She grew up in a tiny town in Tennessee and fell in love with track and field, practicing high jump using an old sewer pipe that her coach would hold, falling onto an old mattress that they’d found and put in a sand pit.
She got herself a full scholarship to college because of her athletic and academic achievements, but a sharp pain in her back one day that caused her to fall to the ground took her out for the season, leaving her wondering if her dreams of being an Olympian were ever going to come to fruition.
A counselor told her to try yoga, and even though her Southern Baptist roots made her fearful that doing yoga meant worshipping the Buddha, she gave it a go because she was promised it was “just stretching.”
This woman’s story of healing injury, coming back to her athletic ambitions, going for it again, becoming injured again, going for it again, burning out again, and then coming back in a whole new way is one of overcoming tremendous obstacles and ultimately, finding wellness and joy in unexpected places.
Koya Webb did not go on to compete in the Olympics as she’d dreamed of her whole youth.
Instead, she let her first dream die so she could live the true dream: making a difference in the lives of people all over the world.
As an internationally recognized yoga teacher, personal trainer, holistic health and wellness coach, motivational speaker, model, and author of Let Your Fears Make You Fierce, Koya is a force of love in the world.
This week we have Koya on The Kate & Mike Show and, like a total dork, at the end of the podcast I blurted out, “I just really like you!”
This woman is delightful and her joy is infectious. I’m so excited to share her with you today.
If you’ve ever pushed yourself so hard that you got injured, this episode is for you.
If you’ve been wondering how to grow your influence using social media to get the word out there about what you love, this episode is for you. (Koya has 1M followers, and the strategy she shares on the episode is simple and powerful.)
If you’ve ever been afraid of being the first in your family or peer group to go to college, surpass a certain income level, change your diet, prioritize your health, move far away, or have a happy relationship, this episode is for you.
If you’ve ever needed to let one dream die in order for another one to live, this episode is for you.
We all need to hear stories of other people overcoming the things that hold them back to remind us that we can do that, too.
If you feel stuck in any area of your life, let Koya’s words, spirit, and story help you move through it with grace and joy.
Once you’ve listened, we’d love to hear from you:
What did you learn from this episode and how can you apply it to your own life?
Leave us a comment and let us know!
Kate Northrup is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and mother who supports ambitious, motivated and successful women to light up the world without burning themselves out in the process. Committed to empowering women entrepreneurs to create their most successful businesses while navigating motherhood, Kate is the founder and CEO of Origin Collective, a monthly membership site where women all over the world gather to achieve more while doing less. Her first book, Money: A Love Story, has been published in 5 languages. Kate’s work has been featured by The Today Show, Yahoo! Finance, Women’s Health, Glamour, and The Huffington Post, and she’s spoken to audiences of thousands with Hay House, Wanderlust, USANA Health Sciences, and more. Kate lives with her husband and business partner, Mike, and their daughter Penelope in Maine. Find out more and receive your free copy of the 5 Simple and effective ways to get the results you want in your business at katenorthrup.com.
Image courtesy of Mohamed Nohassi.
