EP.05 - Kindness Drives Career Change with KDC

KDC joins Karen to discuss how kindness drives change in her career and in her life. KDC started out dreaming of becoming a teacher but discovered that the traditional classroom was not for her. However, she’s found other ways to be involved in education. She shares her story of getting sober, learning to treat herself with kindness and following the Universe’s breadcrumbs to her intentional career. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on my website.

Transcription

Transcription created with DeScript.

Karen: I'm Karen Styles and this is the Intentional Career Podcast. I talk to all kinds of people who take all kinds of paths to work they love. I'm a career and life coach and owner of Flow and Fire coaching. If you're ready to create your intentional career with the support of a coach, schedule a call with me.

There's a link in the show notes, or you can go to intentionalcareer.co and click the blue "Schedule a Call” button.

My guest is Kristina Del Corro, also known as KDC. She's been a mindfulness mentor for over a decade, teaching children and adults, the power of our thoughts, feelings and actions. KDC facilitates transformation for those looking for change in their lives and crews through mindful hacks, tips, techniques, and habits. Kindness drives change, and KDC is going to show you how. And fun fact: the very first podcast that I was ever on was KDC's podcast.  So thank you for being here, I'm so excited to have you on the show. 

KDC: Woop Woop!

Karen: And thinking back to that time, you were the last outside person I saw before the world shut down in March 2020. So we have this strange connection where we saw each other that day and then no one went back to work the next day, basically.

KDC: Yeah, we bonded over a carrot cake and the four tendencies. It was beautiful. 

Karen: That's true. That's true. 

KDC: Friendship match made in heaven right there,

Karen: Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's just gone from there. So, thank you for being here. I'm really excited to have you here and to talk about your intentional career and especially because you're someone who does a lot of different things, which is pretty normal in the world actually. But I feel like sometimes we don't hear about that. When we think about careers, we think about one type of linear job and you're doing a few different things. So maybe can you tell us what are the different roles that you're managing in your life and how are you handling all of that?

KDC: That last part  feels heavy. [laughs] lThat last part feels especially with new restriction announcements, but that you call it intentional career because as a mindfulness coach mentor that's all I think about all of the time. 

Yeah. When you started talking about how intentional careers come about, I was like, oh, dang! Yeah, I guess I have been really mindful with the jobs that I've chosen and. Like you're saying, wearing a lot of hats. And I feel like I always have. It felt normal to me to have more than one job. I don't know if it was because I'm firstborn generation Filipino-Canadian. We're just like taught to work real hard and helping support and, you know, just living life.

And I just knew that I wanted to teach, but I wasn't sure what that would look like. Traditionally? Classroom. And I thought that would be the only way to go. And once I got to school and tried it, I'm like, Nope, this is not for me. And as I've been learning more about myself, like being true to me is one of my most important things.

And so I went through a lot of different jobs and to some, may have seemed, I want to say boundless, that's not the right word. What's the right word. Which is like clueless, maybe. 

Karen: Okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 

KDC: But I just  knew that if it didn't feel good for me, I wasn't going to do it. And so I started finding what I loved, and there was a common thread.

It always involved children in some fashion. And it was always to do with, I think, because it was with children, teaching them and some, some just anything. And I feel like maybe because. I was the youngest and my cousin group for a long time. And so that, and like an only child until we started taking foster children. I just wanted to have fun.

I want to talk to kids maybe also, because I'm a small human, so they're more my size than full grown. And so I just kept looking for opportunities to do that. And so I realize now the question that you asked me at the beginning...

Karen: Yeah, well, hang on. I want to interrupt because did you pursue an education degree? Did you try that? Cause you made it sound like that was the path you were headed on. 

KDC: Yeah, I did. I went to school. I finished, I taught and had my first... I was going to say midlife, but life crisis.

Karen: Your first life crisis [laughs].

KDC: Well, maybe like  my second life crisis, after becoming sober. That was the first one for sure. Yeah, I was realizing, okay, this isn't what I thought .This doesn't feel good.

I don't want to teach what they're telling me to teach. And that feels gross and weird. And yeah, I just felt like I didn't fit. And it broke me because I had always wanted to be a teacher. Always. And it freaks me out because I'm like, well, fuck. Now what? Because I thought that was like the way of life, you know? Like to go to school and then get a job. And then all of those other things.

