanding apparel fit standards and how they relate to our self-image. She also explores the evolution of personal style and the need to reassess our roles and goals in life, encouraging listeners to consider what truly fits them as they strive for growth and fulfillment. Chapters 00:00 The Suit That No Longer Fits 02:04 Understanding Apparel Fit 04:18 The Evolution of Personal Style 06:19 Fit Beyond Clothing: Career Aspirations Dedicated to Susan P. Ashdown, PhD, fashion industry fit expert and Emerita Professor at Cornell University's Department of Human Centered Design.
Hello, my name is Jackie Morreale and I'm the host of Wisdom for Wannabes, a new podcast series that seeks to find wise words on business, beauty and betterment. I'm here today joined by an old friend: My pinstriped suit. Let me tell you a little bit about this suit. This suit was something I bought 15, 16 years ago. It's from Brooks Brothers. I spent what I thought was a lot of money on it back then. I had it tailored to fit my body after I bought it. The suit helped me get two corporate jobs. I wore this suit once a week for a corporate job for three years. We go way back. 15 years later, though, this suit does not fit. It does not fit my body. It does not fit my style. It doesn't fit where I'm trying to go as a creative person. It's unfortunately just taking up space in my closet. The reason I'm having this conversation showcasing my old suit today, is because I had a wonderful conversation with my mentor and professor from undergraduate and graduate degree programs, who is an expert in the field of apparel fit. We had this wonderful interview that is now posted on this channel. She posed the questions: What fits us? How much of our closet actually fits us? How much of our closet is just taking up space? It's an idea that I haven't thought about for a while. It made me go back in time 15 years when we worked on this together. A study based on how the fit of denim jeans on college-age women would improve their body image, called Relationships Between Perceived Fit of Denim Jeans and Body Satisfaction. In it, with statistics we proved, that the better the perceived fit of the jeans, the better the wearer would feel about their body. How amazing is that? To be able to use something like fit of clothing in order to feel better about our self and our body as a person. The issue here is, "Fit" is a major problem. Most clothes don't fit most bodies. Ready to wear is a broken system. Pretty much anything that you can buy off the shelf is not going to fit you unless you go through that extra step of investing in it and making sure that it's then custom tailored to your body. Bodies are always changing. Between the shape, the size, our posture, there are so many different facets that change the way a garment can fit you from one day to another. Years later, here I am holding onto this suit that's two sizes too small in the back of my closet because we have this beautiful history together. It doesn't fit me, it doesn't fit my body, it doesn't fit my style, it doesn't fit my career. It's ready to be passed on to the next person.  Traditional Suit FitLet's talk a little bit more about fit in terms of the technical standards of apparel. Since this is a suit, it's pretty standard in terms of how we measure the fit. When we're talking about a jacket like this:
Nothing should be too tight. Nothing should be too loose. Wrinkles always show where something is too tight or too loose. If there's a big wrinkle on your button, it is likely too tight. That's the very traditional version of what a women's or men's suit jacket should look like when it fits. No wrinkles, smooth lines, fitting the curves of your shoulder, fitting to the wrist bone, a little bit of protrusion around your neck as well as your wrist to show the shirt underneath. It's a very traditional, centuries old way of measuring fit. Again, nothing off the rack is going to look like that on you unless you are the fit model that the design was built around. If you have that fit model body, you are in luck. Find your store and buy it in every color. Either way, make sure you customize the fit of special pieces as things change with your own body to make it an investment piece.  On StyleLet's talk about the style. I'm no longer a pinstripe suit wearing kind of gal. I've been there, done that, and looking for more creative ways of expressing myself through clothes. I love to take it down to three basic questions, to determine if it is fitting me:
 Storytime! Learnings from Eric Carle, on Fit and Growth I also do a lot of reading, and I was reminded of one of my favorite authors / illustrators of all time, Eric Carle, and this wonderful book that he wrote for children. Eric Carle not only is a talented writer, illustrator, who changed the industry of children's books, but he was also a 40-year-old when he first published his book that everybody knows, 50 million copies have sold worldwide, his bestselling book, The Hungry Caterpillar. Many books later, we have this wonderful book, A House for Hermit Crab. As we go through the pages of this book, we find that it's about a hermit crab, who keeps outgrowing his own shell. As he's physically outgrowing his own shell, he needs to then find new shells to wear, right? But maybe it's not your style, so you're going to customize and make it your own. Then by the time you have this beautiful shell, your body has again changed or your career goals have changed and you need a new sense of style and by the time you've built up this beautiful fit and home and second skin and even built a little rock wall around it... you realize that you are not growing while you're wearing this non-fitting shell. Or jacket, in my case. Maybe you find a friend who still has some room to grow and it's time for this to stop taking up real estate in my closet and it's time for me to move on. It's time for the next person who has those goals to take over and do what they want with it.  Fit for Growth in Your LifeIf we think about clothing or we think about a home, it's our second skin. It's our immediate environment. We have to be comfortable in our skin in order to grow. Let's take it even further than that and say:
Something to think about. Is what you're watching or what you're scrolling fitting you, fitting your goals, fitting where you're going to be in the next 15 years? If it isn't, maybe it's time to donate it to the next person in line, and grow and figure out what your new fit is. Thank you, Eric Carle. May you rest in peace. Thank you for creating all these beautiful books and making me think bigger about growth and fit. And to Professor Ashdown, for always being there, with all your guidance in fit technology, and everything else that you've done. Have a wonderful day! Continue Learning About Fit and Growth:
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Jackie MorrealeJackie writes from her own experiences and reflections on her journey in seeking wisdom, creativity, spirituality, and life in general. This is "putting thyself out there" at its finest. 
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