We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Lackey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kimberly, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I believe my resilience came from facing adversity during my health challenges and then learning from that as well as growing from the struggle. Dealing with the uncertainty of illness such as lymphoma and a debilitating autoimmune condition that put me in a wheelchair, I learned to navigate a variety of intense emotions and adapt to living with these diagnoses by altering my prior viewpoint of what being “healthy” would look like for me. By modifying my habits, thoughts and ideas, I was able to create a new normal for myself. I was able to experience considerable personal growth and learned that a label doesn’t have to define me or my future. From this experience, I am healthier today in mind, body and spirit than I was prior to encountering a cancer diagnosis and treatment as well as rehabbing from reactive arthritis.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am passionate about helping people find their own path to personal acceptance. I enjoy teaching others the power of trusting their own intuition and empowering them by teaching strategies to get back on their own “right track” in order to live the life they were put here to experience. By doing this, I believe that the individual is able to be free of personal judgment and can freely express who they were meant to be. When this occurs, we all benefit because the world needs every human to share the gifts they were put on Earth to give.
I primarily work with individuals that want help healing from illness or adjusting to a new normal. I also work with the neurodivergent population to help people navigate a world that is designed for a neurotypical person, including ADHD and autism. I focus in these areas because I was diagnosed with ADHD late in life and I understand the struggles and misconceptions that can occur when having a neurodivergency. I also understand the challenges of facing life with a threatening illness and how to reenter the world in a positive and even better place than before.
I have worked with companies and corporate leaders who are looking for education and strategies to implement inclusion practices. I work with parents who are adjusting to their children’s diagnosis and individuals who are navigating their own personal transitions.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Acceptance: Many people with an illness or significant life challenge feel like they “just need to be strong” but I remind my clients that letting go is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it takes courage to accept the process as is. Leaning into your feelings and letting go of tears can be healing and detoxifying. Don’t fight them off. Allow yourself to grieve everything you feel because you will find that once you address your fears or feelings of inadequacy and frustration, they become disarmed.
Positive Attitude/Optimism: Our overall health relies heavily on the state of our emotions. Finding ways to be optimistic and positive can greatly strengthen your immune system. When you can turn to gratitude, it makes it easier for fears to become smaller. You shouldn’t ignore anxiety or worry, but it’s possible to make sure it doesn’t have a front-row seat in your life. And choose to be around positive people. Negative people or “energy vampires” will have an impact on your mindset and health.
Be Proactive: No one knows you better than you! Rather than listening to others and their labels for you, take ownership in yourself – be proactive and listen to your intuition. Whether this is related to a medical diagnosis or another challenge in your life, take action so you’re not relying on someone else’s vision for you.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I moved to Denver about 9 months ago in order to attend graduate school. Adapting to a new city, far away from my support system in Tampa, FL where I was born and raised, has proven to provide many challenges and opportunities for growth. I chose to return to school to get my MA in Mental Health Counseling because I am deeply committed to my own personal and professional development. Learning and growing is a pursuit that I will always enjoy; however, this particular endeavor has been a goal of mine for about 20 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.empathcoaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empathcoaching
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlyerinlackey
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlylackeyempath
Image Credits
Dallas Broekhuizen
