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When Systems Create Space for Peace | Kat Mari Coaching

by Kat MariLeave a Comment on When Systems Create Space for Peace | Kat Mari Coaching
When Systems Create Space for Peace | Kat Mari Coaching

From Clutter to Clarity

Sometimes, peace isn’t found in stillness – it’s built, one system at a time.

When I first sat down to organize my world: six businesses, shifting home life, spiritual commitments, and creative dreams – I wasn’t looking for perfection. I just wanted peace.

What I discovered is that when systems are designed with intention, they don’t box you in… they set you free.

The Breaking Point: Doing Too Much to Feel in Control

For months, I was juggling tasks like survival mode was my default. Every list felt like a lifeline, yet nothing truly moved.

I was working from my home office space (my bedroom which doubled as my gym), managing a food business out of a tiny kitchen, and trying to remember who I was beyond the chaos.

I was a planner – a list-maker. My to-do lists were long, color-coded, and satisfying to check off… but they rarely led to fulfillment. I was productive, yes, but not purposeful.

Now, every task is a step forward, not just to get things done, but to move toward a longer, more intentional, God-led goal that leaves room for order and serenity.

Because busy isn’t the same as fruitful. And I realized, I didn’t need more hustle, I needed more harmony.

The Reset: Building Systems That Breathe

I started with one intention: “Create rhythm, not restriction.”

With that, I built my Anchor & Flow System in Monday.com – a digital ecosystem that aligned my spiritual, creative, and business life.
Each day now has its own focus:
🌴 Monday: Bamboo & Stone (growth + brand)
⛪ Tuesday: Church & Admin Systems
🧭 Wednesday: Coaching & Consulting
💻 Thursday: Digital & Ghostwriting
💰 Friday: Finance & Flex Focus

Every column, formula, and automation wasn’t just a tech tool… it became a promise:

I will no longer let the urgent, silence the important.

The Magic of Automation (and a Few Llamas 🦙)

Five working automations later, my board now thinks with me. It resets tasks, color-codes progress, and nudges me when creative focus time hits.

The best part?! Monday.com has random celebratory llamas – literal dancing llamas – that cheer me on when I complete a task. Who knew peace could feel like confetti? 🎉🎉🎉

But the real win wasn’t digital; it was emotional. For the first time in months, I could see my week and breathe inside it.

The Space It Created

With systems in place, I started waking up differently:
☀️ Devotionals, workouts, walks with August – my pup, mushroom lattes with extra foam (& a dash of cinnamon)!
🧘🏽‍♀️ A calm brain instead of a racing one.
💻 Deep focus between 9:30-2:00, without guilt for what wasn’t finished.

The result? I found serenity in structure. The same planner that once overwhelmed me now serves as a reflection of gratitude, filled with color, flow, and faith.

The Lesson: Peace Is the Product of Order

You don’t have to earn your peace by finishing the list. You find peace when you create space for it to live.

Systems don’t make you rigid – they give you rhythm.
Boundaries don’t limit you – they protect your brilliance.
And order, when rooted in intention, becomes a form of worship. ✨

Reflection

If you’re reading this while feeling scattered or behind, here’s what I’ve learned:

You don’t need a new plan.
You need a peaceful framework that honors the person you’re becoming.

The system is just the soil. Peace is what grows from it. 🌿

Ready to Find Your Flow?

If this message resonated with you and you’re craving clarity, creativity, and calm in your own world, I’d love to connect.

Drop a comment below or reach out through linktr.ee/katmuli – let’s build your system for serenity together. 🕊️

Business, Productivity

Grace Over Grind: Setting Goals That Align, Not Exhaust

by Kat MariLeave a Comment on Grace Over Grind: Setting Goals That Align, Not Exhaust

If you’ve ever found yourself running on caffeine and pure willpower, you’re not alone. The world praises hustle. Wake up earlier, sleep later, do more, achieve faster. Somewhere along the way, we started confusing movement with momentum.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a good to-do list and a solid action plan. But if I’ve learned anything about goal setting, it’s that not all progress is God-led. Sometimes, we get so focused on creating our own timeline that we forget to check if we’re even on His path.

