Michelle Shines

I’ve been a health nut for as long as I can remember. Born into an alternative health family (my dad is a chiropractor), I knew at a young age that the body had the power to heal itself if treated properly.

In my early 20’s I worked at a health food store, while most of my friends were off at college. There, I studied natural healing and food as medicine.

I learned from books (this was pre Google!) and from customers who shared stories of changing their diets and curing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, insomnia, skin issues, allergies and more.

I loved reading about things like meditation, juicing, vitamins/minerals/amino acids, healing herbs, gluten-free/dairy-free diet theories and plant based diet research.

Outside of work I was a movement junkie! As a teenager I was a national gold medalist in dance. In my 20’s I taught dance lessons to all ages and abilities. I taught aerobics in local gyms as well.

At 30, I became a Pilates instructor...only to realize I liked learning about Pilates more than I liked teaching it. (This was when I became obsessed with kinetics.)

Meanwhile...I supported myself and my daughter by working retail and eventually becoming the owner of multiple boutiques.

In my mid 30’s, through a series of unfortunate events, I became blind in my right eye. I had 4 surgeries within a year to try to recover the lost sight. The surgeries were unsuccessful and wreaked havoc on my eye. I was left with an eye that was sore, red, irritated and constantly weeping. Not to mention…ugly. I hated seeing myself in the mirror.

Thankfully, I found that I could heal the eye through nutrition. Cutting certain foods out of my diet cut the inflammation in my body and in my eye and reduced the overall redness, irritation and weepiness.

It wasn’t until I hired my own coach that I was able to relinquish the belief that I was ugly or anything less than perfect. Coaching actually helped me realize that my perfection lies in my imperfections. Our weaknesses are our strengths!

So…you ask, how did you become a health coach, Michelle?

Well...it seems I’ve been meant to be a health coach my entire life. That’s what happens on the journey to self acceptance, you start searching for your true purpose. Your life begins to unfold in funny ways. Little miracles happen all around you. Then suddenly...a shift. Life changes.

This is the work I was meant to do, friends. I feel it through every inch of my being! I am so thrilled to be able to serve in this way!!