Second Act Success Podcast
Season 1 -Episode #16 - Trauma to Tragedy with Kerry Holzschuh
Guest: Kerry Holzschuh
Transcription (*created by Descript and may not be perfectly accurate)

[00:00:00] Kerry Holzschuh: what I've learned from all of that loss is life is meant to be lived and you must cultivate a sense of joy. It sounds impossible when you've incurred trauma, but it is really a huge part of what I do now. it's, it's, it's been a wild ride.

[00:00:18] Shannon: Are you at a crossroads in your career or in life? Well, don't worry because life's next chapter is waiting. This is the Second Act Success Podcast. I am your host Shannon Russell.

I'm a television producer, turned boy mom, turned business owner, podcaster, and career coach. If you are looking to start a new career or begin a fresh chapter in life, then get ready to be inspired with stories of women who have done just that. We will share advice and offer steps you can take to help figure out what your true calling in life really is.

It is time to shine. So let's turn the page [00:01:00] and get started.

Welcome to Second Act Success.

I can't wait to introduce you to Kerry Holzschuh. She began her career as a teacher. Pivoted into the health food space. I started a business, ran a department at a college. Went to school for mental health. Taught yoga. And now she is running wellness retreats for women to help them reconnect to nature and themselves. Her story has so many twists and turns and it is a true tragedy to triumph story. This is Kerry Holzschuh and her second act success story.

[00:01:42] Shannon Russell: Hi Kerry. Thanks for joining.

[00:01:44] Kerry Holzschuh: Hi, Shannon. Thanks so much for having me. I'm so honored.

[00:01:47] Shannon Russell: Oh, I'm glad to have you. Kerry and I actually know each other. We worked together at Ocean County College where you were the youth and camp coordinator for the summer camps. And I ran some Snapology summer [00:02:00] camps. And then we've kind of followed each other's paths since then.

[00:02:03] Kerry Holzschuh: Yeah,

[00:02:03] Shannon Russell: I'm telling you, you have so many lives, so many acts,

[00:02:06] Kerry Holzschuh: I lived a million lives in 45 years.

[00:02:10] Shannon Russell: it's

[00:02:10] Kerry Holzschuh: I'm a little tired. I'm a little tired. Shannon.

[00:02:13] Shannon Russell: that you are well we'll tell us where it all started.

[00:02:17] Kerry Holzschuh: So I went to college to be a nurse and I was like, oh, this is a lot of math. And I do a lot of things, but I don't do math. Thank God for calculators. So I was like, okay, why I'm a helper. Right. And I love being of service. So, but I was into writing. So I declared language arts as my major. And my mom sat me down and was like, you're going to be a teacher. You know, I had that kind of mom, like, this is what you're going to do. And I said, so because I'm your mom and I know best. First I was a little cranky with her. Like, don't tell me what to do. Uh, she was right. So I became a teacher and that was, my first profession. And I've [00:03:00] changed courses six times.

[00:03:03] Shannon Russell: Well, how, how did you like education?

[00:03:05] Kerry Holzschuh: I mean, I'm still doing that to a certain extent. It's just my heart. I absolutely adore children. I'm a teacher, you know, when you know, like your archetype, like I am just a teacher, I'm an educator. And there's something so special about kids. I just adore them.

[00:03:21] Shannon Russell: So what happens that you were in education? You were a teacher and then that you have some, something that made you kind of go onto your next act.

[00:03:28] Kerry Holzschuh: I was always ambitious, always determined tenacious. And I was determined to get out of my house and declare financial independence and go live my best life. And, uh, I ended up pregnant, which is, you know, a lot of people's stories. my kids are a blessing. It just wasn't planned. And I was like, okay. I, you know, I need to pivot now because my other goal was to become a mom. So it wasn't. Devastating. It was just like, oh, it's here now. You know, and I have to [00:04:00] redirect my trajectory.

