#GetInTheWater Interview with Chelsie

We had the honor of chatting with Chelsie of @heytherechelsie for this month’s Get In The Water interview! Chelsie is a pediatric cancer survivor and now runs a blog all about how to live a vibrant life and overcome your scars. Read on to see what she’s been watching on Netflix lately, what she listens to when she needs to get pumped up, and more!

Lime Ricki: What was the last movie you saw?

Chelsie: We just watched Coco for the first time on Netflix because it seemed like a “Chelsie-friendly” Halloween movie (I don’t do scary.) I cried like a baby because it had such a beautiful message. #sorrynotsorry

LR: What was your first job? Do you have any funny stories about it? 

C: My first job was at a car wash, running the drive-through car wash. I’m convinced it had a gremlin in there because it would randomly start running a cycle, even if there wasn’t a car going through it. I didn’t last long there because it creeped me out.

LR: Who is your celebrity soul sister and why? 

C: Zooey Deschanel – she’s so quirky and so unique. I love how relatable, talented, and funny she is.

LR: What is your go-to road trip snack? 

C: I have taken MANY road trips (Boston to Idaho and back, along with Utah to California and back, multiple times) and I ALWAYS have to have a box of Chocolate Chex cereal. And yes, I eat it right out of the box, dry. So good for munching.

LR: What three songs do you listen to when you need a boost?

C: Downtown by Macklemore, Good as Hell by Lizzo, and My Blood by Twenty-One Pilots

LR: Who is your female role model and why? 

C: I really look up to Victoria Arlen! She is from my hometown and I actually helped my dad coach her soccer team (she was on my sister’s team.) We were all so worried when she got sick and it’s been so inspirational to watch her come out of her vegetative state, compete in the Paralympics, learn how to walk again, and compete on Dancing with the Stars! I love her message and her positivity and her sheer will to never give up!

LR: When do you feel your most confident and why? 

C: I feel most confident when I’m rocking a killer smokey eye and heels. There’s something super empowering for me when I put my makeup on. I don’t need it to feel beautiful, but I love to take the time to be creative and express how I feel on the inside on the outside with makeup. Stomping around in heels is the icing on my confidence cake!

LR: What does #getinthewater mean to you?

C: #getinthewater means to me that I’m more focused on living in the moment and making memories, then worrying about how I look in a swimsuit or what others might think of me when they see me in a swimsuit. The only thing I should care about is living a vibrant life, and life is too short to worry about anything else.

LR: What advice do you have about feeling comfortable & confident in a swimsuit? 

C: Find a suit that you can move in! I used to want to wear “trendy” suits that made movement (like swimming or diving) really nerve-wracking. I’d much rather wear a suit that I can do all the water activities in without worrying about having a wardrobe malfunction.

LR: How do you share body positivity and/or self love with those around you?

C: My biggest platform is my blog, Hey There, Chelsie, where I share my journey in pursuing a vibrant life, despite my scars, through beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. I had a slew of health issues when I was younger that left my body disfigured and I used to be really ashamed and uncomfortable in it. My blog is where I document my journey to learning to love my body again, through fashion and makeup!

LR: Have you struggled with loving your body? Tell us about it. 

C: When I was 16, I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in my left leg. It required a year of chemotherapy and several surgeries to remove and reconstruct my leg, which left my body scared and hard to move in. I spent a long time feeling trapped in a body that had betrayed me and frustrated that I didn’t look or move the same way I used to. It’s been a long journey of learning to love my body for surviving instead of hating it for getting cancer, but I’m at a point where I am proud of my scars and I’m learning every day to love my body for the hard things it’s overcome.

Don’t forget to see more of Chelsie on her Instagram and her new podcast! And of course, if you’re craving more of these interviews, check out our last two with Kelli France and Andrea Correa!