We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katelyn Ridgeway a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katelyn, we sincerely appreciate you joining us today and agreeing to talk about some very personal topics. So, to kick things off, let’s talk about a tough one – divorce. Can you talk to us about how you overcame divorce?
This is something that I feel like not many 24 year olds go through. It was on my one year wedding anniversary that I got served divorce papers and that was something I wasn’t entirely expecting. I was devastated and shattered, even though looking back now, I can see how I was exactly where I needed to be in that moment. I leaned on my family and friends (A LOT). They were the backbone to me overcoming divorce. I remember I would call my mom and dad multiple times throughout the day, because I needed to hear their words of encouragement and support. I allowed myself to feel my emotions deeply and I even documented my entire journey on Tiktok. This is where I found a community of like minded women who uplifted and supported me throughout my own healing journey. I even started a divorce gals Facebook group which lead to group texts and zooms where we could share more about what we went through. I read a lot of self-help books and journaled too. I would say this helped but it wasn’t the main catalyst for healing. True community from family members, friends and even strangers was the biggest blessing during that time and helped me more than anyone will know.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m Katie and I am from Tulsa, Oklahoma but currently reside in Oklahoma City, where I’ve been for the last 7 years. I went to school for Vocal Performance (I even have a song out on streaming services), but quickly realized that wouldn’t be the career for me! I started looking into online health and fitness coaching after hiring my own coach. I loved getting customized workouts and nutrition protocols from her and realized I wanted to help women like she helped me! I got my CPT about 3 years ago and have been an assistant coach ever since. I love getting to connect with women from all over the world and help heal their relationship with food and gain confidence in themselves.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
One of the biggest things I had to learn was to FEEL my emotions. Not bottle it up and not express it in unhealthy ways. Truly leaning into the pain and coping in healthy ways (going to the gym, journaling, etc.) helped me in so many ways. When I was feeling particularly sad or angry, I would pop in my headphones, listen to a motivational podcast (Jay Shetty was my favorite) and go for a walk! One other thing I think helped me was looking within myself to see what I could change. A lot of the time we place blame on the other person (which is valid and fair) but it helped to take attention off of my ex and fully focus on myself – the good, the bad + the ugly. I really reflected to see what I could change within myself to become better for my next relationship.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I have grown A LOT in the past 12 months. Shortly after I got a divorce, my grandma passed away and then about 6 months later I lost my job. All of these things combined made me become even more resilient than before. I am proud to say I am not someone who gives up easily and I continue to push through the adversaries to continue to build the life I want for myself. One thing that helped me to be resilient was the support of my community around me. Friends and family members I could go to and no matter what mood I was in. they were there for me. I cried, laughed, vented and they were always there.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepinfitwithkatie/?hl=en
- Other: Stream my song here: https://open.spotify.com/track/12U6vbrX7r3t7SGYLinoxV
Image Credits
Meg Baker
