Special Guest Expert - Karsta Hurd: Video automatically transcribed by Sonix

Special Guest Expert - Karsta Hurd: this mp4 video file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Daniel Aaron:
Does it take to create a vibrant, thriving life? First, the sad news is that Thoreau was right most people are leading quiet lives of desperation, lacking in meaning, fulfillment, and vitality. But we choose more. We choose to create extraordinary lives and the art of vibrant living. Show entertains you with inspiration, empowerment and education to create your life into a masterpiece. It's time. Let's vibe up. Aloha, y'all. Daniel Aaron here, your host, welcome to the Art of Vibrant Living show. Guess what this show is about? Well, it's about you. Really. It's about you making your life into a masterpiece. And I have a couple requests of you. One, well, get excited. Get more excited because we're going to have an amazing show today. My guest is a phenomenal being. You'll meet her in a moment. And. Get excited if you would. I invite you to about the possibilities in your life. What could you create if you knew you could create anything? And then. So take today as not just entertainment. Take it also as your commitment to up the quality of your life. Be on the lookout for gold that comes from our guest today. The thing that clicks in you and you say, that's not just a good idea. That's something I'm going to do something about. I'm going to try it out. I'm going to put it into place in my life. I will take some action on it. Would you do that for yourself? And if you have a sense in your heart and your bones that there is more possible for you, you've got some success already. Clearly you're smart enough to be here with us. And if you want more, if you want to add more good to the world, whether that's to increase your income, your business, your relationships, your health, or, like me, greedy enough to care about all of those things, I'd love to meet you. So please reach out, send an email. Let's connect Daniel at Daniel aaron.com. And. Next piece for you today. My guest. Our guest today is Krista Marie, a former soccer mom, 25 years as a K-12 educator and being burned out, enduring a life that was fine. As in, just good enough. Okay, getting by. I'll let her tell you more about what fine means. Krista is now a three time number one international best selling author, motivational speaker, and personal development expert with a passion for empowering folks. That's you. You're the folks empowering you to live a life by design rather than by default. Casto shares insights and experiences with audiences worldwide. Inspiring action. Remember, we talked about that and helping folks break free from limiting beliefs. Create vision about what they truly desire, and tune out the voices of others so they can create joy in their lives. Krista, thank you for being with us. Welcome.

Karsta Hurd:
Thank you for having me. This is so great, I love it.

Daniel Aaron:
Oh, it's it's, um, it's a blessing that we get to go beyond. Fine. And no doubt you'll say more about what that is. What that means. Um, first, though, given that, um, some folks here may not know you yet. Just meeting you. Who are you? How'd you get here? Will you tell us a little bit about your journey?

Karsta Hurd:
I will, thank you. Um, yeah. So as it said in my bio, I. I always tell people I spent my 20s, like post university curating that sort of paper, perfect picket fence life. I married my college sweetheart, I took on my teaching career, had babies, bought a minivan, built a house, did all of those things, and it was all fine. There was nothing inherently wrong with it. But then I spent my 30s sort of enduring that idea that it was fine. Right? Like you said, just okay. Again, nothing terribly wrong. Just. Run of the mill. And as I got into my 40s, because it wasn't aligned with who I was, it sort of started to fall apart and crumble a little bit. And so at one point, some shifts had been happening and I said, you know what I'm really tired of? Waiting for the next thing to happen. I, I want some control over this. And so I went through what I call my midlife awakening. I burned anything that was left to the ground and decided to rebuild my way. By my standards and my goals. And so I embarked on my personal development journey to really rediscover who I was, what I truly wanted, what was going to be meaningful for me, how I was going to spend whatever time I had left on this earth. And then through that, found my way into kind of the online space, my entrepreneurial journey. I started coaching and speaking and writing and. Sharing my experiences to empower others.

Daniel Aaron:
Well now, what made you think? What gave you the audacity that after all of that, you could go out and create what you want?

