Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarah Wilson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
Absolutely. There was a defining moment—but it didn’t start with clarity. It started with chaos. Years of it, actually.
When I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 15, the story in my head became, “I’ve just been handed a life sentence.” The support was minimal. Doctors told me to “stay on top of your blood sugar,” but no one showed me how. No one talked about food, hormones, stress, or the emotional toll. And hope? That was nowhere to be found. One doctor even told me I shouldn’t have children—that my body wouldn’t survive it. At 15, most of us are barely figuring out how to handle high school, let alone a chronic illness and the idea that motherhood might not be possible.
So, in my 15-year-old wisdom… I didn’t handle it. I rebelled. I ignored it. I hoped if I pushed it far enough down, it would disappear. But it didn’t. That led to years of mismanaged blood sugar, and a level of stress on my body that I had no idea was slowly chipping away at me.
That comment about not having children? I buried it. I told myself I didn’t want them anyway. But deep down, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. I was just trying to make sense of something that made no sense at all.
Fast forward—I did have children. Three beautiful ones. And in that moment, I thought my life was finally complete. Everything I had, I poured into them—like so many moms do. I ignored the quiet whispers that said, “Maybe take a walk,” or “Maybe slow down today.” I told myself I was doing what good moms do. How could taking care of my family possibly be wrong?
But here’s what I didn’t realize: I was using motherhood as a distraction. A way to keep avoiding my chronic illness. And even deeper than that—I didn’t believe I was worthy of care myself. That voice of mom guilt? Oh, it’s real. Any time I even thought about something as small as taking a moment for myself, that guilt monster would rear its head: “What about the kids? Do you really need to do that right now?”
Eventually, my body said enough. I had a heart attack.
Now yes, some might say, “Well, you had diabetes—it was bound to happen.” But that’s exactly why they call heart disease the silent killer. It creeps in, slowly, quietly. And we, as women, are often too busy being everything to everyone to even notice the signs. Here’s the truth: 1 in 2 women will be diagnosed with heart disease. Yet we talk way more about breast cancer, which affects 1 in 3. Heart disease is underdiscussed, underdiagnosed, and often completely misunderstood.
The heart attack wasn’t dramatic. It was surreal. It felt like the eye of a storm—everything swirling around me, but I was frozen. Paralyzed. I remember lying there thinking, “Please, God, this can’t be it. This can’t be the last time I kiss my kids or husband goodbye. This cannot be the end of my story.”
When I woke up in recovery, I barely recognized myself—physically or emotionally. And I had to have the hardest conversation I’ve ever had… with myself. I had to ask, “What was my role in this?” And that opened the floodgates. The tears were ugly, but honest. And in that moment, I stopped playing victim. I knew I had to take radical responsibility. I had to take action. Not perfection—just action.
So I did what felt right at the time: I followed every instruction the doctors gave me. I went vegan. I took every medication they prescribed. I checked all the boxes—and got worse. I’m not here to attack veganism—it works beautifully for some. But for me? It led to anemia, estrogen dominance, weight gain, and deeper burnout. That’s when I knew I had to start really educating myself.
I discovered the carnivore diet. I started lifting weights. I began listening to my body, not the system. It went against everything I had been told, and yet—I finally started to heal.
What I’ve learned is this: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We are all beautifully complex. Until you uncover your body’s unique algorithm, you’re living at the mercy of other people’s guesses. Becoming your own health advocate is the most powerful thing you can do. I knew I was meant to help people become their own health advocate!
Eventually, I realized no one was coming to save me. I had to dig in, ask hard questions, and stop simply treating symptoms. It was messy. It was exhausting. But it cracked me open in the best possible way.
That heart attack didn’t end my story—it began the next chapter. I didn’t plan to become a wellness coach. The journey chose me. Now, I help others find their voice, take back control of their health, and stop believing they’re broken. Because they’re not. None of us are. We’re just navigating a system that doesn’t always know what to do with people brave enough to ask why instead of just nodding and saying okay. This is my “messy” story and the strength I have found in it I share with others so they may find their strength in the mess too!
Sarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi there! I’m Sarah Wilson—Type 1 diabetic, heart attack survivor, certified wellness and neuroscience coach, podcast host, homeschooling mom, and forever believer that there is strength in the mess.
My journey into wellness didn’t start with a dream—it started with a breakdown. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 15, I spent years mismanaging my health because no one gave me the tools or guidance to do it differently. Later in life, I poured everything I had into my family, thinking that was the right thing to do. But it came at a cost. I ignored my own needs, and it ultimately led to a heart attack before I was even 43.
Waking up in that hospital bed was the turning point. I realized no one was going to advocate for me—I had to become my own advocate. So I got to work. I started learning about holistic health, low-carb and carnivore nutrition, strength training, nervous system regulation, hormone balance, and how to support a body that was chronically inflamed, exhausted, and confused.
