Tory Rivera is the owner of @bodyverafitness. She grew her social media following from posting pilates videos on YouTube and TikTok. She helps people to improve their core strength, posture, and confidence. On top of making social media content and being a pilates instructor, she also balances being a wife and mom!
Tory starts her mornings at 6 a.m. by listing things she is grateful for, drinking a protein smoothie, and then heading off to work. Once she gets home from instructing pilates, she works toward her goal of doing YouTube full time. After recently hitting 3,000 subscribers, a goal she never imagined she could achieve, she knew she had potential.
What does your everyday hair, makeup, and outfit look like?
"I have my hair either straightened, middle part low bun like the Kardashians in 2018/2019, or topknot. My brows and lashes are already done, although I might add a little bit of color to my brow tails because I shaved them off during quarantine, trying to look like a Korean idol. I then add tinted moisturizer, SPF, and light contour! But nowadays, I only do the upper half of my face. For work, I am in yoga pants, crop tops, and sneakers all day long. Sometimes I have a sweater wrapped around my waist, but that’s it! I do miss getting dressed up for the office though."
Tory grew up in a modest, Filipino Catholic household, dancing ballet and playing the flute. She did well in school and had dreams of becoming a dermatologist or orthodontist. This high-achieving mindset led her to pursue a major in biology in college with intentions of going to medical school, however, she struggled her way to graduation.
"After graduation, I became a certified Pilates instructor, and decided to use social media as marketing for my own business, just for fun. In October of 2019, I started a TikTok because Gary Vee told me to, and grew rapidly to almost 60k followers. I started getting emails from brands asking if I’d like to collaborate, and that’s when I knew that this is totally a possibility. I always wanted to create content and work for myself, and I know I’m on the way to it soon. I’m manifesting it!"
Now Tory focuses every day on manifesting and achieving her goals and dreams. Her biggest motivation is freedom for her family.
"I think for an average person in our parents’ generation, life is about working a job, paying bills, and occasionally doing fun things. How dry?! Once our basic needs are met without stress - housing, health, and food, we have the opportunity to live our passions, and add to the world in the way that the universe wanted"
Q + A
What are some things you do to get out of a bad mindset or to change a bad day around?
"Breath work, journaling my feelings, and meditation. Helps every time!"
What was the biggest struggle you faced getting to where you are now?
"Confidence. And independence."
Did you have moments of self-doubt regarding your life path? How did you overcome it?
"Yes! I still do! One of my fears is not being on the path that my soul was meant to take. I’ve been really into the podcast by Kathrin Zenkina, called “Manifestation Babe”. She’s the one who really solidified for me the importance of following your intuition. That’s why I’m doing my best to journal, do lots of breath work, and tune into what my body is telling me about my life choices. I’m still even trying to figure out if Pilates is supposed to be my topic of expertise. I do know, however, that I’m meant to work for myself and on social media. I get so much joy from it. But in the past, I would overcome my self doubt by trial and error. This thing didn’t work out? That’s okay, onto the next one!"
What are your goals for the next 5 years?
"1.3 million subscribers on YouTube, an Etsy business that my friend and I are starting, complete knowing in what my topic of expertise is, student loans paid off, my parents in a new house, my family based in a relatively cheap area (maybe Illinois because that’s where my husband is from), freedom to travel whenever we want, learning Chinese or Korean, and being able to easily read my intuition."
Advice to your younger self or someone who wants to do what you do?
"I could go on and on about this, and I can’t wait until my son gets older (and the daughter that I’m hoping to have also gets older), so I can guide them through life the way I would have wanted to be guided.
1. People are going to tell you who you are and what to do, but that is a recipe for an unfulfilling life.
2. Whenever you have a question about life, your intuition will tell you the answer. You don’t have to ask 300 people about it before making the decision you were already planning on making.
3. Value yourself!! Even if the person you have a crush on doesn’t notice you or like you back, it won’t matter.
4. Learn to articulate your thoughts. What you have to say is important.
5. If something is making you mad or anxious, it’s probably just your ego. See the bigger picture and give yourself perspective."
