Healing and Empowerment: Cassandra Hill's Triumph over Lupus and Her Holistic Path to Wellness

When Cassandra Hill faced systemic lupus, she didn't just seek healing—she transformed herself into a beacon of wellness and hope. Join us as the life coach and holistic health practitioner takes us through her profound journey from Gerontologist to advocate for holistic well-being. Her story is not just about battling a chronic condition but also about finding a path to remission through a regimen that she now shares to uplift others. Cassandra's faith-fueled insights in her devotional, "He Restored My Soul," offer an additional layer of solace and strength, which she'll discuss ahead of a heartfelt book signing event.

In this episode, we shine a light on the pillars that support and uplift women, especially minority women in the corporate realm and entrepreneurial spaces. The conversation ventures beyond the surface, tackling the role of belief, life coaching, and an empowering support system in navigating the challenges of mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Cassandra and I examine the science behind affirmations and the Law of Attraction, dissecting how they can pave the way to a positive mindset and self-image. And for those who can't make it to Jonesboro, Arkansas, for an in-person connection, Cassandra extends an invitation to her website, where fans can secure a piece of her wisdom, signed and delivered.

https://cassandrarhill.com/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:12

Music, music, you, you All right, hello everybody, and welcome to another Tuesday night with Mrs Pi. I got my friend Cassandra Hill tonight. Hi, hello everyone. I'm so glad you're here. I've been waiting for this interview for so long. Okay, I.

Speaker 2: 1:28

Know right and I'm super excited. Just thank you for the invitation.

Speaker 1: 1:36

Absolutely so. I want to do a quick shout out on our all the streets, where we are. So we're. We're live on Facebook, linkedin, youtube X formerly known as Twitter and also on Paradek live TV on our Mrs Pi channel. We're a community of Veterans and military spouses I'm a military influencer and we have a community of about seven point three million folks. So I just want to say a quick shout out to those people as well who are watching, and for those of y'all you know, we'll have this on the podcast streets in a couple of days. So you know, for the people who prefer to listen to those channels Spotify, audible, whatever wherever you get your pot, your podcast you should come back and watch the video so you can see how beautiful my friend is. So I am so glad that you're here.

Speaker 1: 2:22

Like I said, I've been waiting to have this conversation and so while I have you you know I tried to end the promo to talk about you as your master life coach or best-selling author I want to talk to you about your book signing that's coming up this week. You've overcome health issues and incredible self-developed regimen. I mean, I could go through a whole list of why people should be tuning in. I think this is one of those that's really gonna help people get some inspiration. You know, maybe some health tips or just hear about your, your example of resilience. So first I want to talk about how, how you became a life coach and a wellness advocate. How did you get to that?

Speaker 2: 3:05

Oh, Wow, I got to that because it was part of guys playing for my life. Prior to being a master life coach and and holistic health practitioner, I had a career as a Gerontologist, which is a fancy way of saying. I specialized in aging, so I worked with older adults. It's always been a passion for me to help others, that there's always been my guilt and and so for me. When I got diagnosed with systemic lupus and I really wasn't happy with the results of the medication, and when chemo drugs and all this stuff. When I did go back to college and started taking courses in alternative medicine and as soon as I got the regimen that put me in remission.

Speaker 2: 4:05

I'm like okay, guy was next and and so it was like okay, let's Get the trainings. And I did exactly that and started supporting people in my support groups, because I was in several support groups, and so I went from that to To making it official and in starting a business, a business.

Speaker 1: 4:32

Wow. And, by the way you know, cassandra has a humongous following, so shout out to her all, all her following friends and community members on the LinkedIn streets. I do, I do respect y'all. Okay, he's champion. She's very well known. You know, I don't bring anybody, just anybody, on here. Can we talk about your book really quickly? I know you got your book over there. Can you touch on the book? What's the book about?

Speaker 2: 4:59

He restored my soul trying to figure out our city. It's a 28 day devotional and, honestly, you guys this Always trust God, always, always, always trust God because, the right this in this book. I Remember going to a time in my life Going through a divorce, had a miscarriage, so had just lost a baby, and I'm like Lord, I just really need you. And so every day a scripture, just every day a scripture would help me, and whatever scripture that came to me, I would write it down and then just write my thoughts about it.

Speaker 2: 5:50

And I did that for so long, and then eventually, it was just like I feel so much better, and so I thought the writings were just for me. I didn't share it with anyone or anything, and it was, I kid you not. Probably about seven years later I'm speaking at an event with Ayanna Vance and the great Ayanna Vance, and so at this event, publishers are there, everyone's there of course, and so start a conversation with a publishing company that we're looking for authors. It's like are you?