Karen: Well, and also there's that loss of a dream piece, right? I thought this was what I wanted and I got here and now it isn't good for me. So now what? And what did you do then? And you mentioned clueless. I don't know. Did you ever have anyone talk to you about that? Did anyone make comments and like, you don't know what you want, or was it more of an internal feeling? 

KDC: I was such a rebellious teenager, even as a child in general. And so I was always getting lectured of, what the hell are you doing? What are you doing with your life? And again this is my 14th year. Sober, so. 

Karen: Congratulations. 

KDC: Thank you. I'm still in my thirties. And so, yeah, there was a lot of, what are you doing with your life? And that made me resentful and a little bit, but that's fine. And so when I realized I didn't want to teach, I just went back to what I knew and what I was good at. 

So I think at that time I was working in day camps and after school programs and I was volunteering with kids and at the drop-in center. So I knew that my passion was people and as I was getting sober, I was obsessed with learning about personalities and why we do the things we do, why we choose certain habits over others. So, yeah, I started just thinking of what I loved the most and it was kids. It was teaching them in somehow some way and yeah, just still being around kids. And that sounds weird. 

Karen: You're doing great. You wanted to be around kids,yeah?

KDC: Yeah, basically. And my brain is foggy of that time in my life too, because: drinking. 

Karen: Oh really? Well okay, can we talk about that? Because it has come up a couple times already. 

KDC: Yeah.  

Karen: Also becoming sober has played a role in your career as well, I'm assuming. But how do you see it? 

KDC: Definitely. So I knew that I wasn't showing kindness to myself and it was because of my addictions for sure. And. I was like, just at the beginning of my sobriety when all of this happened. So I was so confused and lost and I felt super alone. And so I started relying on mentors and outside sources because I knew that I couldn't keep going the way that I was by myself.

And I knew that the people that were closest to me, yes, had my best interests at heart, but I needed more help in a way, you know? Like it was just love and affection and acceptance from my family. Like I needed more than that, you know?

And so I needed to talk to people that had careers. That seemed interesting, even just interesting to me and started finding humans that I could talk to that have lived more life than me. Because I finally realized that I didn't know everything. And so that was when I started showing more kindness to myself. Just changing my mindset in that way that I don't have to do it alone and that's okay. And I can choose again. And that just felt so relieving. And so, yeah, I just started to find people. It was easier back then 

Karen: Because you could go to physical places? 

KDC: Well actually not! Yeah, but I lie because now we have Google and LinkedIn and things.

Karen: Right? Right. Yeah. So you kind of lost this dream of being a teacher in the traditional sense at the same time becoming sober. So there's like all of these things imploding in your life at the same time. And then you realize you need more people. So in between then and now, you know, what are the roles that you've had?

We can make this, as short or, as long as you want. What did you do between then and now? 

KDC: So, again, most of my roles have always been with children and even thinking back to when I was a teenager, I worked in kids' clothing stores. So even then, retail, but make it kid-friendly was my style. Probably because I could shop there also. But yeah, I got a really good job in afterschool programming.

And because when I wanted to become a teacher, I knew that I needed to have lots of experience with different types of kids. Because I was finding practicum was not enough to get that type of experience. Because it's like a month,maybe? And like the relationships that we built, like I just wanted more of that.

And so I found this job and I was really excited. And so I just kept saying yes to any shifts, any things and trainings, any get togethers. Usually I was the only one to show up, but I still went anyways and I started finding again, more mentors and started realizing that a lot of them were either in social work or working again, with children. So I started finding more of my people that loved education, but were not educators.

Karen: Hmm. Oh, that's interesting. So you leaned into I know, I like this thing and said yes to whatever came in that direction. It sounds like. 

KDC: Yeah, a position opened up and they asked me to interview and I'm like, yes, of course, of course. I just want to be immersed. I just want to live in this world of programming because I'm able to build relationships and I don't have to teach curriculum full-on. Which is funny now that I create curriculum.

Karen: In your business?

KDC: Yeah, and in my day job as well. It was fun because I was able to build those relationships with the kids. And so they offered me another interview. And so I said, yes. And then I did that job for a few years, again, still working other side jobs as well. I was still bartending, which was problematic when trying to become sober, but I had the morning shifts. Yeah. 

Karen: It was less bad.

KDC: I don't know. No, that's a different... morning crowd. but it's okay. 

Karen: Okay. 

