What’s inside a thought leader’s soul? I always wanted to know! 

Years ago I received a Big Magic Idea about discovering the answer to this very question. Instead of just wishing I knew what made thought leaders tick, I got the brilliant idea to interview some thought leaders and then write a book about what I learned. 

That idea struck fear into the very heart of me and I shelved it. I didn’t actually need to know that badly what thought leaders thought or what success principles they lived by or what they did when things got hard. 

The thing with Big Magic Ideas is that they’re insistent and this one wasn’t leaving me alone. I rode the whole roller coaster of
Who am I do do this?
What if no thought leader wants to talk to me?
What if I fail?
…you know…that roller coaster?!

Then I turned 40 and I freaked out a little bit. The Midlife Funk came knocking to help me stop hiding behind fear. So, I made a list of 15 women who I wanted to approach and interview. I reached out to my community to help me put together a list of questions. And I sent the first messages out. 

12 of the women said yes!!

I loved conducting the interviews and hearing their stories, their triumphs, struggles, and wisdom. I was elated. I now had 120 hours of conversation to work with. I got the interviews transcribed and ended up with a gazillion pages of gobbelty gook…the transcriptions were awful! OH NO!! Now what? I don’t have the budget to pay an editor at this point, so I took the next year and a half to fix the transcriptions. 

In the end, the book has turned into a series of blogs with the most important parts of the conversations highlighted. I want the world to know how these 12 thought leaders think and what guides them. Their stories and wisdom are ready to go out into the world!
…

Kat Davy is a Creative Adventurer who loves sharing a good laugh and surprising and delighting others. Her world revolves around her treasured cats and her devoted husband, Chris. Every day she creates art and always learns something new. Kat volunteers for the RSPCA and sends artwork monthly to an organization known as WarriorMail. Kat writes kids’ books, draws cartoons, shoots videos, shares photos, paints and meditates like you wouldn’t believe. She’s based in Perth, Western Australia where it get’s stupidly hot-but there’s no place she’d rather live.

What is your story?

I love learning new things. It’s my most favourite thing in the whole wide world- except maybe chocolate, caramel, my husband and our cats. Life has presented me with many opportunities to learn about the world and I have been determined to do it my way, even though this wasn’t the ‘conventional’ way. 

I was a Speech Pathologist for twenty years, and in my earlier years, I was a Swimming Instructor, a Shop Assistant at a bookshop, a Sales Assistant at a department shop selling jewellery and also greeting cards (not at the same time). I also sold shoes and apparel at a Nike Factory Outlet Store. My earliest entrepreneurial ventures included getting paid for my chores and getting paid (bribed) for doing the following tasks by my brother: being quiet and eating his potato skins without Mom finding out. My lemonade stand was more profitable than my brother’s payouts, needless to say. 

My life was never meant to be ordinary, but I wish someone has informed me of this earlier on. Every time I tried to fit in and do what everyone else did, nature stepped in and kicked my butt. Wanna go camping with the family? Here are some giant mosquito bites that will swell up and make your elbow look like your shoulder. Own a cat or dog? Here are itchy eyes and asthma for you. Wanna be a famous Author? You can have a comprehension problem – that’ll keep you busy trying to figure out the world and people.

By the way, I love animals- so I’ve made peace with having slightly congested passageways, both in my home and nose. I currently am Owned by a 19-year-old kitty cat, Bella, and a 14-year-old kitty cat, Asha. I’d have more if I could, but I’m not quite old enough to be at the ‘crazy old cat lady’ stage. Perhaps next year. And just so you know, I still don’t go camping, and I’m totally okay with having a comprehension problem because, honestly, I think everyone has one! It’s not just me (no offence to any reader who thinks they understand everything. I’m sure you do!).

In 2016 I closed an important chapter of my life entitled “Being a Speech Pathologist and Business Owner”. Since then I’ve been ever so grateful to be on a Creative Adventure. I can hear you all asking how it is I keep food in the cat bowls. I’ve been blessed is all I will say about that- okay, you forced my hand. I married a very smart man, making me a very smart woman- or something like that. I’m using this opportunity of ‘not working a traditional job’ to upskill. 

My Creative Adventure so far has included such things as:

• Beatboxing
• Improv classes
• Learning to code
• Writing children’s fiction
• Getting my first rejection letter for my first manuscript (watch out J K Rowling!)
• Watercolor painting workshops
• Abstract painting workshops
• Learning to draw cartoons
• Teaching myself amigurumi (a special type of crochet)
• Lots of gardening with varying levels of success. 

