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My Digital Farmer Podcast
298 Living in the Land of Fun (my Podcast Appearance on Root to Bloom)
01:24:41
Sometimes life throws you a curve-ball you weren't expecting. How you respond can make all the difference. What if "everything is happening FOR you?" In this episode, I open up with Kate Weschler on the Root to Bloom podcast as I share my healing...
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- [00:00]
Corinna Bench
In today's episode, I'm going to be very vulnerable with you and I'm going to share what's been going on in my personal life over the last 12 months and some of the beautiful lessons that have come from. Felt like the right time to share and I hope that you will be inspired by its message. Let's get started. Hey there, this is Corinna Bench and.
- [00:29]
Kate
Welcome to the My Digital Farmer podc. In today's market, it's not enough to just grow your product, you've got to know how to sell it too. Welcome to the My Digital Farmer Podcast where we reveal online marketing strategies and tips to help farmers like you get.
- [00:47]
Corinna Bench
Better and more confident at marketing, learn.
- [00:50]
Kate
How to find more customers, increase your sales, and build a strong brand for your farm. Let's start the show well.
- [01:04]
Corinna Bench
Welcome to episode 298 of the My Digital Farmer Podcast. I am your host, Corinna Bench, one of the farmers at Shared Legacy Farms out in Elmore, Ohio. I'm also the founder of mydigitalfarmer.com, which is all about trying to help other farmers like you get more confident in your marketing and sales strategy so that you can grow a profitable business. How's everyone doing today? Welcome back to the show. If you're new to the podcast, I am so glad you're here today. Make sure that you subscribe to the podcast and go check out some of my back archived episodes. There are so many of them now, a lot of really good ones and classics. But if you're new to the marketing space and you're kind of learning the lingo, I always tell people to start with the first 10 because I designed them long ago to be an onboarding ramp into the marketing space and they are as classic as they come. Another place you can go to learn more about marketing is just to get onto my email list that is free. Just go to mydigitalfarmer.com subscribe when you do, I'm going to send you an email into your inbox about every five days and it's going to walk you through the marketing jungle. It's going to include some of the key principles you need to know, people you need to be following, tools you need to have. It's really good stuff so you can subscribe by going to mydigitalfarmer.com subscribe Today's podcast is sponsored by my friends at Localline. Imagine all of your farm sales under one roof. Localline is the most comprehensive sales software.
- [02:46]
Kate
Built for farmers and food hubs selling.
- [02:48]
Corinna Bench
Direct to restaurants, schools, wholesale buyers, CSA and more. Features include e commerce, automated inventory management, a box builder, subscriptions, point of sale, and more, helping you increase your sales, save time and streamline your processes. Are you looking to switch to sales software that does it all subscriptions start as low as $49 a month with no setup fees or sales percentages. Plus, if you join LocalLine today, your onboarding manager will migrate your storefront at no cost, so you'll be up and running in no time. You can even pause your subscription in the off season now. Bonus As a podcast listener, localline is also offering a free premium feature for one year with your subscription when you use my coupon code. So to grab that, go to mydigitalfarmer.com localline that's one word and then enter the coupon code MDF2025. We love localline. We've been using it for years. I highly recommend them make the switch today. And now back to the show. Today's going to be a little different. Instead of practical tactical marketing tips, this is going to be a rather personal episode. Last week I was interviewed for another podcast, the Root to Bloom podcast by my friend Kate. And the podcast interview was so good. She did a great job, and I felt like it really articulated some of the things in my heart, some of the key lessons that I've learned over the last year from my healing journey. And at some point I would have wanted to talk about this stuff. And after I listened to the recording, I said, kate, is there any way I could have the copy of this and then just put it on my podcast too, because it's just so good. And she did a great job of pulling out some of the core truths and principles that I think are helpful to anyone, whether you're going through your own struggle in your personal life or even things that you're dealing with in your business. So today I'm going to take that recording, we're going to drop it into my podcast, and I hope I know you're going to find something valuable in this conversation. It is a little bit on the long side. I don't usually go an hour and 20 minutes with my podcast, but I invite you to listen to all of the different metaphors that are shared and see which one of them jumps out at you the most. So without further ado, we're gonna jump in to the interview.
- [05:38]
Unknown
Hey everybody. Welcome back to Root to Bloom. Today I have a very special guest that I'm excited to introduce. For the last 16 years. Corinna bench has been the co owner of Shared Legacy Farms, a 400 member CSA and certified organic vegetable farm in Northwest Ohio. In the early years she was a simple farmer's wife who was put in charge of marketing and sales and had no clue how to do it. After a lot of experimentation, failures and frustrating moments, she began to study and apply the principles of digital marketing to her ag business. The results were so life changing that she now teaches farmers, including myself, how to build their marketing system piece by piece in her monthly online membership Farm Marketing School. She's also the host of her own marketing podcast called the My Digital Farmer Podcast. You can follow her on Instagram at My Digital Farmer and at Shared Legacy Farms. Corinna, welcome to Root to Bloom. I'm really excited that you are here.
- [06:49]
Kate
I'm excited to be here with you too. And congratulations on your podcast.
- [06:53]
Corinna Bench
It's exciting.
- [06:54]
Unknown
Thank you. I wanted to start by reading you some words that you wrote to me about almost exactly a year ago to the day just so that listeners could get an idea of how wonderful of a coach and businesswoman you have been to work with, but also what can happen when you're vulnerable in professional settings. So this is what you said to me on January 19th of 2024 and you say, oh, and just for some back context here I was participating in your accelerator program, had spent about three to four months with you building out some digital assets for the farm business, and you invited me to come on your podcast and I was really, really excited about that. But then some things happened and we kind of decided that that wasn't going to be the right thing at that time. So you said, your work you built together, your work you built together up until now has not been lost. Resist the urge to think that way. Everything is happening for you and what you have built together when will inform you as you tread into your future story. In fact, you will likely find that this unraveling story uniquely prepared you for something coming into your future. I acknowledge you for taking this decisive step. That's a big deal, you go on to say. I like to say that decisions are like pruning a tree. You cut off a branch and remove that future story or path. However, your tree will still find its way into the canopy. Other branches will bud and speedily grow. You will find your purpose again. Lean into that truth. Celebrate what you are becoming in this journey.
- [09:10]
Kate
Wow. I wrote that.
- [09:12]
Unknown
Yes, I know, I know. So I just wanted to leave you with that at the beginning as a thank you and to See, if. Is that relating to anything? How does that resonate with you? Does that feel like that is resonant of anything that you're experiencing in life these days?
- [09:38]
Kate
I think it's. I must have been wearing my wisdom hat because I have noticed that when I begin to speak in metaphor, I am sharing wisdom. That was actually a very real truth for me at the time when I was sharing it with you. So I think it was coming from a very personal space. It is still, I think, a core metaphor that I lean into every single day. It involves being willing to surrender your. Your control over the now and the how everything's going to work out and really trusting that there. There is energy behind you. There is a path that you are being led down. Can you trust your future story? Can you trust your future self to be able to know what to do in the future? And that. That means kind of letting go, surrendering. I'm right where I'm supposed to be. My path is unfolding like this. This idea of the branches pruning, right? Like we make a decision, and that will open up other doors down the road and we'll find our way. It's. I think it's such an empowering. It's an empowering metaphor because it reminds you that you are alive, you are still growing, you are still moving forward, and you're not just gonna shrivel up and you actually have power. So when you feel like you're backed in a corner, that's a. That's a lie. You know, sometimes you just have to cut things off and keep moving. So, yeah.
