I have two questions for you.

1. What do you most crave?
2. What if what the world needs most is for you to do that?

Twelve years ago, the cravings of my heart became really loud and insistent. I was living a life of “service,” doing my best to give as much as I could, as often as I could, as well as I could, to communities and causes I loved.

Until I had nothing left to give.

With the best of intentions, I had worked myself into full-blown depletion.
 
My body was telling me in subtle and not-so-subtle ways that something had to change. Now.

In response to the pain of my body’s messages, I started going to an amazing massage therapist and intuitive healer.
 
In the quiet of those first sessions, probably after shedding some tears of exhaustion and the wounding that all too often happens in the course of mission-driven work, I let myself express what I truly craved.
 
More than anything, I craved OASIS. I craved rest. I craved quiet time for myself, by myself. I wanted to sit in stillness beside the river. For as long as I wanted.
 
I remember my massage therapist asking me this life-changing question:
 
“What if what the world needs most is for Katie to sit by the river?”

 WHAAAT??? How could that be? What does that do for anyone?
 
And yet, at some cellular level, I began to trust the wisdom of that craving.

I began to prioritize giving myself moments and days of oasis. I took time to sit by the river. I found my spirit reawakening. My creativity reawakening. My truth and my voice reawakening. My body healing. And as I came back to life, I began to bring moments of oasis and soulful reflection into my work with communities.
 
Over the course of time, that led me to the work that I do now. My coaching circle recently told me, “Katie you not only give people a place of oasis. You ARE oasis.”
 
It turns out that my massage therapist was right.
 
What the world needed most from me was for me to sit by the river.
 
In giving myself the gift of oasis, I healed.  I could become an oasis for the people I am here to serve. And I teach them to do that for themselves. So that THEY can tap into the wisdom of their deepest craving. So that they can free themselves to do what it is that the world needs from them most.

Really, these two questions are at the heart of my coaching practice.
 
First, I help clients uncover what it is that they truly crave.
 
And then we clear away the questions and guilt and accusations of selfishness that their inner mean girl or boy throws at them, so that with peace and trust, they can answer Question #2: What if what the world needs most is for me to do ______________?

Even if it doesn’t make sense.
 
Even if it looks “selfish.”
 
Even if you can’t see in practical terms how it could possibly be helpful to anyone but you. Right now.

(Listen--If you’re scared that what you truly crave isn’t serious enough or weighty enough, you must listen to this podcast from one of my all time favorite people, Elizabeth Gilbert:
http://maximumfun.org/magic-lessons/magic-lessons-ep-201-you-have-screaming-not-calling-featuring-sarah-jones)
 
The most powerful thing my clients and I do together is come into the oasis of stillness and renewal, where we listen to and honor what their hearts need to say.
 
So that they can be happy. So that they can live the life they crave. And so that they can do the work that is most naturally, joyfully theirs to do. Because coincidentally, that is what the world needs most from them.
 
For me it is to be oasis for myself and for the people I get to work with.
 
For you it may be something else.

Whatever it is, what if you trusted that there is wisdom in what you desire?

So I'm going to ask you these questions again:

• What do you most crave at this moment in your life?
• What if what the world needs most is for you to say, “Yes?”

​xoxo,

P.S. If you need help uncovering what it is you crave most, then work with me, Braveheart. It is in there. It is always in there. But you may need help clearing away what keeps you from seeing it. And that is one of the things I do best (because it makes me happy.)

I don’t know about you, but 2015 kicked my *ss. And it kicked the *sses of a lot of people I love. For many of us, 2015 required levels of strength, honesty, leadership, and emotional reserves we didn’t know we had.
 
And so, I am easing into my visions and plans for 2016 slowly and gently.
 
If you’re already crystal clear on what you want to create in 2016, that’s wonderful. Ride that wave!
 
But if you’re just beginning to think about it, join me this month. You’re right on time, Dearheart. Over the next four weeks, we’re going to deep dive into our Wisest Self, and start creating our best 2016, from the inside out.
 
Here’s where we begin: You are enough, just as you are.
 
