The Roads Less Traveled & Growing Up A Farmer’s Daughter

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.”

Home Sweet Home

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.

Eat your BEEF.

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

@lil_bit_of_fit

Life lessons in this day in the life of scrubs & leggins

4am comes early. In the OR by 6:20 this mornin. 

I woke up with such a grateful heart. 

I remember days in my 20s waking up & absolutely dreading going to work & feeling a black heavy cloud over my life.

It was suffocating.

I’ve had a lot of jobs that were just that — jobs.

I really don’t think it was until my 30s that I truly appreciated & deeply loved my profession in radiology.

It took taking a lot of wrong turns to get to that place of gratitude.

Same thing for my love life. 

The handful of serious relationships I’ve had, I’ve learned so much from every single one.

And I do take a piece of every single special person & take them with me in my heart.

Same thing for my jobs.

Today, I got to do one of my most favorite things in the whole world, which I was absolutely terrified of as an X-ray student — surgery. 

I assisted in my first hip scope & labrum repair. Didn’t even know they used a C-arm for that. 😆 I truly appreciate the surgeon asking my name & then making sure he knew my name & thanked me as I exited.

Many times this is not commonplace.

And you’re called Xray or hey you or I’ve even had shit thrown at me, & called stupid in a case.

I’m not kidding some surgeons are just not so nice.

You learn to have really thick skin & not show fear. X-ray school & environments like this definitely do not help self-esteem or self-worth issues. 😂

I used to tell my Xray students don’t let them know you’re scared because they’ll eat you alive. You will be OK & you can do this!

Learn to think quick on your feet. Be nice to everyone in the OR & help out as much as you can within your scope of practice.

To anyone no matter what your role is in surgery knows how intimidating the environment is.

I have told you before I’m like a bull in a China shop, so for me having to have finesse in a sterile environment is not just a matter of me being polished — it is absolutely vital & necessary. It was a skill learned & refined with years of practice.

I remember having talks with myself before I went into the OR saying, “Katie do not fuck shit up. Do not contaminate or touch anything you are not supposed to!”

An entire surgery case can be dependent on one wrong move & if you don’t know what you’re doing the doctor can’t see what he’s doing. 

Scary af right?!

I haven’t touched a C-arm in 3 years. Like riding a bike & it felt so good. 😉

I worked as an x-ray tech for 10 years at Community Anderson & left in 2015 when I moved to Lafayette.

My last 5 years have been the most life-changing & confusing & rewarding seasons all in one.

Points to this day in the life of scrubs & leggins:

1.) Treat everyone with respect no matter what their role, race, gender, whatever. No one is better than anyone else & you never know when you’re going to need someone’s help 

2.) It’s never too late to start over. It’s never too late to refine your craft & your gifts. It’s never too late to follow what you love. 

3.) Learn from your mistakes & all of the paths you take. You were placed there for a reason & you were always exactly where you’re meant to be.

Keep calm & Xray on bishes. 💀🙅🏼‍♀️💕

Till next time 🤘🏻

Xoxo

Times are Changing – “The Purge”

Sometimes people, places, things, our comfortably controlled routines — the old you — must be lifted from the VIP seats of your life to allow the aligned ones in. 

Hello #covid19 

This removal usually hurts like hell. 

It usually is a big kick in the azzzz frankly. 

It creates scars. 

Scars we don’t other people to see so we hide them. We mold into people & titles we think other people will like to approve of. 

What happens when they’re stripped away? What do you cling to?

What do you discover?

What do you let go?

This time has been challenging for me too. I’ve had to basically relearn how to live & sit uncomfortably in my feelings. I don’t sit & rest well. #gsdqueen 

I am beyond grateful, however. For some downtime & slowdown to refocus on what makes me unique, refocus, gratitude for simple things, & realizing I am fuggin awesome no matter if I’m being productive or not. 

Don’t put yourself on the clearance rack — I tell my clients this all the time. With anything in life — dating, fitness, food, career, personal development. 

People doubt their ability, they’re ashamed of their scars when there are people out there in awe of their potential. ⁣

I remind myself to savor relationships & connections made, no matter what the outcome, to not doubt my abilities & worth, to not settle, & to share my scars freely, & choose gratitude ALWAYS.

Here’s to service, presence, & new beginnings. 

Xray on 🤘🏻💀😷

Gimme a ❤️ & one thing you’re grateful for today!🙏🏻👇🏻