Karsta Hurd:
Right. That's a big question, because I think that that's where a lot of people do get stuck, though. We hear stuck all the time. But I think that that's a place where a lot of people do get stuck, like, why do I get to I don't know if so much. In that moment. It was a sense of audacity, so much as I was in a space of exhaustion. Like I was just tired of waiting for the next thing that was going to be coming down the pike, whatever it was. And so I just said, you know, I, I need to at least get some control over this. I need to have some say in what comes next, rather than sitting back and just waiting for it to happen.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Beautiful. Well. And as as you could tell and in some way I was joking with my phrasing there. And I've been thinking of this for the last few days. A client recently said. About them referring to themselves being audacious and and I and I loved it because. Because when she said it, it was with like pride. It was like, you know, it was like she was really owning that as a good thing. And I realized, wow, I've got such a conditioned association to audacity as being, you know, kind of a pejorative negative thing and, you know, and then then joking aside, though, right here, you've devoted your life to, on some level, what you were told you should do and should make you happy. Right? And then devoted to empowering others or working for others, you know, and especially I really honor you as a as a school teacher, right? That's such a beautiful thing to do. Um, and yet it's it is really hard for so many people to make the leap from putting their own desires or dreams down or behind and to step forward into it. So I love that you are a champion for that and a role model for that. Yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
Thank you. Yeah, it became really important to me. I started to realize I wasn't alone, and I think it started with just this, like tiny little inkling like, gosh, I can't be alone in this, right? Like all the. Also, to be clear, I was never like, I know it says in my bio, I was a soccer mom. I was never like an actual traditional soccer mom. Like I never fit that mold. But I tried really hard to. Um, and so that that piece is always sort of in there as a little tongue in cheek, because my kids will tell you, I was never that, but I it got me thinking when I started on my journey, like how many other and at the time it was like, how many other women are doing this? How many other women are? Playing house, playing pretend, trying to sort of create these Pinterest perfect lives, but who are sort of secretly dying on the inside, not because they don't love their family, but because. They embarked on something that maybe. Wasn't maybe their either their true calling or it wasn't what really inspired them from the inside out sort of to to live out loud. It was just sort of like you said, this is what I should do, right? This and maybe not even that I should do. But I think a what I encounter a lot is, well, it's making that other person happy. Therefore it should make me happy. Right. Like if if Susie down the street is doing this, then I guess that should make me happy too. Or if this person's finding success with that, I guess that should give me success too, rather than really going inside and saying what really is going to make me happy and how can I create that?

Daniel Aaron:
Well, and that's great what you said, because that points to, I think, one of the big fallacies or challenges that happens, especially these days with social media, because, you know, you think Susie's happy down the street from doing that thing, but who knows? You know, you mentioned that for you, you just got exhausted. You hit a threshold, and who knows, you know, whether Susie's hit that threshold or Susie's, you know, popping a bunch of pills or whatever to numb out from that threshold. No offense to Susie. I'm sure she's. She's doing well. Maybe she's beautiful, I don't know. Yeah. So then, um. And you pointed to something that's also important to amplify, which is you. You said you got exhausted, right? And I hear that as, like, you reached a certain point where you're like, that's it. No. No more of this. Yeah. And I think of that often as, you know, like a rock bottom moment in some way. And that can be beautiful and, and awesome because we bounce and then we start moving in a different direction. So would you say more about that? Like what? What was it that that catalyzed the change of direction for you?

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah I had.

Daniel Aaron:
Um.

Karsta Hurd:
There were some shifts in my teaching career. There were there were other things that I had been doing as part of my teaching career. I was actually doing some coaching, um, which is what led me to coaching outside of teaching the teaching world. Um, I was doing some coaching and then there was going to be some shifts. Um, kind of professionally where I was not super excited about them. And I had been in a very long term relationship after my marriage had gone south quite a number of years later, I'd been in this long term relationship, and that was also coming to an end. And. I just it was like the culmination of those two things and this realization that I was at a point where I did have to kind of make some choices about, okay, well, what is next? And I went, well, okay. Am I going to choose what's next? Or am I going to wait for what's next to come happen to me and continue this cycle of, um, sort of victimhood? Really almost. Right. Like I created this life and endured it and it didn't work out. And then I waited for the next thing to come. And so it was sort of this victim cycle on repeat where it was, wait for the thing, be miserable in the thing, and then get out of the thing. And it was like this game of leapfrog between, um, very unaligned, uninspired circumstances that again, in the moment, they were fine. There was nothing toxic or bad or, you know, it wasn't drudgery every day. It just didn't light me up.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah, there you go again with that audacity that you deserve to be lit up. My goodness. I know. So well. And part of the way I hear what you're saying is, um, summarized by that oft repeated phrase, good is the enemy of great. Yes. Right. So. And part of the way I heard what you said is. Well, this is interesting. I never thought of it this way. You didn't. It wasn't like you hopped from the frying pan into the fire or the fire into the frying pan. Um, because neither of them were that hot or uncomfortable, though what you described in that victim cycle is like, okay, I'm in this. And and then something's going to happen and I'll get out of this and then I'll be in this. And then sometimes, you know, which is very different than being intentional and directive about your life. And I think for a lot of a lot of people, that victim stance is kind of masked by, well, things are okay. You know, I can't complain. So. And maybe afraid to admit because victim sounds like especially, you know, in certain circles these days. Like, that's kind of like a oh, you don't want to be a victim, right? So what say more, if you would, about. Fine. And you know what, what what that was for you and what, what it's become as as it's, you know, clearly a part of your, your work and your vision and your gift to the world now.