- [11:17]
Unknown
Yeah, I definitely resonate with the. It's a matter of trusting yourself, that you just, you know, you and the universe or whoever, and that it's gonna be taken care of.
- [11:29]
Kate
Yeah, it's. It's a dance, I think, that I think of, you know, I'm. I'm dancing with God every single day, and he is bringing stuff to the equation, and he's honoring what I bring to the equation too, and he's bringing me resources and help. When I'm surrendered and willing to let him lead the dance, I feel like he just shows me the path and he brings me what I need to do the dance. So I like this idea of it's not just all decided for me, but I have something to say in the dance, and I've just experienced that to be true in the last year with. I'm sure we'll talk about my journey here eventually, but I have had confirmation of this formula, so to speak, and so the more you lean into these principles and then you see them actually working, I think it gives you more confidence to continue to live that way because you see the pattern.
- [12:25]
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's talk about the season of life that you're in. I mean, the last year, both of us have been through lots of. Lots of fun things, and it's just kind of cool to think about, you know, since a potential collaboration. And then we pause that. Here we are a year later. What. What's going on? What sort of season are you in?
- [12:53]
Kate
Yeah. I feel like I am in a season of waiting and also of identity transformation. So the metaphor I like to talk about a lot with my coach and my friends and family and students even, is that I'm. I feel like I'm a snake that is shedding its skin.
- [13:17]
Unknown
Mm.
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Kate
And I think we all have periods of life where this happens to us. And if you haven't had it happen yet, I promise it will eventually happen. Something will either happen to you, or, as I say, for you, that becomes an opportunity to reevaluate what you believe, what you hold to be true, and oftentimes how you feel and how you decide to behave and act. And in this case. So back In January of 2024, I became ill with a cough, and then eventually acid reflux and all kinds of digestive issues that actually made it difficult for me to talk. So I lost the ability to talk for a while, which was a little bit devastating because I consider myself a teacher, a public speaker. I'm a singer at my church. It's kind of my main role there. So all these things that had defined me and that allowed me to showcase my talents had been stripped from me for a while. And it really challenged, like, what is Corinna's future story going to be like? Even with Digital Farmer, where I'm consulting with farmers and helping them, coaching them, which is something I love to do, all of a sudden, I wasn't able to be sure I would be able to do that in the future. Right. And it just shook my core a little bit to say, wow, all these things that you sort of have based your identity and your sense of confidence and value in the world on aren't. Maybe they're not permanent. And what does that mean to be Corinna if you can't shine in this way and be a teacher and be a coach and do all these things that are, you know, fun for you? And instead, I had to focus on pausing, taking a look at what is going on with me. Physically, what is happening to me? And there was so much fear. Anytime you get what I would call chronically sick, like, there was a period there where I. Doctors couldn't tell me why I was having what I was having, and it was getting progressively worse, and my mind was starting to go into dark places, like, what if I'm going to die? And what if this is the beginning of a longer journey in that direction? Right. I couldn't eat. I lost a lot of weight. I wasn't digesting food properly. And like I said, the doctor, conventional medicine, was just telling me to take a, you know, a PPI and, like, take some. Some drugs. And I. I'm like, but this isn't explaining to me why this is happening. I don't understand, like, the sudden shift. I don't even eat poorly. Like, what is going on? And, yeah, so I had to find my own way outside of the conventional medicine arena. They helped a little bit, but, like, this was a really scary journey for me. And so in the process, I. I had a coach at the time as well. I was journaling a lot. I was praying a lot. It really brought me back to center. And there were several moments along the journey where I had to do this concept of surrender. And just literally, like, in. As I'm walking the fields by my house, praying, just getting on my knees sometimes and saying, I give up. Like, I give up in the sense of, like, I'm releasing my attachment to what I think my future should be. And, you know, whatever is happening right now, like, I'm gonna trust that you will eventually get me through it, and you will hold me through the fire and you will deliver me through the fire. And those moments of surrender always seemed to trigger, like, a breakthrough. Either, you know, a new healing agent would be. I would find out about, you know, a new doctor or a new method or something, or I'd feel relief from my symptoms. There would be some, like, confirmation or some form of, like, progress. Like, hey, don't give up. Keep going one step at a time. And so these were just. It was a season that was just so profound. I could talk about, like, what I actually learned. All of you who are struggling with gut issues, and I know there are people out there that are like, I can help you, you know, think through some of that too. But I think for me, it was more just a profound spiritual awakening and the ability to look at my life, having to choose to look at my life through a different lens. Like, I cannot. I have to think different thoughts than these. These thoughts that aren't serving me and having to practice new ways of looking at life. And that muscle, you know, is really enhanced over the last 12 months. And so now that I've. I'm out of the acute phase for sure. I feel like I'm 95% cured. Like, I have cured my gut, like, healed my gut. And it's. I have no doubt that I'm going to completely cross the finish line here. And I'm probably in a matter of weeks, which is so, like, exciting. And I'm very proud of that. But when I look back on this experience in general, what I tell people is, man, I don't want to go through that again. Yet at the same time, like, it has been the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. And yet at the same time, I. I don't know if you can say this about your experience, but I am so grateful now that it happened. I don't even want to say to me, I want to say for me, because I can. I can honestly see that now the benefits that are coming out the other side, like the blessing that's beginning, the new paths, the pruning of the tree. Right. I can see those buds blooming now, and they would never have bloomed unless I had done what I've just done. And so that is super affirming and exciting. And I like this version of Corinna even better. And yet it's, you know, it's unsteady ground. I feel like I'm a little bit like, on a beach where your feet are sinking in the. In that. That sand that's right where the water's coming up. You know, sometimes you sort of sink in. So I'm still trying to find my legs and being open to, you know, who is this new Karena? Who is this new Karena going to be moving forward? And how do these new thoughts that I practiced while I was so ill, like, how do I continue to practice them and live out on them now that. Now that I'm on steadier ground, now that, like, I could go back to my old life and the way that I used to be? But at the same time, I realize I'm different now and I don't wanna. I don't wanna do that. And so who is this new Corinna? It's very like living in the moment. Yeah. Just having to trust that the. The path is going to reveal itself as I walk in this new skin, that this is good for me. And I just need to. I need to, like, Follow that energy I just gave you so much there. I'm not sure like where you want to go.
- [20:08]
Unknown
No, that it's. I, I've, I've been there on the knees just like. Yeah, you know, it's like helpless and complete surrender and faith or trust that it will reveal itself in, in time. I'm curious, you know, now that you are sensing this, I don't know, maybe it's even a new season or like this finish line that you say, what are some of the reflections, like the. Call it lessons learned or anything like that now, or the hindsight right now that you are maybe approaching something new. But also would love to know, you know, as you were in that period of just like surrender and you know, quicksand or wherever you are, how you took care of yourself as you were just completely open and on your knees. So I know that that's kind of like two paths, but any of the reflections or how you took care of yourself in that time.