We live in a culture that glorifies grind, but God invites us into grace. And grace doesn’t mean laziness… it means alignment.

When you build from alignment, there’s peace even in the push. There’s purpose in the waiting. There’s trust when doors close, even the ones you were sure were meant to stay open.

I’ll be honest… I’m a little hard-headed. I like to plan, to prepare, to make things happen. So sometimes, when God redirects me, He doesn’t just close the door gently… He slams it shut and locks it. Not to punish me, but to protect me. Because He knows if there’s even a crack open, I’ll try to wedge my way back through it.

And every single time He’s done that, He’s led me somewhere better. Every. Single. Time.

But here’s something I’ve realized along the way – before we can align our goals with God, we often have to declutter our lives. Not just our schedules, but our souls.

Decluttering means stepping back and asking:

  • What am I chasing that God never told me to pursue?
  • Whose opinions have I elevated above His?
  • What definitions of success have I accepted that don’t even belong to me?

Sometimes, decluttering means setting down your own agenda: the plan you’ve been gripping so tightly. Sometimes it means releasing pride: the part of you that wants to prove you can do it on your own. And sometimes, it even means creating distance from voices around you that speak more doubt than direction.

Deconstructing the noise makes room for discernment.
When you quiet the world, you start to hear the whisper of God’s will again.

So how do we set goals that align instead of exhaust?
Here’s what I’m learning (and unlearning) about that process:

  1. Pray before you plan. Ask God to reveal what He wants you to focus on, not just what you want to achieve.
  2. Check your motives. Is this goal about validation or obedience? There’s a big difference between being called and being driven.
  3. Declutter your influences. Be mindful of who speaks into your dreams. Not everyone’s advice is meant for your assignment.
  4. Leave room for flexibility. God’s plans will always be bigger, wiser, and more fulfilling than ours, but they often unfold differently than we imagine.
  5. Rest without guilt. True productivity doesn’t come from pushing harder; it comes from moving at the pace of grace.

When you set goals in alignment with Him, you stop striving to earn peace – you begin operating from it. You realize that success isn’t measured by how fast you move, but by how faithfully you follow.

So if you’re tired of the grind, maybe it’s time to pause – not to quit, but to realign. To ask God what He wants to build with you, not just what you want to build for Him, or worse – yourself.

Because sometimes, His plan isn’t to make you work harder – it’s to teach you how to work intentionally.

If this message stirred something in you. If you’re standing at a crossroads, ready to slow the grind and rediscover your rhythm, know that you’re not alone.

Whether you’re searching for clarity, rebuilding your confidence, or simply looking for your next step, I’d love to walk alongside you. Together, we’ll uncover what God’s placed on your heart and map out the path forward… with grace, faith, and purpose.

You can connect with me here to start the conversation. Let’s see where faith leads next. 💛

Life

When Life Changes the Plan

by Kat MariLeave a Comment on When Life Changes the Plan

If you know me, you know I’m a planner. I love structure, organization, and having my “ducks in a row.” I color-code, I prepare, I anticipate. But what happens when life doesn’t follow the plan? When your carefully mapped path suddenly bends in a direction you didn’t expect?

Transitions have a way of humbling even the most prepared among us.

In this season, I’ve felt that firsthand. Shifts within my family dynamic, work transitions I never saw coming, and moments that forced me to let go of what was… to make room for what will be.

Not long ago, I was released from a large contract. One that I thought defined my stability, my security, and even my sense of direction. I won’t lie, it shook me. There was a moment when I thought, “This might break me.”

But here’s what I’ve learned about God: His endings always have beginnings hidden inside them. That closed door didn’t end my story – it redirected it!

And now? I’m standing in a brand new chapter. One I never could have planned. I’m launching my own food cart and mobile catering business, something that perfectly combines my love for people, creativity, and great food. It’s a dream I didn’t even know was buried in me until God unearthed it through an unexpected transition.

We can plan all we want, but life has its own road for us. Sometimes, it’s the detour that leads us exactly where we were meant to go.

