Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ximena Diz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ximena, 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?
I’ve searched for my purpose for a long time.
In high school and college, when people asked me what I wanted to do with my life, my answer was always “I want to help people”. But I wasn’t sure what that would translate to. I didn’t know what path to take.
But life showed me the way. More than once.
During college I struggled with an eating disorder. It was a very lonely time for me, and after a few years I realized I couldn’t continue that way and I needed help. Recovering from an eating disorder was way more arduous than I expected, and also took longer than I planned for. But it was the best, worst experience I’d had until then because it gave me a direction. I knew that at some point in my life, I wanted to help others that were struggling with eating disorders as well. Because I knew recovery was possible.
Years later, I became a registered dietitian because I wanted to become an eating disorders dietitian. It was a lot of hard work: a full time internship, which later became my first job as a dietitian, while also going to school in the evenings to get my Masters. Oh! And I was also planning my wedding during that time.
Soon enough I started a disordered eating clinic at the VA I was working at, and later went on to work at an eating disorders clinic.
God then added more purpose to my life. I struggled to conceive my first child due to hormonal imbalances. I went to multiple doctors and everyone brushed me off and told me everything was fine. But I didn’t accept that answer because I knew something wasn’t right. I did my own research, became my own experiment and through nutritional and lifestyle changes, became pregnant with my daughter.
Through that experience I realized how little nutrition support women had access to while trying to conceive and during pregnancy. So I started my own practice where I help women get pregnant naturally, resolve hormonal imbalances and also help women feel comfortable and confident during their pregnancy. I have now helped dozens of couples grow their families and have healthy and happy pregnancies and babies.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have a (mostly) virtual nutrition private practice that focuses on helping women resolve hormonal imbalances and get pregnant naturally. There is nothing more rewarding than to hear from my clients that they’re feeling better, that they have regular periods or that they finally got a positive pregnancy test.
My approach is always holistic and emphasizes finding the root cause of the problem. I don’t have a cookie-cutter approach for everyone because everyone’s experience is different. My goal is to help clients make lasting, sustainable changes that they can stick to for life.
I’m currently partnered with a fertility clinic in Houston where I counsel clients that have PCOS, are over- or underweight, generally need to improve their diet, or are struggling to have a healthy pregnancy.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
-Stick to it. You don’t need to know how to do things perfectly, and you may have dozens of people giving you different advice. But stick to what you think is right for you and see it through because even if it’s not the right path, you will learn from that experience and it will likely present new opportunities and experiences that will guide you.
-Practice. You will not know everything when you begin and you will (should) continue learning throughout your career/journey. But the more you do things that you don’t feel comfortable with, the easier it’ll get and you’ll become more confident so that you can then practice other skills.
-Passion. Even if it seems silly to others, dedicate your time to things that truly light you up. If it’s not a “hell yes!” (as Kathryn Whitaker says), then it’s a no.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
There’s nothing more important in life than the relationships you build and nourish.
Becoming a mother of 3 has shifted my priorities.
As a woman, throughout school and college I was told the way to be of value in this world was to do something “important.” That usually meant become an innovator, a political leader, an important businessman/woman… do something flashy that people will talk about. And while that is all fine and good, and those people are necessary, I think it also confused me and made my journey towards “purpose” harder. See I thought being a mother was not good enough. Taking care of your home, raising your children, being physically and emotionally present for your children was beneath me. I needed to do something greater, more important than that. So for a few years I resented and pushed back against the responsibilities that come with parenthood.
But I’m not immortal. And what’s more important than prioritizing my family when they need me the most?
If I only had 10 more years to live (and who knows, I might!), I want to create memories with my children. I want to develop deep friendships that fill me with life and emotional satisfaction. I want people to come to my funeral and tell stories about me that make them smile and laugh. Because if I don’t focus on those relationships, who will come to my funeral? My clients? Maybe… but probably not. And even if they did, my clients who I respect and love will never get to know me the same way my family and close friends do.
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