KDC: Yeah, again, I was just like immersed around all these people that had a passion for play and learning and teaching kids. And I was so jazzed and I'm like, okay, this is it. And so I was in that position and again, being around all these play people and then a supervisor position came up.

And I was so excited and I met with my mentors. They helped prep me for interviews. They helped prep me with my resume and everything, and I interviewed and I felt so good. And then I didn't get it. And I was crushed. I was crushed. And then this woman comes in for the job and I'm like, now who's this bitch?

And I say that now only because her and I are lovely, lovely friends. She was one of my bridesmaids. And I even talk about this all the time, like, how did you guys meet? Oh, she took my job. But at the same time, it was so lovely. And we had so much fun together. 

Karen: So this is pretty recent then. 

KDC: This was like 8 years ago,

Karen: Oh, okay. Not that recent. Okay. 

KDC: And so then, another position - same kind of one - opened up. And then I got accepted for that. And so I was so excited and that's the same day job that I've had now for the past eight years. And it's a lot of fun because now I'm creating curriculum all based on social, emotional learning, and for kids, for programs.

And I would have these deep, deep discussions with kids that were so soul filling for me. And then they would go home. They come back, they call me Yoda. And so they're like, Yoda, I tried to talk to my mom about me feeling angry and then she just got mad, and I walked away. And I realized that it was the parents that needed, and even us as adults, we need social and emotional learning.

And so that's when everything clicked for me, I'm like, okay, this is it. This is how I teach. It's through this type of curriculum that I get to create, and then I get to facilitate to kids and to adults. And so it's been a long time coming, again, like you said, a windy windy road. But, yeah, teaching, just not in the sense that I thought.

Karen: That's really interesting how it brought you back to the same thing, but just not in the way that you thought. So there was definitely a part of you that knew this is what I'm meant to do. This is the right thing for me. But I guess like the traditional path of what the people around you told you,didn't work out.

So it's interesting that it didn't end up becoming something completely different. So then tell me,where did the business come in? Like you're a coach and also you're a yoga teacher too. You have a couple of other things. Is that all of them? I don't know if I'm keeping track of everything. 

KDC: I think that's it. That's it, that's enough. That's all I can do right now. Yeah. So, I started learning so much about, even like mindfulness and through my sobriety and everything. And bringing so much of everything I've learnt into this curriculum that I was building, for kids and then adults.

And I knew that coaching has helped me so much with mentorship, just again, helping people. And it was like a light bulb that, oh yeah. I can still teach and connect with people and do all of those things I wanted. It's just not going to be in a classroom fashion. And It's funny because even now, when I talk to youth doing career talks, I'll tell them, you know what, school sets us up for failure in a way, because we are meant to have more than one career.

Like you will probably have three to five and guaranteed. At least one of those doesn't even exist yet. So I think of little me in grade four when our school first got computers, and  to tell her, oh, don't worry, you are going to teach kids yoga through a computer. I would have laughed at you.

Karen: Her little mind would have been blown!

KDC: Exactly, right? And so there's a lot of forgiving myself for the dream that I thought I wanted, because everything that I'm doing now is so beyond what I thought was possible. And so I really wanted to teach more mindfulness to kids and yoga for me has been such an amazing tool. And I saw one of the local children's yoga studios in our city offer a teaching program.

And it was funny because it was very kismet. I went to meet the studio owner to ask her about programming -  for them to come to us for programming. And we just hit it off so well. And she's like, you should come into teacher training. I'm like, totally! When is it? She's like, this weekend. I'm like, hell yes, I'm in! And it was always like little breadcrumbs that I felt like the universe was leaving me. And it's like, Oop, over here!, Oop, over here!. And so yoga was one of those things. And so again, deep, deep end. I’m an all or nothing human: alcoholic or sober.

And so, yeah, I just started doing learning, and breathing all of that stuff and like, how can I do more of this for children? And so I started putting it into curriculum and teaching breathing techniques to kids to help with self-regulation. Everything has melted together into this mindfulness pot that I'm just so excited to be the owner of, the creator of.

Karen: Yeah. I'm trying to figure out.. So many things you said, I'd like to comment on, but maybe I don't need to comment on them, it's totally fine. I'm curious if you ever had a moment in your career, maybe we've already passed it where you were like, you looked around and you're like, okay.

This has got to change. Do you have a moment or experience like that? Where you're like this doesn't work. I gotta get out of here. 