[00:04:01] Shannon Russell: I'm a mom earlier than I thought. And

[00:04:03] Kerry Holzschuh: exactly. Well, it was being a teacher in a different way. Right. I was really determined to be a stay at home mom. That was the one thing that I had asked, you know, my fiance and, you know, then we married and I said, I really would like to stay at home for the first couple of years. And I did, and I loved it. But also realized after two years that I'm very much the person that needed something outside of motherhood. I really enjoyed working. And, um, I'd fallen very, very ill and no one could figure out what was wrong with me. I lost, um, a tremendous amount of weight. I was a hundred pounds. I was a walking skeleton. My hands shook like rivet guns. I think a lot of times we're not taking seriously by doctors, three male doctors told me that I had an anxiety disorder and I just needed medicine. And I actually had a really serious bacterial infection called H [00:05:00] pylori. Now I also had chronic Lyme, but that wasn't diagnosed at this time. So although The medicine was helping me and I was getting better, something else was still very wrong. And it was homeopathy that really changed my life. So I do a lot of somatic work and I do a lot of, bodywork I had to learn to accept that, you know, I have an illness and it's, I think brought me into deeper connection with myself in a different way. I believe in listening to your body and doing what works.

[00:05:36] Shannon Russell: Glad you were able to self-regulate and get yourself on a better path.

[00:05:40] Kerry Holzschuh: that led me on this whole path of holistic health and alternative medicine and healing. And I discovered acupuncture and homeopathy and herbal medicines and got myself well with the help of a great homeopath and acupuncturist. Really eye opening for me and led me [00:06:00] to working at health food store part-time, which was the perfect job for being a mom. by that point, both girls were in a preschool, and I was so blessed. I worked for a man that had five kids and he would be like, bring your kids to work. I was really, really fortunate. It was such a family induced environment that everybody was like mothering and fathering my kids. And I really excelled in that job. And I learned very quickly that this is the next step for me. Coupled with that job, I was substitute teaching. By this time both girls are now in the public school systems full time that I was number one on the list and I took it as an opportunity. I think everything is a, is a gateway, For me, I saw I can be very strategic about this and say yes to every grade level, we had children with down syndrome and physical disabilities, and I was in that room for like a year with one of the best early childhood teachers in the state of New Jersey. I pretty [00:07:00] much had steady work and I loved it because every day was different and you never knew what the day was going to bring. So I did that coupled with the health food store,

[00:07:11] Shannon Russell: I think it's all like an education theme. You were sick. You're educating yourself by what you're learning at the health food store. And now you're, you're back in the classroom. You're just learning about all the different kinds of kids in different age levels. It's education. You're educating yourself and others.

[00:07:25] Kerry Holzschuh: There's this expectation in society for everybody to be linear, you go from point a to point Z in a straight line. And I'm like an F five tornado. But it's really functional for me and not everyone can live the life, the way that I choose to live in. But where I am now and we'll get there, everything makes sense.

I decided that I wanted to be more fully entrenched in the, health world. At this point was now divorced and found myself being a single mom and kind of like flailing, like a fish. You [00:08:00] know, had no idea what I was doing out in the great big world by myself. Cause you have to remember, I went from home to marriage. I didn't go to way to school so I kind of missed that step. so I was on my own. And I got a job as a sales rep, one of my favorite jobs, and I traveled all over. They sent us to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Huntington beach, California, Colorado Boulevard, North Carolina. I represented top companies in the natural health field. The company was Earthline sales and marketing. I worked for Heal BHI, which is a fabulous homeopathic company. I work for John Masters Organics. So we actually sold into like boutiques and spas, not just health, food stores.

[00:08:43] Shannon Russell: So you're learning even more about this world through the sales position.

[00:08:47] Kerry Holzschuh: We did demonstrations. I was that girl that sometimes people are like, oh God, I hope she doesn't talk to me. Like, how would you like to try this product? And I learned really quickly that I excelled in [00:09:00] sales. So on Saturdays and Sundays, you would find me in Whole Foods and Wegman's and independent health food stores and I would set up my little table and I decided to start my own business. So I opened up Dynamic Demos By Kerry. That was my first business. And I started picking up lines on my own. Now, remember, I'm a new single mom, I'm a road warrior. My neighbors are helping me raise my daughters and it wasn't always conducive. And my daughters, we're having a hard time. And I was like, okay, I see problems here. And, um, I wound up keeping the demo business, but working full time managing and acupuncture's acupuncturist office. I had a lot of stability. And now I'm working for another person who had seven kids and would say, bring your kids to work.

