Your Freedom Starts Here

Let’s be honest. I have no idea what personal freedom looks like for you right now nor do I pretend to think I have any answers you don’t already know. You are the expert at you.

However, I do know what personal freedom does NOT look like for you or me or anyone for that matter. It does not look like your best friend, your mom, your therapist, some celebrity, or Instagram’s suggestions. Sure, feedback and wise counsel are important—the catch is, if you don’t have total buy-in, it stays just that—someone else’s well-meaning advice.

Here’s a question that might help steer your ship in the direction of greater personal freedom.

One year from today, if you woke up feeling full of excitement and purpose, what would be different in your life? What would be the same?

And here’s the clincher…

Why?

Take a few minutes to paint that picture either in your mind or a journal.

Maybe it’s a career change, a new relationship, financial freedom, physical health and energy, or maybe some much needed personal healing.

Whatever it is, I believe acknowledging this desire is the first and most important step.

The second? 

Saying “yes” to it. Every day.

When we align with our heart’s desires, powerful shifts start to happen on our behalf.

The follow-through seems to be tough though, right? That’s my experience. I believe this is because we lose sight of our ‘why.’ Or, perhaps our ‘why’ isn’t compelling enough.

I heard someone say recently that if your vision for your life only benefits you, it isn’t big enough.

Losing weight in order to have a healthier lifestyle and attract a new relationship is great…truly. However, we can go bigger. It will also allow you to feel more confident, contribute more value to the world, and attract more opportunities. It will help you show up in every area of life and be more present because you feel better. It will inspire others to follow your lead. We could go on…

In light of personal freedom, when your “why” is compelling enough, the follow through becomes tangible.

I love the fact that you and I are called to be the truest version of ourselves possible. I’m not doing anyone any good if I wake up each morning trying to fit into someone else’s story. I’ve been down that winding road. It’s exhausting.

So, what do you say we do a bit of decluttering this week and leave all the other noise behind? Maybe it’s time to get clear on your picture of personal freedom and make some lasting changes…

You ready?

5 Ways to Protect Your Summer Self-Care

Summertime! Hello Gorgeous. 

Plot twist—summer months have always proven difficult for me because I’m a gal who LOVES structure.  Lame as it may sound, summer breaks as a kid were always a bit scary because, well, what does one do with a distaste for camping, forced summer reading, and the frizzy hair inducing humidity of the deep south in July?  

Fast forward a few decades and some change and, even as a working mom, summer months can be tricky because the structure and ritual characteristic of other seasons are compromised.  School’s out, childcare is sparse, travel ramps up, backyard bbq’s abound, and my highly-sensitive self needs some guardrails.  

It might be my dominant Enneagram 4. It might also be that some seasons, self-care is easier than others.  I think it’s a both/and situation.  

So, I thought it might be helpful to share five ways to protect your summer self-care. (Real quick so as to give you back some time to live your best life.)

1. Be realistic.  Said someone wise, “expectations are the thief of joy.” Adjust your expectations for self-care so as to make room for more joy! It will only fan the flame of motivation and desire on the flip side.

2. Work with what you’ve got. No matter where you are and what your schedule is, there are always opportunities to plug into self-care.  Just because your typical routine might not be available, seeking out alternative routes to move, rest, nourish, and play will only support a more balanced, restorative experience.

3. Self-compassion is a verb.  I’m a big believer that when all else fails, our self-care MVP is self-compassion.  Treating yourself as you would a dear friend—speaking to yourself with kindness—is the foundation of all other self-care. When schedules fill up and life gets wonky, the last thing you need is self-discipline…it’s self-compassion.  

4. Choose connection over perfection.  As I write this it is 9pm on a late June evening.  I can still hear my toddler's footsteps pouncing playfully upstairs.  I want to cringe, but I also know that whereas structure and schedules are important, flexibility is as well.  Give yourself extra time and space to connect with the people who matter when the opportunity presents.  

5. Practice play.  The moment we stop playing, we start aging.  Summertime often presents us an invitation to flex this muscle in a special way.  Take it.  As I’ve learned all too well post cancer diagnosis and treatment, life is all about finding moments of joy and presence.  They are extravagant gifts strewn everywhere along the way, just like freckles on a sun-drenched face.  Let’s get out there!

Let's Have Lunch

Something I get asked often is “how do I use the Enneagram for personal growth and transformation?” And I love it!  

Why?  Because I often fear folks misuse the Enneagram and use it to weaponize others (“Oh, Katie, you’re such a 4!), or as an excuse for bad behavior, (i.e. “I can’t help isolating when I feel misunderstood, I’m a 4 on the enneagram after all!”) 

 I get it. Part of discovering our type is identifying with its tendencies and patterns. But if we stay in that space, never progressing to the transformational power of the tool, we sell ourselves short.  

Sure, there are lots of helpful Enneagram tools out there online and on social media to deepen our knowledge and understanding, but again, there is SO MUCH MORE!  

A big part of growth and development is community.  We don’t heal in isolation, we heal in relationship.  Having a safe (very important) place to commune with other(s) (safe people) and explore the beautiful complexity of our Enneagram type and how we use the tool to create dynamic, impactful lives and relationships is key.  

But where can we find this?  

Ahhh, I’m so glad you asked!  For the past two years, I’ve been hosting an Enneagram Mastermind Group in partnership with Char, a lovely and delicious eatery in the heart  of Nashville. It’s an intimate, closed group of 10 like minded people journeying through a detailed curriculum I’ve created specifically for this setting.  It’s a time to make new friends, practice newfound personal insights, and put the Enneagram to its incredible use.  

