The Soul Goals, Episode 52: Anna Kate

Anna Kate lived by the idea that she wasn’t supposed to struggle.  Her home life and family were loving and supportive.  She was provided for and respected as the beautiful young lady and athlete that she was.  But what she lived on the inside was a much different snapshot than the outside world ever had a chance to view.

A senior beach volleyball athlete at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, Anna Kate had to work through periods of anxiety and depression, allowing herself to feel-to-heal.  Always the one to reach out and help others first, she came to a point where it was time to shift inward and focus on herself rather than ignoring her emotions and pouring all of her energy out to others instead.  Through her sport of volleyball, she found low points coupled with high points, both being gifts that would help her understand more about her makeup and her ultimate needs in the best possible way.  Through therapy and diving deep in to her personal work, Anna Kate now plays her sport free and with joy, reconnecting to the beginning of her journey and the love that initially drew her in to volleyball.   

Anna Kate’s message is one that we can all learn from:  You are worthy of taking time for positive self care, of accepting help from others, and acknowledging that even in the negatives, we have an opportunity to choose the positives.  Her drive coupled with her openness and honesty about her journey with mental health shows her vulnerability and her desire to live whole and full.  She is beauty on every level!

Everyone has a story, and every story matters!