Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Cutting.
Hi Vanessa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always loved the idea of sharing and tips and tricks I might have that could help benefit someone. I was a fitness trainer and instructor for 15 years and yes, I shared fitness tips but I also shared my love of athletic looks and makeup. When I would teach I would a couple questions about form and the rest would be about my outfit or what makeup I was using. I tired starting a blog about 8 or 9 years ago but struggled with my own self-esteem and would I really help anyone by writing blog post. So, I deleted the account and kept on being a mom, wife, trainer, and instructor.
But, 5 years ago I lost a good friend of mine, and his biggest message to me was to love life and embrace the journey. He always wanted me to get out my comfort zone and try things and have fun. So, I decided to put my insecurities to the side and try out blogging again. It was more of a side hustle for the first 3 years. I wasn’t really putting all of my effort into it. When March of 2020 hit and I was home I decided this was the time I was going to really put forth effort and time into growing my accounts and sharing all of my tips and tricks again.
Fast forward to Oct of 2020 I suffer a scad heart attack at the age of 38. It’s a rare type of heart attack where your artery tears. More common in younger women. I was healthy in the best shape of my life and ready to really take my blog to the next level. Well, the universe had other plans. I always say I have 2 choices I can pivot or I can crumble. I chose on Oct 22 a week after my heart attack I would turn my focus on to spreading awareness and helping other women like me who survived a scad heart attack. So now a year and a half later I’m still an influencer/content creator trying to bring awareness and support to my fellow scad survivors through social media. I share my tips on what I did through my recovery and even share my athletic fashion and obsession with makeup.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have a tattoo on my side that says ‘this too shall pass’. To remind me that a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. Things will pass and they will get better. But I’ve never had a smooth road, but with each bump in the road, I learn something new. I’ve had so many struggles along the way. In the beginning of my journey, it was more about overcoming my fear of showing up on social media and what others thought of me.
Then in 2020 with the pandemic and my husband and myself both being out of work, we had financial troubles, homeschooling elementary and high school kids, and trying to figure our next steps… My kids also had preexisting conditions so I didn’t know how Covid would affect them. During this time my son’s food allergies and eczema were getting worse and we were trying all different types of modalities to help him get his skin and allergies under control. Then Oct of 2020 came and I suffered a heart attack from stress. That took months of testing and switching doctors and trying to see what my life would now look like.
Then just 6 months later our house flooded and we had 9 months of no working kitchen, living, dining, and family room.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a content creator/influencer on social media. I love sharing my journey and helping other women. We sometimes think we’re alone and no one knows how we feel yet when we start talking, we realize we’re not and I want other women to know I see them, I feel for them, and I am them. I was a fitness trainer and I instructor for 15 years and I loved it but I truly believe now my journey is about sharing my heart attack and my recovery. I’m so lucky I had a fitness background to help myself recover and put myself through my very own cardiac rehab and now I share that with others. I’m probably most know for trying to be as positive as I can and maybe my hair. I have crazy wild curly hair that’s usually a topic of conversation when people first meet me. I’m a lover of a good athletic look and I love sharing makeup tips and tricks. I’ve been doing makeup since I was 3 years old when I would steal makeup out of my mom’s purse and put it on while she was driving or in the other room. I feel Make-up is a form of art and I love expressing myself through it.
What I am most proud of is how I have handled my recovery. I could have crumbled I could have been upset but instead, I chose faith I chose love, and I chose to see my second chance at life as a new beginning. I truly believe movement is Medicine and movement has healed me in this past year and a half.
What sets me apart from others is my work ethic and discipline. All the time people ask me how I’m so motivated I tell them I’m not; I’m disciplined. I’m not afraid to try something new. I’m quick to hit the publish button even if it’s not to my standards because I know sometimes, I just have to put it out there and not let fear hold me back.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m a self-help book junkie. I read at least 8 self-help books a year. Gabby Bernstein has been my light in some of my darkest of times. Her book literally fell off the shelf at the bookstore when I walked by so I knew I had to read it and that where my love of finding melts and helping myself through books started. It was a like a nudge from the universe you need this. And of course, the universe was right. I would need these books for different chapters of my life. Then Paulo Coelho is my next author that I love. His book the alchemist spoke to me in some ways and helped me realize I am an alchemist and I can create the life I want. Lastly the book I’m reading for the third time right now is untethered soul by Michael Singer. Even though it’s my third time reading it I feel like it’s my first. I’m learning to let go and embrace each day because tomorrow is never promised.
I could list so many but self-help section at the bookstore is where you can find me anytime my kids ask to go to Barnes and noble.
Contact Info:
- Email: vanessalcutting@gmail.com
- Website: www.vanessacutting.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/vanessacutting
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/vanessacutting
- Youtube: www.YouTube.com/vanessacutting
- Other: www.tiktok.com/vanessacutting
Image Credits
Michael Cutting Jr