KDC: I'm thinking about again, when I wanted to get sober, all of my jobs were in the industry. So I was bartending.,I was serving, I was... and like well, if I want to be sober, it doesn't make sense for me to be in an environment that kind of makes it impossible. So I had to step away from a lot of money and a lot of humans and a lot of jobs. And it again was really hard and part of what broke me. Because it was so much a part of my life that I didn't know how to operate in the daytime, [laughs] and just like how to operate in the world.

Karen: Were you teaching at that point?

KDC: No. This is This way 

Karen: Okay. 

KDC: Yeah. So this is like my teens, my. I don't want to say I had a fake ID but I totally did.

Karen: Everybody had a fake ID. Well, except me. Cause I was like, I don't know, way too goody two  shoes I think, to be honest. 

KDC: Fair, yep.

Karen: I'm just curious about how it all fits in 

Yeah.

KDC: It's weird weird that I went super alcoholic and then no, I actually love children. [laughs]

Karen: Yeah. And you were young right? At that point, like when you got sober, you were how old? 

KDC: Twenty ... something.

Okay. I think it makes more sense if it's held more of my story in a different way. Like I was saying before, like I knew that I wasn't showing kindness to myself. And so I knew that's where I needed to start. That started with saying no to that career and that life in general, because it's not where I needed to be.

And I also knew that I wasn't showing kindness to those around me. And that was a big signal that shit had to change because I was making... situations, life just unfun and unsafe for myself and others. And I wasn't... I feel like I was just so hard on myself because I didn't understand what was going on inside me.

I still had a lot of shame and healing to do that I wasn't ready to do. And that's why I stayed drunk for so long, was to numb it all. But it was showing kindness to myself, showing up for myself, doing the shit I did not want to do so that I could find the courage to do the hard stuff that I want to do.

Karen: Hmm. It was like, so there's all these little steps before you could get to the courage part almost. 

KDC: Yeah.

Karen: And so, you mentioned mentors, but what other advice or wisdom or resources or people helped you in creating your intentional career? 

KDC: I love even now, I love providing informational interviews. It's one of my most favorite things to do, honestly, just to like..[pauses]You're nodding.

Karen: I love that you bring this up because I tell my clients about this and people don't know what it is or I have to sell it to them. So yeah, tell us what's an informational interview and why is it so important? 

KDC: Yes. Okay. So again, I thought I had to do things alone for so long, but then I'm like, hold up, wait a minute. Again, look at all these people that've lived life longer than me and have so much advice. I wanted to reach out to those people specifically that had careers that I was interested in. Even just like piqued and I would send them an email, letting them know, like, where I saw you, how I want to connect with you. Like you have a career that I am interested in. Can I buy you a cup of coffee or just meet. Now it's online, right? All the time. But just to sit down with that human and then to ask them questions, how did you get to this career? What education did you take? What kind of volunteering would be really an asset if you were looking to hire somebody, right? And just getting the insider knowledge... I was going to say scoop. 

Karen: Yeah. 

KDC: I was thinking ice cream. Yeah. Just getting like the insider information of how they got there. And you know, again, like you were saying, so many of us take like, windy roads to get to our careers. It's not just like a straight one and done kind of thing. Most of the time, at least.

And if it is shit, let's learn from those humans. And there's just so much valuable information and the people that are sitting in the chair that you want. Right? And then imagine their  networks. It's okay, maybe this isn't what I want to do, but this is what maybe like some of my interests and that pings off for them. They're like, well, I know someone because I worked with them two years ago. Let me send you that way.

Karen: Yep. And I think the amazing thing with those is that you don't realize that strangers are willing to help you. And this was something I learned, you know, that I learned in executive recruitment where I had to reach out to people. This is like passive candidate generation cold call stuff.

But because I had to do that all the time, I'm now just not afraid of reaching out to anyone. Cause I know that like random people will talk to you. And I think if you're genuine and have a good question, a good reason for it. I think an informational interview is better than feeling like you have to impress a stranger or you don't have to sell yourself to that person.

You can just go and be curious about them. Yeah, you have to be a little bit ready to talk about yourself, cause they're probably going to ask you, well, what about you? And all of that stuff. So it's. I'm so glad you brought that up because I couldn't have planted that more perfectly. [laughs] And it's like, your curiosity can take you so far.

