We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Berry recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
Here is my story…… One thing I’ve never done is give up on the things that matter.
No matter what life has thrown at me (and trust me, it’s just about everything and the kitchen sink), I have never let go of hope. During the darkest times in my life, when I would look around me and see everyone’s Instagram perfect lives, I let faith be my guide. I moved away from my hometown at age 19 to leave the tragedy and trauma of my childhood behind me in search of a better life. Then much to everyone’s surprise, I found it. I dove fearlessly into my own personal development and healing, got married to the love of my life, and became a mother to 2 incredible children. By all accounts things were going really well, until they weren’t. Within one year I lost my husband, my home, and every cent I had to my name. I had a choice to make at that time: choose fear or choose hope. I chose the latter.
Are there some days I would rather stay in bed?
Absolutely.
But I know how quickly one day can become two, then a week, then a month. I wouldn’t be able to be the mother my children needed at the time if I caved into my dark thoughts and lack of motivation. So, day after day I put one foot in front of the other, grateful to survive another 24 hours. It was a struggle being an only parent physically, financially, and emotionally. I carried the responsibility of my two children’s heart and soul by myself. To make ends meet I had to stretch a dime to make a dollar, and when I couldn’t, I went without. I was overcome with shame. While other parents were taking their children to Disneyland for the first time or worried about saving up for their college education, I was scrambling to get the electricity turned back on or food on the table.
I held my children in my arms as they cried because they were bullied in school about the clothing they were wearing (hand-me-downs) or teased about not having a father. I felt powerless to protect them from the burdens of poverty and thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse. Then one day a mother’s worst nightmare became my reality: my child became depressed and suicidal. Then I understood there was another level of heartbreak waiting for me.
For the next 3 years, my children battled with their mental health. The stress was overwhelming, and my life quickly turned into navigating daily trauma. I ended up losing my job due to the full-time caregiving my children required, and to top it off I was stuck in the house providing 24/7 supervision to my daughter with no rest or reprieve. I leaned on coping mechanisms that were convenient, but certainly not healthy. I ate, I drank, I cried……until one day I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was 2 weeks from losing my housing and losing my mind at that point, and all I yearned for was for things to go back to some sense of normalcy. And then one warm summer night, while crying over a glass of wine with a friend, my pain came bubbling up to the surface. Years of struggling, hustling, setbacks, failures, and heartaches came tumbling out of me. Then something inside of me shifted. At that moment I made a decision: I was not going to live miserably anymore. I was taking back control of my life and creating a life I actually enjoyed living.
But how?
Well, nothing changes until something changes, and that something was me.
The pain from settling on a life that made me feel helpless, anxious, isolated, and purposeless was a burden I was no longer willing to bear.
I was done settling for sloppy seconds in every area of my life. So, I invested in my growth, healing, mental health, & mindset, and that’s when everything changed.
And I’ll tell ya – the universe is funny that way. Once you tell it what you want, it conspires to make it happen. 2 weeks later I landed a job opportunity that led me back to the career path I had abandoned during my divorce, and I began making more money than I ever had in my life. My children were stable and happy, and I was enjoying a newfound freedom and success that I had been yearning for my entire life. I became a full-time coach for a multimillion-dollar coaching business and was able to use all the skills I learned throughout my lifetime to help people create a life and business filled with purpose.
I realized that sometimes in life we have to take the long journey home to ourselves, so we can rediscover our hearts. As I embarked on that journey myself, what I found was that the young rebellious spirit with a tender heart was still there beating loudly. As I began to live more unapologetically, it empowered me to take bold steps in my business. I launched my own coaching brand, and in 2018 I hosted a podcast about mental health that opened some huge doors for me.
Suddenly I was in the newspaper, on television, and speaking in front of hundreds of people! I was gaining recognition for my contributions, and able to give back to my community. In 2018 I was nominated for my first award (and was a tiny bit crushed when I didn’t win it). But then much to my surprise I was nominated for another award in 2019, and I won! In 2020 a Humanitarian Award was actually named AFTER me! Me, the one who was crying in her wine a few years back! My heart was full.
Within 4 years I was living a purpose-driven, impactful life working with thousands of clients worldwide, all while showing my daughters that you can overcome tragedies and make them your triumph. I worked with television personalities, spoke on stage with leading experts in mental health, and coached real housewives on and off screens.
When the pandemic rolled around, I was able to lean on what I had learned in my past so I could still show up to serve my community, my clients, and my loved ones. I am humbled and grateful that I am given the opportunity to continue to serve others whenever possible. I believe our capabilities are the limitations we accept.
With the right structure, habits, accountability, tools, strategies, and commitment, I know it’s possible for YOU to make the small changes necessary so going forward you can live the daring and bold life you desire.
You only get one life, and if the pandemic taught me anything it was that we can no longer take any day for granted.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
CoachingHub is a platform for personal and professional development. CoachingHub is where you find the answers to modern day problems. We live in a complex world and lead busy lives. You don’t have time to waste on ineffective solutions. All of the areas of our lives are interconnected, and when one area is struggling it can put all areas at risk. CoachingHub helps people implement different approaches, strategies, and techniques so they can successfully manage life’s constant challenges. One stop, multiple solutions.
We offer online coaching services and an inclusive virtual community that allows people to connect to world class coaches in one place and help them find the solutions they need to successfully navigate the challenges they face in their everyday lives. At CoachingHub we believe in an accessible, cohesive, and interconnected approach to help individuals feel empowered and invested in their personal evolution. Our coaches provide the accountability and guidance that creates real change for a lifetime.
Your Life, Fully Optimized.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
One of the biggest unlearns I’ve had to overcome is thinking that I had to have everything completely perfect in order to launch my business. I think we all have faced perfectionism paralysis at times, and so we wait until all the pieces fall perfectly into place. However, a big part of entrepreneurship is taking risks and betting on yourself. We are all unique and have different ways to bring our “special sauce” to the table. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you are somebodies someone. Your job is to find that person and deliver fully to them, not perfectly.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
When I was younger, I wanted to be a therapist, I yearned to help others overcome their fears and obstacles so they could lead enriched and fuller lives. Coaching allows me to do that, so I would absolutely choose this career path again. As a constant learner I’m able to take psychology principles into my coaching along with the latest in personal development. Nothing lights me up like watching my clients create wins in their lives, and this career allows me to witness little miracles every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getcoachinghub.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getcoachinghub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getcoachinghub
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-berry-a86b6478/
Image Credits
Blue Prince Photography