Speaker 2: 6:33

interested in being an author. I'm like why not? It's been a public list anyway, and they were like do you have any writings? And I remembered the writings from what I wrote when I was going through, when I said yes, I have something. I wrote, I submitted that and they loved it.

Speaker 1: 6:57

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2: 6:58

I fell in love and that's what became. He Restored my Soul. So the devotional is really about encouraging you. No matter what circumstance you face in life, you can overcome, you can be restored. With God, all things are possible.

Speaker 1: 7:22

So the book signing that's coming up this weekend where is that?

Speaker 2: 7:27

This in Jonesboro, arkansas, is going to be at the Bronson. Oval there in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Speaker 1: 7:33

All right and y'all can go to CassandraHillcom to find out more information. You need to go get your book signed and go meet her. Go tap it. I'll call it, tap it in the author. Go meet an author in person and be encouraged. I love to hear the genesis of your story, of why you did that, and so I want to ask for my friends who aren't here who are going to ask me later. When you talk about holistic approach to health, how is that? How is it different from like traditional medicine for you, for, for for you and recovering from lupus?

Speaker 2: 8:09

Yes, Well, when you think about a ton of medicine, it's natural, it's from the earth and the bonus for that no side effects. You know how, with traditional medicine, most pretty much anything you take is going to have some type of side effect. But with holistic medicine, unless you're allergic to that particular plant or you're fine. So it's just getting back to nature and believe it or not, if you go back, go back. Go back in time. Our pharmaceutical industry. In the early, early stages they were prescribing plants and herbs. But what happens? We started to get away from that and wanting things in mass production, yeah, and you know, with plants you can't, you know, get a list of growth. And so once we became more mass production, we got a little more away from that. But thankfully, more people are starting to get into alternative options because they're realizing the benefits, as I mentioned, unless you're allergic to that particular plant or no side effects, and it's actually cost effective as well.

Speaker 1: 9:42

Wow, I have a question about life coaching. I know I'm doing an odd transition because I'm trying to get everything answered. I'm trying to do it, y'all. I'm getting it. So I wanted to find out about life coaching. Who's the audience and what are some of your clients come to you for?

Speaker 2: 10:01

Most of my audience is women. 99% of the people that I serve are women. I generally serve minority. Women is typically who comes to me, and they normally come to me.

Speaker 1: 10:17

They're a version of me.

Speaker 2: 10:19

They're either in corporate America, which is some idea for many years are there in business for themselves and they find themselves in a space to where they're not making themselves a priority.

Speaker 1: 10:35

And because they're not.

Speaker 2: 10:37

it's affecting their mental, emotional, spiritual well-being. And so we come and we get some support around that and they get a wellness plan that addresses their. Like I said, we focus really a lot on the emotional and mental Because guess what people in case you didn't know many times the problems that you have in your physical body stem from your emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.

Speaker 1: 11:09

So once we address that your physical normally clears up on its own. Oh, wow, Is there. Is there something that your potential clients might need to know before they reach out to you?

Speaker 2: 11:21

Is there a prerequisite or you know, I would say the prerequisite is belief. Belief in things can change for you. If you do not believe, there's not. I'm a life coach and I feel God is gifted me, but I don't have a magic wand. If you do not believe in the possibilities of your life changing, there's things will stay the same.

Speaker 1: 11:58

Yeah, whatever you believe that is your reality.

Speaker 2: 12:02

So that is the prerequisite belief. And if you're not there yet, guess what? Because I get some people who come and they and they have to work on that mindset and so I do have a course, mindset reset that helps in shifting those self-sabotage and thoughts we have.

Speaker 1: 12:30

What are some of the examples of those Now that we're digging into the coursework? But what are some of the? And I'm totally with you on mindset. You know you can either help you or harm you. Yeah Right, so what are some of the areas that your course covers?

Speaker 2: 12:46

Oh, wow. With the mindset reset we focus on detoxing the mind and what that looks like in reality. All my courses that's not my only digital course, but all of my courses include an action plan checklist so you don't have a little homework.

Speaker 2: 13:13

It's gonna be kind of like you're back in school, you know kind of thing. But with the mindset we said we delve heavy into positive thinking. Law of attraction because it is a science, yeah, and we delve into reading those thoughts and then, once that is clear, building a foundation of positivity and how to use this, you know, because it's really important that your words, your words, have power. So we delve into languages.

Speaker 1: 13:57

well, so, speaking of words, having power and I'm recognizing that we're in March, this is women's history month, right? So we can say and do what we want, right? This is our month, fellas. This is our month. So do you have any tips or advice you can share, especially with women that are trying to learn that lesson of you know, speaking it, you know, I call it speaking things into existence with literally. You know some women who are like that. They literally curse the very blessing you just buy how they speak or how they respond to situations. Do you have any tips or advice you can share?