Still, if we’re honest, most of us resist those bends in the road. We dig our heels in and cling to what’s familiar. Not because it’s best, but because it’s known. Sometimes it’s pride, sometimes it’s fear, and sometimes it’s that small part of us that just wants to stay in control. We call it “stability,” but deep down, we know it’s our lack of trust that keeps us from moving forward.

But here’s the beauty of grace: even when we fight the change, God patiently guides us through it anyway. He doesn’t need our permission to do what’s best for us, He just wants our willingness to follow when He turns the page.

And here’s the surprise I didn’t expect – joy can exist in the middle of the detour. It doesn’t always show up as excitement or clarity. Sometimes it’s quiet… a steady kind of peace that whispers, “This may not be what you planned, but it’s exactly where you’re supposed to be.” You can feel it – faith, surrender, growth, and gratitude all intertwined.

Sometimes, when I sit down to write, I realize God isn’t just giving me words for someone else, He’s using them to speak to me, too. Maybe this post is as much a reminder for my own heart as it is for yours: that surrender isn’t loss, it’s trust. That His “reroutes” aren’t rejection, they’re redirection.

So if you’re in the middle of a shift: in your family, your job, your purpose – take heart. You’re not off course; you’re just being rerouted. Let go of the need to control every outcome and trust that God is still writing your story.

You may not see it yet, but the transition you’re resisting might just be the transformation you’ve been praying for. 🌿

Journal Prompt:

Take a quiet moment to reflect on a season where your plans didn’t unfold the way you expected.

  • What did that detour teach you about trust and surrender?
  • Where can you see God’s fingerprints in that transition now?
  • How might this current season be shaping you for something greater?

Balance, Life, Productivity

Clean Up Your Mess

by KatSnead1 Comment on Clean Up Your Mess

Hi, there, 2021! So, we are 3 weeks into FEBRUARY & I am only now getting back into the swing of things. My bad, everyone! I had a few loose ends to tend to for me to “close” 2020 properly. You never want to bring over the old muck from the previous “whatever-fill-in-the-blank-you-want-to-insert-here” (ie: place, job, year, relationship, etc) into the new one. 

Ya, clean starts are always refreshing. Although, I don’t want to mislead you nor get you off the hook. A clean start doesn’t mean simply leaving everything as is behind or a free pass to mess things up again. It means that we need to clean up our mess permanently.

I’m actually, really excited to write about this today because I know it’s going to make a few people upset enough to actually do something good for themselves. I’m going to make a massive assumption that everyone wants to leave 2020 in the rearview mirror (alongside all of life’s mistakes, lol). So much so, that you are completely open to just walking away from all its consequences, newness, hurts, struggles, uncertainties, and solitude. Trust me. I totally get it. I’m right there with you, but there’s a right way to leave things behind.

Over the past several months, I’ve spoken to a lot of different people about a lot of the same things: “here’s what life gave me, what should I do with it?” 

Clean up the mess that you’ve made!! For good.

I think, for most people, it’s easier to just sweep things under the rug, rather than acknowledging the mess and cleaning it up right then and there. We’re all going to make mistakes, but growth only happens when you can admit that you’ve made a mistake and then correct it.

Let me share an example with you.

  • I incur a debt
  • I miss a payment
  • I know I’ve missed this payment and now I not only have the original debt, but the added interest to pay
  • I leave it be, not wanting to deal with it (this is when you “make a mess”)
  • Time passes and now I’m freaking out because I’m guessing what I owe has doubled in size and I don’t have the money
  • I leave it be, not wanting to deal with it (this is how you “make the mess” bigger)

You know … our fear is usually driven by the unknown. Since I continue to ignore cleaning up after myself and paying down the debt, I freak myself out about the negative possibilities without any actual facts. Then I make myself become stuck in my mess. So what should I do now?

Remove your hands from over your eyes and ears!!

  • Acknowledging the debt or issue is key
  • Get all the facts
  • Come up with a plan to fix / pay / reconcile / clean up whatever it is that needs cleaning up
  • Start cleaning up your mess

It’s actually not that hard. We just have to get over ourselves and our pride and commit to healing / cleaning / fixing / correcting the situation. Once you have everything laid out in front of you, it’ll be easier for you to process your next steps. I hope that seeing how simple the clean up could be, helps you face the unknowns that you’re dealing with. Now, the process may be difficult, but it’s a process nonetheless, and you’re committed to doing it.