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah. I mean, I think just more of what I said, like like I said, it was like this game of leapfrog, right? Like I'm in this thing and it's fine, like I never. You have the usual complaints, right? Like the workdays long or this is. But everything's fine, right? People ask you, how's your day? Oh it's fine. How's work? It's fine. Everything's fine. But then you get to this point where all of a sudden, and I guess, at least in my experience, that's what it was, where like all of a sudden it wasn't fine anymore. And so it was that leap frog of, okay, well, this isn't serving me anymore. This isn't fine anymore. So I'm going to hop to something new. And then I'm going to sit there and again, kind of like you said, it's not the hot pan. It's fine. I'm going to live in it. And you know, it's and I always say it's sort of that big shiny object where it's really exciting at first. And I encountered this a lot with clients who, who. And again, it's not that this part is bad. Like they jump from job to job to job quickly. And I say, well, talk to me about that. And they well, it was exciting at first but then and it's. Probably because it was exciting. You jumped, but did you do some reflection and introspection in between there to say what wasn't serving me in the previous experience or job or relationship? What wasn't serving me? What was serving me? What do I want to duplicate? What do I want to replace? And how do I want to use that to create a new experience that's not just. The same experience on repeat. Because we do that, I think. I don't know if you've experienced that, but it's like we end up duplicating the same experience on repeat without realizing it, because when we jump to it, it's new and it's exciting and it's got just enough, something different that attracts us to it. And then we sit there and go, oh. This is the same as before. And then we go look for the next thing and it becomes this cycle.

Daniel Aaron:
Mm. So I'm. Of course I'm with you. Um, I put both hands up. I'm sure I've done that before. Um, so how do you how do you advise people or help people, like when they see themselves, you know? Well, I guess one is to help them see themselves in that cycle. But to to change it to, you know, is there a way to help people get to change before they hit rock bottom or, you know, before they get, uh, exhausted like you were?

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah. So I have kind of four pillars, if you will, that are pretty foundational to the work that I do with people. And first and foremost, the very first thing we always do is we get really crystal clear on what pieces right now are really serving you that. And by serving you, I mean, they're not just fine, they're actually. Lighting you up there, bringing you true joy. Um. I also talked to people a lot about and work with my clients on, um, really getting clear on the definition of those words, because when you start working with someone, I'll say, how do you want to feel on your day to day? Like, how do you want your life to feel? And they'll say, well, I want to be happy. It's sort of a it's a very vanilla word for me. Like, what does that mean? Do you want it to feel adventurous? Do you want like for me, I really strive for calm. That's what I want my life to feel like. And so then everything I curate comes back to those words. So we get clarity on how we want to feel. We get clarity on what's already bringing us that, and we get clarity on what is not, so that we can work to remove the pieces that aren't, enhance the pieces that are, and see if we need to find new pieces to plug back in. That's like the first step with everybody that I work with.

Daniel Aaron:
Beautiful. And just in case, I'm not quite understanding because there's always a good chance of that. When you say when you say curate, what do you mean by that?

Karsta Hurd:
I guess for me, it means I'm being really intentional about what I'm creating. I'm being very intentional about what I you know, I when people think of like a museum exhibit being curated, there's purpose and intention behind all of the pieces that get chosen for that exhibit. And so it's really important to me that we're being so intentional, like it's not just creating the emotion. It's really about, again, curating the circumstances and curating all of the pieces that are going to, you know, be part of the exhibit that is your life.

Daniel Aaron:
Cool. I like that I use the phrasing often. And I have a program called Make Your Life a masterpiece. Yeah. And so and if if it's okay for you, I will for a moment play Angel's advocate. Right. Um, and so when you say, you know, be intentional about all the pieces in your life. And I'm looking at it kind of like a puzzle and these ones don't fit. And we'll take that out. And these ones come in then. And I can imagine again for my angels advocate role. So I'm like, well, this sounds like a lot of work and you really have to pay attention to everything. And can't you just be happy with the way things are?