[00:09:49] Shannon Russell: These amazing opportunities that do align with you, but it's like helping you be the single mom and bring money into the household.

[00:09:58] Kerry Holzschuh: yeah. And it was [00:10:00] stability. I wasn't driving all over. I would sit and take notes like a ninja all day because he was a doctor of acupuncture and could prescribe Chinese medicine. And I would take notes on all of the herbs and the points in the body. I felt like along like in school for traditional Chinese medicine, this is fantastic.

from there, I, got the job at OCC because I needed more of an income coming in I met someone who said, there's this opening and it ironically blends sales. And they wanted an educator who had background working with kids.

[00:10:42] Shannon Russell: You were so on top of it. I mean, just having have worked with you, like you really were, you were running that department and it was really successful.

[00:10:50] Kerry Holzschuh: Thank you. It was a, it was a tremendous amount of work. I was also the administrator for all the personal enrichment. And I had about 30 employees And [00:11:00] they were just so wonderful to work for very crushed when COVID came and they knew that camp was put on the back burner. And by that point, I was midway through my master's degree to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor. So that was my next switch.

[00:11:16] Shannon Russell: When did you start deciding to work towards that?

[00:11:19] Kerry Holzschuh: It was both a personal, I grew up in a home with a lot of addictions. And I love working in the addiction field and, not many people know this, but I actually got permission for my oldest daughter to talk about this. So my oldest daughter had a lot of challenges and, uh, I think partially it was because she was the kid, very type a personality star athlete. There's like YouTube videos of her. She got accepted into NJI T full ride, like top colleges like that for academic and sports. She was always high honors. She was that kid that really projected, I have it all together and she didn't. My daughter tried to take her life. [00:12:00] More than once and she's here. Thank God. And she did do 30 days, and she is in the best place that she's ever been. But I always say, because I am a certified recovery coach and I do do volunteer work in that area. And I always say to the parents that I'm working with, it is always, it's just one day at a time. It's so cliche, but it really is. And it's progress. Like there's going to be two steps back, five steps forward. it's a lot about taking responsibility and accountability for how you got yourself there, but also a lot of healing. And so there, there was so much trauma incurred in my life as a child, outside of me having my family with my daughters. And then some of those cycles repeated which generational trauma is very, very common. And so. I'm the type of person that I like to take my message, make it my message. [00:13:00] And I was like, well, what am I going to do? I can't get my kid well, because I'm the mom. And I'm just getting in the way. And I, it was very hard for me to surrender and let the professionals take over.

Um, it was really hard because I think it's well intentioned us mamas and Papas. We think we know what's best. And in that area, I really didn't. I didn't have the tools. And I thought, well, this is what I do. This is how I problem solve. I educate. And I thought I'm going to get the tools. And I put myself back in school because it was helping me heal.

So that's kind of how I, I went about it and we both have the, you matter tattoos on, on our wrists. And we got those together just as a reminder. And also when I was sitting across from clients, they would notice it and say, oh, I love that. And I would say, yeah, don't forget it. You matter, I just cultivated this wild [00:14:00] passion for the field. I think it's needed now more than ever. A lot of these people, they really don't have support. Imagine living your life and not having a foundation, not having, um, resources. So that's where that community outreach, and the education comes in. So I facilitated group process and I saw clients one-on-one, a lot of them were court mandated, so they had to be there. I sat across some people who were in jail for 15 years of their life, and they were only in their thirties. My super power from what I've been told. Is that people always walk away feeling better than before. And that's my goal. Just feel better if I can give you an ounce of comfort, if I can sprinkle a little bit of, you know, love in your DNA and in your heart, I'm happy and content. The goal is not as a mental health professional, it's not to save the world. It's really just to to build trust it's to create a United front [00:15:00] with your clients and to provide hope and faith and really give them the tools. You know, that's their way of pulling control back into their world.

[00:15:10] Shannon Russell: You're doing so much just saving one person at a time, not even saving, helping one person at a time

[00:15:17] Kerry Holzschuh: I'm always learning and growing with my clients. And even my children have been my best teachers. Someone once said to me, you know, why you always root for the underdog, Kerry, because you were the underdog and it's true.

[00:15:29] Shannon Russell: Yeah.