I wrote about debt but I know that there are so many other things that everyone is dealing with, as well. This clean up process is applicable to most any of it. Regardless of how painful it is to remove your hands from over your eyes and ears and see or hear about the hurt you’ve caused others or the mess you’ve created for yourself, it’s imperative that we do it.

I’m hoping that you’re coming into this year with boldness and trust … trust in your process. Embrace your progress. Give yourself a running start by laying everything you need to deal with, out in front of you. With eyes wide open, start the clean up process.

 

Life, Wellness

I Just Can’t

by KatSneadLeave a Comment on I Just Can’t

Ever feel like just laying there. Not having to do anything. Really, even if you HAD to do something – you play a Jedi mind trick on yourself and resist up until the very last minute only to STRESS yourself the heck out to do what you really needed to do.

Ok, so I have to admit that I don’t want to do this. I mean, I DO! I’m so excited to write for you guys today, but if I can be honest… I have not been myself lately. My body is just so heavy these days. Heavy from the inside out. I can’t even explain it or articulate it well enough for you to understand … but I just haven’t been motivated to get at it. Get at anything, for that matter. Some days, the indifference towards people, towards my current situation, towards what’s happening in the world…. settles in way too well.

Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

In my heart, I want all that I do to be intentional, to be meaningful, to make a difference in someone’s life. I mean, I want to do it, but my body won’t move. It just want’s to resist making something happen. I have an internal dialogue between the “I can’t-s” and the “just do it-s” going on more often than not. And lately, most days, the “I can’t-s” … win. So I just am. Laying here. Distracted. Then I look up from my phone or whatever the current distraction is at the moment, and it’s nighttime. Like, I should be asleep kind of nighttime. Then I have to force myself to get something accomplished. This usually means that whatever I HAD to do ends up with mediocre results. So I end up taking more time re-doing it or revisiting the project and it takes twice as long to complete. It’s been a vicious cycle as of late.

Have you felt the same way or maybe are you feeling that way right now? The heaviness of it all. As if, for some reason, the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Every major decision is left to you and you can’t handle it anymore. Well, for me – I’ve finally had it. I had to force myself to simply do. It’s not easy. But I do want to tell you that it’s ok to feel heavy. It’s ok to want to just do the mindless things for a moment. Whatever it takes to help you reset; BUT eventually, YOU. HAVE. TO. MOVE.

You just have to do it. One movement at a time. Then the whole muscle memory thing kicks in and before you know it, you’re in your groove again. Whether it’s working out, writing, a hobby, even work. Keep at it. Try and make it a point to not allow the “I can’t-s” to win TODAY. Now, Try that EVERY DAY. Don’t let your current circumstance direct your actions for too long. If you need a day, take a day. If you need a week, truly check out for a week and get away from it all to clear your head. It’s fine to need that time to yourself. But no matter what, you have to regain focus at some point. Becoming stagnant is not an option, if you want to grow.

Focus on the “I can do this today!” Focus on what’s ahead of you; something you’re working towards instead of what’s in your way and stopping you from obtaining that goal. You see, you’re still looking forward … moving forward, but the vision needs to be readjusted. If your days feel heavy, just keep moving. Simply, one foot in front of the other. Eventually, you’ll make it to where you should be.

Life, Wellness

Summer Declutter

by KatSneadLeave a Comment on Summer Declutter

Ok. I know you’ve heard of “Spring Cleaning” or even “Fall Cleaning”, but I have something new to throw your way: the Summer Declutter. I think that cleaning things out in the Spring as well as in the Fall are really important and necessary, but I typically do my heavy lifting right around August. Which is why I’m sharing this with you in July!