- [21:36]
Kate
First of all, I want to say that I personally think that the moment of surrender is a key piece in this act of becoming a new version. Like if any of you who are listening are in a space where you feel like life is happening to you, or you're struggling to find control, or you have a certain path that you want to go down and it isn't working out for you yet and you're just like wondering if it will and you have all kinds of self doubt. Like I just have experienced this moment of surrender. As I reflect back. I think that it is necessary for that to happen in order for things to unlock. And I, I could be wrong about that. But I just want to encourage all of you who are afraid to like release your attachment to what you think your future has to look like or the way in which it has to manifest, that is a major trust fall. Are you willing to actually give up all the sunken cost that you've put into who you are now or the business you've built the way you know you want it to go. Like what if it's going to go a different way? Or what if you just unclench your hands and let, let life as it is right now be the way it is and trust that this is actually happening for me right now so I can learn a lesson or whatever. Maybe some, somebody has to come into my path and the domino line, like the domino strains need to cross in order for, you know, my, my next domino to fall and I just gotta wait for that domino to line up. Like there's so many my ways are not your ways. You know, it says in the Bible, like, there's. God's ideas are so much bigger than ours, and we can't even imagine the possibility. So I do think the surrender piece is so important. This, like, obedience, like, whatever is supposed to happen will happen. And I'm. I'm letting that go and that I'll be able. I will be given what is required to manage through it. So I'm just going to wait. So that's been a really big piece. I'll start there. How did I get through it? So in. In those moments when I was in. In a lot of pain and there. There's the fear that it's never going to get better. Like, there's that. What if it's always like this? What if I can't stop feeling this way? And I don't. What if this is my future story?
- [24:07]
Unknown
Right.
- [24:07]
Kate
We can't imagine another possibility. And I, um. I did a couple of things. Number one is every day I journaled, I started my day with gratitude. And I. I think that this is another way out for some people who are maybe in a tough spot. So. And this was hard at first. I would make it a goal to fill an entire page in my journal, one thing per line of things that I was grateful for. That was hard when I was in a lot of pain and when I was looking at life through this negative lens of, like, a victim and all this stuff happening bad to me and there's nothing good. And that practice of writing things down that are. That I have or that I. That I still have or that were happening to my children that were good. Right. I was looking for evidence that I still had blessing. And every day I would do that. Sometimes it was a very similar list. This practice of looking for the good, I think is so important when you're in a space of scarcity, because after a while, and it took many weeks, but you do begin to shift your mindset. Because what happens. I think this is what happens, is that your eyes are starting to get trained to look for all the things you do have. And then you start. As the day goes on, it's almost like I started looking for evidence that I was being blessed so I could write it down right. So I didn't have to write the same stuff down or. Or like I would then become a partner in the dance. Like, I need to manifest something that is a blessing so I can write it down right. It was almost reminding me of my power to create things I could be Grateful for. I don't know if that. I don't know if I worded that right. But so just that would be a second, like, skill and practice that I didn't have before that I now have on a regular basis of just writing down all of the things that are coming to me. And when you go back and read them. And I do read my journals sometimes when I'm just for fun, but also when I was discouraged, I would look back and be like, wow, look at all those things. There was so much good, even in that dark place. And it reminds you that God is faithful and the universe is faithful. And there is. There are so many resources that I have right. I am well resourced. I am not caught in a corner. So those are two big things that come to mind. I was also. I would. I will also say that finding another source of wisdom. So how do I want to. When. When you're in a tough spot in your life and you keep recycling the same thoughts and you just are. You're caught in this traffic pattern, this traffic circle, and you can't escape, it's so important to find another voice that can remind you of other truths that or another way that you could look at the situation. And so the way that looked for me are probably two things come to mind. I at the time had a coach that a life coach that I had hired actually just rehired her again. So she'll be with me for a whole year, which is very exciting, partly out of this experience because I realized it was so important to have her. And she would just listen to my life. We would talk on the phone, and she was able to see the red threads going through my story and my narrative. And she would often challenge me on how I was looking at something. So having a guide to walk through my journey with, to remind me of the other possible stories that could be unfolding, who could help me see the other, you know, moves on the chessboard that I had at my disposal. And that was very empowering. I needed another person to give me other thoughts. And then I also, I mean, that could be your spouse, that could be your best friend. It could be, you know, a whole lot of other different people. And then I would also say that just in my case, I was reading the Bible, I was reading scripture and do these devotion inspirational books because I wanted someone to tell me it was possible. I knew that in order for me to get better, I was going to have to. In order to heal my body, I was going to need to heal my mind. As well. And so I would need to practice new thoughts. And, and I say the word practice because it is a practice when you're first starting and someone suggests, well, what if you, what if this is happening for you? That was kind of a sentence that was given to me by my coach and, and also by a book that I was reading at the same time, actually. And so I was like, what, what is that? No, and, and you, but you, then you start to just practice that thought over and over and over again as your default setting. And now it's a core belief that I hold strong and that I shared with you a year ago. So these new thoughts would come from reading my devotionals in the morning and reading scripture. And it was just weird how, like, when I became open to another voice and actively seeking those other voices of wisdom. It was weird, Kate, how they started, how, again, how domino started to line up. And I don't, I can't explain it. It feels like almost woo, woo, supernatural. But when I, when I was surrendered, when I was saying thank you, when I was seeking out counsel, wise counsel from, you know, a holy, A holy scripture from me, a holy book and from my, my coach and my, my husband, like, I just felt like all of a sudden things started to unlock and healing agents began to be sent to me, maybe because I was looking for them, I don't know. But like, it's just stuff started working out and like, tests would come back from the doctor's office as negative, negative, negative. Nothing ever was wrong with me except, you have reflux. And I was like, it is not reflux. You know, since, like learned it was my gut and I've had to heal the lining of my gut, whatever. That's not really a thing in conventional medicine. But, you know, I just, I was just starting to get either books sent to me that were providing like, encouragement or like I said, a healer, or sometimes it was a customer in some cases who would just mention a phrase and I'm like, what is digestive enzymes? What does that mean? You know, And I would go off and read about it and like, it was just so cool again. As I look back on my journal and I've documented all this, I just see how things began to unfold. The universe just unfolded in its time and I began to see this, this pattern of, oh, there's a milestone I just hit, and here's another one. And then the longer it happened, the more I began to trust that this is all gonna just work out. Like if I just keep surrendering and Seeking and releasing my attachment to stuff. Like, it's eventually going to come, and I'm gonna. I'm gonna continue to see these lessons along the way that hopefully I internalize and. And, you know, don't release once I get better. Like, these need to stay with me and become part of my new. My new version of Corinna. That was a long answer, but I hope that. Yeah, that gave you some of the lessons. I could. I could go into more lessons, too, if you want, but.
- [31:50]
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm. And it doesn't discount any of the pain that I know that you had along that journey or I'm assuming that you had along that journey of. Yeah, freaking hard, you know, really hard.
- [32:06]
Kate
It was. Let me. Let me speak to that. Because physically, like, there's nothing fun about going through physical pain. This was not like, oh, my bones are aching that I don't. I can't. Or like, I have a big gash in my arm and it's throbbing. It's not that kind of pain. It was more like. Yeah. Like, just picture food sitting in your stomach, like, incredible. Just flaring. The whole digestive tract was just, like, a hot mess. And I had no desire to eat, and it was just no energy. And, like, the. The pain of. Of just fear. The fear. Like, I. I don't want to live like this for the rest of my life. Like, what if this never goes away? And there's this idea out there that pain. If. If you. If you're experiencing pain in any kind, you should avoid it. Right. That it's bad, that it's a marker of deep illness and something's wrong with you. And that was a breakthrough that I had to. That I had at one point where I. I realized that I can be healing and still be in pain.