[00:15:30] Kerry Holzschuh: For a lot of my life, I was the underdog because there was an enormous, we just, I just had a very unique childhood., there was alcoholism and there was some multiple forms of abuse and a lot of trauma and tragedy. We lost my sister, my sister's two children, my brother and my mom. And it was all separate. That's very unique. That can't help, but shape you in a different way. Um, grief, ebbs [00:16:00] and flows. It's never going to leave my DNA. There's going to be days where I'm just going to break down and sob but what I've learned from all of that loss is life is meant to be lived and you must cultivate a sense of joy. It sounds impossible when you've incurred trauma, but it is really a huge part of what I do now. I think we need to turn the idea of joy upside down on its head. Because to me, joy is opening my porch door, drinking tea, sitting in a chair, listening to the birds. I think we have this big idea. Like I have to go on this extravagant vacation or, meet the love of my life and then I'll feel joyful. So that's, it's, it's, it's been a wild ride.

[00:16:48] Shannon Russell: Wild ride, but cultivating joy is such a wonderful phrase of just a little bit, like you said, it doesn't have to be this big thing. It's the little things. And if someone is in such a dark, dark, deep place, [00:17:00] a little bit of you coming in and just chatting and smiling is a little bit of joy for them because nothing else is joyful. What you're giving back and helping to provide in that community to people who need it is so great. And because you come from that

[00:17:15] Kerry Holzschuh: Thank you.

[00:17:16] Shannon Russell: yeah. And, and nothing. I mean, it's really comes from such a good place of being like, Hey, I've been there to some degree and I'm just offering you a little bit of solace,

[00:17:26] Kerry Holzschuh: I'm a tour guide. You're going to decide your itinerary and I'm just the tour guide. I'm just that supportive person. That's here to answer your questions.

[00:17:36] Shannon Russell: Right. And then they can take from it. It's kind of like when you ask a friend advice, you might not really want to know if that dress looks good on you or not, but the little bit that they're telling you, you can decide if you want to take it or not. It's there for you when you're ready. If you.

[00:17:48] Kerry Holzschuh: And that is the sense of self agency that I love to kind of nurture and, and, and cultivate in people because that is empowerment. That is the [00:18:00] sense of control. Choice is power. I'm not perfect, you know, I make mistakes, but I try very hard to nurture that sense of self agency and empowerment. Because I really think that's how you, you find your way.

[00:18:13] Shannon Russell: Well, I'm so sorry to hear that what your daughter went through. Um,

[00:18:18] Kerry Holzschuh: She's so tough. She's so tough in, in terms of like a kid who couldn't show face and could not allow herself to be vulnerable and had to have this appearance of, I have it all together. And now to say I'm really having a hard time, mom, you know, I'm not feeling confident or I just don't feel good about where I am in my life right now. I mean, what a blessing, right?

[00:18:46] Shannon Russell: You've done so many things you're so successful, but you know what? You go through those moments where you're like, I don't know if I have it together. I think you're showing her a good example

[00:18:53] Kerry Holzschuh: I think allowing our children to see us flawed and human is wildly helpful.

[00:18:59] Shannon Russell: yeah. A thousand

[00:18:59] Kerry Holzschuh: [00:19:00] I do.

[00:19:00] Shannon Russell: Your daughter just was on such a trajectory of going to this amazing school and having everything. Right. It just was too much for her to handle basically.

[00:19:09] Kerry Holzschuh: Listen, I, I, I'm a very honest person because I feel like there's somebody that's going to be listening and going, oh, I feel so less alone in what my family is going through right now. The perception was my kid had it all, you know, she was kicked out of school. I mean, there was a lot of mistakes. There were legal fees and court cases and you know, it was a dark time. It was a hard path. I'm a deep believer that this is going to lead her somewhere else. And she starting to believe it in herself. There's a reason. She has admitted to me that some people have sought out her advice I think we're, we're in the good.

[00:19:49] Shannon Russell: Oh, that's so wonderful.

[00:19:51] Kerry Holzschuh: Thank you.

[00:19:52] Shannon Russell: That kind of brings us to COVID you're working at the college and then COVID hits everything changes and you make a [00:20:00] very drastic decision.

