Meet Katie | Holistic Health Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
My work/ life balance approach is simple: honor your body and health above all else (including work). Let me explain what I mean by that.

I used to get so excited about my work that in every bit of free time I had, I was either working on social media, graphic design, or writing blogs. This was fine at first, I was making huge strides business wise. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I was finally making those dreams a reality.
Until my body started to reject this. I started to feel exhausted just looking at my phone or computer. I couldn’t figure out why and decided I needed to push even harder. The worse I felt, the harder I pushed. But the harder I pushed, the worse I felt. It was a vicious cycle. I felt that if I just did enough, I would finally be successful.
I remember sitting at my computer one evening trying to write, and tears were streaming down my face. I was staring at a blank screen with the worst writer’s block I had ever experienced. I knew the answers, I had the knowledge, but I couldn’t convey it to anyone. I was so frustrated. I was also working a full time job and would have full on breakdowns on the clock.
My brain was always “on”, constantly thinking about the next idea, the next post, the next thing I would write about. Nothing else mattered. I couldn’t fully be present in the moment, because even during workouts, I was filming them. I was turning every experience into a life lesson or teaching opportunity. I couldn’t slow down and spend time with my family. And if I did go out, I felt a twinge of guilt and regret.

Little did I know, my cortisol levels were spiking, leading to inflammation and fatigue. I started to develop weird symptoms like rashes, bloating, and intense emotional dysregulation. I would randomly lash out in frustration, tears, and anger. Not long after, I developed worsened autoimmune symptoms.
There were clear signs of chronic stress in my body, even though I was doing all the healthy lifestyle things. I was eating well, exercising, sleeping, etc. –yet I was still getting sick. In my attempt to help others heal, I was making my health worse.

Eventually, my health issues became too loud to ignore. Enough was enough. I was on a downward spiral, and it wasn’t only affecting me, but others around me.

I knew something had to change. I began learning about how stress, thought patterns, and overwork affect the nervous system and immune function. I enrolled in a brain rewiring program and did the inner work of changing how I think. I started healing from the belief that I had to do things to be considered successful. My value is not based on my output or the things I do.

I also realized that productivity actually decreases when health is ignored. Pushing through wasn’t making me stronger, it was breaking me down. Stress affects nearly every bodily function. It impacts your hormones, energy, weight, gut health, brain, heart, muscles, and even your reproductive system.
The most important thing we should be valuing is our health, not our productivity or our work. Without our health, we lose so much of who we are.

It’s been a few years since then, and trust me, it’s definitely not an overnight change. I still struggle to this day with the idea of “do, do, do.” But by God’s grace, I have come so far in my healing journey. I am now able to recognize the signs of an unbalanced work life. When I start to slowly drift into that way of living again, I’m able to reassess and realign with what I truly believe.

Here are some things I do now to have a healthy work/ life balance.
– Schedule in Rest and Recovery.
Sometimes this means scheduling time to go for an hour walk, turning your phone off for the evening, or even taking a whole day to do NOTHING. Yes, that’s right… schedule in a day to do NOTHING!
– Mental boundaries between work and personal life.
It’s okay to not film everything, turn everything into a lesson. Just let the moment be the moment and enjoy it!
– Thought life hygiene.
Stop ruminating on all the things you have to do. Practice mindfulness and gratitude and watch everything fall into place how it should.
– Designate specific work hours.
Don’t let work be in control of your time. Designate a time and a place for work and work to the best of your ability during those hours.
– Make sure you honor your body’s natural rhythm.
Wake up with sunrise, eat protein in the morning, take outdoor breaks throughout the day, and rest after the sun goes down. Working til 2am every night is not healthy.

Life is no longer about spending as much time as possible on work, but more about intentional energy management.
That doesn’t mean you have to not work as hard. It just means you’re being intentional about where you are expending your energy. It’s strategic and it’s more productive!
Work/ life balance is dynamic, it may shift with different seasons of life, because prioritizing your health is always a non-negotiable.

Long-term productivity depends on respecting my body’s limits and now I work WITH my body, not against it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a Certified Holistic Health coach with an emphasis on easy lifestyle change, gut health, and hormone balance. Like many coaches, I got into it after being diagnosed with an Autoimmune disease. It wrecked my body from my late teens into my early 20s. I felt like my life was being ripped away from me. Until I found healing. Long story short, I changed my perspective on lifestyle and diet. I started eating better, sleeping more, and practicing self care. The disease that took a toll on me for years, was reversed in a matter of months.
It was a hard road at times because I didn’t have anyone to teach me or walk me through it.
But I’m thankful now I can be that hand to hold for others going through the same. My challenging past has now become a beacon of light. Because of it, I have taught hundreds of people how to get healthy and keep it that way for years to come!

My approach is this: You CAN change your life by making simple lifestyle changes. Getting healthy doesn’t have to be hard, it doesn’t have to be scary, and it most certainly doesn’t have to be expensive.

Some things I am excited for are: My ‘go at your own pace’ online course I am building to help others balance out their lifestyle. And my faith based wellness club I recently started to support those wanting to improve their spiritual health alongside their physical health.

What do I want the world to know about me or my brand and story?
I want people to know that they CAN heal when just given half the chance. They CAN choose joy despite the circumstances that they face. And I want people to know that they are seen, heard, and understood deeply and that illness does not have to be what defines your life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m hesitant to mention it because it is my hidden LA gem, but I would spend the day in Palos Verdes – an absolute paradise. 🙂
Start in Redondo Beach, and make your way southeast around the Peninsula on PV drive. There are gorgeous cliffside ocean views, a peaceful resort, and so many tranquil less populated hikes. I would start my day at Hi-Fi espresso in the Riviera Village for one of the best matcha lattes in Southern California, and then on to Trader Joe’s for some snacks for a charcuterie board, of course. I would then hit up all the gorgeous lookout spots on the coast and end at the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro. A peaceful afternoon with fresh air, away from all the LA hustle and bustle. A perfect nervous system reset.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would really like to dedicate this to both my parents.

My Dad – for always teaching me to say “I can” even when I didn’t know how or felt like I couldn’t. His strong willed mentality, his love for God, his ability to face any hardship, and his creative solving skills to any and all problems will stick with me for years to come. I am incredibly thankful for the sacrifices he has made to make sure I live a fulfilling life. He taught me that there are no boundaries to the things I can accomplish and that I really CAN do anything I put my heart and mind to.

My Mom – for being my loyal rock and a calm presence when life feels chaotic. For always being my voice and sense of reason. For teaching me endurance and to keep going and to never give up. But also teaching me to rest and ‘just be’ when I need to. She never ceases to remind me that my value is not tied to my achievements, I am not a victim of my past, and that I am loved and safe right where I am.

Their unwavering support has been a constant throughout my whole life and I am so incredibly blessed and privileged to be their daughter.

Website: https://katiecinquina.wixsite.com/lifestylebalance

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifestylebalancewithkatie

Twitter: https://x.com/cinquinakatie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576205482875

Image Credits
Tarah Rupp
Joe Cinquina