Krista's Korner

My Roots – My Journey…

As I look back, I understand and appreciate.  As I look forward I am curious and open.

As I look back on my life’s journey, there are so many reasons, lessons, and gifts to who I am, why I am the way I am, what I do, and why I do it.

It started on a dairy, swine, and crop farm in northwestern Illinois where the sunrise and sunset were miraculous.  My love for the color orange and yellow developed during these precious moments of the day when I was stopped in my tracks in awe.  I loved farming, I loved the animals, and I spent every moment I could with both.  I appreciated hard work and the fulfillment of looking across a field of freshly mowed hay or a field whose harvest was complete.  Community was strong and it is where we often turned when in need.

I entered the University of Wisconsin-Platteville a farmer and an athlete.  I continued being an athlete on the basketball court for four years.  I graduated a farmer and an athlete with a degree in Print and Publication Management and a plethora of memories.  I found a company eager to invest in their employees and my 29-year journey of discovery and growth started.  Through wonderful mentors, success and failure, domestic and international experience I grew into a businessperson, leader, and coach of change and continuous improvement. 

It was a great fit, until it wasn’t.  I found myself uncomfortable and unable to get ‘quiet.’  I was out of alignment.  I started asking, ‘what is my purpose and am I doing it?’  I found a life coach and my vision expanded.  I discovered, at a deeper level, my true gifts and passion.  Being a Life & Leader Coach, speaker, facilitator, and organization development specialist put me smack in the middle of my ‘gift zone.’  CHOICES Coaching & Consulting was born.

I have a disarming ‘gift for gab’ (so I have been told) that puts you at ease and makes it comfortable for you to talk about yourself. This comfort allows you to push yourself to stand in the tough questions, to know you have the answers that we simply must uncover.  I have discovered one of the most powerful things I can do for my clients is to ask questions from the outside so you can answer them from the inside.  I show up this way in coaching, facilitating and in organization development work.

Don’t be surprised if our coaching sessions are on a hiking trail, in a park or on a snowshoe trail.  I strongly believe in movement.  I strongly believe if you change your geography, you change your perspective.  The destination is for you to decide, it is a journey of self-discovery and growth that I will partner with you on.  Your gifts matter!  The world needs what you have!

As I look back I am grateful.  As I look forward I am curious and open to what is next for me, what I will be asked to do with the gifts I have been given and the wisdom I have gained.

Let’s start your journey – call me.