[00:20:01] Kerry Holzschuh: I did. I was now a mental health technician working in the counseling center. They kind of didn't know where to put me, um, because there was no camps and they were like, oh, this is perfect. The counseling center. Exploded, because it was so stressful I was counseling, the college students and being a support system to the actual licensed counselors. And then I was working in the intensive outpatient program three evenings a week, and I was very isolated for my children. Sarah decided to live full time with her dad. He, and he was very nervous about her going back and forth. So it was a really difficult period for me because I was just home alone for a year.

I lived in the most beautiful home, a block from ocean at the Jersey shore. My friend, it was willed to her by her father. She's like, listen, the way the market is, I'm going to market the house. I mean, I had no hard feelings. She was smart. [00:21:00] And I sat my girls down and I said, I think I'm going to relocate. And so it's sold in five days. I have four weeks to get out and I said, okay, well, I'm going to move down south. I wanted to live in Greenville, South Carolina. And how am I going to do this?

[00:21:16] Shannon Russell: and You really believe in signs can you just talk a little bit about the signs that brought you from New Jersey

[00:21:20] Kerry Holzschuh: my brother that's deceased. He was a professional skier and snowboarder, and he would go to the mountains in British Columbia and do the double black diamond ski at your own risk. He had like crazy stories. And so I always played it safe. So when he passed away, I feel like he was assigned to me. I feel like God was like, you have her. Cause I feel him all the time and I get all these signs, but I've never experienced anything like this. So his name was, Richie, John. before I moved I walked every morning down the shore, and I would do this big loop and so I'm walking down the boardwalk and I changed my schedule that day. [00:22:00] And I walked at a different time of day and I changed my route a little bit. So by the time I got back up to the Lavalette boardwalk, I see these two men as I was approaching, they were talking loudly and I could hear them in the one guy was like, I'm telling you, just do it, move, get out of Jersey, like, you know, feel the fear and do it. Anyway, the job will come. The money will come. And I'm like, this is crazy. Cause I was literally praying to my brother, like give me a sign. You know, there was a lot of fear. I was scared. These men are going on and on non to the point where I went up to them, I was like, I have to thank you. I was like, I was literally just praying, and this is my situation. They were like, do it, like do it. You're you're doing the right thing. , okay, I got the sign, but that's not good enough. I want another sign. So I'm approaching the end of the boardwalk and down the Jersey shore. There's this cute little thing that runners and people do, you tap the bench with either your hand or your foot, and then you turn around and you walk the other way. So I'm going to tap the [00:23:00] bench with my foot and I see this yellow post-it note flipped over. So I couldn't read it. And I'm like, oh, this is weird. And I flipped it over. And the name Richie was printed on the post-it note. I have it on my refrigerator and next to his picture of him skydiving.

[00:23:15] Shannon Russell: Uh,

[00:23:16] Kerry Holzschuh: All the fear, all the anxiety, everything just melted. And I was like, okay, this is, this is what I'm going to do. And I, I, I feel really sure now. And yeah, so I packed

up my, it was an emotional day. Uh, my kids were very quick to get me in the car and send me off, but I think it was because it was just a little painful for everybody.

[00:23:38] Shannon Russell: Right. It was the sign of all signs and the girls didn't want to dissuade you. They knew it was a sign to.

[00:23:45] Kerry Holzschuh: can I just tell you how amazing my daughters are I really sacrificed a lot. The divorce was extremely difficult. On all of us and for my kids to acknowledge and recognize that I [00:24:00] really needed peace. I just needed time to breathe my oldest called me the other day and she said, mom, I don't know how you did everything that you did. What amazing kids to say, mom go, and we support you and we love you.

[00:24:16] Shannon Russell: The girls are happy for you. Maybe not happy that you're not there, but you are still a mom, whether you're a few states away or not, so tell us how it's been. So you get in the car, you kiss them goodbye. You move to South Carolina. You're a, Wolfer

[00:24:30] Kerry Holzschuh: one of the girlfriends that I confided and said become a woofer. And learn how to be an organic farmer. And I said, oh my gosh, that's so me, yes, new experience sign me up. And so I became an organic farmer for two and a half months at a little town country town called Ware Shoals, South Carolina, and right out right outside of Anderson. And it was a beautiful farm. I had this whole new adventure and while I was there, I found a part-time [00:25:00] job in an apartment. And now I am where I'm at.