- [33:16]
Unknown
Mm.
- [33:18]
Kate
Because I think what I was saying is there's still pain. That's still evidence that my body's all screwed up. And it's like, no, man. Like, healing can take a long time, and you have to stay faithful to the process. You know, what your body requires to heal, like, inflammation. Healing the gut can take up to a year, sometimes longer. That is a long. That's a marathon, right? We're not talking about two weeks and you're better, which is how I've always experienced health issues. Like, I've been sick for, like, two to three weeks, but it's never been longer than that. And the medicine always works, and I'm back to myself, but this was taking longer, and it was telling me, like, oh, you're still feeling pain, you're still feeling discomfort, you must be sick, or it must be spiraling out of control. And so to kind of say, well, what if what I'm doing is actually working and I am becoming better? It's just going to take longer and I can. I can be just in. In discomfort. So I would tell myself that on my walks outside after I ate, because I always had to eat after I. Or had to walk after I ate to digest. And I would just calm myself down, right? Like, that's an example of like the story in your head telling you something. And then I would have to talk it out of myself, be like, listen, what if this could be the actually what's going on? And I would just hold on to that as if it were true. Right. It's gotta be what it is. And then I would say something, I would tell myself, what? Can you imagine feeling 10% better? And I think that was another really great strategy for me. Can you imagine being 10% better? Because I think you have to believe. I think there's some element to, like, believing something in order for it to manifest. I don't know exactly know how they're related, but I think the faith piece matters.
- [35:14]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [35:15]
Kate
And. And so when I couldn't always get behind the thought of, I'm going to be totally symptom free when it was really bad, like, that seemed like such a big leap, but I could get behind the thought of, I can feel 10% better than what I do right now. And so then when I would see progress a month later, I would reflect and be like, huh, that's about 10% better, you know? And so then a new thought. Can you imagine? Look, this just happened. You got 10% better. What if you could get 10% better again? And I would just leapfrog my way onto these stones across the creek, right? Until now, here I am at 90, I'm at 90%, and I'm like, I'm totally going to cross the finish line. Like, I can see it, but now I'm mixing metaphors. But it has felt like a marathon race. And there were times that I would meet with my functional medicine doctor and I would say, hey, I love that you're giving me all this, like, advice about clinically, like, here's what I want you to do next, and, you know, what you're going to do with your body and these microbial herbs and whatever. But what I actually need from you today is I need you to just pace me as my coach in the marathon like, can you tell me, based on your experience with lots of clients, like, am I halfway? Am I, like, am I on the last five miles? Like, where am I in the race? And I think sometimes we need a coach or we just need someone who's run the race with us, run this race before, right? To say, you're doing great. Just a little bit longer, stay on the road, right? The endurance piece, like, persevere, persevere, persevere. And that has been a huge lesson that's come out of this. And the next time I have a challenge in my life, I know I'm going to look back at this experience and I'm going to see the power of perseverance that some things take a long time to figure out. But don't give up if you have a plan that's working. Just one day at a time, one day at a time, until one day you wake up and you're like, I'm out of the acute phase. You know, like, things aren't so bad anymore and I'm not across the finish line. But gosh, you know what? Frankly, like, I could just live my life the way I am now, never cross that quote unquote finish line and still be very happy. Like, this is. I'm content. So I'm grateful that I, that I made it this far. Even that realization is super cool. So the desire to cross the finish line is, has always been, for this high achiever woman, like, has been the thing, right? I've defined what the finish line looks like being symptom free. Da da da da. I have a whole list of things, bullet points that fall under that. But now the, the closer I get to the line, the more I'm able to appreciate that, that the line isn't actually, it isn't actually about crossing the line. Like, that isn't the moment. That moment actually will be very, will be very fleeting. My husband and I were talking about that this weekend we went away. It's Martin Luther King weekend as we're recording this. And we were, we were gone. And I was telling him, I'm like, man, I feel like I'm going to cross the line in like a few days, maybe a couple weeks. And I think it's just going to happen. I think it's just going to happen. And it's going to be like, huh, yeah, there it is, there it went. And I was like, gosh darn it, we're going to celebrate it. Like, I want to make sure we celebrate it. But it was this insight of like, the moment of crossing the line isn't going to be the great victory moment with the. The crown on your head. It's actually like the journey to the becoming of Corinna, the remaking of Corinna. That is. That has happened over the course of this 12 months. Like that. That's where the magic is. That's where the hard work and the pride and the like, power comes from. It's not that very final second of the race. The race itself is the masterpiece, not that final five second moment when you cross the line. So it really has to all be taken together to appreciate it. Is any of this resonating with your story as you. I know they're talking in metaphor.
- [39:42]
Unknown
Yeah, no, of course. Yeah. And the race is not this, like, packaged and polished little box. Like, it's freaking messy. And it can be easy to say, you know, like, I overcame this health journey or I, you know, completely, you know, dismantled my life and put it back together or whatever. And there's, you know, that's just kind of surface level. Like, that doesn't really show all of the. The alchemy, the reflections of what has actually come through. And I also, when you were talking, was just thinking, like, I don't wish discomfort on anybody. Like, I don't. I. But I think you're right is that we really do avoid pain. And I'm just trying to. I'm just thinking of, like, even if we were to go to the gym or something like that and we're sore the next day. Day. Like, I'm not. I don't think that we want to cause any harm to ourselves in a physical or emotional thing, but the way that we're building bigger muscles is also by, you know, there's going to be some side effects sometimes. And I really appreciate that. The paradox of holding the. The pain, the discomfort, the stuff that we usually like to skirt away from at the same time of seeing and experiencing and making that progress, which is only going to happen if we are paying attention to the pain and discomfort that comes through.
- [41:18]
Kate
Yeah, yeah, I think you said that really well. It is a paradox. And I'm not sitting here saying, oh, if you're experiencing pain, stay there. Like, I think the body is in the minds is sending us pain as a signal, like, hey, something's not right. And it. It should cause us to reflect. We should notice the pain. Sadly, I think many of us ignore it and. And then things can become slowly more chronic over time. But I think if. If you experience pain, you notice it and you're like, intentional. Like, yes. I realize in this season of my business that this is difficult and challenging, and I'm choosing to do it anyway because I think the cost that this is the cost that is required to have what I want later. And I'm willing to pay that cost for right now. But that should be a constant state of evaluation. Like, if you're still having that conversation 20 years later and you have in the meantime given up your life, you know, then maybe that's a moment where you should say, maybe I should reevaluate. Right.
- [42:28]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [42:29]
Kate
So listen. Yeah, listen to. Listen to pain. Notice it. It's there. It was given to us as a gift as humans. Right. To get ourselves out of a bad situation. But sometimes I think, oftentimes actually, I think the painful moments are the breeding ground for the greatest breakthroughs in our life, should we choose to see them and take that lesson with us. I think I've heard this said by some of the mentors that I listened to that, that we will. I don't know if it's always true, but it's an interesting thought that we will continue to repeat the same mistake until we learn the lesson. And I've often thought about that with my business, sometimes that if I. If I'm not progressing or I'm not growing, is it just because I'm not learning the lesson yet? What is the. What is the in that situation? What is the business trying to show me or teach me?
