Women in wellness: Grace Williams on how a ms diagnosis and the loss of her mother led her to trade law for wellness coaching
Grace Williams at Breathe Studio
This week I spoke to Grace Williams (29), a former lawyer turned Health and Wellness Coach.
Grace and I met last year and bonded immediately, both having recently stepped away from a near decade long career in the law. We were in the same boat, both having realised that we didn’t see ourselves in the careers we had built, both wanting to pursue our passion of wellness, and both petrified of what life looked like without the comfort of the paycheck and respect that came with being a lawyer.
So what does being a Health and Wellness Coach involve? “I work with women (primarily) to help them feel vibrant, energised and balanced so they can thrive in every aspect of their life - we work together to understand what is driving their symptoms and implement healthy nutrition and lifestyle habits. This gives my clients the tools, accountability and ability to take control of their health, understand what truly works for them and develop sustainable practices that will support their wellbeing for years to come.”
When it comes to nutrition Grace believes that finding what works best for a person individually is key. “You can read 20 articles on what to eat and they will each tell you something different, so taking a step back and thinking about what makes you feel energised and vibrant and also what you actually enjoy eating is super important. From there, it’s then focusing on whole foods as much as possible.”
Grace was born in Buckinghamshire. Growing up, she moved from wanting to be a ballet dancer to wanting to working at a magazine (I’m unsurprised, given her impeccable style). A career in law never crossed her mind until the summer after completing her degree, she had an internship in Washington DC at a political lobbyist firm. “Everyone working there had trained as lawyers - they had taken the Bar, worked in private practice and then diversified. I loved the idea that you could use the law in many different ways so I decided to do the law conversion in London, got my training contract… and the rest is history.”
Grace’s interest in health and wellness was sparked at the age of 21, when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. “This sparked my interest in all things health and wellness. When I was diagnosed, I was repeatedly told about all the unknowns of why, what caused it and what living with MS would look like for me. So I started doing a lot of reading around health and our bodies to really understand how it all works.”
This interest was amplified when, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, both of Grace’s parents were diagnosed with cancer. Meaning that she became a full-time carer on top of working as a lawyer. “This put a lot into perspective for me both generally and in terms of my career. Things can really change in a heartbeat and we totally underestimate how much of a toll not feeling fulfilled or uplifted by how we spend our days can take on our health. So it was after my mum passed away that I realised something was missing - work was draining me rather than giving me a boost like it used to and the crazy long hours were becoming harder to justify. I had also started to see clients on the weekends and was really loving this work so I decided to go all in - and thankfully I have no regrets!”
Grace went on to study at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. “I love their ethos of naturopathic medicine so taking a holistic, personalised approach to health and looking for the root cause - it is about asking why you feel a certain way, not just treating the symptom itself. And unlike other courses, they included modules on cancer and cancer care which resonated a lot.”
Grace and I agree that our careers in the law were incredibly useful. “I learnt so much from my time in law - resilience, a good understanding of people, and a crazy attention to detail.” She struggled with letting go of the perceived safety of a corporate pay check. “This has definitely been one of the hardest adjustments - it is extremely daunting to leave the pay check behind but I do just think about how much I've gained in other areas. I am so much happier and I have the freedom to work from wherever - I don't think I will get over the luxury of being able to go for a walk or go to a pilates class in the middle of the afternoon!”
So what does Grace consider to be the biggest issue with nutrition in England today? “One issue is that we are very one dimensional when it comes to health - people look at the problem in front of them and do not consider the body as a whole. Really, our bodies are highly complex and everything is connected - our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing are all influenced by our environment, habits, relationships, beliefs and the way we present ourselves. Isolating one without considering the others is doing yourself a bit of a disservice".”
So what are six foods everyone should try to eat every day, to which she responded:
“Eggs (people think of them as just a source of protein but they are packed full of vitamins and minerals),
Cacao (a gentle / non-stressful form of energy, boosts the release of your feel-good neurotransmitters so it is great for your mood and is also the highest plant source of magnesium so is amazing for sleep)
Oily fish (for your skin + protein)
Saffron (amazing for your mood and to help with anxiety)
Fresh herbs (one of the easiest ways to boost your plate, both nutritionally and in terms of flavour)
Protein generally - women in particular are not getting enough protein, especially with our stress levels (protein is the first thing we break down when we are stressed)
As for the biggest lessons she has learnt in her twenties, Grace says that while she struggles with the concept that "everything happens for a reason", she accepts that she wouldn't be where she is today without the loss of her mum. “I am able to take a lot of gratitude and peace from that. It sounds cheesy but I have learnt that no matter what life throws at me, I can come out the other side stronger. And my mum always said her 30s were her best years so I am like hell yeaaa get me out of my 20s!”
Favourite ways to move your body? Long walks and pilates always - they're both a form of therapy to me
Favourite book: I am reading The Pivot Year at the moment and loving it - daily meditations that are all about creating the life you want, such a great way to start the day
Favourite podcast: Table Manners for a giggle, The Dream Bigger Podcast for business/wellness, and The Doctor's Farmacy with Mark Hyman to stay up to date on the latest research
Favourite place to eat in London: Granger & Co for brunch (always) + Cavita for dinner - the best spicy margs
Favourite food to indulge in: Anything chocolate.
Favourite holiday destination: I think it has to be Sotogrande in Spain, a home from home and somewhere I immediately feel calm.
Favourite park to go for a walk in: When I'm in London, Battersea Park - you can get lost in all of the different paths and totally forget you're in London.
Favourite wellness product: My Bon Charge red light - I use it for half an hour in the morning and again before bed (with my legs up the wall - it's quite a sight).