[00:25:04] Shannon Russell: You're a, Wolfer on this farm, you have this apartment, you have this amazing experience. How is everything falling into place?

[00:25:12] Kerry Holzschuh: Well, I li actually lived on the farm for two and a half months and it was very country like log cabin and everything. I'm really an advocate for bringing back the card catalog, you know, so it was really right up my alley, very rustic. Um, and that was a wonderful experience. Hands in the dirt. It was really grounding and I reconnected with my soul with my core, my essence. And then I got this awesome apartment right near Paris Mountain. I work in at an Italian restaurant, fine dining as a server. I'd never done that before a day in my life. And then I worked for an education company called Challenge Island, and we go into schools and work with homeschoolers and do field trips and parties, afterschool programs, stuff like [00:26:00] that.

But my, My real goal is my wellness business. I started wellness retreats and my goal is to make these national and travel all over the country because I love travel and adventure. It's based on wilderness therapy. So this is bringing women into the wilderness. And. Kind of doing what I've done, helping women. It is a weekend or a few days of reconnection maybe even building confidence and self-esteem, and just getting back in touch with your core essence through somatic work, like yoga and breath, work and hiking. So I'll be leading hikes. Mainly I work with women and there will probably be integration of mom and children in the future. My business name is Soul Purpose Yoga and Wellness.

My tagline for soul purpose, yoga and wellness is a pathway to transformation, I really feel like that is what I did. Let's just say the first [00:27:00] 45 years of my life have been quite a challenge, but I like challenge. God knew what he was doing. And he said, oh, this one likes challenge. We're going to throw a lot her way. And I feel like the amount of resources and tools and skills that I've built, I feel very confident that I will move through challenges in a very different way. I feel like now I'm more in a position to be a strong leader and facilitator in helping other people transform trauma to triumph

[00:27:27] Shannon Russell: what is your goal for moving forward with the business?

[00:27:31] Kerry Holzschuh: Trauma work is my path. Sometimes our path can be a little scary because I have such a high sense of duty and responsibility. I take this so seriously and I need it to know that yeah, I am the best person to do this. Why not me? I had to learn to say that to myself. Why not me? So trauma work coupled with the nature therapy being out in the wilderness and not making it a scary thing. Some of these places are actually quite [00:28:00] luxurious, but it's just connecting, building a sense of community co-creating life together, which I think is wildly powerful. That sense of collaboration, that sense of unity. I think women in general, We're very starved for specific type of connection. I want us to Uplevel one another. I want us to extend some grace and compassion. Being a woman can be challenging. Being a man can be challenging. Being a mother is challenging. There's this idea that we have to be at all and do it all. And I just want to create a safe place where you can come and feel really welcomed and envelops in something that makes you feel elevated. You might come with some trauma and you might come with some brokenness, but congratulations on your humanity and I'm right there with you. You know what I mean? Like we're all in this together. And I think women gathering in community as wildly empowering.

[00:28:56] Shannon Russell: The fact that they're there to sign up and go is such a huge step, [00:29:00] and you're not going to walk away from the weekend without feeling something positive it's so life-changing I think. And so for what you're providing these women is just such a, a way of kind of recentering.

[00:29:12] Kerry Holzschuh: Yeah. Recentering. And, the good thing with my retreats is there's a lot of things that are optional. You know, if you don't want to wake up and do yoga, don't do yoga. If you don't want to join me around the fire for a fire ceremony, don't, you know, if you want to see. Sleep in, you know, if you want to have a private conversation with someone because that's, what's going to make you feel better in that moment. I wanted to create something a little different in that way. I feel like I'm bringing a lot to the table and I'm providing a high value program. And I think the people who are energetically aligned and attracted will find me. There will be an online trauma support program. That's going to compliment the retreats. That's just in the making not ready yet, [00:30:00] but we're getting there.

[00:30:01] Shannon Russell: Step by step, day by day.

[00:30:03] Kerry Holzschuh: Yes.

[00:30:03] Shannon Russell: I always like to ask my guests about what common thread do you feel kind of links all of your different careers, your different jobs, your different experiences in the past.

