EP41: The Adventure of Wellness with Kathy Davis

This is winning with wellness, a podcast about inspiring the wellness warrior in you. If you're feeling lost or alone in your wellness journey, or looking for new ideas and inspiration, you are in the right place, a place you can learn about all things wellness, in business life and living. Your host Jenny rice, we'll be bringing you inspiring stories and practical tools to improve your overall wellness, personally and professionally. Imagine what living a life of wellness would be like. Thank you for joining us today.

Welcome back, everyone to another episode of winning with wellness. I am so thrilled to have Kathy Davis back on the show. That's right. She's been here before Episode 32. Thank you so much for being here, Kathy.

Thank you for having me, Jenny. I'm excited to be back and share a little bit more about my story.

Oh, I can't wait. I was so thrilled when we were digging in. I was like, we've got to tell this other piece of your story. So I'm gonna share with the world who you are. And then we're gonna dig in. So you guys, Kathy Davis is a plant based accountability and Empire. Say that word 1000 times your tongue gets twisted empowerment coach, the CEO of veg inspired and the author of three cookbooks, the 30 Minute whole food plant based cookbook, the super easy plant based cookbook and the budget friendly plant based diet cookbook. Kathy empowers high achieving professionals to elevate their energy into their genius and crush their visions by teaching healthy living habits. Kathy, welcome back.

Thank you, thank you so much. I'm excited and just thrilled to be here. And I just love I just love what I do. And I just love sharing it. So I'm excited to let everybody see this other glimpse.

Say so you guys, if you're interested, you know, we don't want to tease you into thinking we're gonna we probably will talk some Whole Foods and you know, the veggie lifestyle. However, we're really here. And that's all on episode 32. So if you guys need more of that information, don't hesitate to bounce back to that. But we're really here, Kathy to talk about your journey. And, you know, part of through the podcast episode that we were talking about, and just me getting to know you, which has been a beautiful journey. You stepped into your wellness by really making some drastic decisions in your life. And you were willing to share that with the listeners. And I I can't wait for you to tell them what decisions did you make that changed your life?

Wow, I'm, you know, a lot of people say, I don't know if I could do that. Right. And one of the big, most recent decisions that I've made was my husband and I decided to sell our home our loving level lovingly called sticks and bricks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, three years ago to travel the United States full time in a fifth wheel RV. And a lot of people will say, Oh my gosh, I couldn't do that. And honestly, before I really looked into it, and really stepped back and asked myself what I wanted out of life, I probably would have said the same thing. I probably would have said the same thing. I probably would have said, we can't do that. That's impractical. That's illogical. That's not the American Dream, the white picket fence, all the things that we that we aspire to have, as you know, as we grow up, you know, the, the big house and the cars and the jobs and, and so yeah, we we shifted some things.

That's so incredible. So for those of you that are thinking about doing something major, I think that's the biggest thing is digging into the wire and getting clear, right? What was that process? What did that look like for you?

So this all took place in early 2018. And I have to preface it to that my husband and I had done a lot of you know, deep mindset work and when I say that it's it's really more about looking at life with a silver lining, looking at life circumstances with silver linings, and you know, we we, at that point in our lives, we've been together for almost 18 years. I mean, like life wasn't it wasn't like we were brand new newlyweds and we'd seen some things we moved it moved a few times we've lost some jobs, we've gotten promotions, you know And in life just kind of went on. And one of the big things that we uncovered during our mindset work and just learning more about ourselves and who we wanted to be as a couple was that we have a strong passion for travel. But we also have a desire to live our best life and feel good in the moment and really look at things from that silver lining perspective. And of course, every situation isn't going to be, you know, glittered with gold or glittered with silver. I mean, there's some crap that happens, right? But there's always something that comes out of it, that you may not be able to see in the moment, but when you look back, you can be like, Wow, that was terrible. But the person I've become on the other side has has changed me. And that was really the beginning part of our, you know, life change of moving into an RV to travel was, was some yucky stuff, we we've lost some family members and friends early on in their lives before you know, you know, not of old age and of illness and disease. And it really kind of awakened in us that life is short. And it's not, things don't always go as planned. And that waiting for some day was something that we just didn't want to we just didn't want to do. We wanted to take life by the horns and live the adventure every day. I love

it. So when you think about making this new change, and obviously stepping into what your purpose or your wellness is, because really, let's be honest, when you're living your best life, you're living it at a high state of wellness, what has been, if you can pick one thing, what has been the best thing about it, and what has been the most challenging thing about about stepping into it, because some people may not move into an RV, maybe they move to a different city, maybe they're, you know, having to move in with family or move family out or whatever that looks like what what is one yay, and one like?

