When I think of Catherine Joy, I think of spunky hairdos, travel adventures, a connected and bloody proud educator and mother of four, and a woman who deeply believes in fairness, inclusion and equality.
But as we discover in this episode it wasn’t always the way. In this interview, Catherine and I speak about:
- Catherine’s Christian upbringing, and how this, plus her family situation, was the perfect crucible for creating a “good girl” afraid of rocking the boat and how this shaped her identity.
- How Catherine’s early marriage and the experience of infertility left her questioning God and the reasons why her life wasn’t turning out as she’d thought it would given she’d tried so hard to follow all the rules.
- Later, the dissolution of Catherine’s marriage led to deeper questions about her spirituality, gender roles, identity and even her sexuality - and it turns out being a subservient “good girl” really isn’t her natural state
- Catherine’s reflects on her former self before her marriage ended, and feels sorry for this earlier version of herself who was so full of fear and terrified of falling into a dark, deep, hellish abyss if she “got life wrong”
- Her realisations around earlier patterns of perfectionism and intense fear of failure, and how healing these in herself has informed her parenting, teaching and even friendships. She now has the foundational belief that absolutely everything can be done and redone, and that nothing is the end of the world
- Catherine as a mother, and the balancing act between wanting what is best for her kids, and allowing them to develop self-trust through trial and error - the gifts of sovereignty and agency which were not her reality as a child and teen
- The wonderful knowing that has emerged in the last decade that Catherine does not have to define herself or box herself in anymore - that her opinions, values, sexuality, parenting, and life in general no longer needs to fit anyone’s else’s preconceived notions or labels.
A deep bow of gratitude to Catherine for sharing her story, and eye-opening transformation from “good girl” to powerful, grounded woman.
___
Come Say Hi on Instagram
Check our GSPOT: Where Genius, Truth + Legacy coliide
Browse KP offerings on our website
Learn about 1:1 Voice + Visibility Mentorships + Intensives here