- [43:27]
Unknown
So, yeah, I would love to go into, because I know that you wear a lot of hats and so just seeing who Corinna is in all these different facets of your life.
- [43:41]
Corinna Bench
Today's podcast is sponsored by Farm Marketing School. This is my monthly online membership program for beginning to intermediate farmers that's designed to teach you the ropes of farm marketing, but also more importantly, to help you actually build the most essential marketing assets that you need to have in your farm business if you want to thrive. Now, I know you know how important systems are. You have systems in your business for all kinds of things in the production realm, but you also need systems in your marketing and sales, especially if you want to scale up and get to.
- [44:20]
Kate
That point where you can have a.
- [44:22]
Corinna Bench
Team, hire a great group of people and be less and less involved in the minutia of your business. So inside of Farm Marketing School, there are over 15 different classes that you can take. You join for a monthly fee and you can have access to to all of them. You can binge them all if you want, or you can Be selective about which ones you want to deploy. They're each designed to take about 30 days and you watch the training video and then you actually build that particular marketing asset. Whether it's updating the homepage of your website or it's writing an email nurture sequence, or it's practicing writing a weekly email really well or building out different kinds of promotion offers so many different projects inside of there. I also give you a resource folder with examples and templates to shortcut the process. Sometimes I have bonus videos that give you a step by step of how to do the tech work. It's really good. It gets really high marks. So I encourage you in your off season to take some time and invest in building out the sales and marketing systems in your business to join farm marketing school and try it out for a month. Head to mydigitalfarmer.com fms and now back to the show.
- [45:43]
Unknown
But yeah, I would love to know how you know, you, you are a mother. I know you're involved with your church. You have several different businesses going on. Like when you were navigating this journey, how did you, I don't know if balance is the right word, but like prioritize and take care of the different things in your, in your life. You know, like were there some branches that you chopped or did you pause, pause some branches or how did, how did you take care of what you had on your plate when you realized now you had this other thing on your plate?
- [46:31]
Kate
That's a really good question. And there was a moment where I had to come to Jesus moment where I had to make some decisions about what I would choose to spend my time on. In the early stages of my illness, I really had to pare down my responsibilities because I was so limited in what I could do. You know, the idea of having spare time to devote energy to something else besides my digestion, like I just didn't even have it. I was thinking all the time about what's my next meal gonna be? How do I have to prepare it so that I can get it down? I'm gonna have to go for a walk after I finish eating and then after that it's gonna take two hours before I'll, you know, start preparing for the next round, whatever. Like that was just my whole life was all around how to get food into my body so I wouldn't lose weight. So things like parenting and thinking about my children really fell off the radar. It was very self centered. It was just like, I need to survive. And that was about you know, a couple of months, there were the things that I was kind of the balls that I was juggling before that. So the first thing is, I would, I would say is just my, my personal family. So I think about my children and, you know, simple things like driving my son to school every day, which was a 30 minute drive, like sharing that duty with my husband in the morning, that just fell off my plate because I couldn't do it. And my husband had to kind of carry that load there for a while and then eventually Jed could drive himself. So that was a gift. But there's, you know, making dinner for the family. I couldn't do it anymore. Like, I was just, it was just cooking for myself, like that was all. And then resting. I just couldn't get around. Digital Farmer is, has been this beautiful, like, creation over the last, I don't know, four or five years. And I love, I love it so much. I love being able to podcast every week. I loved that I was building this, this cool resource called Farm Marketing School and I was having fun with it. It is my, my hobby and my passion, my side hustle, coaching, coaching clients. At the time I was running Accelerator, which you were in, and realizing, like, I can't do this program the way that I imagined wanting to do it, feeling the guilt and the shame around that and like, how do I continue to meet my share of the bargain that I, you know, these people contracted with me and I want to deliver for them. Right. So having to revisit, like, how do I do that? And that it meant that I had to really figure out, oh, and I was losing my voice. So I had that on top of it. And anytime I was able to speak, it was very painful. And do I hide this from people? Do I let them know that I'm physically struggling as I don't want to look like my business is weak, you know, or that, you know, who wants to hire someone who's not, you know, strong and with it. Right. So I had to make some adjustments and look for ways to make things easier. I had my farm business as well. And I made a decision. This would, this would have been around like March or April, right? When the farm season was kind of gearing up, that I needed to hire additional people to do the things, some of the things that I had done before. And so Kurt and I just decided we're going to get some more volunteers so that you're no longer packing store orders. Like, you're just not even in the pack shed. We took that off my plate so that I could. We just believed that I would eventually heal. And this was just going to take probably a year. And we would be willing to make you just commit to putting financial resources behind that digital farmer. I remember saying, I've got to figure out a way to do podcasts because I didn't want to just stop that I needed. I'm like, at the very bare minimum, I need to continue to podcast. And so I started doing shorter episodes. I was like, I can only talk for 20 minutes, so we're going to do 15 to 20 minute episodes. Or I started. If you look back, you can actually see I was interviewing a lot more people during that time because then I didn't have to talk much. I could, you know, rely on those people to talk for me. So I was finding ways, like, to adjust what I was doing. And I would say that in general, with our farm business too, I had to stop doing things that I thought were so vital and important to the business. This is a silly example, but, like, I just pared down my content creation to, like, I don't know, I would spend maybe three hours on the newsletter every weekend instead of six or seven. Like a whole. I wouldn't spend a whole day on anymore. And guess what? No one noticed. Yeah, we still had great open rates. You know, I wasn't in the video. Like, I wasn't in the Facebook group doing all kinds of videos all the time. I barely did at all. And we still crushed it. And it was a kind of an insight, like, aha, maybe I don't need to work so hard. Like, maybe all of this productivity activity in social media, in email, like, maybe that's not necessary. And so now that I'm coming out of that season and I'm like, I'm. I'm feeling the temptation to rear back up and, like, turn into that content creator again, because I think that's gonna be important. And I'm like, but what if it's not? Like, what if I could just keep the pace that I set last year and be more hands off? Will anyone care? Will anyone notice? Because I like that life. Wouldn't it be great to just, I don't know, live more in the land of fun instead of obligation? And you've got to do this, and this feels heavy. And so I'm excited to test that this year, really, like, go into these lands of, you know, parenting, digital farmer and the farm even, and just be like, I'm only gonna, I'm gonna try to, to. To do my jobs from a Place of fun. I know you can't do that for everything, but, like, yeah, say no to things that feel heavy and just see if that makes a difference. I just feel like that's maybe one of the kernels of truth I was supposed to learn from this experience, but that was all over the place. But I definitely did have to say no. Some things just fell off the plate. I stopped singing at church. I stopped doing a lot of my parental duties for a season. And the digital farmer really pared down. I stopped doing accelerator. I was like, that's one of the reasons. I moved primarily to a farm marketing school model, which is a very do it yourself model. And I just come in once a month for a coaching call, partly out of the need for my health. Just, I couldn't make those commitments. And I just had to surrender it and trust and be like, you know what? What if I'm valuable enough? You know, what if the way that I currently am is okay? What if I'm enough the way I am now and I don't need to hold people's hands as much as I think I do, and I can empower them the way that I am right now? So, yeah.