That? That's a great question. And when I when I think about, you know, stepping into that purpose, or that why one of the beauties of this one of the joys one of the yeas really is, every day, I look around, and I, I realized how grateful I am. And I'm not saying that I didn't do that in my sticks and bricks. But there's something about waking up in a different city in a different town with a different view that makes you stop and think, Wow. This is exactly what I imagined it to be. And, you know, I people will often ask, well, what are your big goals? And I'm like, my goodness, and and literally living my dreams, like

I think you're doing?

And like they're like, Well, do you want a different RV? And I'm like, Well, no, I I took the advice of somebody who had gone before me and bought my second RV first. So I didn't have to upgrade halfway down and are halfway into the, to the journey or whatever, three months into the journey or whatever it is. And I think about, you know, I did a lot of gratitude practice before but when I sit here, the sun's coming up, and I my cup of tea and I look around and I think I made a decision that most people won't. And I think that that's that's the beauty in any decision you make, whether it's moving to a new city, or, you know, taking someone into your home to help out or taking someone out or helping you know, starting your own business or whatever that that risk that leap that step into greatness that you do. It's it allows you to channel that empowering feeling and feel the validity of your why Right? Like I knew I wanted to do this because I wanted the adventure I wanted the the freedom, the flexibility, and I have all of that. And I didn't have that when I started right I was working a normal job going to work like everybody else. And I remember walking in the summer leading up to me telling my boss that I was selling my house and moving to an to an RV. remember walking in every day and being like, I would close my eyes and my walk into the office and I would visualize it and I would be like I'm going to be working from a picnic table sitting outside of our RV. I'm going to it's going to be warm and sunny and I'm going to be doing it and it was we were not even three weeks into our adventure and I was literally sitting at the picnic table typing out work and I'm like My gosh, this is what I visualized for all those months leading up to that step, that leap that we took. So Provo, so that's the Yay.

So yay. So tell me about a challenge. Because the truth is people want to know, you are going to come up against something. Right? So what did you find? What's your biggest like? Ooh.

You know, I, honestly, Jenny, the biggest aha, or the biggest Ooh, or the biggest, yikes, I guess, really is your mindset, you know, you can get yourself into such a, you can get yourself into such a bad place, just thinking about things. And I say that because, you know, like, I mean, when I think about family, you know, family time, you know, I could be oh, you know, I don't have the time with my family that I might want in one thought. And then the next thought is, but gosh, I can go stay with them for two months, outside their house in my RV. So I might not get to get up there at the holiday I want or at the birthday. But I can spend two uninterrupted months, not weekend trips, not one week when I'm off of work, but like, two months, where I'm actually like, in their life and learning about what's going on, and make building relationships. You know, I think, I think a lot about our nephews who are little I mean, they're, they're under five, and, you know, we didn't get to be there for their special birthdays. But when we do get to spend time with them, we get to spend two months. So they're, they're familiar with us by the end, they know who we are, when we call on video chat. They know who we are. It's not like that once a weekend where they have to, they take the whole weekend to warm up to you like by the end of our stay like they've warmed up. They I mean, they're all in very familiar, right. And I think when we get into the the mindset things, you know, I've heard people say, oh, gosh, I couldn't live in an RV. The the bathrooms too small, and I'm like, Oh, my gosh, but I woke up looking at the mountains and the Tetons. Like, what's the what's the, what does it outweigh? And, you know, because I try to think about the negatives, you know, there's, and then I look at them compared to a regular house. So yeah, there's things that need to be fixed on an RV, there'd been things that needed to be fixed in my house. Yeah, I could get a blowout, but I could have a flat tire on the way home from work or on the way to work. Like, it's not my life isn't that much different. I'm just moving my house. So there's more things that could go wrong. So much more. That's right. And I always joke, like, I have to wash my own dishes by hand, there's no dishwasher, and I have to take my laundry to the laundromat. If those are the two biggest things that I can complain about, life's good. I kind of feel like that's not really complaining. So well. And truth

to I'm a big believer with with a big house, you know, an RV bathroom is you can clean that baby in a half an hour max, and I'm talking talk wall ceiling. So when you have your home, you've probably got four bathrooms. There's definitely I'll take small and I love it. So when we think about you know, I want to just ask this question, because I loved when you shared this with me, both you and your husband work from your RV. You're so you're both entrepreneurs, you are or at least you your office spaces in your RV regret. So how do you manage that?