And I think, again that's you leaning into these things you like. You liked teaching, you liked kids ,and then look at other  people who seem to be doing something that seems interesting and ask them how they did it. So did you prepare for those meetings, would you prepare a few questions? What, what would you do?

KDC: I prepare for everything. [laughs]

Karen: [laughs] You're a planner, yes.

KDC: Yes I am a planner. Even as we sit here, I have post-it notes and my pen with me. And so, I started with those three questions that I said: what was your education? What type of volunteer experience did you do? And what was the other one? How did you get there? What was your path to get to this position?

And usually just from those three questions, that's such a good conversation. And just even asking, what type of committee work? Or what's something you're excited about in the work that you're doing? Or what do you wish you could do in the work that you're not? Yeah, I think those were usually the ones that I would go for.

Karen: Yeah, because once they start talking you're going to have more questions to ask and that's the  beauty of it. Sometimes people advise when you talk to someone, make sure you ask for at least one other name, did you ask, or did you find people just usually offered that to you? 

KDC: I never heard that, but I  guess that makes sense, cause even I just said that.

Karen: Right. Well, or it's more, is there anyone that you can think of that I should talk to? You know, and it's just like, when you can make those introductions then you start to meet these interesting people that are doing interesting things. Like for me, that's what networking is. Talking to interesting people who are doing interesting things. 

KDC: And I feel like right now because of the lives that we're living in 2021, people want to have genuine connections and conversations. And so to be able to do that and know that even, I am helping someone, if I am the one being interviewed like, hell yeah. Like I'm to make time in my calendar for that.

Karen: Yeah. So you've had a few people ask you for that.

KDC: Mmm Hmm. Yep.

Karen: Well, it was interesting. I had a client who was applying for a job with the city and we went on LinkedIn and looked for who we thought the hiring manager for that position was. And he reached out to that person to ask them some questions and ask if they could talk.

And then that person said You know, sorry, I can't speak to you on this. It wouldn't be ethical. Like I'm the manager, so I can't give you advice. And then they went on to give like a whole bunch of information. They just talked about the process and I was like, this person spent all this time writing like three giant paragraphs.

This is super generous. Like I was so impressed. First of all, that he went out and did it cause for some reason, contacting a stranger is really hard for a lot of people. And then to go look at this, like this person  they didn't even have to acknowledge you at all. Or they could have said sorry, can't help.

You know, but people can be really generous. So that's the beauty of, I think you discover that maybe the world is kinder than you think when you take a chance on it. 

KDC: Definitely. Yeah. Oh, I love that. And realizing that I need to be on LinkedIn more. Okay.

Karen: Well,[laughs] do you? I'm on there all the time, but that's me. So. 

KDC: I have... I added a picture and that's it. I haven't done anything to my LinkedIn.

Karen: It is great for professional stuff and it's becoming a salesy place though. Oh, here's the caveat on LinkedIn. 

KDC: Tell me. 

Karen: I think especially people have discovered that it's a great place to get leads. And so, because I'm a coach, I get people in my inbox all the time trying to tell me, Hey, do you want to get 50 qualified leads a week and blah, blah, blah.

And I'm just like, no! And I used to almost accept anybody, but there's a lot, I say no to now. Anyway, that's an aside. [laughs] Okay. So you talked about resources, so information interviews helped you. Was there any advice, like career advice that you ignored and maybe to your benefit? Because I know that there are some, I don't know, isms out there that just don't work for everybody. So did you have anything that you were like, Nope, not going to do that. 

KDC: For sure. Again, thinking of my rebel tendency, I think this isn't to say anything bad at all. But again, because I'm a first-born generation Canadian to talk to my mom about different jobs that she didn't understand was really hard. And so I would tell her, well, Nope, this is what I want to do. And because it wasn't a teacher, or a doctor or lawyer, it wasn't one of those flashy titles.

It was always like, well, you should go back to school. I'm like, well, no. I also know that I'm not a good student. And like the classroom setup is not my style. And I feel like even if I would go back to school and get more education, like I see so many people doing that and they're having harder times finding jobs than I am. And I just would rather go get experience than go get more education because I found more value in that.

Karen: I find that's a big thing for newcomers. 

KDC: Yes. 

