Meet Serena Wills

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Serena Wills a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Serena, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I get my resilience from a couple of different moments and people in my life. One is from watching my mother who raised me with the help of my grandparents. She was my rock and although a single mother, she adopted my two sisters who had moderate to severe medical conditions. Watching her advocate for their needs, being at my side and allowing me to be my authentic self as a child despite what people said to her about me being “too” shy and how it was bothersome for them, or always knocking her decision to place me in a specialized school in Harlem when we lived in Queens, NY. She always went against the grain, and I gained resilience from her. The other part is me going through my Chronic Lyme disease journey. I was diagnosed December 2012 after being misdiagnosed 9 times within 2-3 months and even a 10th time after. From the first symptoms that September 2012, bit by bit there was a snow ball effect that took place that included crippling fatigue in early October of 2012 that I couldn’t shake, weakness on one side of my body from head to toe (left side), shortness of breath, then starting in mid-late October 2012, twitches, rapid heart rate, internal tremors, always feverish, rashes, rapid weight loss going into November 2012. I was then out of work for a month without pay between November 2012 (Thanksgiving week) up until the week of Christmas. December 2012, I had my first MRI of my brain in early December and it discovered that I had 13 lesions in my brain and inflammation. After Christmas I had my first anxiety attack, my GAIT was off (and been off ever since), dizzy spells and inner ear disturbance. Between the power of prayer, a praying grandmother, family and friends (those who believed my diagnosis and story because some I was exaggerating) and great doctors, I started to feel better. I endured 14 months of IV treatments, a host of integrative and holistic treatments, had several doctors and holistic practitioners including an Integrative health doctor, a naturopathic doctor, a chiropractor, a clinical nutritionist and herbalist, a Reiki specialist, acupuncturist, neurologist and more and I had to keep working. My Lyme battle not only built up my resilience, it made me stronger mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I could have given up, but I had too much to live for. I was a single mother and when I was bitten by a tick, my son was only 13 months old. There were times I literally thought I was checking out of this world and knew that I had to stay here for him. I also had dreams like being a published author, teach and eventually go back to school and get my Master of Arts in Health and Wellness Coaching. After graduation I started my own practice (Divine Wryte Wellness) and became a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and and an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation.

 

During the throws of Lyme Disease, I dusted off my first poetry book which was a draft in my laptop and reached out to my team. I told them as crazy as it sounds, I need to birth my book although I was severely ill. That was November 2012 while I was practically bedridden and home from work. I knew I had to publish my book, “Reconstruction, Pieces of Life Volume 1” to leave a legacy for my son in case I died, to help people with their healing journey who were dealing with heart break and to start the path of being self-published.

 

My life before Lyme disease was good but with challenges as anyone else goes through. I was a new mom at that time and me and my son would go to baby and me swim classes, take road trips to New York to see family, visit with friends, go for long walks on the George Washington Trail, attend church and led a very social life. We loved traveling to New York and would host family here in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) area. I’m very family oriented. I’m a spoken word artist and loved to perform, a poet, was published in several anthologies and was working on my first book, traveled globally, ran marathons (I was training for my sixth marathon when I was bitten in fall 2012 and have not ran since), African danced, was very active in my sorority (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc which is a historically black sorority founded in 1913), went to church regularly and had a great life.

 

Although life was good, I was dealing with a lot of grief which also built up my resilience as well. Losing both one of my sisters in 2007 and then my mother in 2010 was devastating and life changing. There were moments when I felt lost and did not know if I could continue on with my love, passions, purpose and be who I was before they passed away. I remember making a promise to my mother that I would slowly and gently push forward after she was gone. We had a lot of deep conversations before her passing and I still reflect on them till this day, especially during trying times. I poured myself into my poetry, I started to piece together multiple books, traveled before I became sick and then when my son was born, I wanted him to experience life differently. I had plans to show him the world until Lyme disease struck me down.

The one thing I did after losing my sister, mother and even after becoming a single mother due to a break-up with my son’s father was therapy, support groups and counseling. I believe deeply in getting help, we don’t have to walk this life alone and there are people to talk to that can help you. I also grew closer to God, I knew I now had new ancestors up there that were helping me as well and pushing me along. I used my pain through grief, Lyme disease battle, being raised without a father and now being a single mother to help others. In that, I started the healing process within and never looked back. The older I get, the more resilient I become.