You see, August works best (for me, anyways) because it happens to be my “lull” in life. It’s after the summer vacays and staycations. Plus it’s before the hectic school/work/church/life balancing act has to happen. As an added bonus, it allows me a little bit more freedom to indulge in the cozy-weather, lazy time with family and friends and into diving right into the holidays. And, truth be told, with everyone quarantining, don’t you have a little bit of space in your schedule to fit an organizational day or two in somewhere?!

Recently, I stumbled onto an article from HGTV about why fall cleaning is better than spring cleaning (check it out at: https://www.hgtv.ca/cleaning-and-organization/photos/fall-cleaning-more-important-than-spring-cleaning-1930941/) and I’m totally on board with all of their suggestions. Now, while that article talks about the nooks and crannies to address while physically cleaning certain areas of your home, I want to talk to you about decluttering your life! (too much?)

Well, let’s narrow it down to 4 main areas:

  • Your Planner
  • Your Finances
  • Your Obligations
  • Your Space

This is where is gets fun (rubbing hands swiftly together – with only one eyebrow raised)! Is it weird that I’m giddy about organizing my life?! Don’t answer that…..

Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash

You see, it’s so important to get your mind right and control your surroundings before things around you get hectic enough to control how you react. I am all about “setting the tone”, “controlling your outcomes”, “expecting the unexpected”. Now, even though I KNOW that I truly control nothing, there’s something that puts me at ease in the preparation of – at least – being prepared enough to deal with the unknowns.

I know that if I plan accordingly, and allocate my finances appropriately, then I can truly commit to my most important obligations, then have my space to appreciate and enjoy it all.

Planner:

Set your schedule to include the most important elements of your days. Things like meditation, exercise, meal prep days, reset days, date nights, and of course work and creative times.

Finances:

Quit spending just to spend!! Be super intentional about what you’re spending your money on. Create a budget for yourself and start Christmas shopping early so that you don’t get hit all at once.

Obligations:

Minimize your obligations. You don’t have to feel guilty about not making time for everything nor everyone. Focus on the important things. I promise you that once you’re fulfilled, you will naturally have time for the other things.

Space:

Create a space around you without clutter so that your mind and soul (when in said space) also feels the freedom to rest and breathe. Save space for you and you alone so that you can be replenished regularly.

Are you ready for your SUMMER DECLUTTER?! It’s time parse it all out & get rid of whatever is holding you back from closing out the year well!

Balance, Productivity

Multi-tasking

by KatSneadLeave a Comment on Multi-tasking

With everyone #WFH (working from home) these days, “multi-tasking” between home life and work life has probably become an added skill on your LinkedIn page. But are you really accomplishing more? Are you really that much more productive? Only you can answer those specific questions, but I’m here for you to walk though successfully multi-tasking.

Since I’ve been working from home way before the shelter-in-place forced the remote-working culture on the world, people have been asking me for advice from how to set up their home work space to being disciplined enough to not binge on a bowl of cookies while working; in pajamas (at 10:00am) – you get the idea.

Photo by Tamas Pap on Unsplash

Whether you’re just WFH for the time being or this is in your unforeseeable future, the very first thing that you need to define is the difference between work and busy work. Think of it like this: WORK is what pays your bills; the tasks and projects that you need to submit; deliverables due by a certain time with an expectation of higher-level thinking and/or focus. Then BUSY WORK is what you can do to support your work (ie: organizing/sorting through emails, checking updates, mailing out items, returning phone calls, etc.) Once you have those two things defined, then you can move into multi-tasking between work life and home life … but not quite yet. It’s important to build out those two catagories on paper because you need to appropriately block out your time to accomplish both.

FACTORS:

  • Space
  • Time
  • Goals
  • Tasks
  • Tasks in lieu of …

SPACE: Create a space that mimics your office desk. This way your mind doesn’t have to absorb yet another change in your work life. Now, if you don’t have all of the fancy equipment that your corporate office can offer, try to at least invest in cords & supplies that can help transform household furniture into an upgraded work piece. Here’s my home/mobile office.

Amazon Items: iPad Mini case with keyboard, HDMI cable to turn my TV into a 2nd computer monitor, Mic Bundle & Bluetooth headphones. The Planner is from Tools4Wisdom.

