Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Katz.
Ali, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
People hear the name of my business and books, and they ask, “Were you really a hot mess?” I answer honestly, that I was, but I didn’t know how much at the time!
When my kids were very young, I thought that I was supposed to be a martyr, that it meant I was “doing it right” and proving my love to my family. I thought as a mom your place was last. The problem was, my family often got an overwhelmed and exhausted version of me.
When I began meditating consistently almost seven years ago, for just a few minutes a day, my life began to transform. I felt more patient, more present, more grateful, and I was sleeping better. My family began to get a different version of me that we all liked better!
When I saw what an incredible difference meditation was making for me, I knew I had to share this amazing self-care tool with others. I became a certified meditation teacher and began sharing my passion. I began writing, and now have my third book being released in November. It’s amazing what happens when you are passionate about something!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I love working for myself because I can base my schedule around my kids, but occasionally, I do have to miss things. I do the best job I can juggle my business and motherhood, but sometimes, a client can only meet at night or I’m teaching a workshop and I miss a game or tucking my boys in.
There are pangs of guilt, but I trust that I am showing my boys by example to follow your passions, to never give up, and to work hard. They know that I am helping to make the world a better place and they are proud of what I’m doing.
In terms of entrepreneurship, I think that sometimes people can have the wrong impression. It seems easy like you put up a Facebook page and people just flock to you. Starting a business, no matter what it is, takes a tremendous amount of dedication and perseverance. I remember one time early on when I ended up doing a webinar to myself. Nobody showed up live! I decided that I could feel embarrassed or I could use it as practice and grow. I think that is the difference when it comes to success. Are you going to give up when things feel hard or do you keep going?
I have definitely put things out that were a flop, but they ended up being wonderful lessons about following my intuition and constantly evaluating what I offer. Now, I let joy be my business plan. I have gotten rid of all the “shoulds” and I do what feels enjoyable to me. That is the energy that I want to put out into the world. That’s what I want people to feel from me.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
One of my gifts is making meditation and mindfulness feel relatable and accessible. I work with a lot of beginners who want to make meditation a part of their lives. I work with them to make it feel like a seamless process and help them to feel totally comfortable having a practice on their own.
I started my business teaching meditation, but I have also grown into public speaking and writing. I am proud to say that come November my third book “One Minute to Zen” is being published.
In the past year, I have spoken in seven states across the country. I feel honored and blessed to have the opportunity to share my message with so many people. I lead workshops on meditation and self-care, and I am also now teaching Kundalini Yoga, which is a practice that I adore.
What were you like growing up?
I am an identical twin, so that was sort of my claim to fame growing up. My sister and I were always very close, but we were also individuals. We went to different high schools and had many different interests.
I was a cheerleader, and always very outgoing. I never excelled in sports, but I gave it my all and played field hockey and lacrosse.
I began working at fourteen, and by fifteen, worked six days a week in retail. Financially, things were tough growing up, so I became very self-sufficient at a very young age. I was always a go-getter!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hotmesstomindfulmom.com
- Phone: 281-960-9357
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: hotmesstomindfulmom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotmesstomindfulmom
- Twitter: alikatz76
Image Credit:
paperhearts photography
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