- [53:52]
Unknown
Yeah. And there's a lot of surrender. I mean, I. In. Especially in. In your business. I mean, I know how much that can mean to us. And to, like, pass that off to somebody else to do something that you're used to doing. Yeah, that can be very humbling because, yeah, I'm usually the one doing this.
- [54:14]
Kate
I know it.
- [54:15]
Unknown
I know it best. And. Yeah. How. How was that?
- [54:20]
Kate
Yeah, I think. I think I discovered two things. Number one, that some of those things that I was doing before that may have been important earlier on in the formation of my business were perhaps not as important at keeping the flywheel spinning as I thought. And so when they dropped, it was okay. And that's, oh, you know, extra weight in my baggage, in my luggage that I can now perhaps release forever. That's a really freeing thought. And I would probably would never have tested that unless this had happened. But also this realization that there are people out there that can do these things as well as I can. And sometimes Kate better. And so, you know, I remember giving away the books to some. To. To my bookkeeper, and just like, I don't want to do that. This is like, how am I going to keep my finger on the pulse of the business? Is she going to make the decisions? Like, I would. You know what? It is the best thing I ever did. Like, I don't Think about my finances all the time anymore because I'm not looking at them all the time, and I can just release. Yeah. That's just one simple example. But here's somebody who's a professional at this, who can do it way faster and found efficiencies and, oh, my gosh, he's printing checks instead of me. Handwriting all of them. I'm like, you can do that? What?
- [55:47]
Unknown
Yeah, all the. All the teachings that come in. So tell me about this land of Fun. What is that looking like in your. In your life these days?
- [56:00]
Kate
What is the Land of Fun? Should we talk about what that even is?
- [56:04]
Unknown
Yeah, well, and I also. I'm just curious. Like, a lot of this past year, I tend to go. I think about myself a lot as a child. And, like, what. You know, what brought me joy, who I was before. A lot of that, like, pain or heaviness might have bubbled up. And so I don't know if that's where you go in the land of Fun, but one of the helpful things that I think about is, you know, what was meaningful to myself also when I was younger and how can I continue to pull that thread forth in my adult life? So, yeah, land of Fun. And also just would love to hear about Corinna as a little girl.
- [56:57]
Kate
You had a question here in the notes where you asked me, what did you do for fun when you were a girl? And I've never been asked that before. It's such a great question. I used to play teacher. I played school every day. I would set up my room like a classroom. I had my stuffed animals out, sitting on the line. I was like a kindergarten teacher. So they would all sit on, like, the red stripe, and I had a yellow stripe on the carpet, and I had curriculum. I would prepare lessons. I would teach. I would pass out homework. I would grade the homework. I would take them to my personal library. I organized my library. I had little stickers on the spines, alphabetical, with the letters. The Dewey Decimal System. Right. I was just all in. I would grade the homework with stickers. And it's just funny because now I look at what I. Where I thrive, what I love to do is I find a way. Actually, you can see it through everywhere that I've been in my life. I have essentially turned into a teacher in some capacity. I've created curriculum tracks. I have the ability to assimilate a large amount of data, like, become an expert in something and see. See the dots and connect them and create a path through it and assimilate it for people. Right. Which is not a skill that everyone has, apparently. And it's fun for me to communicate it. I think I'm a. I've become a good communicator as well. So I had all of those things showing up when I was young. I never went to school to be a teacher. I never learned all that, but it was just naturally something that I was attracted to and found a way to. To do in my life. And so when you look at what I do now, how I, you know, love to meet with people and just listen, and I listen for the. I look for the dots in their story and I point them out, and I can say, here's a principle that I see happening in you. Or what, I can coach it out of someone else. Right. I look at Farm Marketing School. I've essentially built a school with multiple video lessons. Right. And classes. My podcast is basically, like, showcasing my teaching, so. And even teaching my kids, like, I homeschooled them for a couple years, and I stepped into that role even though it was a little scary. It also felt like a whisper of God, like, you could do this. And I can see the impact that I've had with. With all my children because of those two years with them. So, yeah, I am a teacher communicator at heart. I forgot the other part of this question. So you asked me where I. Yeah, like, the land. Oh, the land of fun.
- [59:37]
Unknown
The land of fun.
- [59:38]
Kate
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So what is the land of fun? So I feel like we should be living in the land of fun as much as we possibly can in order, you know, if the goal is to create, you know, value and to find our purpose, I think that that is a way to it, a way to get there. Every single one of us has been uniquely wired with a talent or a skill or something that brings us energy and joy. And I think, like, you know, my example of playing teacher when I was a little girl, like, I was already showing marks and evidence of something that comes naturally to me. Like, it doesn't feel like work to create projects for Farm Marketing School. It feels fun because it is my talent. It is what I was designed to do. And as I'm coaching my children now, who are 13 and 16, like, we talk about this with them, like, hey, if. If you're doing something like, what are you doing for fun? Where are you spending your time? And that is a hint to you at what you should be doing with your life. It might not be the final version, but, like, there is some. Some something in that because what you ultimately. What ultimately comes easy to you and where you see energy pouring out of you and. And value just naturally delivering like that is a hint at what you are uniquely designed to do do on this planet. And if we all lived in that land of fun, we would produce so much energy and so much good together. Like, you know, your contribution is different than mine. And if we're all kind of being that body of Christ, like it, we're all working together, and then this beautiful, like, hum of energy can happen, right? So I just tell my kids, and I keep telling myself, like, whenever you can stop doing things that feel heavy, instead, go, you know, look, look around. And this is where I sometimes have to just get quiet. I know it sounds woo woo, but just like, sense my intuition and just pray and be like, what am I excited about working on? What can I not wait till I get to do this? Or what feels like, I don't know, just feels fun. And I remember I had to work on a promotion calendar. This is not going to sound fun for many of you, I know, but I have to do. I have to work on the promotion calendar every January. And there was a point a few weeks ago where it felt heavy. I was like, oh, that's going to take forever. And I just don't know. And. And so I had to, like, get out of that mindset and I had to say, okay, how can you make that process that you're currently dreading more fun? And so I decided, like, in that instance, I was like, okay, I'm going to compartmentalize it a little bit. I'm just going to snip off a chunk of that project and work on that. Can I get excited about putting a container around it for two hours? And we're just gonna sit down with ChatGPT and, like, throw out a bunch of ideas and just see what it gets back at me. And I'm just gonna do that for two hours. And I sat down and I did that, and I actually enjoyed that conversation in air quotes with ChatGPT. It got me a lot of ideas, and suddenly I was like, ooh, this is gonna be kind of cool. What if I could do this challenge and this, you know, and I just had ideas that I didn't have before, and then the rest of that project just kind of unfolded. Right? So that would be an example of, like, just looking for, I have to get this done. But I'm going to try to come at it from, like, how can I make it enjoyable? I just think that when we when we look for things that we're naturally wired to do that are. That come easy to us, we will do them faster, better than other people. And it will. It will have this, like, reciprocal effect of energy. Like just. You just push energy into the circuit, and it eventually comes back around to fire you up again. That means that you have to let go of things that are draining you. I mean, there are some things I do that I don't like doing, and that's just the way it is. But that was a lesson early on in our entrepreneurial journey where we. We felt like we had to do all the things and to be the farm owner. Right. But we have learned as we've grown, little by little, like, when we release. Unclench our fists and release things that are heavy to. And give them to other people who are like, I love numbers and accounting. Right. That's an example. But when we can release that and let the other people in the story shine, then energy is just created everywhere. Now I have that time back, and I give it to the thing that I'm really good at, where I create energy and value for people, and it just blossoms that side of the business even more. Right. So that's it. So it's a fun little dance trying to figure that out. But if you can live in the land of fun, it will unlock you like you cannot believe. So have you found that to be true?