Karen: And, and there's this idea, oh, I can't get the job. I want, I'm going to go, I'll go get a master's, I'll go get this. Or I'll go with that. Thinking that that qualification is going to help you get the job you want, but in Canada it doesn't really work that way. I don't think the US so much either we're a bit more subjective. You know, two people with, someone with a master's degree, isn't necessarily going to beat me in an interview if it seems like I'm going to work well with the team. And I think most of the rest of the world doesn't work that way. Um, I spent a few years in a Francophone career centre. I was like the English teacher slash career coach. And that is the mentality of people who are coming from all over the world, right? And to kind of have to explain like this subjective fit piece is really, really important. And it's not about the qualifications on paper. And that kind of worked to your benefit. Was it, was that an ongoing conversation with your mom that was a difficult one or did she get it after a while? 

KDC: She, yeah, we have an understanding now because she also sees how happy I am. And I remember telling her one day. Like years ago, I'm like, mom, don't worry. One day I'll be Oprah because I love speaking. And I could talk all day, probably why I have a podcast too. And she just looked at me and she's like yep I see that, I get it. And I think it was also because she saw, she started to see the work I was doing and yeah, how it lit me up. She has seen every single version of me, and sometimes more truer than I have seen me. And so when she agreed, I started believing in myself a little bit more too. Like, okay, maybe I can do this. Mom says I can. All right, let's go! No more excuses.

Karen: That's really beautiful. Hmm. So good. Changing course a little bit here, but who's your career crush? Who are the people that inspire you? Sometimes I call it a crush because I think there's a different energy and I know I get those entrepreneur crushes where I look at someone and go, oh my gosh, look at her business. It's so cool. And it has that energy of a crush, right? Of like drawing hearts on a paper and that kind of thing. So who is that for you? 

KDC: Ooh. Okay. I love, love this question. And again, I sat on it for a while thinking and the person that I have a crush, I feel like I should whisper as I say this.

Karen: It's a secret. 

KDC: It is a secret, but it's not at the same time. I feel like she knows. But my career crush would be Melanie Levenberg, and she is the creator of Pl3y - Play spelled with a three. And she was an educator that didn't like the box. And flipped it and changed it and now provides dance, play and yoga play programs.

And it's offered all over the world. There's so many different people that teach it, teach these classes in schools and communities all over the world. And then I see that she starts coaching and then doing things with human design and has like coaching programs. I'm like, wait, what? Wait we can do... we CAN do it all. I'm like, oh my God. And so, like informational interview types and even just like through Facebook and just being like, well, I have a question, how do I do this? And she would help me. She just is always so willing. And there's just always so much happening and just her energy alsoI'm so drawn to, and so, I say her. She also lives in a beautiful home in Whistler. So 

Karen: Oh, that's aspirational. Yeah. Anybody who's... for me, it's anybody who's on Vancouver Island. Just oh, I want to be there.

KDC: Yes. Exactly Right?  I just want to go further into the mountains

Karen: Yeah, for sure. Past them and get to more. 

KDC: As long as there's water that my husband can fish.  Yep. Right. Take 

Karen: It's good for everybody. That's awesome. 

KDC: I add to that real quick?

Karen: Yes, please do. 

KDC: Okay. So, Melanie also recognized, well, like she teaches physical literacy through movement and she... 

Karen: Wait, what's physical literacy?

KDC: Ooh. All right, girl, let's talk about it. So thinking of literacy, right? It's the confidence and competence in your body to do something, right? To move, to skip, to play. Okay, I don't know how old listeners are, but remember Phoebe from Friends and how she would run? And she kind of ran all crazy? Yeah. She was not physically literate because of that. 

So it's the physical competence with the confidence and then the motivation. And when all of those three things are combined, that is what creates physical literacy. So like before you can play any sport… let's say soccer, right? You're going to have to learn how to run. You're going to have to learn how to kick and shuffle and juggle a ball, right? And so physical literacy, literacy skills are life skills. And. So, yeah, it's like teaching through yoga and dance, how to do those things and for kids to feel more confident in their bodies.

And so, Melanie also saw the link that I did with mindfulness and yoga. And so she teamed up with Christina Aaron and created a Yoga Play portion and okay. TBH, I've done dance play and it's so much fun. And I tried to take the certification and I'm like, I can't, which is not ...one of the rules of Pl3y is to try, is to be yourself. And yeah, I just. My body, I don't know. I just couldn't, it’s not my jam. 