Karsta Hurd:
I mean, maybe, maybe that's part of our our exploration, right? What parts are making you happy? But yeah, if you want. Things to feel, and I'm very intentional about using that word, not look, if you are very set on things feeling different. You have to do things different. And that's going to take some work. Right. And I I'm going to misquote it, but what's the phrase about if you do what you've always done, you're going to get what you've always gotten. It's the same thing. And so yeah, there's some mindset things and there's some work that has to go into shifting the mindset behind what got you here. Tapping into what you want it to really feel like, and then doing the work to implement that. Mm. Whatever it is.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Okay, cool. And. Well. So. So what do you do now at this point? Like you've made a significant shift in your life. You hit that kind of rock bottom exhausted and said, you know, enough of this victim cycle, uh, enough of being passive and fine time for me to be active, intentional curating my life. What what does it look like for you on an ongoing basis? Do you have ways of working with that or practices that you do?

Karsta Hurd:
I'm going to need you. You cut out for a second there. So I need you to repeat the question.

Daniel Aaron:
Okay. Uh, I was asking you about applesauce. No. Just kidding. Um.

Karsta Hurd:
I got the front end, and I got the back. I didn't get the middle, and there was no applesauce in there.

Daniel Aaron:
Testing. Okay, so, um, so you got the back end and the front end of that, or vice versa. The question for me is like, what does that look like for you? Ongoing, right? I imagine that like at least my worldview and you could see if this lands for you or doesn't either way is cool like that, that life is a constant creative process. Right? And it's not like, okay, now I've fixed everything and I've taken out all the parts that don't light me up, and now I have only the parts that do right that that we're here to evolve and grow. So what does this, um, you know, moving beyond. Fine. What does that look like in your life now? Do you have ways of working with it or practices or. Yeah. Does that make sense? Yeah, it.

Karsta Hurd:
Does absolutely make sense. Um, yeah. It's not a one and done situation. Right. We're not going to do this once, and then all of a sudden everything's going to be rainbows and unicorns and butterflies all day, every day. Um, because real life happens and things happen that are out of our control. Um, I have a daily practice that I do where I sit down and like I told you that right now, one of.

Daniel Aaron:
Hmm. Well, I'm gonna guess that we might be having some technical difficulties. Oh, yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
We're back again.

Daniel Aaron:
We're back. Would you just rewind and say that again? What you were saying?

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah, I was just saying for me. I told you earlier that one of the words that I really try to cultivate for myself is calm. And so it's for me, it's getting up every morning and when I set my intentions. And for those of you that don't know, a lot of people think that it's like. A to do list almost. And I say it's not a to do list. It's I want it. I ask myself every morning how am I going to bring calm to my day? Mm. Especially amidst, amidst amongst, amid the busy days. The crazy days. Right. Like yesterday at my 9 to 5 job, it was absolute chaos. And so in the morning, before I start my day, it's how am I going to bring calm to that chaos? Or when I was a single mom for all those years when my kids were little? That's absolute insanity. How am I going to bring calm to this? And so for me, that's what daily intentions are all about, is how can I bring those feelings right? Calm. Peace. If you're adventurous, if you, how can you bring that feeling into your current reality and really reevaluating that? And then, you know, I don't know, once, twice quarterly however often you need to. Asking yourself kind of doing a little inventory, like, is this still how I want to feel? Right? Maybe, maybe things are shifting. And so I personally my go to is I, I do a vision board every year not to set goals per se, like a lot of people do, but for me, my vision board is really okay. Time to take stock, take inventory. Where am I at? How am I feeling? What sentiments, what feelings do I want to bring into the next year? And then I revisit it in June. So like twice a year I do a vision board. And again, it's just sort of that the word I use often with my clients is recalibration. And just taking that moment to see is my vision, is my goal, is my plan. That I'm thinking right now, is that still serving me? Is it still going to serve me, or do I need to make some changes and really doing that recalibration periodically?

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah, cool, I like that. And so the way you explained intention makes a lot of sense to me. And I think people can relate to that. And, uh, so you said in the morning, if I heard you right, you said in the morning you'll you'll ask, okay, you know, how do I want to feel? And how can I bring that to my life, to the day, to the unexpected. And so, um, I'm going a little more granular here in terms of what it looks like for you. Um, you ask yourself the question, and then do you attempt to do you answer that or you just leave it as a question that floats for you? What's it look like? Um.

