Hey, I’m Kari.
Once upon a time when I was in college I asked a man out on a date. We married. We both scored teaching positions in the same school district; he in high school, I went to the middle school. Life was good.
We had two daughters. Life got better.
I quit teaching to stay at home with the girls. Things were tight financially, but I don’t regret a second of that decision.
I did direct sales.
My husband Eric applied and got the high school football head coach position. We were so excited. He loved football. He played for this high school as a student and helped coach as an assistant for years. It was a true honor to get the head coaching position for this prestigious program. And he was good at it, damn good.
And I slid into a head coach’s wife position as well. We loved it. It was our life.
And then in 2014 I started an online business working with direct sales videos.
Life was good. So good. We were so incredibly blessed. And we were so happily married. It was easy and light and full of love.
And yet, I did exactly what many of you do… laugh and complain to my girlfriends or on social about how annoying my husband was. We laugh. We compare stories. We send social sympathies when one of our husbands got the flu.
Then life sent me one helluva curveball.
February of 2017, my husband died unexpectedly from a massive ruptured brain aneurysm with instant and irreversible brain damage. It shook our world and put me and our two daughters onto a new journey with an uncertain path.
As fucked up as this might so, I like who I am now a whole lot better than who I was, despite the absence of my husband. Why? Because there are gift to grief.
My priorities and perspective have shifted. I have no tolerance for bullshit - I give zero fucks. I feel emotions more intensely. I have more of a sense of urgency - cause life is fucking short. And there’s so much more to life than the hustle.
I have a new appreciation and gratitude for life and moments that I didn’t have before. I take time for myself. I say “no” more often. I live more fiercely and intentionally than ever before.
And. It. Feels. Good.
Sometimes the grief will stop me in my tracks. But I’m learning that as time continues on, I’ve become more productive in the world again, definitely accepting and owning who I truly am, and passionate about sharing my insights, perspective, experiences, and life lessons from my journey.
I will not take life or people or moments for granted any longer.
I’ve risen out of the deep dark pit of grief, I’m not settled for just surviving anymore…
I am thriving!
Take it from a recovering workaholic who was married to an incredible, young, successful, high-profile high-school football coach who was also a workaholic.
I hope you stick around a while… God’s not done with me yet.
With all my fuckin’ love.