But then with the yoga play, I'm like, ooh, yes, mindfulness through yoga. This is what I've been telling people for so long. And so to know that they now had a yoga play portion. I was so excited. And so.I got certified. They are in BC, and so they came to Calgary to offer a training session. And as soon as I saw that it was offered, I'm like, hell yes. Hell yes. And again, because I am so in love with her career. I knew that it was coming. And so I just always would listen and keep my eyes out. And so even on social media, like thinking of who I followed. Like I would unfollow people so that I could see what I wanted. And even as now, as she creates like new courses, there's always like a starting like a secret price or get it on, get in the inside, like first draft kind of courses and all of these things. And so that has been so much fun just to be in this world of play and teaching again, not in a way that I thought I would, but here we go.

Karen: Yeah.  It's so good. Really interesting about physical literacy… is that what you called it? I was going to say body literacy - I forgot the word already. But I think, I feel like in our culture, we're so much... we don't listen to our bodies at all, right? It's very much like ignore, no pain no gain, you push through. And, and then numbing, you know, all different kinds of ways.

And mindfulness is hugely about the body too, so I can see how it's that physical literacy plays into it. But that was really, that's really cool. Thank you for telling me about that. 

KDC: It's funny, cause I remember when me and my husband first started dating, he was like, yeah, let's play dodgeball. Like, hell yeah. I'm like, I love dodgeball! And then it's my first game, I'm sitting on the bench and the people are like, welcome, how are you? When was the last time you played dodgeball? I'm like, oh, I played dodgeball today. But it was with grade fours and they were adults. And I'm like, no, I can't. Ah!

Karen: It's a different kind of game. 

KDC: I did not feel physically literate enough to stay.

Karen: So you didn't  join the team?

KDC: No, I did. I did because you have to practice, right? Part of the motivation is to build the confidence. So I kept going. I kept going. I'm still not great, but I'm gonna try.

Karen: So, tell us more about the work you do now in your business, which is at KDCcoaching.com, yes? 

KDC: Yes. Ma'am.

Karen: Okay. What is the focus of your work? What are the people that work with you? What do they, what are they coming to you for? 

KDC: With everything that I was offering, I knew that my whole messaging and everything I wanted to teach was around kindness driving change. Those are my initials - KDC - and again, universe breadcrumb. There you go. Let's put it in your name, see if you figure it out. It took me years, a couple decades, but it's fine.

I was so excited about how much change I was bringing into my life. And I knew that I could do the same for other people and working in these programs and seeing the kids and talking to them and just listening to their thoughts and ideas and how in touch they were getting with their feelings. I wanted to bring that same thing to adults.

And so I knew again, that I wanted to teach. And so I did all the hard work of figuring out how to do it. And he created an online learning platform and I call it the KDC classroom and I offered different courses in it. And so the big one in it right now is my kind feelings foundation, because self-awareness is the very first step for social and emotional learning.

So it's learning more about our feelings. What clues are they telling us that we need to start listening to? Because when we can start to hear that, so much of our life can change. And when you start, co-creating your feelings with your future self, oh friends! Magic lives there! And so there's different challenges within that course alone.

And I'm working on it. I'm so excited for this one. Working on a course right now called Mindful Time and talking about time thieves like procrastination, perfectionism, people pleasing, overthinking... there's eight altogether. Heard of them? Probably.

Karen: Lived 'em? Uh uh! 

KDC: Yeah, best friends? Live on your shoulder right now? And so again, when I was becoming more mindful with my life, everything followed through, including mindful time. And so I knew that when I plan on purpose again, so much magic. And so that course is coming soon. I also have a Mindful Me bundle where it's a 30 day Journaling Challenge and a seven day meditation challenge because those tools I use in my classroom all of the time, there's always going to be some meditation.

There's always going to be some journaling. If you're a little bit woo, there might be some card pulls as well, just to set intentions and get real clear because again, the universe is leaving breadcrumbs. So we gotta make some space to hear what they're saying. And so, yeah, that's the classroom. And then, cause I'm always going to be teaching children. I want to offer in-person yoga when it can happen soon, summer.

Karen: Yeah, we almost thought it was going to happen, right? It was going to happen. Then it's oh, [COVID-10] restrictions went out again.

KDC: Every time that I announce that it's happening, restrictions come out the same day. So yes, but it's all good because right now in Alberta at least, all the kids are back at home K through 12.

And so I wanted to create an evening routine. To help parents either they can, the kids can come sit with me or, I'm calling it a mindfulness evening routine for the fam. So anyone can come. I'm going to read a story, I'm going to lead us through some movement, do a bit of a 30 second meditation. Don't worry.

