We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kate French. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kate below.
Kate, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I have always been successful. I started working very young and had a hard work ethic. I always wanted to grow and challenge myself. This led to working every position in bars and restaurants until I opened my first one at 27. I then opened a second one years later and ran both of them. I was very good at it! But I was completely unfulfilled. I suffered from anxiety and burnout. I tried to stay with it because I believed that is what I was supposed to do but it became increasingly difficult. I finally decided to sell one, and then after covid sell the other one! Covid allowed me to stop working so much and focus on healing myself. In that healing came clarity. I realized that what I was really wanting to do was to find a way to help people like me! I beat addiction in 2015 and had a very long road of finding myself. It is still a work in progress but I am 1000% happier today then I was just four years ago. Or even one year ago. I became a coach and somatic breathwork coach and found my purpose! Creating and leading breathwork sessions are my favorite thing to do! I love the healing capabilities of just one session and it has become my mission to bring breahtwork to so many that have never tired it!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I didn’t find myself until much later in life. I truly didn’t know myself well at all. I had childhood trauma and didn’t even realize it until almost 40. This along with being raised an athiest was a hard road. I didn’t believe there was anything outside of myself. So I became addicted to pain killers. I had to numb myself. In 2015 I checked myself into rehab and found spirituality. My life started to shift rapidly. I began a daily meditation practice and started reading spiritual books. It was a whole new world and in that world I was able to slowly begin to connect with my soul. I started quietly blogging online. A few years later I started to open up a bit more about my journey. I was a lifelong restauranteur and that was what I was good at! But the more I connected with spirit, the more my soul called for being of service. Although everyone thought I was crazy I sold my bars and restaurants and became a certified breath coach and life coach. I now leading somatic breathwork sessions at my beautiful home in Edgewood, WA and locally at studios, and on zoom. My life is about service and helping others find their connection to their soul with my company Stronger Soul. I recently got married on 4/4/24 to the man of my dreams that I manifested on paper the day I met him. We remodeled a boarded up, condemned drug house in 2021 and it is a beautiful retreat center today.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Growth mindset. Communication. Tenacity. My advice would be to keep focusing on small changes. Small incremental changes add up to a completely different life! Also consistency. It is so important not to give up because something is hard at first. The gym is hard, but if you go everyday it is much more rewarding than it is hard!
Move your body.
Practice some sort of mindfulness.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Imposter Syndrome/Self Worth. This has been a life long struggle for me. I grew up with a very critical mother and also came from a household that didn’t show love by affection or words. I was always forced to try to be better. This is something I didn’t even realize until much later in life how this has shown up for me! I don’t feel good enough. What I do to overcome this is a lot of work on myself. Changing negative self talk into positives. I read and journal daily. I pay close attention to how I am feeling. I know if my mood dips that there is a program running in my head. I also do things to push myself out of my comfort zone. I keep facing fears and putting myself out there even though it is really hard sometimes! I get rewarded by feeling more like my authentic self!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.strongersoul.com
- Instagram: strongersoulpnw
- Facebook: Stronger Soul- Kate French
- Youtube: Stronger Soul Coaching