Speaker 2: 14:35

Sure For my boss. Women out there, you are incredible. You might not realize it yet, but here's the thing Wake up every day and affirm yourself. That's what affirmations are for. Affirmations provide that emotional support, but they also lay a foundation of you knowing your word. Because when you know your word you move different. And if we say something enough times here's the thing our brain cannot distinguish fake from real. So even when you sang it and initially you may not feel it, your brain doesn't know that.

Speaker 2: 15:28

So just by verbalizing, that I'm worthy, I'm loved, I'm a child of God. You start saying that on a daily basis and you don't have to just do it in the morning. I know typically most people do it in the mornings, but you could do it in the morning, you could do it in the evening, you can do it at lunchtime, just how often you need affirming do it. So affirmations, putting positive thoughts in your mind that at some point I guarantee you will show up in the natural, really, really important and your network, your community. Think about this If you went to a wedding today and they're celebrating, your mood would more than likely be happy, correct? Yes, okay. So let's say you went to a memorial service. Let's say a friend of yours lost a loved one. You went to the memorial service. You probably will be a little sad for your friend. Your environment does impact your mood. So building that community, that network of positive people, people who believe in you and you believe in them game changers.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Wow, I love that. Yeah, I'm all for that. I would say I'm very blessed that I have these various circles and networks of support. But I've built these communities. I was telling someone earlier that I realized I've been building these circles really my whole life, just building these circles of support, and they some are small, some are huge, but it's all about community and tapping into positive people and uplifting each other. And something else that I share with folks is when I have a thought that comes in that's counter to, I call it what's true about me. What's absolutely true about me is that I'm a hard worker, I'm high valued, I'm all these things Things that are not true about me that I can't make it, I'm scared. That's not true about me. So immediately when those thoughts come, I just say that's not my thought and it's gone, like I don't even waste time. I don't waste time. What are some of the tricks that you use?

Speaker 2: 18:13

One of my favorite verses, philippians 413, I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Does he say some that's right? Does he even say most Most would be, you know, pretty good, but all things. And so when I have those moments to where I feel like I don't know, I'm a little nervous God, you have given me the vision, but I don't, I don't see how I was going to manifest, I remember that verse I can't, I can't. And so that's one thing that has really helped me, even as a teenager, that that's been some, that that has been a factor of couple mechanism for quite some time. Another thing I do that I found beneficial is have an inventory skill set sheet and basically that's. You just take some time, you write out what's unique gifts, talents, just all the things that make you you. And so when I have those moments, stories like oh, so hard, I pulled that out and I read it and reinforce it, right?

Speaker 1: 19:55

Yeah, yeah, I love that. I'm all about all of this y'all. And again, I know this is going to help somebody. Whether you're watching live or catching us on the replay streets, I know this is going to encourage somebody, especially for those who this is such as we were trying to talk backstage about this strange season. It's a strange week for us, but it's such a strange season, I think. A lot of times people start out. You know, january we're really excited. It's a new year and people are pulling out their vision boards and all those stuff, right?

Speaker 2: 20:27

All the resolution.

Speaker 1: 20:29

You come to February and you start to realize or assess. You know, oh, how am I going to make it? Because the excitement starts to shed. But March, this March, feels different in the sense that I feel a lot of us are being propelled forward. So the visions that we had in January, this is really y'all. This is when you go back to the vision board and dust it off if you will, and reminding yourselves that you can't actually do it. Right, but it comes back to the belief that you mentioned. If you don't even believe you can do it, or you can make it or you're built for this, then you might need it Next year in January. Don't do that vision board.

Speaker 2: 21:11

Yeah, you have to believe and it doesn't matter how big it is, it does not matter, as Shelley said before we went live and started talking with you guys. We were backstage just talking about various things and I know for me, if someone had told me I would say even seven years ago that the things that's happening in my life would be happening, I would be like you You've got to be joking, you have to be kidding me, but you just don't know what God has in store for you. But if you just believe and have faith and go through the process, it's possible.

Speaker 1: 22:05

It is, it is, it's a happening in an expected part. Right, I expect an encounter, I expect good things, I just expect it. Like a little kid, I'm expecting that. Oh man, I'm about to be blessed today, and next week is going to be even greater, and so that heart posture again, but again, it doesn't matter if you don't believe. Going back to what we talked about earlier, so since you deal with mainly minority women, is there anything that you wanted to touch on? When it comes to, I was thinking about, again, non-bouncing around, but I'm going to ask for everything while we have her, y'all don't worry. But when it comes to healing and holistic healing and we know the discrepancies that women of color deal with health care issues, and is there any piece of advice that you could share with, especially with minority women, when it comes to that?

