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You know what you can do to feel better.

You know what you’re doing that makes you feel like crap.

You know! Whether you know logically, or intuitively, or even subconsciously — you know.

So what’s stopping you from making the changes? What’s stopping you from just doing better? Now.

When I was first learning about coaching I didn’t realize how much self-work would be expected of me. To recognize where my own voices of sabotage would be loudest and how to listen and move through those doubts. To notice where I’m living in fear, of failure — and even success, and sit with that fear. Name it, call it out, hear what it’s trying to tell me and likely realize it’s a story that’s not true.

So when I learned I was going to need to listen deeply to my own ways of knowing, to face my fears, write to my in-head saboteurs and tell them to zip-it, all the scary, hard work. I got so stuck, frozen in my training for months, I didn’t want to change the way I thought. I didn’t want to do the hard work. Leaning in felt uncomfortable.

So, I cheated.

I answered the questions how I was supposed to. Logically I knew what I was supposed to say. But I didn’t do the work. I’ve always been a good test taker. I’m good at deduction, good at reasoning my way to the answer. So I passed the tests, moved on into the good stuff. The education I was ready for, the science and data and support part of women’s health. The part that wasn’t about me and the internal workings of my brain, emotions, and fears.

Turns out… I needed that internal discovery work. I needed to work on mindset, gratitude, checking out and learning from my mental self-sabotage monster/little girl.

Since truly digging into a daily mindset practice, I’ve had the fortitude to make pretty big changes in the way I approach so many aspects of my life. Including my health! (like the science, data, support stuff… duh) It has been a huge gift I’ve given myself. Part of this gift has been finding people to hold ME accountable. To hold me to the standard I expect from myself. Not FOR anyone else, just showing up for myself regularly.

This work isn’t done, I don’t think it’ll ever be done. I’m so excited to see where it all takes me though! Forward!

Is the reason you aren’t doing the thing that that you know will make you feel better because change will be uncomfortable?

Because eating the thing (even though you know it will make you foggy/bloated/cranky/scattered) feels better in the moment than your perception of how good you’ll feel later if you refrain.

Because if you do feel better, then what?

What does better even feel like?

We don’t make change unless the risk of staying the same is greater than the perceived risk of moving forward. This inner work is imperative to breaking down that perception and realizing that there is a healthier, more balanced, happier you in the future. You just need to take the next step forward.

Be brave. You’re worth it.

In true Katy fashion, I wanted to know HOW CAN I HELP?

I learned about how many women were giving birth without proper education, . That they were without the knowledge to feel empowered to take control of their experience, without a knowledgeable advocate, and without proper support in pregnancy and labor. So I said “sign me up!” and became a doula.

When my favorite childbirth education class stopped being offered in its long format, I thought, even though I’ve never taught a class before, it needed to be available for our local pregnant families. So I asked if I could teach it. I spent months learning the curriculum! I learned all the evidence behind what we taught. Educating myself and creating the course so it could best serve to empower our students. When it was time, I started Ypsi-Arbor Childbirth Education to fulfill those same commitments to our local growing families.

During my work as a doula, homebirth assistant, and then childbirth educator I regularly encountered women who had had difficulty conceiving (then many spontaneously became pregnant after trying “everything”). Some spending thousands, not having it work, before finding they were pregnant after finally “giving up”. And then there are the many women who I don’t have the opportunity to serve in the birth realm because for any number of reasons their dream of becoming pregnant wasn’t, or has not yet been realized.

I’ve also encountered innumerable women who have had long histories of mystery health concerns. Who have been on long self-discovery journeys and are coming up empty. Blood work all normal, no diet seems to fix their guts, on and off meds and thousands of dollars in supplements and alternative therapies just aren’t cutting it. There is so much noise out there about how we best take care of our bodies! I thought I should see what I could learn about how we can all feel our best. I’m excited for this part of my journey, this act of service I can offer to the women of my community who have been struggling to figure out what is the next best thing to arrive at really feeling better, and BEING better.

I cheated my way through mindset class…

So, I cheated.

Be brave. You’re worth it.

Here I am!

In true Katy fashion, I wanted to know HOW CAN I HELP?

Join me!