That messy healing process turned into my mission. I became a certified wellness coach so I could help others before they hit rock bottom like I did. I also became a certified neuroscience coach, as my family is neurodivergent and I wanted to be able to learn how to break things down and teach for all to understand.
Through Everything’s Messy Wellness, I offer one-on-one coaching, digital habit trackers, and downloadable guides for anyone struggling to manage a chronic illness, balance hormones, reverse insulin resistance, or just feel like themselves again. My coaching has three levels—from foundational habit building to in-depth Type 1 Diabetes coaching with family training, meal planning, and crisis preparedness. But I am not only coaching fellow T1D’s anyone struggling I can help! I also offer Breakthrough Sessions for people who are stuck and need a powerful reset, plus I’m developing group workshops and a signature online course.
I specialize in helping women—especially moms—who are overwhelmed, burnt out, and feel like they’ve lost themselves somewhere between the diagnoses, school pickups, and endless to-do lists. I help them track what’s actually happening in their bodies, understand their symptoms, build sustainable routines, and learn to take messy action instead of chasing perfection. I also work closely with Type 1 diabetics and their families to create realistic, empowering plans for daily management and emergency readiness—because when you live with a chronic illness, you don’t just need a plan, you need a community.
A big part of that community lives on The Everything’s Messy Podcast, where I share my story and hold space for others to share theirs. Each episode dives into the real-life highs and lows of wellness, motherhood, autoimmune disease, healing, hustle, and everything in between. Hearing others open up about their own “mess” reminds us we’re not alone—and there’s so much power in that connection.
This past March, I had the incredible honor of speaking at the Women in Wellness Conference, where I shared the stage (and my story) with fellow health advocates, diving deep into what it means to find strength in the storm. I hope to bring my message to more stages in the future—because I believe there’s something magical that happens when women speak their truth out loud.
What sets me apart? I’ve lived this. I know what it’s like to sit in a doctor’s office and feel dismissed, to cry in your car after being handed another prescription, to feel guilty for wanting just five minutes alone. My approach is deeply personal, radically honest, and full of humor—because when life gets heavy, laughter is sometimes the best medicine.
I’m most proud of turning my mess into momentum—and helping others do the same. I want people to know they’re not alone. They’re not broken. And they can take their power back—one messy, beautiful step at a time.
Let’s connect!
🌐 Website: www.everythingsmessywellness.com
🎧 Podcast: The Everything’s Messy Podcast
📸 Instagram: @EverythingsMessyWellness
📘 Facebook: @EverythingsMessy
🐦 X (formerly Twitter): @EverythingsMes
📩 Email: [email protected]
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience has shown up for me in a lot of ways—but one story that really defines it is what came after my heart attack.
Surviving that moment was one thing. But waking up and realizing I had to rebuild my life from the ground up—that took a whole new level of strength. I didn’t just want to get “back to normal.” I wanted to feel better than before. Stronger. Wiser. More aligned. I wanted to finally live in a way that honored my body instead of punishing it.
But resilience isn’t just about personal healing—it’s about what you do with that healing. For me, that meant becoming a coach. I went all in: I studied, I got certified, I tested everything on myself, and then I started working with others who felt like I once did—lost, dismissed, overwhelmed, and exhausted by a system that didn’t listen to them.
Launching Everything’s Messy Wellness was born from that resilience. I wanted to create a space where people—especially women and moms—could feel seen and supported. Where they could learn to trust their bodies again. Where they could realize they’re not “too much” or “too broken”—they’re just waiting for the right tools and the right support.
Whether I’m guiding a newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic or helping a mom track her hormones and reclaim her energy, I see resilience in every client. And I bring my own story into the process—not as a cautionary tale, but as living proof that you can rise from the mess.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Honestly? It’s not just the training or the certifications that make someone successful in this field—it’s empathy. Real, lived-in, deeply felt empathy.
You have to be willing to sit in the mess with people. To hold space for their pain, their confusion, their shame—even when they don’t have the words for it yet. It’s not about being perfect or having all the answers. It’s about showing up with compassion, consistency, and curiosity.
You also have to be relentlessly curious. Health and wellness aren’t static—they shift, they evolve, and no two people are the same. What works for one person may completely fail another, and you have to be okay with that. You have to be willing to ask why, dig deeper, and go beyond surface-level fixes.
And—this one is huge—you’ve got to do your own work. If you’re not willing to look at your own patterns, your own healing, your own habits, you’ll eventually hit a wall. Coaching requires authenticity. People can feel when you’re showing up from a real place versus just reading off a script.
So yes, training is important. But the most helpful tools in my practice? Grace. Grit. And a willingness to get a little messy in the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.everythingsmessywellness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingsmessywellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everythingsmessypodcast/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Everythingsmes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@everythingsmessy
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everythings-messy-podcast-by-sarah-wilson/id1481261318
https://open.spotify.com/show/3Zfrz1IuQKoUtPdHM1V3q7
Image Credits
Dream Weaver Photography (for headshots only)