Speaker 2: 23:02

Yes, self-care is so important. It's easier to put out a flame versus a full-blown inferno, so do not wait until your health is in disarray to have a wellness plan, just like you do other things. Preventive you have homeowner's insurance. Your house will probably never catch fire, but you have it just in case.

Speaker 2: 23:29

Well, a wellness plan is if you're living, you need it, and this isn't a sales pitch or anything, but you need a plan in place to protect your health. And so I would say for any woman this listing make your health priority, one thing you can do that I always recommend for the average adult, for the average woman adult. You might have pre-existing conditions, that sort of thing that needs to be factored in.

Speaker 2: 24:12

But for the average adult, you need about nine to 13 servings of fruits and veggies for best health. So if you're not getting that, just start incorporating more fruits and veggies into your diet. You will be surprised the difference it makes, and you're probably thinking that's a whole lot, cassandra.

Speaker 2: 24:37

But, here's the cheat. Here's the cheat. I'm going to help you. I'm going to give you a cheat. Smoothies, yes, smoothies. And you can start your day with a smoothie, a base this is how I make mine A base of a leafy green. Yeah, just spinach or kale either, or you may like lettuce, whatever makes you happy. Do you A leafy green and then just add about five fruits to it. Plant-based milk. You've gotten a good chunk of your fruits and veggies half out the way already just by doing that.

Speaker 1: 25:27

That's true. And again, by frozen veggies, frozen fruit, you don't have to go top shelf. Frozen fruit is frozen fruit, right? Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:41

And I'm with you, shelly, you can get it. Dollar Tree has frozen fruit now, so it's no, you don't have to go to some ritzy and you can have a smoothie pretty affordably.

Speaker 1: 26:02

I love that. So what's next for you? So we know we have the book signing coming up on Saturday, so what's next for you?

Speaker 2: 26:11

Well, I'm definitely working on another book. I'm writing it all and I'm hoping that book will be released later this year. I'm excited to say, in works preparing for my talk show. I'm super excited about it and it will be releasing a date later this year for the show as well. I am just thankful for the doors that God is opening and all of this. Pay attention.

Speaker 2: 26:49

If you don't hear nothing else during our time together. Pay attention. All of this came, all of this was a result of me having systemically this and other conditions along other conditions as well, and healing from that. But if I hadn't of went through that experience, I probably wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now, and that's to say, you never know the pain you experience.

Speaker 1: 27:28

What is for? Wow, there's always a list.

Speaker 2: 27:32

There's always a lesson, there's always a purpose, and my purpose is the gift of healing inside and out.

Speaker 1: 27:44

Wow, I am so that that just gave me back some of the feeling of the cup that I needed. This was such a. I think this is a very timely conversation because I said, you know, there's a lot of us that are kind of in this space right now where we're trying to move forward and you know, we're living with purpose and we're doing the things and all those things, but we do have to manage our health. We do have to take it seriously. Y'all, if you need a coach, you need a life coach, you need to go her website. If you're in town this weekend, please go meet the author in person. Look up her book on Amazon. We'll give you all the information you need.

Speaker 1: 28:22

I am so humbled and honored that you you know you were first of all, that you were available. Okay, I'm just gonna put it out there. I'm just grateful that she was even available and willing to come on here and talk to our audience again. You know whoever it's for. I hope this really bless you. And for those of y'all who are going to listen to us at the end of the week on the other audio platforms, come watch the video so you can see my beautiful friends. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for being here tonight, and God it's a pleasure.

Speaker 2: 28:57

It's a pleasure it's. I've been looking forward to it. It's such a pleasure to know you have such a warm spirit, so I thank you as well. And for anyone who may not be in Jonesboro, arkansas area, but you want an autograph copy, feel free to message me when you go to my website, cassandra Hillcom, just send a message and I got a little stash in you. Message me and we can still get your autograph copy as well.

Speaker 1: 29:33

Oh, that's fantastic. All right, so that's a good nod for those of you who can't travel. Y'all need to go to her website met message so you can get your autograph. By the way, they hold much value, so you want to do that. You want to get the autograph copy y'all, oh my God. So we're going to hang out in the back while we tell everybody good night. Thanks everybody who watched us on Facebook, the LinkedIn, the YouTube, the X, the parade deck. Hi y'all, good night y'all. Thank y'all so much for watching. We're going to have in the back while we tell everybody have a good night, thank y'all.

Speaker 2: 30:10

Bye.