Sometimes, especially if the holidays left us feeling off our center, resolutions and goals can be self-criticism in disguise. (I'm grateful to Nick Ortner for this insight).
 
When you lose X pounds, then you’ll be worthy.
 
When you land X job, then you’ll be worthy.
 
When you can run X miles, then you’ll really be rocking it.
 
Do I want you to lose weight you don’t need anymore? To land that job that challenges and nourishes you? To feel the strength of being able to run X miles?
 
If it’s what your soul craves, YES!
 
But you’ll have so much more chance of success (and feeling good) when you move toward that vision from a place of love and desire, rather than because you’re running to keep your Inner Critic at bay.
 
Let’s not make resolutions driven by fear. Because you and I, we are too beautiful and powerful for that.
 
Instead, I invite you to set intentions from a place of wholeness and desire.

I invite you to listen to your Inner Heroine. She is authentic. She is powerful. And she is wise.
 
She knows where you’re feeling called to something deeper. Something more. Something richer.
 
She knows you may not YET have everything in place to create this thing you long for. But she knows this: She is fundamentally sure of your wholeness, your resilience, and your ability to figure stuff out as it comes. And she can guide you to get the help and tools you need to bring your desire to life.
 
She knows you are ALREADY whole. Already worthy of love and happiness.
 
Just as you are.
 
Today.
 
Before you accomplish X.

P.S. Want to Create Your Best 2016 with me in person? Join me for a special Day Retreat Jan 23.

My sweet old Dad died recently. 

It’s been a long and arduous journey for him, for us, for me these past couple of years. And my mom’s needs continue to grow. We don’t know how long the journey ahead will be. We only know that love calls us to journey onward.

I miss him terribly. And I’m tired.

Lately, my throat aches with sadness and exhaustion.

Yesterday, my greatest wish was to feel vitality again. To want to go for a walk instead of dragging myself out for one. To want to greet the world and be a shiny presence that connects and inspires and heals. But I didn't feel very shiny.

By now, I know enough to allow myself to be *exactly* as I am. (Have you tried it?)

And so, I let go of driving myself and shifted to allowing myself.

I did what absolutely had to be done, and then I focused on nourishment. 

I read. I napped. I baked a chicken for myself and my love. I poured myself a splash of hearty red wine in a handmade earthen vessel. I put together a little plate of stinky cheese and healthy crackers and salty olives. I started a good novel. I sipped and savored while the chicken baked. I watched a little baseball and went easy on the boys when they lost. And I tucked myself in with my sweetheart at 9pm.

This morning, I woke at 4:15. I stayed tucked in the cocoon of my comforter and read essays written by that gloriously imperfect human, Anne Lamott. For hours. Then I soaked in the hot tub and showered. Then I made a cup of tea and meditated. Then I fed myself a plate of simple, fresh food.

Serious nourishment, all before 9am.  

(Note: Sometimes nourishment looks like sleeping ‘til 10).

As you may recall, my Word of the Year is “Passion First.” I’ve been writing it on my planner nearly everyday this year.

Except lately. I’ve been avoiding it because I have felt so utterly spent that "passion" felt like a long forgotten vacation. “Passion First” used to feel like permission to pursue my passion before any of my other work. Lately, has been feeling like a task master. A “should” that I could never attain.

This morning’s guided meditation was on compassion. As I allowed my busy brain to empty, it slowly dawned on me that my cup has run dry. 

Bone dry.

And the only way to refill my cup of passion is to pour a splash of hearty (com)passion into this earthen vessel and lift it to my own parched lips. Sip by tiny sip. 

That's what I started to do yesterday. And so, just a few hours later, I find myself writing a love letter to you, my beautiful tribe, to share a tiny sip of (com)passion with you too. 

Perhaps you are juggling many things that seem to be taking you away from your true passion. Perhaps you are still working hard in the land of “Not Yet” as you envision the life and work you really want. But “not yet” is still requiring a LOT of energy.

It’s enough to dry your creative juices right up.

The antidote? Self (com)passion.

Give yourself permission, Dearheart.

