S2: EP-72 Loving Your Body Through Cancer with Natalie Wilson

Join Mary and her special guest Natalie Wilson. Natalie Wilson, is the creator of High Heal Diaries. Mother of three, wife, business-woman, and a three-time breast cancer survivor. Natalie has had an extensive and ever-changing career as an interior decorator/home stager, makeup artist, licensed paralegal, model, certified coach practitioner, and author. After losing her younger sister to gun violence in 2003, a baby at 4 months gestation, being diagnosed with focal invasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 2008, and undergoing a bilateral mastectomy – she wasn’t sure if she could withstand any more pain. After two more recurrences of breast cancer in 2016, she realized that her pain and struggle must not have been in vain. Natalie miraculously made her way through the stages of emotional healing, and instinctively knew she must be a voice for others fighting this horrible disease, as well as those dealing with other emotional turmoil and struggle. 

 In 2016, Natalie created High Heal Diaries as a platform to support others on their journey of personal growth, self-love, healing, and acceptance. She has turned it into a multifaceted business/platform for individuals or businesses whose end result is to be empowered, grow, and improve themselves in order to reach their fullest potential. Currently, she has added inspirational/motivational speaker, event and talk show host, philanthropist, and blogger to the list of her callings.

One of Natalie’s key accountabilities is to raise awareness and money to support breast cancer survivors in their struggle. Proceeds raised by High Heal Diaries supports women suffering from the financial effects of their breast cancer diagnosis – providing financial assistance with groceries, utilities, children’s expenses, medical expenses, transportation costs to treatment, care packages, or a well needed day at the spa. As a 3x breast cancer survivor who has endured 22 surgeries, Natalie understands the physical and emotional battle a woman goes through with losing her breasts, therefore focusing a lot of her work on empowering women to fall back in love with their bodies. She’s been featured in numerous magazines, news talk shows, interviews, etc, with the concept of self-love and empowerment being the focus.

What happens when one of the major contributors to your femininity are altered because of disease? Can you still love your body? 

The answer is yes! And the key is to envision what’s to come. Envisioning being okay with what’s to come. Being content. Envisioning a healthy life. And getting past the shell.

We need to embrace our inner self and our essence, and put the importance of our physical bodies into perspective. 

 Your essence speaks more about who you are than your body does.

Part of your essence is how you were created to give. When you tap into that it can help give you perspective and take the focus off of you. It will pull you out of shame, insecurities and self-pity. When you find this deep sense of purpose it will remind you that your body is the least interesting thing about you, and you were created for so much more.