TIME: Make sure to allocate your time appropriately. If you think that you can make dinner while on a conference call, you’re deceiving only yourself. You”ll end up burning something while not catching exactly what was just delegated to you – it’s a lose-lose situation. Know when you are your most productive/attentive and schedule your important tasks and calls during that time. What’s worked best for me is to get my husband and my daughter situated into their schedules then let them know that unless someone is about to lose a limb, I’m not available to feed, help, answer questions, or problem solve for them during these specific hours. This way I can fully focus on my WORK. I’m a firm believer of giving your commitments 100% of yourself during the allotted times. Being present (whether for my family or my work) is my number one!

GOALS: Make sure to set achievable DAILY/WEEKLY goals for yourself. If you skip this skep, I promise you, the “groundhog day” effect will consume your WFH experience. Be intentional about what you’re doing.

TASKS: These are your “must-do’s” for the day. List out what your deliverables are. Prioritize them according to brain-power-required tasks and deadlines. I often like to do the task that requires the most focus first then work my way down the list. I know that most people will want the satisfaction of checking things off of their to-do list so then they will zip through all of the easy tasks first. Most always, one will hit their mid-morning slump (regardless of what time that is) right before they are about to tackle the biggest ask of them. Then they realize that they don’t have the bandwidth to make it happen – & make it happen well – so then it gets pushed aside “until tomorrow.” So learn to prioritize early on.

TASKS In Lieu Of: Commuting takes what?… 10 minutes? 70 minutes? Whatever tasks that are on your to do list today, allot your commute time to a task that may be on your busy list that you just need to get done. Tasks that not so important to your work or something at home, but a task nonetheless. Good examples are cleaning out the junk drawer, organizing files (paper or electronically), updating due dates, going through old clothes, etc. These tasks can happen while I throw in a load of laundry or listen in on a webinar. Now, you obviously don’t have to do it during the actual time that you used to commute, but use that time for these BUSY WORK tasks. By the end of this “shelter-in-place” era of our lives, you’ll be surprised at how many “little projects” you’ve been able to tackle and how much more your life flows within each day, without becoming overwhelmed.

The ultimate to-do: organizing the Junk Drawer

So that’s it. These are some of the things that I’ve learned through trial and error, as well as, some burnt dinners – LOL! If you’d like to hear more about each of these areas on multitasking, come and check out my podcast: His Kind Of Lady, launching TUESDAY, July 14th, 2020 on Spotify & Apple Podcast.

I’m so excited to hear back from you to see what you were able to accomplish today!

Be Intentional ~

Wellness

TRANSITIONING into a better ME

by KatSneadLeave a Comment on TRANSITIONING into a better ME

After recently getting married then moving 2000+ miles away from family, church, friends, and work (basically – life), I lost a little bit of who I was. A 40(ish), Fabulous, Independent, Booked calendar, Corporate in the mind, Non-profit in the soul, kind of woman. I put a lot of work into being that kind of woman. Now with this transition, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be this perfect housewife and stepmom, at the cost of me. This transition has been a bit crazy, internally … wanting to become someone/something else all because of a status change. I was easily lost in the things that I felt I NEEDED to do for my family instead of focusing on how I can make myself a better person so that I can be there – present – with and for my family.

So today, I did something amazing: I CHOSE .. MYSELF! I decided that I was not going to clean the bathroom, fold and iron clothes, nor do laundry (well, for the moment). Instead, I signed up for an online workout course, bought healthy food that I love, and worked out, unapologetically for a little over two hours.

I chose me. & I’m so happy right now that I could run another mile, lol. Well, maybe half of that. It’s good to give yourself a break. It’s healthy to think of your body, your belly, and your heart before others.

Now, let me give you some context before you blow that last paragraph out of proportion and have your inner circle sending me hate mail, lol. Currently, I’m in the Teacup & Saucer heart mode.You know, pour into yourself so that you can pour into others?! Well, sure. I’ll be the dainty little teacup choosing to constantly pour into me so that the goodness and willingness will overflow onto my husband and my daughter.

