Meet Kat Polsinelli | Business + Life Integrator

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

Hi Kat, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
To answer this question, I think it is important to think of the word “success” and what it means to each individual. You see I use to think that success meant I had all the money and all the materials things but what I have learned is success for me is growth. It is a continued path forward and upward, it is taking the risk, the chances, making the mistakes and learning from them and pushing yourself.
So for me, the single most important decision that I made in my life, that contributed to my success, was recognizing the patterns I was in and making the choice to do something different, even when that meant I had no clue what the other side held. Leaving an abusive relationship with 2 young kids and deciding that life had more to offer than what I was seeing and knowing that I wanted more for my children…..that was the risk, that was the chance I took and I had no clue what the other side looked like.
I think each one of us needs to look at the word success and really think about what it means to us not what it means to every one else. From there you get to define what you truly want, what you are willing to go for, and what you are not willing to let stand in your way. That in itself, is the single most important decision that any of us can make.

What should our readers know about your business?
Oh the business, haha….there are so many things to it but if I had to start with how I even got here, I am here to tell you it wasn’t a walk in the park but it has been totally worth it. You see, I started off in the medical field and did teaching and training for over 15yrs. It wasn’t until I learned boundaries that everything changed.
I lost my medical job because of it and decided to jump into the world of entrepreneurship. I started as a realtor, met some amazing people, learned what I was good at and what I really didn’t care to do and kept following that path. That led me to working for one of the largest real estate brokerages in the world on the corporate side and I went back to teaching and training. From there I started my own side hustle helping agents and it just blossomed from there.
The more that I leaned into what I enjoyed and allowed myself to let go of what I really did not like doing the more the doors opened. Now, I get that this sounds easy but for someone who has dealt with people pleasing and holding on for dear life to control everything she could, this was a hard one for me. It took practice, patience, and reminding myself that it was going to work out, if I could just trust.
This was one of the many lessons I had to learn. Trusting myself was a hard one after the abuse and control was all I had for the longest time. What I learned though was the more that I let go of control in situations and learned how to control my emotions and how I responded to those situations the easier it got and the less the bad showed up.
That is probably one of my favorite parts to talk about when I talk about what sets me a part from others. I do this for my clients. I guide them to trust in themselves, to lean into what they already know and then build from there. I get to meet my clients in the mud and then watch them blossom as they rise. I offer a very open and honest space with no judgement and help them build their own courage to do what it is they already know in their hearts needs to be done.
I have worked with my clients on their mindset, shifting how they see and work in their business, time management and most importantly learning that we can ebb and flow in business and personal life. They don’t need to be two separate entities. When we learn this, we learn to flex, to bend, to let go, and allow things to work themselves out.
And that is how my company got its name, The Lotus Effect. The lotus is this beautiful flower that only grows in the muck and mud….yet when it blossoms it is absolutely beautiful and completely untainted. I believe that is how we all grow and then once we blossom we create a ripple effect to those that are around us and that is the greatest amount of peace and success I have been able to experience and bring to others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh my goodness my favorite spots, there are so many!! There are so many things to do and some of my favorite things to do is hiking. So we would definitely have to hit some of the state parks and then grab food by them.
Let’s start with Murfreesboro. While there are so many places to shop and check out, you definitely need to go visit the outdoors. There are greenway trails for miles, one of my favorites is actually connected to the battlefield and walks right along the riverside. From there you definitely have to go check out the Ginger Thai or Bahn Appetite for food, they both are amazing. And if you like flowers and walking through old mansions you have to spend the day at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. (they won’t disappoint)
Then you can take a short drive down to Manchester. Do you know how many waterfalls they have there?! You definitely have to check out Rutledge Falls, Machine Falls, and the Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park. From there you have to grab some near by food, of course, so check out Paco’s Pizza & Pasta or Kami Sushi & Asian Kitchen. And if you love caves, you have to make a pit stop down the road at Cumberland Caverns. (I got married in that cave)
While you are already out this way you might as well make the drive to one of my all time favorite places, Rock Island. There are several hiking trails and the waterfalls are beyond amazing. Twin falls is one of my favorites there and is an easy hike with great views plus you can totally swim in the gorge. And if you are an avid hiker you have to check out the Blue Hole Trail. It is stunning. Be sure to stop by On the River Grill for some great food, views, and to rest.
There is also Burgess Falls not far from that, which you can hike and now kayak to the bottom of. Oh, and while you are out that way definitely check out Fall Creek Falls. This whole area is littered with waterfalls, hiking trails, and cute little mom and pop places to eat. And even better, it’s only about an hour from Murfreesboro so perfect for a day trip!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I could shoutout that deserve credit for helping me clear the path to get to where I am now. My family has been really supportive, which has been great because we have been through some stuff, especially after leaving my abusive relationship. Two books that really changed me and allowed me to think differently was “CoDependent No More”, by Melody Beattie and “Dare to Lead”, by Brene Brown.
But the two or technically three biggest people in my life that deserve a shoutout are my 2 boys…because they are what kept me going and now are my biggest fans. And my husband, the man that I met only 5 years ago who showed up as his full authentic self andqwZ this gave me the biggest permission to be able to do the same and with that I leaned into so many learnings. He has stood by my side, listened to the hurt, the guilt, the shame I held and just acknowledged it as a part of me but not who I truly am. I am very blessed to have all of them in my life.

Website: http://www.the-lotus-effect.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thelotuseffectcoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katpolsinelli

Other: My podcast: Real Chat with Kat https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-chat-with-kat/id1652097553

Image Credits
Heidi Kane