I volunteer with the goal of surprising and delighting kids and adults. My current gigs are with the RSPCA educating kids about pet care and being a good human in general.  I also volunteer by creating monthly art for kids for the WarriorMail project (@warriormail on Instagram).

I write stories that make people laugh- and sometimes gag. That’s the surprise bit. My stories can be shocking sometimes, even to me. I love storytelling and I will continue to tell stories until I expire or run out of stories. If I ever run out, I’ll just re imagine my past and tell new stories- or start new adventures to write about. This way my life will never be boring, guaranteed. I need to keep the stories flowing!

How did you know what to focus on?

I follow what interests me until it no longer does or until I’ve mastered that skill. Then I move on to something new, that next something that catches my attention. This is how I’ve always been in life and it works for me. I trust that part of me that says, ‘Let’s give it a go’. 

Do you remember having a breakdown moment that stands out to you and what was it?

My biggest breakdown moment was when I had been living with my partner (now husband) for about six months and then he had to go away for several weeks. His time away kept being extended and on top of that, the phone service was awful. We were also trying to plan our wedding and bills needed to be paid and I didn’t have the account information. Talk about stressful!

I reached out for professional assistance and at long last was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. That led me on a great learning journey- into the world of meditation, self-compassion and self-care. I’m forever learning and grateful for the new resources available online to assist people like me who need to learn how to calm down, relax and enjoy life. 

When did you realize that it was all worth it? Do you remember having a turning point moment where you’re like yes this is it, I finally found myself, everything has been worth it?

Every day is a new turning point. Emotions come and go and we are neither in a state of bliss or grief at all times. It’s all in flux. I think learning how to be kinder to myself has been key- and I’m still learning how to be a consistent supporter of myself. I’ve been the biggest bully, trying to motivate myself by berating myself. Hint: it doesn’t work. Learning to support and motivate myself through kindness is on my skill acquisition list for 2019. To be my #1 cheerleader is a goal of mine.  Weird, maybe. Essential, absolutely.  

What keys or principles have you built your success foundation on?

My number one key is to love learning. 

Number two, be curious about everything. 

Number three, love. The simplest yet most complex thing in the world.

Number four, be creative. Imagine, dream and be adventurous. (wait, that’s five, six and seven. Whoops!)

Number five, don’t take it too seriously. Have a laugh at yourself and loosen up. 

What do you do when things feel hard? What is your self talk in those moments and how do you turn that around?

I meditate or do breath work. Or binge on Netflix. I also listen to music, dance, go for a walk, pet my cats, go to the dog park and pet other people’s dogs, or call my husband. I stay away from social media when life is tough.

I am learning to say calming things like, ‘Ok, I feel upset that I messed up _________. Everyone makes mistakes. I’m not the only one. I can go and apologize tomorrow and sort things out. I am a good person who makes mistakes and that’s okay. Everything will be alright.’ 

Do you still have the biggest fear and how do you overcome it?

My biggest fear is having my manuscripts continually rejected. Honestly, I’m still working on overcoming this. We always have more to learn in life. Learning self compassion and practicing this on a daily basis will help me in overcoming this fear. 

Is there something that you do that doesn’t serve you and at the level of success that you’ve achieved why do you think you still do it?

I am still very hard on myself. Humans have been programmed to be critical and I have taken this to a whole new level! Undoing this programming will take time and I’m patiently unwinding the tangled web of the criticism and uncovering a world of love and motivation based in kindness. Who knew this was available and so much more effective than criticism??? Mind blowing! 

Do you have regular habits that contribute to your success?

• Meditation. 
• Listening to audiobooks. 
• Eating healthy foods mostly but also indulging in some great treats
• Moving my body
• Laughing every day
• Eating meals at the dinner table with my husband
• Having pets to love and care for
• Sleeping really well

Are you as fulfilled as you inspire others to be?

Yes, and I’m continuing to learn and grow every day. 

What is the best piece of advice that you received that you always follow?

Right now I’d have to say a key piece for getting on with life in difficult times is this idea of ‘common humanity’. Everyone goes through difficult times. No one understands everything perfectly all the time. We all make mistakes. Life is the great leveller. Seeing our fellow human beings as ‘being in the same boat’ as me is incredibly helpful. Unlike the images on social media that can have the impact of making us feel less than, this idea of common humanity brings us all together. We all are one shared heart. We all love. We all hurt. We are all one. And sometimes, we suck at life. Let’s just hope it’s not all at the same time, hey. 

What does your success feel like to you?

Success is feeling satisfied at the end of the day. 

Satisfied that I: 

• learned something new,
• loved well,
• expressed myself creatively, and
• was curious about something in my world.