Journal message to myself today:
“I embrace uncertainty and uncomfortable life situations with courage. I face new experiences with my mind and heart wide open. I choose growth and expansion with roots that run deep & a heart with great wings.”
The roads less traveled lead you to some of the most important places you’re meant to be.
Had a chat with a follower this morning and she said she just felt lost and asked how I found my way to my present day life. She asked what it was like growing up as a Farmer’s daughter.
I’ve posted about this before. This mornin I glanced at the number of followers I had, 25K. Holy crap. It’s exciting & terrifying at the same time.
Y’all are my digital family & I realize the last time I talked about this that was about 15,000 followers ago…
…and I felt the sense of humility, awe, & honor wash over me.
A lot of people over my 39 yrs have asked me:
“So what was it like growing up as a farmer’s daughter?” and “How did you get here?”
Never in a million years did I ever dream so many people would give a shit as to what I had to say or felt.
Walmart & hand me down born y’all. Raised on Spam, bologna & cheese, baby. 🥪
Humble beginnings🙏🏻🇺🇸 & if you ask me how to prepare tofu or fake meat I’m gonna tell you to throw it in the trash.
If you’re new here, I’m not one to sugarcoat, literally or metaphorically, so if you’re lookin for a watered down PC version of a girl who simply poses in her underwear & posts nothin but a inspirational quote without grit, purpose & somethin to say behind what she shares…go somewhere else.
And if you don’t like what you see on my feed or what my followers support, bless your heart, go somewhere else.
It’s hard to sum up completely to do it justice on the impact of the roads less traveled in my life but here goes…
Being raised on a beef cattle & crop farm in small town USA, Indiana, is one of my favorite things in the world. It’s the dirt, literally, I grew my life on.
Not only are my parents my heros, my teachers, my protectors, & my role models — they are my best friends & easily the hardest working people I’ve ever met in my life.
Doesn’t mean we’ve always seen eye to eye, doesn’t mean I haven’t gotten my a$$ kicked a time or 2 (or 10 😂). I always know I have a forever home to go back to.
And that doesn’t always mean a piece of land but the people. My family & friends that would become family are where my home is.
My dad & mom taught me 2 of the coolest jobs in the world — a farmer & what it means to be a caretaker.
I don’t think you fully realize as a kid the impact & importance of growing up rural, provided for but not rich in terms of money by any means, & being a caretaker of people, animals, & the land.
Now, thinkin back when other kids at school talked about what their parents did — doctors, lawyers, business people (all great professions, no disrespect) — how incredible is it that I got to say my parents help feed the world?
Pretty fxckin awesome if I don’t say so myself.
From early mornins & late nights workin cattle, to vacations being whatever cattle show we were going to, I was taught always be the hardest worker in the room & your character & integrity are everything — nothin has shaped my life & personality more.
Things I learned:
- work 1st, play 2nd, family is everything
- don’t leave the gate open. Ever. But learn to live like someone left the gate open
- strength is everything. Physically, mentally, emotionally.
- just when you think they won’t do you like that, a mf will def do you like that. Be honest & keep your integrity.
- if you can handle weaning calves with your family, you can do anything.
- how to cook, clean, drive, & do your laundry by the age of 10
- the circle of life & being tough
- keep your skin thick & immunity high, rub some dirt on it
- importance of seasons
- the feel of rubbin your fingers through a calf’s hair & the soft feel of holding a purple champion banner after working your a$$ off
- you’re never too good to pray or better than anyone else
- nothin tastes better than an ice cold crown and Coke, cheap pizza, & home grown meats after a hard days work sitting on a show box or tailgate, dirty af, with your people
Hats off to all my fellow farm people & livestock people, you’re the best in the world!
The second half of her question, how I got here?
My first job ever was working on the family farm.
My second was working as a lab assistant in an animal science lab at Purdue University where I graduated magna cum laude with a bachelors of science degree.
My third job was a vet tech.
My fourth was a well-paying job with a pharmaceutical company after landing a competitive internship.
I hated it.
I was making good money but I was miserable. It was cut throat, money & number driven, & I felt like I wasn’t helping anyone.
I felt lost.
After swallowing my pride & many tears later, I made the decision my happiness was worth more than a paycheck.
I went back to doing what I loved, which was healthcare — went back to working as a vet tech. And for anyone who has worked in this field, you know we don’t do it for the paycheck or benefits. We do it for love.
I married a farmer young at 22 (divorced at 27). Self employed, we needed insurance & benefits. So being the martyr & people pleaser I was — I made another sacrifice & got a job as a phlebotomist in patient access at a local hospital.
Turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I met my second love — healthcare, for my first will always & forever be agriculture.
I’ve worked in healthcare now for 16 years, it’s been full of struggles, numerous jobs, healthcare facilities, positions, learning new skills, a lot of tears & a lot of time aboard the hot mess express — with my health, personal life, relationships, my addictions, disordered eating, shitty mindset syndrome, debt, & trying to figure out what the fugg my purpose was.
I then fell in love with CrossFit & nutrition in my early 30’s & the rest was history.
I now balance my personal business as a blogger/nutritionist/coach along with being a radiographer, the best career in the world & I love it.
Guess what? I’m still getting my shit together! 😂 It’s a forever process because we never stay the same, we’re always evolving.
You only fail if you stay stagnant & fail to learn the lessons.
If you have a goal & are pulled to something bigger than yourself, if you have something you really really want — GO FOR IT!
I was once told, “You will never make it without me.”
Deuces✌🏻 I think I’m doin all right 😉
No obstacle will stay in your path if you have the strength to find the solution to go around it & an appreciation of your story along the way.
The roads less traveled lead you to some of the most important places you’re meant to be.❤️
So you can find me…
…somewhere between scrubs, boots, & leggins.
I’d love to hear yours too.
Oxox
Coach K