What is one gift of compassion you can pour into your own earthen cup today?

Do that. Lift it to your own precious lips and drink. And let us know about it in the comments below.

Much, much love,

Katie

P.S. My throat doesn't ache so much anymore.

If you’re like me, you juggle many good things. (I have three business pursuits and a volunteer nonprofit.) The categories of to-dos can be overwhelming, let alone the to-dos themselves.

But I have an unswerving passion for this: When I coach soulful women and men to rekindle their passion and do work they love, it is magical. I am in the sweet spot of my passion.

It is without a doubt what I’m here to do. And I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle of other good things.

So this is my mantra for 2015: Passion First.

I’ll bet you have persistent passion too, even if it’s not how you’re making your living - yet. Is it photography? Healing people and the planet? Writing? Bringing order to chaos?

As we dive into 2015, I invite you: Put your passion first.

Why? There are lots of good reasons, like being true to you, being happy, etc. But here is the #1 reason:

Because no one else is going to do it for you.

From today on, and every day in 2015, when sit down to plan my day, I’m going to ask myself, “What if I put my passion first?”

I invite you to join me.

Put Passion First.

Because it’s too darned easy to lose sight of your passion in the many things of the day.

In 2015 I am choosing to arrange my days so that my Passion gets nourished first, tiny step by tiny step.

Want to join me? Here are a few tips for getting started:

1. Give it love: Every day give your passion your attention - even for just a few minutes. Learn, play, meditate, brainstorm, daydream in the arena of your passion, even if the rest of the day is devoted to other projects. 
   
2. Make time: Set aside a chunk of minutes or hours in your day, a day a week or a day a month, to inspire, nourish, and grow your passion. Make time to create. 
   
3. Make room: What can you let go of to make room for your passion? Is there some activity that no longer feeds you? Something that distracts you? I invite you to let it go, darling. Give your passion room to grow, and it will!
   
4. Take a step: Take a small but meaningful step in the direction of your passion. Research it. Update your resume. Set up a conversation with someone you admire who does it. Choose an image or symbol that reminds you of it and put it somewhere you will see it often.
   

Here’s what I know for sure. When you put your passion first, you send a powerful message to yourself and to the Universe, that you mean business.

What is one tiny step you can take today to move your passion from the background into the foreground of your life? What is one way you can give your passion some love - even if it’s just for 15 minutes - today?

Declare it! And let us know in the comments below!

P.S. Want some help excavating your passion? That’s my favorite work. If you’d like some 1:1 guidance for living your passion and purpose, meet me here.

I was feeling a little Grinch-y and starting to beat myself up...just a little bit. I was feeling the little hamster on the wheel in my belly start to wind up with that feeling that I really ought to be doing something.

New Year’s resolutions. Intentions. Goals. Ugh.

I mean, aren’t the holidays overloaded ENOUGH, without having to think about improving myself too???

Maybe you can relate.

So this year, when I felt that “hurry up and reflect” hamster in my belly, first, I noticed it.

Next, I checked in with what I wanted to feel this holiday season: Playful. Spacious. Connected.

Finally, I asked myself what I wanted to do. Besides enjoying all of the celebrations, I wanted to enjoy this rare time off with my schoolteacher sweetie. I wanted to sleep in together. To read books. To watch movies. To go for walks and watch for birds. To hike in the woods. To tie up loose ends. To sip some fauxnog (lactose intolerant).

So I let myself off the hook. (Maybe you could too).

I knew that once everyone was back at work and the last holiday had been celebrated and the last weekend savored, I’d be ready to go inward and reflect. And guess what?  I was.

I still haven’t set any resolutions, and I probably won’t. But here’s an easy ritual I love that you might like too:

• I invite in a word or a phrase for the year. I use it as a guiding light for my actions on a daily basis. (Christine Kane writes a great article for how you can do that too).
  

So far, this is my phrase for 2015:

Passion First.

In fact, next week's blog is all about putting your passion first.

Do you have a word or a phrase for this year? What is it? I’d love to hear about it.

Xo,

Katie