[00:30:14] Kerry Holzschuh: Being an educator.

[00:30:15] Shannon Russell: Why do you think,

[00:30:17] Kerry Holzschuh: an educator And being a person that is of service. I mean, listen, that's not everyone's jam. It's not supposed to be everyone's jam. You know, we're supposed to come in with our gifts and talents and use them to our highest level.

[00:30:30] Shannon Russell: I feel like you've always either been educating other people or educating yourself. So that's definitely the thread. I feel like that I see at least. Teacher. Yes. And so many ways,

[00:30:40] Shannon: Alright. It's time for our Five Fast Qs of the Week. Here we go!

[00:30:46] Shannon Russell: name, one thing that these different chapters in your life have taught you,

[00:30:50] Kerry Holzschuh: Resiliency is the first word that comes. Yeah. Resiliency.

[00:30:55] Shannon Russell: would you recommend taking a leap of faith into a big life change for your [00:31:00] best friend

[00:31:00] Kerry Holzschuh: Yes. I would only suggest that there is some sort of safety net, which can also be. Illusionary, but for me, the safety net was woofing. Like I have a place to go. They're giving me room and board and food, just make sure basic needs are being met. You know, I was in a situation where I didn't have a ton of money and I, my own support system. So I had to be very strategic and calculated. Just to always have a safe landing pad, make sure there's someone or something that's going to hold you. If it doesn't work out and you know what things don't always work out and that's okay.

[00:31:42] Shannon Russell: What is one piece of advice that you would give someone who's starting a second act or third or fourth or fifth in your instance?

[00:31:49] Kerry Holzschuh: Extend yourself grace A lot of self acceptance and compassion and the only person stopping you is you ultimately you are the architect of [00:32:00] your life.

[00:32:01] Shannon Russell: What does the next chapter look like?

[00:32:04] Kerry Holzschuh: Well, I know where I want it to go, but I probably should say I have no idea because I never know what my life, but, um, yeah, the Soul Purpose Yoga and Wellness , growing and creating some online programs that are supportive to what I'm trying to do with the wellness retreats and, just being the best version of myself and offering that to people in a really human relatable way. I think we're starved for connection. And just bringing that out into the world is something that I feel like I'm very good at and I think it's needed. And the people that, like I said before, who are aligned with that will find me.

[00:32:45] Shannon Russell: Where can our audience connect with.

[00:32:47] Kerry Holzschuh: I am @Kerry.Soulpurposewellness. That's just my personal one. And then @kerry_wellness_retreats. And then I started a new one that I really love. And my brother gave me this cause [00:33:00] he visited me the other day on a hike and I feel strongly, he put this in my head and this one is @love_notes_from_kerry_

[00:33:10] Shannon Russell: thank you, Kerry. I just have enjoyed learning about everything and I just appreciate you sharing this with our listeners. I think it's really impactful.

[00:33:19] Kerry Holzschuh: I just thank you so much. I wish you the best of luck with this. You're such a fascinating, inspirational, impactful woman. I'm so honored to be friends with you, and I loved having you work for me. And I'm just so grateful that you asked me to join this podcast. Thank you so much.

[00:33:35] Shannon Russell: thank you, Kerry

[00:33:36] Kerry Holzschuh: Thanks Shannon.

[00:33:37] Shannon Russell: you the best of luck.

[00:33:39] Kerry Holzschuh: Thanks, honey. Bye.

[00:33:40] Shannon:

Whew. I'm exhausted, but in a good way. Kerry has changed jobs a ton of time so far. But it's interesting how all of these roles had an education or learning aspect to them. I am a firm believer that all of your experiences lead you right. Where you are supposed to be. It sounds like the wellness [00:34:00] retreats business that Kerry created is her soul's mission project. I hope you find yourself one step closer to your life's mission today. Talk to you soon, my friend.

Thank you for joining us. I hope you found some gems of inspiration and some takeaways to help you on your path to Second Act Success. To view show notes from this episode, recommend to guests with a great story, and learn more about us. Visit secondactsuccess.co. Before you go, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. So you don't miss a single episode. Reviews only take a few moments and they really do mean so much. Thank you again for listening. I am Shannon Russell, and this is Second Act Success.