You’re imperfect. Life is messy. Show up anyway. I’ll help you figure out how.

Hi there. I’m Krista, mama of three beautiful kiddos (14, 20, and forever 23). My beautiful son left the world on Oct 23/19 at 23 years of age.

26 years ago I  married a West African man who I found in Québec when I had sworn off relationships forever and later dragged back to Alberta with me. I come from a big, colourful family of 13 and have the utmost respect for my mom and dad (both left this world way too young from cancer) who lived humble and simple but purposeful lives, fully aligned to their core values.

A Journey to Freedom

My life has been a journey of learning to love and care for myself well. A journey to freedom.

I used to have an addictive personality and this got me into trouble until I learned to live fully conscious, eyes and heart wide open. I have walked through suicide attempts, anxiety and panic attacks, chronic pain, loss & grief, binge eating & body shame. Not necessarily in that order.

For most of my life, I did not find living easy. I needed to choose to live. Today, I consciously and determinedly choose to show up fully to this imperfect and beautiful life of mine in every season.

Along the way, I’ve learned that joy and pain can coexist and that life does not have to be perfect to be beautiful.

One day I decided to like myself. I embraced my “good enough” and continued the soul-stretching work of quieting the noise of perfectionism, comparison, and fear so I could show up fully to this imperfect and beautiful life of mine.

 

I’ve learned to forgive myself for all my struggle and messiness, learned to approve of myself, and realized that I am far stronger, braver and more resilient than I ever understood before. I’ve put down strong, hardy roots of self-awareness and self-compassion and help my clients do this life-giving work too.

Writing a New Story

In late 2018 I had an interesting experience in which I saw “in my mind’s eye” a big gaping wound being stitched up and *heard* the clear, resounding thought: “this is no longer your story. You will write a new story.”

I thought I knew what this meant. I thought it meant that 2019 would feel amazing, joyful. But what it meant was that I would walk my son home. That we would walk through the hardest year of our lives and somehow not lose our footing.

(Not sure you’re in the right place? START HERE)

I’ve had other experiences like this before that have influenced the trajectory of my life. 17 years ago I saw women linking arms and marching across the land, lifting up others as they went, journeying to freedom.

I’ve had a dream in which I felt called to BE a safe house for others. To put a light in the window and make space for other weary travelers to rest, be fed, and equipped for the journey ahead.

I *heard* in my spirit one day, years ago, that I was a light bearer – I was to bear the light of hope and encouragement to others. Although I was so imperfect and messy, I was to offer the light I had.

Life takes us places we never could have imagined or planned for ourselves.

(LEARN HOW YOU CAN WORK WITH ME OR LEARN ABOUT MY EDUCATION)

Honouring our Strengths & Wiring to Build a Kinder World

My background is in French Immersion Education (6 years for a B.Ed. and to become bilingual, although I never completed my final practicum so don’t actually hold a degree), I spent years homeschooling and raising a strong & stubborn family (which totally should have earned me a Masters!), and then studied more in natural nutrition and functional health and today serve women-around the globe as a Writer & Joyful Living Educator.

I work part-time and constantly walk out the tension between my love of a new learning curve with my need for rest and permission to simply BE. I require tons of solitude and calm, an abundance of rest, and swaths of unscheduled time in order to feel healthy. Body, Mind, Spirit healthy.

For those of you geeky folk like me, I’m a strong introvert and stubborn questioner with rebel leanings, ISFJ (often mistaken for an IN), HSP, and Enneagram 1w2.

I started my “Live on Purpose Facebook group” as a space to meet growth-minded people and offer education and encouragement for handcrafting deeply rooted lives of purpose, health, and JOY. Come on over or learn how else you can connect with me!

I think STORY or truth-telling is healing and believe that by sharing our stories we break shame and lift up the light of hope & encouragement for each other.

 

I think STORY or truth-telling is healing and believe that by sharing our stories we break shame and lift up the light of hope & encouragement for each other. I am changed by story – largely because it is “descriptive, not prescriptive.” It makes space for us to ponder, grapple with, and then find the application to our own life. It trusts us as the expert of our own life.

As such, although I spend a lot of time in research and distilling big ideas into practical application for my community, my blog is primarily a tool for sharing stories and encouragement to remind you that you are not alone. That you are not the only one who struggles. That there is hope.

I take all my struggle and study and offer it to remind you that you matter. That you are worthy of acceptance and compassion right now in the full, messy, glorious truth of who and how you are – Imperfect and beautiful.

Not if you lose 50 pounds or no longer taste struggle or get your life perfectly pulled together. Right now in the middle of the storm.

From one messy human to another, you are welcome here.

Krista xo

*old family photo by magpie3studio