We were lucky to catch up with Vanessa Gonzales recently and have shared our conversation below.
Vanessa , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I’ve learned to love my inner self for there is no body part on us that defines who we are. The happiness I hold within can only be disturbed by me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I love helping women feel comfortable in their own skin by learning to love their true selves no matter what tragic scenario may play out in their lives. There’s so many variables in life that can change our demeanor in an instant; taking care of oneself can be your constant. We all need a constant in life.
After proactively removing my breasts & reproductive organs to avoid the risks of cancer, I’ve only had one thing on my mind & that was to love myself no matter what life throws at me. I want my story to spread like a wildfire to give that confidence boost to women who may need it to be preventative of not only breast, but other cancers.
Health & fitness has always been apart of my life and I want to teach others to find a constant in theirs.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Loving yourself enough to put your health & wellness first. We lose ourselves in our day-to-day routines. We lose ourselves in our families. We lose ourselves in our children. We lose ourselves in our careers. We lose ourselves in self-doubt.
Being proactive is key. Staying on top of your health by yearly checkups, self-breast checks, Pap tests, mammograms, etc. Having a baseline for my team of doctors to go by was so important for my medical journey.
Patience is a must! Let that beautiful body heal till there’s no more healing to be done.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Allowing myself to feel vulnerable was my biggest challenge. Everyone looks at me like I’m Wonder Woman and that I am, but even she has vulnerabilities. Vulnerability has made me more relatable. It’s okay to be raw and tell your story.
Going through multiple surgeries: removing both breasts, nipples, female organs, and now reconstruction has given me the gift of being vulnerable with those who have helped me through this process.
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: fit_nesa
Image Credits
Risqué Reflections Boudoir Jose A. Muniz