Karsta Hurd:
You know, some days it's really just a reminder. Some days I do, um, like, if I, if I'm anticipating and I'm just going to stick with the calm and chaotic just so we have some continuity here. So if if I'm anticipating a chaotic day, then I will make a pretty intentional plan to build moments of what others would maybe call mini meditations, right? Just mini moments of solitude and just taking that deep breath if I don't know what the day is bringing. But I just want that gentle reminder for myself. I might just, in my journal, just jot it down. Like even just the word like, how can I bring calm to my day? Or just write the word calm and just let that sort of sink in? And then as those moments pop up, it just serves as that reminder, right? Like, oh, yep. Nope. Hold on. Pause, find the calm. Or at least then maybe at the end of the day, can I reflect on it and say, okay, I did not have column today.

Daniel Aaron:
Mm.

Karsta Hurd:
How can I either find some for myself now or what do I need to do differently tomorrow?

Daniel Aaron:
Cool, beautiful. Well, part of what I hear in that is one you're attending to what's important to you, right? You're paying attention to it. And questions are so important, right? When we ask questions, you know that that solicits from our heart, our mind, our body spirit like it brings new ways of looking at things. Right. Um, and it sounds like part of the way you work with this is you intentionally incorporate it as part of your life at different points throughout the day. Mhm. Yeah, yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
And it takes practice, especially if you've created a situation for yourself where life is kind of on autopilot.

Daniel Aaron:
Mhm.

Karsta Hurd:
Right. And I you know like you talked about like good being the enemy of, of great. And in my mind. Autopilot like, I feel like a lot of people strive for that, that autopilot sort of life, like, like there's this sort of goal they have that when I get to this place, I can just go on autopilot. And in my mind, that's sort of the same thing where like, if I'm on autopilot, I'm not really living because then I'm not in tune. And I'm not connected to myself. I'm not connected to my environment. I'm not connected to the people around me. If I'm just sort of sitting back and letting life happen on autopilot.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. So? Okay, cool. The the focus for you on calm. I've heard you mention that a few times that you know clearly that's something important to you. I'm curious. Like, I always sense and I don't know if this will be true for you or not, but the things that we tend to value and prioritize the cultivation of, they usually come in some way because we didn't always have that or we, you know, we experienced something to the contrary of that, that that highlighted. Yeah, that's important. And um, so did you have some kind of experience or something that led you to that being an important, uh, value and intention for you?

Karsta Hurd:
Why? Why did I see that question coming even when I mentioned it before? Uh, yeah. You know, my. Most of my life was a lot of chaos, quite honestly, and I don't say that sort of, um. Like, I don't break that. I don't say that lightly. Like my my childhood was very riddled with nothing. Well, I shouldn't say nothing. Catastrophic for some people. A lot of what I experienced would be catastrophic. There was a lot of things in my childhood that any one thing would have been pretty traumatic for one person, let alone the sequence of events that happened. Um, just a lot of, um. Watching abuse. I had a my biological father was a raging alcoholic and I was blessed, if you will, that he never hurt me. But I watched a lot of what happened. Um, we had, uh, suicide in the family when I was very young. Um, there was, um, some childhood sexual assault that happened, and then I. So I carried that, and then I got married, and I thought, okay. And part of why I curated the life I did was because I thought, okay, if I can curate something normal. Then life will be calm.

Daniel Aaron:
Mm.

Karsta Hurd:
Um, unfortunately, my children's father, my ex husband, was also an alcoholic for different reasons. He was a self-medicating with some mental health issues. Um, and so the marriage, once it started to fall apart, was also very tumultuous. And then it was a number of years of being a single mom. And my children are wonderful. They've always been wonderful kids, but that's just a challenging thing for anybody, no matter how wonderful your kids are. And so yeah, it was a a lot. And so as I came out on the other side and I remember just always sort of wishing and praying and trying to manifest calm. And so when I got to that point that I was talking about where I said, you know what? I, I get to create, for me, it wasn't about creating circumstances for myself. It was about I need to create. Sentiments for myself, and I need to create a sense of what I want my life to feel like, and that was definitely at the forefront.

Daniel Aaron:
Gotcha. Thank you. And so yeah, you saw the question coming. And, you know, it's it's worth me saying for me, it's not in any intention to, um. Bring you to speaking about anything that could be uncomfortable or to expose anything. Um, and, you know, so many, so many of our audience. Right. And people that, that are tuning in because Yeah want a more vibrant, thriving life. Um, it can be inspiring and helpful to say, like, yeah, you know, what is the the difficult stuff? And how can that serve to create something, something different.