I guess I’m writing to simply express that regardless of your title, your work, your current situation in life, you are still you and you should be in love with who you are. Transition in life is inevitable so it’s up to you how you want to enter into that transition and who you become coming out of it. Choose you so that you can be the very best for others.

~ Happy Friday ~

Wellness

Change

by KatSneadLeave a Comment on Change

change

Well, hello there! It’s been some time since I’ve been on here, but it feels good to be back. Wow, so much to catch up on.

Today, I wanted to write about CHANGE. Things in our lives can change in an instant. Now how will we receive this change? Will we fight the change or will we ride it out?

Now, I’d like to ask you to be honest and completely present in this moment. I’d like for you to think about a change in your life. I’m talking about it all: the good, the bad, and the unknown.

  • the irony is .. the only constant in our physical lives … is CHANGE. It’s inevitable.

changing color fog

People always tell me to “live out the season” – “this is just for a season” – “this is just a part of your journey, but press on and you will reach the promised land” … Oh goodness. Sometimes, I thought that it would just be easier for me to crawl into bed and stay still until that season passed. But, we can’t do that. We have to make a move. We can either flow with the change .. or resist and watch others and our surroundings change around us.

I’m sure by now, many of you know that I am a Christian. I love God and trust my faith. So change, although uncomfortable at times, is something that I (now) can somewhat handle. Embracing change is not about living haphazardly throughout your life and simply floating towards every direction the wind takes you. But embracing change means that you are present in God’s presence. Walking with Him, stepping into His will for your life. Jesus says come follow me, not come sit with me. I mean yes, you can sit with God .. but only for a season. You gotta live out the life that God intended for you to have.  Recently, I stumbled across an excerpt from John Maxwell’s studies.  John Maxwell (an American author, speaker, and pastor) defines successful people as:

“those that have made their major decisions early in life,

then has spent the rest of their lives managing those decisions”.

Decide early on … or decide right at this moment, to become fresh and/or recommitted to stepping into God’s will for you and manage or live out that faith and trust in God.

People say “change is for your own good”.  Well, I remember VIVIDLY all of the major times that I said: “THIS IS NOT FOR MY OWN GOOD”! “THIS IS NOT WHAT IIIIIII WANT”” “HOW COULD THIS BE IN GOD’S PLAN FOR ME”.

When God changed my career. I didn’t want that .. THEN I listened … He said hey you’re putting yourself in the limelight. I want you to exude not yourself, but MY true light.

When God changed my financial situation. I didn’t want that .. THEN I listened .. He said hey you’re serving yourself. I want you to serve others.

When God changed my health. I didn’t want that … THEN I listened .. He said you are too focused on yourself. I want you to be focused on those around you.

Ugh … trust me .. It would have probably been easier for me to be obedient and just do as I had prayed about, but no… I was pouting and reluctant for the first bit of most of those changes. Now, I’m not sharing these things with the happy ending of: Guess what guys, I’ve made it to my promised land. No. My life, as planned as it is .. is constantly changing. But my heart has finally arrived at the place of truly knowing that God’s plans for me have never changed.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

18 give thanks in all circumstances ….

Hebrews 13:20-21

20 Now may the God of peace, …. 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him ….

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

His beautiful plans never change for us. We just have to learn not to resist so that we can easily change our direction to walk with Him.

I’d like to give you one last thought: Example of going to bed.

So … you have one goal … Your goal: to sleep. You get into bed, fluff your pillow, tuck in or untuck your sheets and covers until it’s just right; then you toss and turn into the perfect position, then in that perfect moment, you know that you’re going to finally rest in this perfect place. Today I’m inviting you to embrace the change, enjoy the shifts, and the turns, and the tucking and untucking that God is doing in your life… because his goal is to get you to find true and perfect rest in Him.

I hope you’ve been well, productive, and loving life.

Chronic Illness, Wellness

We Have A Voice!

by KatSnead2 Comments on We Have A Voice!

Ready. Set. SNOW!!

I was asked to fly out to Washington, DC this past week to be present for the National Psoriasis Foundation’s (NPF) Annual Capitol Hill Day. This is an annual event that NPF hosts to give us patients the opportunity to voice our experience and hope for Congress’ support for research funding and medication/treatment advancements. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY?!!!