And then leave you with some questions that you guys can journal about or take into conversations into your home. And so yeah. I just want to bring more mindfulness to humans in those types of avenues. 

Karen: I'm sure there's so many families that need that right now. That is like such a beautiful offering. 

KDC: Yeah. Again, it's funny listening or thinking about all of the things I've said tonight that I didn't think I would be teaching in a classroom, but then I make my own damn classroom.

Karen: [laughing] It's interesting that it all came around. Right? Cause there was a point where you're like, oh, now I can't teach in a classroom anymore and I have to give it up. And now you're back creating your own classroom and curriculum and all that stuff. And I love that. Yeah. And I love the message of following the breadcrumbs because, you know, I'm convinced that maybe some people make giant leaps to make change in their career.

But I think most of us follow little hints, right? Or, or like we scooch a little bit closer, you know? And sometimes it's yeah, I like this thing, I'm going to look at it more. I'm going to ask someone about it. I'm going to do these little things and it brings you to a better place. And you know, also knowing that I like to ask people about their career paths, and also knowing you're still on it, right?

We're not assuming that you're like at the pinnacle or the end of your career right now, there's still more to experience, but this is how you've got to a place where, you know, you have a few hats and all of these things that seem to really sustain and support you in various ways. 

KDC: And I think even just with my day job, like knowing that I have a nine to five, like I have a full-time job. I was really looking at what parts of that lit me up. And that's where I put all of my energy. So I write training. I create training for onboarding. I create curriculum for program, you know, like finding the parts that I love. And like you say, leaning into those, knowing that no matter what job we have even being self-employed there's shit that we don't like, you know? And so what do we like and yeah, focusing and asking questions, asking for opportunities in that field, or just, even in that direction. I'm curious about this, is there any opportunity of that sort in this? If there's not, make it. Make it happen, come up with a brilliant idea, present it, so they can't say, say no!

Karen: Right. Yeah. And you still have choices. And I'm really glad you said that too. So it's, we're not talking about have a day job that you hate and figure out how to do your good stuff on the side. I think maybe you have to do that for a little bit, right? But it sounds like you have pieces in all of those that are really important to you.

And I think that is what makes an intentional career to say, I choose this, I choose this. And that's really powerful. So.

KDC: I love that. Yeah. I just love that you call it “intentional career.”

Karen: And it can start anytime you want. Right? Like most of us don't start out with an intentional career, you know? 

KDC: Oh, hell no.

Karen: But we can get there. We can get there by following the breadcrumbs. So, well, thank you so much for joining me. I'm so glad to have you here on the podcast and where can people find you? kdccoaching.com and on Instagram you are…? 

KDC: @kdccoaching. Clubhouse -  KDC coaching.

Karen: Yeah, you're on clubhouse too. 

KDC: Cause I love to talk!

Karen: That's so big right now, probably so many people are going to find you there. So that's awesome. 

KDC: Yeah, it's been so much fun and know that yeah, the website and even on Instagram, there's links to the classroom and to sign up for the family evening routine and all of the things. Oh, also in the classroom. I have a mastermind and the mastermind gives you access to every single course that is offered. And there's some secret ones that are not offered to the public and are only on the inside. And so with that mastermind, it also includes one-on-one coaching with me and group coaching with lovely humans. And so we're going to do an opening new moon ceremony. Cause again, I am woo. And that's going to be happening on June 10th.

Karen: Right. So very soon after this episode drops, people can come find you and check that out and get in on the emotional education and the learning and the mindfulness and all the things that you are. 

KDC: Kindness drives change y'all.

Karen: Kindness drives change. Love it. Thank you. so much, it was great to have you here. 

KDC: Thank you 

Karen: Thank you so much for listening. It means so much that you spend part of your day with me. If you enjoyed this episode go to Apple Podcasts and leave a 5 star review. It helps other people find the podcast, and my hope is that if more people find the Intentional Career Podcast, then more people can create their Intentional Careers.

If you’re ready to create your intentional career with the support of a coach, schedule a call with me. There’s a link in the show notes or you can go to intentionalcareer.co and click the blue “Schedule a Call” button in the top right corner. 

Episodes are released every 2nd Wednesday, so I’ll see you in 2 weeks for more of the Intentional Career Podcast!

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