Karsta Hurd:
And, and to your point, it definitely a lot of the sentiments we want to feel now stem from. Creating something different than what we had. So yeah, it absolutely valid.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Cool. Yeah. So. You know, as you moved away from sort of the challenges, the difficulties, and you said you're lucky that your biological father didn't hurt you. And I think, you know, you mean, right. Like, not physically abusive to you, though clearly there was plenty of pain caused by the way he was being and his behavior. Right. And and for some of us that can be, you know, as big or more, you can't ultimately ever compare any. Right. That's why I always.

Karsta Hurd:
Qualify that like, I, I endured what I endured. I'm better for it. I'm fine on the other side. But I know there are a lot of people that hearing that it's very challenging for them because I know there's people that have endured far worse. There are people that have endured maybe not as much, but it's impacted them more. So for me, that's sort of a sliding scale situation, right? Like we all have different capacity for different things.

Daniel Aaron:
Well, and again, just like when we were talking about Susie down the street, the comparisons end up being not very helpful. Right? There's great quotation from Sartre that says freedom is what you do with what's been done to you. So to me, it's always less about the specifics. Although, you know, I invited you to speak more just because because I know people can relate for all of us when we hear like, oh snap, that happened. Oh my goodness. You know, like and and you know, she could come from that and transform and get intentional and um, and in some ways it doesn't matter what it was. It matters how we experienced it, how we felt it, and what matters even more is what we then choose to do with that, right where we go from there. So coming from that kind of background and of course, no wonder you fell into even a, um, a more how do we say, a more functional victim role, right. Like, you know, from from being severe, like helpless type victim to going into like, you know, I'm, I'm, I got a good life and I'm doing the things and I'm getting, you know, I'm checking the boxes. But as you said, still in some victim role. And then as you got more creative and directive about your life, did you encounter anything? Well, I use the terminology imposter syndrome, like, and as you started to step out as a speaker and an author and a coach was there, did you encounter anything like that? Like, like, who am I? And, you know, do I have the right. Yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah, yeah. I mean absolutely. You I know it was a little tongue in cheek earlier, but that word audacious like I would add, like who who am I to like how how do I have the audacity to share my story? And I actually have a little story about this, um, not all that long ago. So I was well into my personal development journey. Um, I had coauthored, um, the three books that became best sellers, and I was having a conversation with somebody and they said, well, are you ever going to write your own book? And I said, well, you know, yeah, someday I'll probably write my story like it. It becomes more sort of cathartic and therapeutic. But yeah, someday I'll write my story. And I said, but and I recognized it as an imposter syndrome situation. And I said, but I'm struggling right now with a little imposter syndrome on who am I like? Other people like we're talking about that comparison thing. Other people have experienced way worse than me. So who am I to tell my story and think that anybody's going to want to read it? And I knew that was the mindset I was having. But in that moment, that friend of mine looked at me and he said. Because you can. Because not everybody can. And I went.

Daniel Aaron:
Well, okay.

Karsta Hurd:
So yeah, I mean absolutely still, even sometimes when I get ready to sign a new coaching client or I get ready to get on a stage and I go, well, I don't know if what I'm sharing is going to be any more valuable than what somebody else would or anything like that. But at the end of the day, like you said, there's something like when you kicked off the show, everybody, hopefully everybody can take one nugget away and then go take action from that. So if I can do that, then I'm successful in my mind.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Beautiful. Beautiful. So that was I love that conversation and his his statement to you because you can and to me that that begs for a little more, um, a little more exposition. What? You know, what does that mean? Or what did it mean to you? Because clearly that hits you in a, in a strong way. What did it mean to you to that. Because you can. Yeah. It.

Karsta Hurd:
I think it never occurred to me because it really a imposter syndrome aside, it really I've always been someone who kind of wears my heart on my sleeve. It doesn't bother me to share things about my personal life. It doesn't. I'm a pretty open book, no pun intended with that, but I'm a pretty open book, and it had never occurred to me that someone who had a powerful story wouldn't be able to tell it. So when he said that, and I really felt it in his voice, and I saw it on his face. That he needed someone to be able to tell their story, because he wasn't going to be able to tell his mom. And I thought, okay, like I need to tell that I need to be the voice. Then for someone who doesn't have a voice.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah, it makes sense. Beautiful. Okay, so time is just flying along now.

Karsta Hurd:
Oh my gosh.