The best part of this group?  Starting in August, I’m hosting my mid-day mastermind so you can sneak away on your lunch break!  If you’re interested, email me to get on the waitlist.  Registration will open in July.  

I can’t wait to go deeper with you into this creative Enneagram community so soon!

The Healing Power of Movement

Today you’re in for a treat! I’m bringing my pal Koula Callahan, master yoga instructor and speaker for the Self-Care Workshop, on the blog to share why movement, namely yoga, is incredibly powerful and important for us to practice as we move through our days. If you’ve always wondered what all the fuss is about yoga —and why it is really effective, today is the day—you’re going to get some answers.  

Let’s dive right into my chat with Koula!

1) KG: So how does movement help regulate/process emotions?

KC: Movement is a critical part of the healing journey. So many of us forget to incorporate and listen to our bodies as we try to process emotions and hardships and we wonder why we keep feeling stuck. There’s a reason though — our entire life’s story is stored in our cells and in our body tissues. And each part of the body shares with our brain the responsibility of memory. In fact, our bodies store more information than our brains do. So if we try to process our emotions only by accessing our brains, we miss out on an enormous amount of “data” stored in our bodies that actually helps us more than our brains do. Movement helps us tap into that reservoir of “data” and develop a more integrated approach to processing emotions. 

2) Why yoga?  What’s all the fuss?

KC: Gosh. Yoga is so freaking helpful for so many reasons. Aside from being a killer workout (long lean muscle development!!), it’s the only movement practice that focuses on presence and awareness first. A lot of people think that they “aren’t good at yoga” because they aren’t flexible. That is so not true. It’s not about flexibility, it’s not about strength, it’s not about whether or not you can touch your toes. The physical practice of yoga is all about connecting with yourself and bringing the mind, body and spirit into union with one another. Focusing on presence and awareness from moment to moment makes the practice a moving mediation. I think that’s what’s hardest about it. You have to face the truth of what’s really going on with yourself. And you also get killer abs and triceps :) 

3) KG: Why should we be practicing yoga?

KC: Yoga reduces anxiety and stress, helps us sleep better, regulates our hormones, flushes out our organs, boosts our immune systems, etc, etc, etc. The benefits are tremendous. Honestly though, I suggest practicing yoga with consistency because it keeps you grounded in a time when everything seems chaotic. This simple, practical tool is available to everyone to help us stay calm and balanced regardless of what might be going on in our lives or families. 

4) KG:   Why is yoga so important to you as a teacher and participant? How did you come to find it? 

KC:  My yoga practice has been the through line of my life as an adult. It’s the tool I rely on most to “self-regulate” my emotions regardless of what’s going on around me. When I come to my mat, it forces me to get present and simplify things that I have made way too complex in my life. When sh*t hits the fan in my life, my yoga mat becomes my little sanctuary where I can pay attention to how I feel and nourish myself. I really do notice when I go a few days without it — my sleep is off, I’m more irritable and less kind to myself. I love teaching for many reasons, one of which is what I learn from my students and their willingness to show up fully. It’s beautiful to experience the sense of connection that a yoga class creates and it really does fill me up when I get a chance to teach. To be a good teacher I believe I have to be a student first, and I’m grateful for what each one of my students teaches me. 

Thank you, Koula! You have enriched my life and so many others by your passion and ability.  

To start moving with me and receive all these benefits of yoga, join the Practice for an entire library of classes no matter your level of experience.

The Summer Reset

In just a few weeks, we will start our first ever Health Reset week as part of the Practice, my Enneagram-based self-care membership program.  Let me give you some backstory.  

I’ve always considered myself healthy-ish.  My relationship with food and exercise started early.  Around 9-years-old, I began running and writing as a way to process big, unruly emotions that felt overwhelming at the time.  

Guess what? It helped. Big time. I’ve always considered self-care to be about doing things that promote our truest, most alive expression.  All those little things that create a life we don’t want to escape.  

It’s no accident that still, to this day, my life and work are very focused on helping others access this for themselves as a therapist, Enneagram teacher, and creator of the Practice.  

I firmly believe how we treat ourselves, both physically and emotionally, has massive impacts on the whole trajectory of our lives.  

I also believe it is why I fared so well through my cancer journey.  For all intents and purposes, those two years of surgeries, chemo, doctor visits, and side effects were far more palatable than most.  In fact, I remember at one of my follow-up oncologist appointments, I asked my doctor how many people go through what I’ve just gone through and have a similar, positive experience.  Her response?

1% 

I was floored.

She commented that my attitude, faith, physical strength, and good health played a massive role in those odds.  

Now that I’m on the other side of the bulk of that trial, I’m more passionate than ever to really nourish and care for myself, body, mind, and spirit.  In fact, I’d love for you to continue to join me on this path.

On June 19-25, I’m leading a Summer Health Reset because just like Anne Lamott said, sometimes we all need a little time to unplug and refresh.  This is meant to be a restorative, life-giving week, not a restrictive one.  I’ll provide the guard rails, you can choose your speed.  

Those guardrails will be gentle, so as to add in plenty of rest, movement, and vibrant, whole foods.  Sure, I’ll be taking out some of the fun stuff like dairy, gluten, sugar, and alcohol, but there will be plenty of delicious options to take their place.   And again, you choose your pace.  

Half-way through the week, we’ll hop on a 30-minute call and see how everyone’s doing ;) It’s so much easier to do this stuff in community, right? 

If you’re not a member of the Practice, I’d love for you to join and be a part of this exciting new offering!

Love &  Gratitude,

Katie