Known to many as Barefoot Katie, I’ll also be leading you as the R.E.B.E.L Chief. I’m a 30-something small town gal from Illinois with a decade long dream of creating an online space that provides everyday ladies and gents an attainable, reasonable, and sustainable approach on how to navigate the often overstimulating, busy, chaotic world around us. I want to offer a guidebook for living the good life without the fame and fortune. Never having lived the “glamorous life” in the high end corners of a big city, I find joy in staying true to my roots. Being content with a modest low-key life, while refusing to be complacent I am always striving for growth and a deeper understanding of the world around me. I am a lover of learning, sharing, and empowering. Through travel, food, reading, and listening I have gained a wealth of knowledge on a broad variety of topics. 

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I don't see myself as a guru, nor do I call myself a coach or expert. If anything I feel those titles have become incredibly cliché and overused. So let me be your Chief. I've worked a variety of jobs, from ice cream scooper to construction drafter to bartender to bank teller to business owner. I've been praised for my work, and I've been fired for my work. Both ends of the spectrum taught me lessons on how I can be a better person, both personally and professionally. Some lessons took years for me to realize. The biggest lessons of all have been conviction. Becoming confident with myself has taught me I no longer require validation from others to feel happiness in my life. Ever the student though, and wise enough to know I am not an expert in anything, I count on a clan of wizards to help inspire me to spread the message that we should have a hybrid approach to everyday life. Balancing a healthy body, mind, spirit, home, habits, and relationships is key to Living the R.E.B.E.L.

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So what does R.E.B.E.L stand for?

 

R.aw – Stripping away the masks. Embracing vulnerability. Doing the introspective work to get to know yourself. Moving beyond the illusions of what is right or wrong for you. Dropping the comparisons. Stopping the bullshit. Excuses are easy. What would you do with your life if there was no judgement? Eliminating the distracts of what everyone is saying you’re supposed to do. 

 

E.nhanced – There is always room for improvement. Learning to live in such a way that you become a better version of yourself each day. Pursuing the curiosities that excite you no matter how silly or trivial. If you say you can’t, then you never will. Then you may live with the regret of never trying. There is a huge chance you're going to suck at things on the first try. Discipline is the key to getting a little bit better every day.  

 

B.eautiful – Finding the beauty in the details. Tapping into all your senses to really feel life as it is happening. Heightening your awareness. Look for the positive that can come from any situation. Understanding bad times should ground and humble you. They will amour you for future hardships. Failures are beauty in the making. 

 

E.veryday –  Not everything that is good for you is going to be some grand moment. You're not going to get anything worthwhile without a daily grind. Learning to love the in between days not just the Instagram moments. Celebrating the small victories along the way, not just focusing on the end result. Instant gratification is often fleeting gratification. Uneventful days don’t have to be bad days.

 

L.ife – This is your life! Live according to your rules. You don't have to wait until something big happens to allow yourself to be happy. In doing so, you'll always be waiting. Happiness is a state of mind. It isn't convincing yourself that you will be when a certain something happens, it is knowing you are as you are. Even what you see as a bad day can still be a day of growth and learning. We were not put here to keep up with any family of Jones’. This is your life, your story, don’t give someone else the chance to write it for you.

 

It took me over 10 years to get to the point where I felt I could share my love and knowledge of so many things with the world. Once I taught myself to fully live the R.E.B.E.L way, the fire inside me is constantly being stoked. I'm eager. Eager to share my story. Eager to help you ignite a spark that I know is ready to burn inside of you!