For Dr. Kella Price, physical fitness and proper mental health go hand-in-hand.
The Aledo woman recently competed in the Dr. World North America Pageant where she received two awards and had the opportunity to practice what she preaches along the way.
Price, 45, who holds an MS in Exercise Science and Wellness, an MBA in HR Management, and a doctorate in Business and HR Management, said the virtual pageant is not exactly what most people would imagine, but does include a lot of the same categories.
"It's an international pageant where the motto is ‘smart is beautiful,’” Price said. "So all of the contestants are women who hold terminal, or doctorate degrees. It looks at areas like community service, mentorship, community engagement, and academic achievement. There's also an interview component—so some of the typical things you would find in a pageant are not a part of this pageant. “For instance, there is not a fitness or swimwear event, but then there is an evening wear component, and most of it is based on those areas I mentioned."
Price finished third runner-up in the competition and said her feelings about her performance were somewhat mixed.
"It's not what I was hoping for,” Price said. “But I did place in the top four in the pageant.”
The Aledo woman did receive the Dr. World Community Engagement Award and the Mentor of the Year Award at the competition.
A total of three events were held over the weekend of the pageant, including Dr. World, Dr. America, and Dr. United States of America, and the Mentorship award was actually for all the contestants in all three pageants.
Price said she originally entered the competition to demonstrate that she believes in her methods.
"I am a fitness, nutrition, and life coach, and I actually coach a lot of women who are preparing for pageants," Price said. "I thought this would be a good opportunity to share in that experience and show them that I model the same behaviors and set an example for my clients.
“But I think it's also a great venue to encourage people to get involved in their communities, serve as leaders in their organizations, and give back with community service and mentorship. It's really a great platform for all of those."
Price has participated in a host of other competitions, including the Marine Corps Marathon, the Ragnar Relays, the Yuma Territorial Half Marathon, a 36-mile bike race, and a Rim-to-Rim 25-mile Grand Canyon Extreme Hike for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation,
Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Price's husband served in the Marine Corps for 20 years and got a job with Lockheed Martin upon retirement.
The Price family has lived in Arizona and moved to Aledo in 2019.
A strong advocate for mental health awareness, Price said that good mental health is a critical part of what she tries to teach her clients.
"It ties in very closely with my job as a mindset coach," Price said. "A lot of times having a positive mindset impacts your health and wellness goals and level of success. Through mental health advocacy, I can help my clients work through mental health issues to have a positive and happy life. So I educate people in the community and around the world. I'm a mental health first-ai instructor, and I teach classes for that. I am also a yoga therapist and work with a lot of people with PTSD."
Price recently returned from a trip to Asia in October where she was working with Rotary International and a couple of local clubs in India to launch a mental health initiative there.
"I was able to speak to several schools while I was there about mental health education," Price said. "So that was very exciting."
Price is a 14-time published author, with most of her research focusing on self-help for women and mental health topics.
She is currently working on two Christian-based books that tie in health and wellness with faith.
"The first one is specifically focused on women and bringing hope into your life with a positive self image," Price said. "There is a lot of comparison in today's' society, and a lot of women are left feeling like they are not enough. They are both devotional books. There will also be multimedia components, so I will have links in the books to access workouts or meditations or other supporting documents to help improve a woman's self-esteem and improve her outlook on life and positivity through these exercises.”
Price has faced her own health issues, having been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis, and said she tries to relay a message of hope for people suffering from chronic conditions through her books.
The trainer and life coach said fitness, nutrition, and good mental health are passions for her because of how much they can improve a person's outlook on life.
"I realized through my own journey as a mom and a wife and as someone who owns several businesses, that it's a hard balance," Price said. "And if you're not taking care of yourself, you won't be the best in your career or the best mom, and may not have the energy or patience to balance all of the things you are trying to balance as a woman in today's society.
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