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 wear a couple of unique and beautiful hats. I’m a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches, an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation and the Founder and Owner of Divine Wryte Wellness (health and wellness coaching practice). The mission of Divine Wryte Wellness is to create an open and safe space to share life’s greatest moments and challenges, work with clients on how to gently get through and to the path that will lead to healing and have a peaceful life balance for adults through compassionate coaching.

The vision is to provide a place to reestablish and start the path to peace, joy, healing, balance, recovery, self-love and self-care. I decided to create a health and wellness coaching practice that reflected some of what I was missing in my life in the past and what quite a few people may be struggling with now. No matter where you are on your path to wellness, I want you to feel supported and have the tools and guidance needed to start making strides forward in your life one step at a time. Through my practice, I coach people individually, group coaching, offer a workplace wellness program and teach classes.

 

I’m also a self-published author, publishing coach, workshop facilitator and a poet. I have self-published four books which includes, my newest release which debuted November 2023, “Artists Paradise, Pieces of Life Volume 3”, “The Awakening, Pieces of Life Volume 2” released December 2019, “Crying Tears of Teal” released in fall of 2017 and her first poetry book titled, “Reconstruction, Pieces of Life, Volume 1” which was released in 2014. I’m also published in numerous anthologies which include being a contributing author in Gumbo for the Soul, Here’s Our Child Where’s the Village and Gumbo for the Soul, “Women of Honor—Special Pink Edition edited by Beverly Black-Johnson, Have a Little Faith, Keeping the Faith and Love, Hope, Faith edited by Vanessa Miller and How I Freed My Soul, Liberated Muse, Volume 1, Betrayal Wears a Pretty Face, Liberated Muse, Volume 2 and Creases Expelled from the Fold, Liberated Muse Volume 3, edited by Khadijah Ali-Coleman and Cornbread, Fish and Collard Greens edited by Khafre Abif. I have written for Nineteen Lifestyle Magazine, Valued Victorious and Virtuous, Walkers Legacy Foundation, Natural Awakenings Publication, Beautiful Brown Girls and more.

 

I also teach classes on various poetry forms through my, “Love Is….” Series and self-publishing classes. My biggest thing right now is my latest book, “Artists’ Paradise, Pieces of Life Volume 3” that is available in paperback, eBook and also as an audiobook on Audible. This was the first book that I recorded an audiobook for. June 2024 I am celebrating my 10th anniversary of being self-published as my first poetry book, “Reconstruction, Pieces of Life Volume 1” debuted June 2014. Stay tuned for workshops, book signings, virtual events and more.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

One quality that I have is compassion for others and self. I truly believe that when we are truly compassionate, active listeners, being a shoulder to cry on, embody kindness and love, that it can help people in so many ways and when we pour into ourselves and exercise self-compassion and kindness, it helps us to be a lighter person, be our best selves and thrive.

 

A couple of skills I have are not only teaching and facilitating workshops but creating the content for them and also being a writer. It took time to learn within, how to create content whether it’s for health and wellness workshops or literary. I love to do research and found my niches within health and wellness. From there, I added classes to my health and wellness coaching practice. I love to pass along knowledge that can help others and then they can pay it forward to help their loved ones and community as well. The same with literary workshops. I love to show people how I became a self-published author and writer and do that through teaching and also talking on podcasts, shows, interviews, etc.

 

What I had to learn was to also put myself out there. I dusted off my years of experience from when I was in the nonprofit field and would write grants proposals and utilize it for my own company and brand. I started sending out proposals of my offerings to health and wellness practices, companies, corporations, libraries, foundations, nonprofits that could host my classes. This built partnerships and my audience, and I was now able to take the content and workshops and pour into more people.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I would love to work with more companies, nonprofits, library systems, health practices and more and offer my services to their communities. The goal as an entrepreneur is to grow and be able to offer my services, writing, poetry, health and wellness knowledge, coaching to people both nationally and internationally. If you are reading this and would love to work with me based on what I shared in this article and learn more about me, please reach out. Let’s help people thrive, grow, heal, and help them learn to be resilient and build strength together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Samax Amen, Simone Forgione, Nicki Mayo, Rich Rocket Media

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