- [64:41]
Unknown
Yeah, I'm reading. Have you read the Artist's Way?
- [64:44]
Kate
Yes. Oh, I love that book. Yes.
- [64:46]
Unknown
Yeah, I'm reading it right now. And I've kind of looked through it a time or two before, but just the idea of, you know, taking yourself out and, like, getting lost in the.
- [64:59]
Kate
The dates.
- [64:59]
Unknown
Yeah, the dates. And I'm sure I'll do an episode on that point because there's been a lot of reflections that have come through that process. And, yeah, it's that dance of, like, you know, putting energy into something that is intentional and also really authentic for you. But then just like that play factor of, yeah, the muse and wonder and not being attached to any sort of end product, but the. The joy in the creation process. Because I find that that's where a lot of, like, those really cool and strange and insightful ideas come out of, is that, you know, letting go and the. The fun play process.
- [65:49]
Kate
I noticed as a homeschooling mom, when I was acting as a teacher, that when I let my children follow their curiosity, because you have a lot of freedom as a homeschooler to do that. I mean, yeah, I Have to teach the math and English. There are certain things that I'm expected to show at the end of the year, like they have progressed like this. But you have a lot of freedom to just say, hey, you interested in aviation? Which my son started to be interested in that. And I was like, yeah, just, just go. I don't know anything about that. But he had found like this website called Flight Flight Test. And he was watching these guys on YouTube. And then he started building foam board airplanes and I learning about all kinds of things in engines. And I was just like, you go. And I noticed that when the brain and I read this somewhere later, like when the brain is, is following curiosity, that it actually remembers things like, way better, like off the charts more. And so that was like an insight where I'm like, oh, I need to let my own. My kids find what they're excited about. And I tried to do that even with some of the more traditional subjects. If they were really into this particular book we were reading or this topic within literature that happened to be, you know, in the literature series, then we would just let them follow that energy all the way down to the end of the rabbit trail. And along the way they would discover other things. And that was a beautiful insight that I think we should, we would all benefit remembering as adults. Like, hey, when you, when you follow the things that you love doing, you're gonna, you're gonna grow more, like exponentially more in those areas faster than other people would. And you'll remember the lessons and you will internalize them.
- [67:34]
Unknown
So, yeah, that was another thing. I, you know, in terms of that waiting container that I know that you've reference before of just being curious in that time as opposed to like thinking about when this would be over, like, what's the end date? Because that is where those reflections, those insights would bubble up so that, you know, then that would give me whatever insight I needed to kind of take the next step further. I have one more question for you as we kind of work towards our end. Here is just now that you've talked about this really powerful year for yourself. What is this? You know, and I know that you've touched on the land of fun too, but like this next season, what are some of those, like, insights or takeaways or what sort of, I guess, lens or decisions will you be making in this next realm? So, for example, you know, is your work schedule or responsibilities, is that kind of still shifting going forward or, you know, if it relates to how you're feeding yourself or. And what Are you kind of like applying from these lesson learned into your. This next unfolding?
- [69:12]
Kate
What are my priorities moving forward? I feel like that's kind of what I'm hearing from this question too. So my, my first priority currently is to take care of my physical body and protect the progress that I've made. That has been obviously the, the formative lesson from this experience, how much our bodies and our health matters and we take that for granted until suddenly it's not there. And when it's not like everything else falls apart. You can't, you can't do any of your other roles. You can't, your feelings are affected, your actions are affected, your mind is affected. And so having a real appreciation for the role that my physicality has and the health, the physical health of my body. So I am learning, I'm learning new ways of eating. I will probably not ever be able to eat certain foods in abundance again. I'm avoiding lectins. That's sort of the thing, the issue that's causing my digestive issues. And so that they're everywhere. They're in a lot of quote unquote, health foods, actually healthy foods. And so it's been a real shift in the types of things that you'll see in my pantry. And I've had to relearn how to cook. So that's also become more fun as of late. And so that is definitely is going to have to become an anchor of my new life. And it affects things in a lot of ways because food is such a central part of our culture. Simple things like going to coffee, you know, going out for coffee or going out for lunch with my friends is going to have to change. Like there will always have to be like, well, it's got to be a place where I can find something to eat or maybe I can't and I have to eat before I meet with them or, you know, going on family, family vacations. Like I just came back from nothing on the buffet line for that everyone else was enjoying as a family was something that I could eat with the exception of celery and cauliflower, and that was it. So, like I had to bring all my own food to that resort for the whole weekend. And that's a huge adjustment, right? So getting used to that, that's a, that's going to be, I think, a focus here in the next year. But I would also say, like the other big truth is just practicing the art of living in the moment more and trusting the future to unfold. This has been this Idea of the universe will unfold and you are right where you are supposed to be right now. That I am every day, like I have the capacity to learn something and grow. Like I'm just so excited for my personal growth. And so I am actively seeking out wisdom seekers. Like I am trying to find and praying for that God would send me wise people and I want to be a wise woman. That is like one of my new missions. And so what does that look like to become wise? What do wise people do? How do they behave? Because I just value wisdom so much and one of those things I think they do is they hang out with other wise people. And so I, I have no doubt that as I seek for something like that, that I'm sort of releasing like, you know, again, open hands like that. The universe is going to. As he. As it did with my healing journey, it's going to send me these little breadcrumbs that I can follow. And so I want to practice living, living my life on breadcrumbs, I guess, and trusting that the way to the promised land will unfold that way. And that's actually a really different way of living than I'm used to. I've always been the organized type. A need to have a plan, not comfortable living in the moment. And so this is a new practice. I've had such huge breakthroughs in the last year living this way and allowing God to do way immeasurably more than I ever imagined. That I believe in this principle now that what if. What if there are things on my radar that haven't come onto my radar screen. They're just like, just off the perimeter, right? And they're ready to come in and I'm calling them into me and I just, just need to trust that they're. Everything's coming in its time. And that's a really. That's a. Actually kind of a fun. A fun way to be and would never have said that a year ago, but it's kind of like to see what, what is coming. Like something cool is coming in the next year. I can just feel it. And I have no idea what it is, but I also just feel like I'm just going to be told, like I'm just going to know I'm going to get this energy to want to work on something is that I just trust it now. It's hard to explain, but that's what I'm excited about in this next year is living more in that land and that spirit to follow my energy because it just Seems like there's always something that I'm drawn to. And whenever I seem to go there, a new door opens up, and then I walk through that one. As scary as it feels, it just keeps taking me deeper in.
- [74:46]
Unknown
Yeah, it's kind of like a little bit less pressure. I mean, it's like you gotta show up and do what you need to be doing. But when there's that relinquish of control and just trust, it's kind of like.
