We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kamry Steger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kamry, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I love this question. There are many individuals that are fortunate enough to have specific gifts and talents from the day they’re born, but for others like myself, it’s within our darkest season when our purpose is birthed. Finding strength in my darkest hour pushed a passion out of me that I never knew I had within me. As a mother who had been diagnosed with high functioning depression and generalized anxiety, being told that my infant had cerebral palsy crushed me. But it was in that season that I knew that diagnosis was pushing me into my purpose in the world.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Kamry Steger and I am a certified life insurance agent and founder of the organization H.I.P.S. (Hidden in Plain Sight) of Michigan. I founded this organization to provide a supportive community for families facing similar challenges that I came across with my daughter. Witnessing the lack of resources and understanding, I wanted to create a space where parents could share experiences, access information, and celebrate the achievements of their unique children. The organization aims to promote inclusivity, raise awareness, and empower families to navigate the complexities of raising children with diverse abilities. This year, H.I.P.S. is on a mission to improve the lack of equality by creating all-inclusive, barrier free playgrounds for disabled children, and we’re started right in our community. There are over 10,000 playgrounds across the country, and there is not one in our city that provides the necessary equipment or accessibility that supports the needs of all people.
My purpose is to improve the knowledge of inclusivity around the world, and to share my story to help others facing similar situations in their lives.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
What’s funny is that in every season of this journey that answer varies. Right now I’d say mastering self-discipline, setting boundaries, and networking have been vital. And the main piece of advice I can give anyone on a journey of walking in their purpose is to always remain true to yourself. Authenticity will fuel genuine fulfillment and you’ll make decisions that are in alignment with your morals and values. Your audience will have more trust and belief in you when they know they aren’t seeing an inauthentic version of you.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
There are a few things I do. First, I pray. As a woman of Faith, prayer is always my weapon to attack any battle I’m facing. Next is self-care. No matter how busy my schedule is, I’m always going to take time out of my day or week to myself. Oftentimes we only feel overwhelmed because we aren’t taking the time to focus on our mind, body, and spirit as much as we do in our careers. And my self-care can range anywhere from going to the gym, or taking a day off to be with family. And this last one might sound simple but it’s a problem many of us have, say no. There was a time I’d go out of my way to pour into everyone and everything around me and had nothing left when it came to me. Those days are long gone. You really do just have to get into the practice of just saying no to things that don’t serve you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hipsmichigan.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hips_organization