It is it is can be a puzzle sometimes. So my husband, my husband works for a company, he doesn't own his own company. And he works for a software company. So oftentimes there's meetings. Well, I'm an online coach, I present I teach, I'm a guest speaker. So I'm always on meetings. And so we have to like, move our schedule a little bit because and I'm sitting at a computer at my desk, but behind my desk is his desk. Right? So a lot of headphones and noise canceling a lot of background, you know, reducing background noise. And then it's really about, you know, just being open with our schedules and knowing what's going on, you know, there's some calls that I'm on that a little bit of background noise won't be such a big deal. But there's other calls that I'm on that like this would be recorded. He can't be behind me talking about clients, right? Like there's that sense of privacy as well. So we really have to be cognizant to of what's what's going on and then so just we just share our schedules and really make sure we know what the other ones doing. But also that means we're together. I was gonna 24/7 Do you want to dig into that? We can a little bit people always ask like, Wait, you're together all the time. Like, all the time I'm like, all the time, as in, I don't know that I've been alone in the RV for more than a couple of hours. Since we've been in the RV. Three years. So we do a lot of, yeah, indoor outdoor space. There's, we have, uh, you know, we have a bedroom with the door. So you can like go in there and have have privacy just lay down and watch TV, you know, separate. But something else that we do too, is we really try to have open lines of communication, like, you know, oh, that really bothers me, can we try not to do that or, like, I mean, it's a small space. So leaving stuff around doesn't happen. And I tend to be one that piles so I had to like, find a system for that, and find a way to, you know, put things away after I'm done using it. So things don't just pile up. And I think just being open and having the open communication, and really, you know, my husband's pretty laid back, so things don't really bother him. Whereas I would be like, yeah, that needs to stop. Just just asking, like, that just needs to stop, we just need to make that stuff. So that doesn't soften. And so I think, you know, and we have a good sense of humor about it, too, you know, people joke to about, you know, they always say, I'm sorry for what I said, when we were backing in the camper, we don't have that issue. I never know where he's going, I just stand in one place and make sure he doesn't hit anything. And that seems to work perfect. I know how

I know that I've lived. Yeah, there's something magical about backing up a camper and couples. So a whole other level.

So yeah, if you're listening, leave us a review. And let us know if you have lived through the backing up of the RV or the camper with a partner because that is like the long running joke. Every time we bet go into a backhand site, people will say you guys get along so well, I would have seen people have a knockdown drag out. And I was like, my responsibility is to make sure he doesn't hit anything. That's it. He knows which direction to turn. He knows that I'm standing where he wants it like that. There's nothing out

360 Nothing's gonna hit the ceiling. Nothing's gonna hit the ground or the size as much. And you tell them when to stop?

Yes. Oh,

for goodness sakes. I love that you bring that out? Because yeah, I guess yes. That's usually my husband. I used to laugh we'd get a be like, I love you when the car to go back. I love you. Just a reminder, before we get started, yes. Oh, my goodness. So when we think about, let's dial back a little bit to just making the leap. And, again, you and I could talk for hours, but I just would love to leave the listeners with it. Maybe it isn't jumping into living in an RV. But you know, there's many of us that are sitting there on this cost of doing and living the best life we want to live and we kind of are holding ourselves hostage or maybe in fear? Or is there some tips or ideas or suggestions that you would provide people to at least start putting the toe in the water navigating through what that would look like?

I have, oh gosh, I have so many things that I would I would tell people on on taking the risk and stepping out of their comfort zone. I think I think there's a couple of points that that are really important. One is to take counsel from people you trust and admire that are doing it. So you know, early on in this we we wanted to tell everybody right like oh my gosh, we're gonna sell our house and move into an RV and travel the United States and obvious, honestly to adults living in their dream home driving. You know, I wouldn't say it was my dream car but like nice cars with nice jobs that pay the bills and like we had a pretty I'm not gonna say cushy life but double Income No Kids, like we weren't hurting for much, right? And now I'm gonna tell my boss I'm leaving. And, you know, people had opinions. And you know, a lot of times I think it may not even be us that sabotages ourselves it may be that we share our dream with somebody who doesn't know how to support it and I don't mean that in a way that's like, you know, don't tell anybody your dreams but like really think about the people that you share this with because one tiny thought from them that might put more fear into your, you know, into your mind and into your your consciousness could be the difference between us taking taking that baby step taking that risk and not. And I remember we had somebody who said, Well, you've never you've never driven it an RV. like that, like, who's gonna drive it? And like, if that had scared my husband who's driving it, because I'd not driving it, maybe we wouldn't be here. Right? You know, one tiny little comment, but that might not even be a negative, it might just be a question. And so really think about the people that you share your dreams with. And, you know, I always invite people, you know, I on on Instagram, I'm always like, what's what's one thing you want to start right now? What's one action you can take? If that is reaching out to somebody who has what you want? Or is doing what you want to do? Do it? From somebody who's who's been there and doing it, I would gladly be someone's counsel on this, or on any high, high risk or big leap that they take. I even remember, our real estate agent, who we listed our house with was like, Are you sure you don't want to rent your house? Like, what if something goes wrong? And I was like, we'll buy a new house? Like, we'll figure it out down the road, like you can't I just, I just encourage you not to go through life wondering what if, and letting that hold you back. Because, gosh, what if it's amazing, what have been better than you could have ever imagined. So whatever it is, that little, that little thing that might be just itching inside your heart, or, you know, fluttering inside there that's giving you butterflies just take a step, maybe it's buying a book about it, maybe it's going to sit in an RV or sit in an office space that you want to rent or audit a class at a university and a new, you know, a new career that you want to take or shadow somebody, whatever it is, just take the action today, maybe it's watching a YouTube video, maybe it's following somebody new, somebody totally different on on social media, maybe it's, it's getting in the space of the people that are doing the things that you you want to do or have the things you want to have. But I encourage you to take those baby steps when you feel that flutter. Because that inspiration and being around people like minded will really help to keep that flutter going.

