Reclaiming the Word Coach

For a long time, the word coach felt… complicated.

Maybe it was the lingering sting of an old MLM experience that threw the word around like confetti.

 Maybe it was my ADHD brain whispering, “Are we sure you belong in this role?” Maybe it was my lifelong habit of feeling like an imposter in rooms I’d worked incredibly hard to be in.

But over time—and through a lot of unlearning—I’ve realized something:
everyone is winging it.
Everyone is doing their best with the tools they have.
And if that’s not universal humanity… I don’t know what is.

When I started diving deep into anatomy, movement, and the way the mind meets the body, I had to strip back years of assumptions. Years of “shoulds.” Years of noise from weight-loss culture, MLM culture, fitness culture, and even formal education. I had to rebuild my internal compass.

And somewhere along the way, I found freedom—not the kind where you “figure it all out” (lol, as if), but the kind where you find a path that aligns with your actual values. A path that feels true.

I don’t know everything. I won’t know everything. I don’t need to know everything.

But what I do know, I know deeply. I know it because I’ve used it to change my own life. And now I get to use it to help others change theirs.

That’s where the idea of “Coach” started making its way back to me.

Not as a hierarchy.
Not as a title meant to be tossed around for credibility.
Not as something pretending to replace licensed professions.

But as a role:
A guide.
A partner.
A fellow human who’s passionate about movement, healing, rewiring beliefs, doing hard things together, loving people well, getting creative, growing through conflict, and staying curious.
(& your biggest cheerleader!)

I believe we can learn something from every single person we meet.
From how they move through the world.
From how they love.
From their stories, struggles, and strengths.
To me, that’s community.
That’s the good stuff.

And honestly, with politics now de-professionalizing my main profession—and watching people fight over labels like they’re weapons instead of tools—I’ve had to ask myself:

Do labels even matter?
Sometimes yes (name it to tame it).
Sometimes no (name it to divide it).
So what do we do?

We look for the grey.
We look for the medium place.
We build something with nuance in a world that struggles to tolerate nuance.

And funny enough, it’s in the grey where I’ve found my people.
People who value both eastern and western medicine.
People who can hold multiple truths.
People who can find deeper meaning.
People who believe we’re all more alike than different.

If I visualize this journey, it feels like weaving:
All these loose threads—my background in social work, my own healing, movement, neurodivergence, compassion, lived experience, softness, strength, humor, the desire to help people feel less alone—are being braided together.
And when I step back, that braid?
It looks like a coach.
Not the MLM kind.
Not the know-it-all kind.
The human kind.

So yeah…
“Coach Kristi.”
It actually does have a nice ring to it.

With love (and a wink),
Coach Kristi

This content is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new exercise, nutrition, or wellness program. Listen to your body, and do what feels right for you!