Daniel Aaron:
Um, so. As you know, and you pointed to what I said at the beginning of the show. It's all about vibrant living. Um, and that's kind of the phrasing I use, though. What does that mean to you? What does a vibrant life or vibrant living mean to you? Yeah. You know.

Karsta Hurd:
I thought of this as I was getting ready for the show and I thought, I love that because to me, vibrant is like really out loud, right? When I think of vibrant colors, they're like really out loud in the best way. And so I think for me it's. Having everything for myself working before we went on. You and I were talking about this idea of of harmony, right? Like, I don't ever want my life to be in balance. I want everything to play together nicely in, in harmony. And I liken it to every year my, my college bestie and I go to the Christmas concert that's put on by our alma mater. And. And I got to thinking one time. Because it's so beautiful. It's choirs and orchestras. And I got to thinking like. Every instrument and every voice on that stage could hit every note perfectly. But if they were all in balance in terms of volume and intensity, that would sound terrible, even if they were all perfect. And it sort of resonated with me that that's the same thing with life. I don't ever want everything the same volume. I want everything playing in a beautiful harmony. So that it's sort of, you know, you talked about creating a masterpiece sort of for your life. And for me, that's what it's about. What is this masterpiece? And I'm sort of very music minded. I love music, and so that just really resonated with me, that it's this really authentic sort of out loud to your capacity. Right? Because out loud to me might mean something different to out loud to you might mean something different to out loud, but just really living in that authenticity and out loud as yourself in whatever way makes you happy.

Daniel Aaron:
I love that. That's beautiful. And then what a great metaphor. Like, yeah, if we look at a masterpiece painting or a masterpiece of music, it's not like The Equalizer isn't set, that everything's in the middle. You know, some things are more in the foreground and some things are in the background and some are bigger and some are smaller. And it.

Karsta Hurd:
Shifts, right? Like especially in a musical piece, it shifts, right? Like there's one moment where the maybe the flutes are, you know, sort of up here and out loud and in front, and then pretty soon it's the baritone and pretty soon it's the percussion and it's it's the ebb and flow of that that I just. Just really resonates with me and it has become sort of my mission for myself is to really navigate that.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah, I'm with you. That's beautiful. And I'm curious because you used this out loud phrasing, which I don't know if this is accurate, but part of how I hear that is that, um, a vibrant life includes a component of, of expression, right? That it's moving out from the inside in some ways. Is that how you're meaning it, or is that part of it?

Karsta Hurd:
Yeah, I think that can be part of it. Like I said, for everybody it's probably different, right? To different levels. Right? Your, your level of out loud and expressiveness is going to be different than mine. But to just be able to express yourself in whatever way is meaningful to whatever level is meaningful for you, rather than keeping it all sort of quiet and inside.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, and part of the way I hear that, too, is this took me a long time to learn. And I'm sure there's, uh, so much more for me to learn about this, though. In the early part of my life, I came from this standard American diet sort of, uh, conditioning that life is about me going out and getting what I want. Right? And let me be clever and strategic and smart about how I get what I want. Right? And eventually life happened in ways for me that led me to saying, maybe that's not such a fulfilling plan. And it becomes more about what can I create? What can I give, how can I serve? Right? And, you know, and that's like in some way that's the journey from self orientation toward service orientation. And so the out loud part, part of hear how I hear that is, is creating something that's, you know, better than fine on the inside and sharing that out with the world, uh, and in such a way that it's reflected back to us. Right. Does that make sense? Yeah. Yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
No. Yep. That makes sense. You know, the piece that I would add to that is, you know, a lot of times I think people hear service and they think of like. I don't know. I feel like that word can have some different connotations to it, but that can be whatever. Just. Whether it's sharing your story or nurturing a relationship with someone that you know. Service can be so many things. But yeah, like you said, it's that putting it out there and having it reflected back and all of us sort of serving each other in some way.

Daniel Aaron:
Mm. Beautiful. Okay. Carissa, is there anything so far that I haven't asked you about that? I, that I should have, quote unquote, should have.

Karsta Hurd:
No, we don't like shoulds on my podcast. We call them the shitty shoulds. Um.

Daniel Aaron:
No, I.