It's so important that you really highlight being around like minded people, because people when they, when we step into our light, or try something new or risks would be you know, appear to be risk taking, like selling your home and jumping into an RV, it can actually pull a mirror up in front of the person you're talking to. And it makes them recoil, because they're not taking the risk in their life. So sometimes the advice or the questions are, are more about their own bias and their own opinions, even though they're trying they're, you know, it's coming from a place of love, they feel. But it's like, Well, if she's doing that, that means I need to be doing that versus letting you on your own journey. And just Yeah, moving into that.

Yeah. And we see that that's interesting that you bring up that perspective, because we see that a lot with dietary and food choices, you know, people will say, well, it's you know, it's it's almost like they they don't know that what they're saying is actually like can affect us, right? Like, oh, it's just one cheat day. Well, you know, eating something that makes me feel bad isn't really cheating. Like, it's an act, you know, like, if somebody eats gluten in there, they don't they have sensitive to gluten or their dairy and they're sensitive to dairy like, it's not cheating. It's like actually physically doesn't make me feel good. So it's kind of the same thing. Like, if you're not living and stepping into your true purpose, maybe you don't feel well inside maybe there is something missing feeling. And that's what it was for us. We felt like we were missing the adventure, the travel the you know, we we spent so much of our lives away from family that all of our vacations were spent going home, which we loved, and we were great. I was a school teacher, I was grateful for that time. But that meant all of my paid time off all of my all of my weekends off everything was spent not traveling to national parks or traveling to other cities. And that's really what we missed. We just caught the travel bug bug and we just wanted to travel and see the United States and this was the what we felt was the most practical way to do it rather than carve out a week of vacation to fly all over the country.

I think it's an exceptionally practical way. I mean, it's a lifestyle and I think that that is something that's so beautiful about taking this type of and it's an it's amazing. You are not the first person I met actually in you know the last couple years that have died On all in and I think the biggest lesson for me as an observer is just taking the chance you can always, you know, any decision, you make a good decision, you can always revert to something different. It doesn't mean like, this is it, we live in an RV like you told your realtor, that's fine, we can buy another house like things. You don't have to Oh, I've done this. And like, if it turns out not being for you, you can change your mind. It's just take the risk to give it a whirl. So Oh, Emily, I'm not thank you enough for sharing your personal side of your story with everybody. And again, you guys, if you're interested at all in reference to, you know, health and wellness, and in reference to your diet and your food and all things that support you in that capacity, definitely check out episode 32. And obviously, Kathy will have all your contact information in the show notes. Is there any specific space that people you'd love it for them to follow you on?

Yeah, so I do a mix of the travel and the Healthy Eating healthy habits for high achievers on my veg inspired Instagram. So that's a perfect place to kind of tap into, you know, where I am currently and some places that I've been and see some of the sights that I've seen, but also really kind of grabbed some of those more, eat more plants focused meals and and healthy habits for high achievers, because we all know if you're out there taking risks, you're you're definitely high achieving. So you want to you want to leverage all that energy. Okay.

Yeah, totally. You want to be prime, you want to be at your optimum. So thank you so much coffee. It's been amazing. Again, like I said to have you here. And you know, I definitely know this conversation isn't over. So thank you so much.

Absolutely. Thank you for having me, Jenny. And honestly, listeners.