I was all set to go and pulling up to SFO International when I received a notification that my flight was canceled due to crazy amounts of snow landing the same time I was scheduled to land! Bummer! Nevertheless, my voice will not be muted. I’d like to share my story with you. The story that I was going to share in Congressman Mark DeSaulnier’s office.

HELP IMPROVE LIFE FOR PATIENTS WITH PSA

I have Psoriatic Disease. I was only diagnosed in 2012 but after knowing much more about the disease and its symptoms today, I believe that I have had it (visible at least) since around 2008. Sadly, even going to my annual physical check-ups and whatnot, the typical diagnosis would be a rash or allergic reaction to something.

I was an active individual. I was a CrossFit competitor, I was a Junior Pro-Am ballroom dancer, I was a Hawaiian and Tahitian dancer, I was a runner, I was a skier, I was a dental hygienist. Then after being diagnosed with Psoriasis, I was unable to walk especially unable to run, I was unable to dance, I was unable to keep my balance, I was unable to hold my instruments, I was “contagious”, I was always “sick”. Untreated, my Psoriasis advanced rapidly and I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis only within months of my initial diagnosis. It was hard when I myself didn’t understand the disease, but it made it almost impossible to be out in the world with visible markings all over me and the inability to function without pain when others were not aware of what Psoriasis really was. Even with the commercials that came out early on, Psoriasis was either: a “rash” or “arthritis”. In some ways, we (patients) didn’t want the disease to be serious enough for others to be afraid of us, but yes serious enough for the medical world to treat us with a sense of urgency.

Even with the latest and greatest medical updates about Psoriatic Disease, there are just so many unknowns.     

Funding these appropriations asks* for psoriatic disease research along with the PATA* bill will put us in a position to truly be able to target better diagnosis and valuable treatment options; allowing patients to be able to afford better treatments and live fuller (almost close to normal or consistent new normal) lives.

People always ask me why I am so involved since I “look so normal”. And yes, today I have learned how to cope with my disease, I have learned to smile through the pain so that others can know that they can also, I have learned and practice holistic methods that can allow for better mobility, I have learned to dress so that I can appear fine with my body. BUT to be very candid .. even though there are many experiences to hurt from .. there was one instance that will have forever changed me. There was this one time that my friends and family were out swimming and as I lowered myself gingerly into the hot tub, two individuals already seated in the tub stared at my scars and were so disgusted or afraid that they cringed and quickly jumped out to avoid the water that I had just contaminated. So my answer to why I am an advocate: it’s SO OTHERS WITH PSORIATIC DISEASE DON’T HAVE TO EVER FEEL THAT HUMILIATING HURT ADDED TO THEIR PHYSICAL PAIN. Educating the patients and the ignorant. Nurturing empathy and not feeding into sympathy. Encouraging action, not isolation.

I guarantee you that someone very close to you has a form of Psoriatic Disease. That’s how prevalent it is especially at this time. Either, they don’t know that they have it yet or they have been misdiagnosed. This disease is debilitating. It is life HALTering (yes, it stops regular life in its tracks). All we are asking for is an opportunity to have the information and options right there at the very beginning of hopefully an immediate diagnosis so that we can stop IT in its tracks. And that is what this ask will give us.

I always use this analogy: When someone you deeply care about finds out that they have cancer, I’m sure that one often says “Oh, so happy that you caught it early!! Now you can start “this type” of treatment and beat it”. We don’t have the ability for early detection, we don’t have a specific roadmap for treatment, we don’t have a one size fits most type of medication because we need more research to be done, we need more funding for our researchers, we need your support, we really need your signature today.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my one story out of about 8 million of us here in the United States alone which have many stories like this to tell. – Kat Mulingtapang, Capitol Hill Day 2017

I wanted to share this in hopes that it would encourage you to stand up for YOU! Regardless of the platform, know that you have a voice.

* Here is a link to a recap of the 2016 Fly-In day. It gives us a detailed explanation of the congressional asks that we were supporting last year as well as this year  NPF Capitol Hill Day