Desiree Werland featured on Bold Journey
March 1, 2024
We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Desiree Werland. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Desiree below.
Desiree, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, my purpose became clear. Despite my belief in self-care, my body’s condition told a different story. Enduring years of pain and fatigue, initially mistaken for allergies, I sought ways to improve my well-being. While advised to practice yoga, my lack of energy and painful joints made it a challenge. Hindered by muscle aches and joint pain, feeling weighed down and fatigued, I explored becoming a certified functional health coach. Unlike conventional medicine, functional medicine considers individual uniqueness, family history, lifestyle, and environment. Through this approach, I discovered lifestyle changes that could enhance my health. Despite some improvement, underlying health issues persisted, leading to diagnoses of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s, and Lupus, necessitating further lifestyle modifications. With a growth mindset, I delved into mindset literature to understand its impact on health. Reflecting on years of frustration and numerous doctor visits, I realized others might encounter similar challenges. Feeling scared, isolated, and uncertain at the time of diagnosis, my goal was to offer hope to others in similar situations. Pursuing an Autoimmune Paleo certification for self-help and to assist others, this journey led me to coach clients, launch my podcast “Stronger Than Autoimmune,” and open doors to new opportunities. Amidst my body’s autoimmune response, my pursuit of purpose began. From my body’s autoimmune struggle emerged a purposeful journey. I refused to be defeated by it; instead, I embraced it as an opportunity to evolve into the best version of myself, transforming adversity into growth and support for others.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My business is my purpose which is an Autoimmune coach but focused on mindset. I help individuals mostly women who have been diagnosed with autoimmune disease. (80% of people that are diagnosed with autoimmune disease are women). I first work on the mindset because once you realize that you have the power to change and make a difference in your life, that is half the battle to start healing with autoimmune disease. The next step is learning how to eat with autoimmune disease and then incorporating, movement and stress management into your day. The program I offer is, You are Stronger Than Autoimmune. It’s a personalized program for that specific woman. No two people are the same especially with autoimmune disease so I work with my clients to find out what works for them in their lives. What is special about my program is you learn to reconnect to who you are. This connection brings healing and new mindset to who you are, you aren’t a person with autoimmune disease but see yourself as you were always meant to be.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities that I find most crucial are as follows:
- The most crucial aspect is adopting a growth mindset. It involves being open to change, embracing failures, and learning from mistakes. A growth mindset enhances resilience in facing challenges and allows for personal transformation.
- The second quality is patience. Recovery from autoimmune diseases takes time, requiring patience to heal physically and emotionally amidst various emotions that arise.
- The third quality is being your own advocate and educator. This involves educating oneself about autoimmunity, understanding medications and their effects, effectively communicating with medical professionals, dealing with medical insurance, conducting research, and speaking up assertively and kindly to ensure one’s needs are met.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents are incredible role models who have been my pillars of strength alongside my husband. They exemplify hard work and a growth mindset. It wasn’t until I reflected on their journey of overcoming obstacles that I realized they possessed a growth mindset. Their journey from tying the knot at 18 and 19 to still rocking a love story today is pure inspiration. They taught me how to nurture a loving relationship while following your passions, balancing family, faith, and home. Witnessing them balance full-time jobs, side gigs, and pursue higher education, I always had a home-cooked meal in a tidy house with a manicured garden. It wasn’t until I became a parent that I understood the challenges they faced. They’re the power couple who never give up on their dreams as both achieved their degrees in engineering and occupational therapy and pursued careers in their respective fields. Their unwavering support has been crucial, especially during my battle with an autoimmune disease. They demonstrated the resilience needed to persevere through life’s challenges, teaching me the power of bouncing back from life’s curveballs.
See full article featured on Bold Journey – https://boldjourney.com/meet-desiree-werland/