Karsta Hurd:
This has just been an incredible conversation. So thank you so much for for inviting me to be here and be part of it because it it's powerful and I, I think sometimes similar to the vein of imposter syndrome, you know, as coaches as, as. Thought leaders and, you know, change, effectors of change. I think we hear our own message on repeat sometimes. And for me it gets a little bit like. It's muddy in my head because you hear it so often, right? But to connect with somebody else who has a similar sort of. Way that they're serving in a in a similar message like your show has is incredible, I think because it reminds me that, you know what? They're still room. People still need to hear this message. It's not just me on repeat. It's no, this is this is sort of a a movement, if you will, to affect change. And I love that.

Daniel Aaron:
Yeah. Beautiful. And let's, you know, take a step beyond it's true that you can affect change. And it's true that you can tell your story in the ways that you do. And it's also true that there are people that are eager to hear it, and they won't hear me in a way that lands for them, though they'll hear you because they resonate with you in some way. Exactly, exactly.

Karsta Hurd:
And and vice versa. Right? Yeah.

Daniel Aaron:
Exactly. Yeah. So, well, on that note, um, how what's. Well, two things. One, I have a feeling that you offered a gift to our audience. Is that true?

Karsta Hurd:
I believe so, yes. And I actually will talk to you off air, because I got to make sure you got the link for that. But, yes, I would love to connect with anybody for a free one hour coaching session. Um, to see if we can get you some of that clarity that I talked about in the beginning so that you can, you know, either make a bigger plan or take steps or whatever. But I just really that clarity that I talked about earlier, I think is so important. And so just kind of doing that self reflective piece. So yes, they can have that.

Daniel Aaron:
Well, that's super generous and kind of you great value. Um, I'm sure many people will be excited for that and would do well to connect with you in that way. What's the best way to get in touch with you?

Karsta Hurd:
They can email me at It's Casta at Castle Murray. Com so similar to your email. I'm also more active on Instagram and LinkedIn so they can connect with me in the DMs on either of those platforms.

Daniel Aaron:
Okay. And if I remember right, you said, um, if they just mentioned the show or the word vibrant, then you'll you'll comp them in.

Karsta Hurd:
Absolutely. Yes, we will take care of it from there. Yep. Just shoot me the word vibrant or connect with me and mention the show.

Daniel Aaron:
Cool. Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Yeah. And so that that brings us along to the final question. The big question. Yeah.

Karsta Hurd:
The big dark blackened out question. Yes, yes.

Daniel Aaron:
The big the secret question. Uh, and it's you know, it's the secret question because I don't want you to prepare for it because you can't. It's so big, you can't get it right. Um, you've got so much experience and wisdom and heart, and I now ask you to distill all of that, to boil it down to one thing to say to our audience, what's the one thing that will help them to create their most vibrant, thriving life?

Karsta Hurd:
You know, I've been living by the mantra lately. Act as if. And by that, for me that means. It's sort of a riff on Fake It Til you make it, but instead of faking it, start acting as if. Start acting as if your life is calm, start acting or adventurous or whatever. Start acting as if you are living the life. That you're imagining for yourself, that you're feeling the way you want to feel, and you'll start to see it happen.

Daniel Aaron:
I love that. That's beautiful. Well, you know what that brings me right back to is one of the most classic books about coaching. That really came about before coaching was a thing. Is the the inner game of tennis, right. What's his name? Timothy Gallwey. And one of the things he said in that was was like, imagine you're, you know, speaking literally to tennis players, imagine your favorite best skilled player and imagine you're them, right. And and in one way it's it's a game. It's a theater. In another way, it's like we have such extraordinary capacities to shift our energy, who we are being. And if we do that, we're going to behave differently, instantaneously and feel differently. So I love that. Thank you so much. You're welcome. And on that note, Castille, what a gift it's been to be with you for this time. I appreciate all the the courage you've had in your life, what you've overcome, the ways that you've worked to develop such value in yourself, and then to come here and share it with us in the audience. Thank you for being with us. Well, thank you so.

Karsta Hurd:
Much, Daniel, for having me. This has been wonderful.

Daniel Aaron:
Yay! Awesome. All right. And y'all in our audience live or by rebroadcast. Thank you. Because holy moly, you are for sure the heroes of this drama and we are humble guide supports, allies, cheerleaders saying you got this. You can do anything you want. You can create a most amazing, vibrant life possible according to your definition of it. And if you'd like some support or a little bit of feedback response with that, please email me as well. Definitely take up Casta on her generous offer and hopefully tune in again soon. We've got another show coming up soon that will help even more. And until then, please make your life a masterpiece a lo. Hi y'all! Mahalo for tuning in to the Art of Vibrant Living show y'all! I'm Daniel Aaron and may you live with great vibrancy.

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