- [75:00]
Kate
Okay, yeah, here we go. It is. It's definitely a tr. It's a. It's a trust fall. And it requires obedience, too. Right. So it's like this. I'm surrendering my will, and I'm gonna just wait and see. Like my will matters, but, like, I'm gonna wait and see what. And I'm going to look for and listen for, like, what does it seem like the universe wants me to do? And then when I sense it, even just a little bit, like, okay, I need to be obedient, and I just need to take that step of faith in that direction and do that thing, even though it might feel a little like, are you sure? A little scary. Yeah. So there's an obedience factor there too, right? Like, yes, I'm gonna, I'm gonna release, Unclench the hands, and I'm gonna do this. This. I, I don't always see step two or three, but a lot of times we do see step one. And so just take step one.
- [75:51]
Unknown
Yeah, yeah.
- [75:52]
Kate
And then step two reveals itself, right?
- [75:55]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [75:55]
Kate
Yeah.
- [75:55]
Unknown
And it sounds like you would not have put this on your own radar.
- [76:00]
Kate
No.
- [76:01]
Unknown
Like, this whole thing. But now, I mean, you're just, like, walking into this, like, whole new realm of people and wisdom that you would not have otherwise, you know, and whether that leads to, like, business stuff or personal or professional connections or whatever, it's just like, you would have not been here had you not, you know, you didn't. You didn't put this on your own map. Right.
- [76:29]
Kate
And that's. Right.
- [76:30]
Unknown
And how much more, you know, magical and rich potentially, your life is now?
- [76:37]
Kate
Yeah, because that's right. And I, And I would, you know, I, I, I say all the time that I love. I'm. One of my goals this year is to explore the new Corinna. I love this new Corinna, even though I'm not fully healed. Like, all the, the good stuff that's come out of this experience is so different, and it's so rich and it's so. All those blessings. But I, I want to make Sure. I say here, too, that what if I hadn't actually healed? You know, what if that hadn't gone away? And I want to acknowledge that, like, I might get sick again in a, you know, in a year, something. This might be something else. Who knows? And I've had to continue to think about that and face that and. And I feel like I'm just better prepared. Like, I'm in a space now where it's not the healing that's the prize, you know. Oh, good. I just happened to get it. Lucky me. It's the. The prize again. It's the journey, like, the wisdom, the closeness that I have now with my God and the. There's a peace. There's like a. A reorientation. Like the compass has been, like, put into my hand again. And that all of that is actually so much better. It's. It's just as valuable to me as. Yes. As the healing piece. And, you know, in the Bible, it talks a lot about that. Wisdom is something we should seek after, and it is more precious than silver and gold. And those verses used to be like, oh, that's nice. And now I'm like, yes, like, I want wisdom. Like, wisdom just like, so you soak it in. Even when. Even if I feel discomfort and pain, if that comes back again, like, what am I going to do with that? Like, so it's this ability to walk in this sense of, like, peace and surrender and like, I can do all things. I can do all things because my God is with me and I will be taken care. I will be given what I need in that moment. I'll. Like, this is like holding hands, like a trust fall every day of my life. Like that. That's. That's like. I know it sounds so weird, but, like, it's so. When you're in it, it's so powerful. I don't want to lose it. And it's the greatest gift that has come out of this experience for me, hands down.
- [78:59]
Unknown
Well, I thank you just so much for sharing all of the. All of the wisdom and your. Your personal story. Are there resources or anything like that that you would like to share with listeners that have been helpful for you?
- [79:18]
Kate
I have two. I mean, aside from the Bible, I'm a huge, like, please read your Bible, but not everybody's maybe a believer. That's okay. There's two books that have been or continue to be an anchor to me, so. One is called Journey to the Heart, written by Melody Beatty. I'm not sure I'm saying that right, but B, E, A, T, C, I, E. I'll give you the link. I use this every morning. It's a short, like one page thing. It's. It's meant to be read day by day. Like a devotional in a way.
- [79:47]
Unknown
Love those.
- [79:48]
Kate
And it just. This woman is like super wise. Yeah. So I highly, I, I've given it to a lot of people in my mastermind and friends of mine. So encourage you to check that one out or just get it from the library, see if you like it. And then you'll be like, yep, I want to buy this.
- [80:05]
Unknown
Okay.
- [80:06]
Kate
And then the other one is called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It's a very similar format, one page at a time. And this is written where like as if Jesus is talking to you personally. But there have just been so many great insights. There's like themes that keep coming back that I have needed to hear and so I'll read them and then I'll often journal or I'll write, write a sentence that spoke to me from it in my journal and kind of reflect on it. It's been a big catalyst for me in terms of some of the mindset breakthroughs that I've made. Those would be the two books that I would resources that I think your audience might want to check out.
- [80:46]
Unknown
I love listening to your podcast and obviously as a participant in your farm marketing school, there are things on there that I know it's very tailored to a farming audience, but from a marketing perspective is completely applicable to any business. You know, any business, any entrepreneur needs to consider as their setting up their communications and interactions with, with, with customers.
- [81:15]
Kate
Yeah. Well, thank you for bringing up farm marketing school. I always feel I don't want to sit here and like pitch my product, but it is, it's a great resource for any farm business or any entrepreneur that wants to set up their, their marketing system. That's what it's designed to do. It's. It's very diy. You get in there and you take an assessment. You watch the crash course in marketing to learn the lingo because a lot of us just don't even know the marketing lingo. And then there's a recommended kind of path. Like, you should start here, take this, you know, class. Build the marketing asset I teach you about. So that step by step, you're kind of putting together your system.
- [81:50]
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. We didn't get too much today into any of.
- [81:54]
Kate
That's okay. I told you at the beginning, I was like, I don't think we need to talk about marketing. But you could.
- [82:00]
Unknown
You are such a wealth of, of knowledge. I continue to continue to pull from that and yes, highly, highly recommend that, that people go check out farm marketing school. My digital farmer and I. I'm just really looking forward to staying in touch with you, Corinna, and, you know, happy that we're on this same branch, you know, whatever tree that might be. And so thank you for your time and I'm, I'm praying for you that you, you know, just feel vibrant and healthy in your body and that you're surrounded by all of the, the people that will support you on this journey.
- [82:41]
Corinna Bench
Well, that was a long episode, but I hope you enjoyed getting a chance to look inside my heart a little bit and hear some of the reflections that have been taking place inside of me over the last 12 months. I was a little bit vulnerable to share that episode with Kate, but I also felt like it was time. So thank you, Kate, for inviting me onto that podcast. And I want to encourage all of you to go check out the Root to Bloom podcast, which is still fairly new in its infancy, and take a listen to some of the episodes there. It might become a new favorite of yours. If you liked today's episode, please go and leave me a rating or a review. And if you haven't gotten onto my email list yet and you want some marketing wisdom for building your farm business, you can go and subscribe@mydigitalfarmer.com subscribe. Thank you so much for joining me today. This was a long one, but I hope that it was empowering and encouraging to you. You have all kinds of power at your disposal and controlling your thoughts and believing in yourself are a key part of your journey. And wherever you are and whatever strongholds are taking over and wherever you need a breakthrough, I just want to remind you that what if you are right where you need to be and that the universe is still unfolding for you and the dominoes in your domino train are lining up and it is only a matter of time for something to break loose. So hang in there. I will catch you next time for another episode. Until then, have a good one.
- [84:28]
Unknown
Bye.