An Interview with Kat Mische Elle
Chris, tell me about the reality check you had that helped you shift gears if life?
I began my education in technology, but I was always fascinated by how the mind works. I studied artificial intelligence and some psychology when I was in school. That was the start of the things that I dove into later in life. After school, my career began to incorporate technology. This is where I honed my skills for being a speaker and learned how to engage with audiences in an authentic way. I was also managing team productivity, and I was observing how the team was working harder and harder but not accomplishing more. Sometimes, it even seemed like less.
This led me to start looking into work and life balance and the current state of human behavior. I saw that the more career success one was having, the greater the strain on their families and personal lives began happening at the same time. Top executives, and those under them, who were reaching for the next level in their careers, were burnt out, and their families and relationships were becoming ruined.
When my mother died suddenly from a rare brain condition in 2008, it was a big wake-up call for me. She had worked hard all her life; she had a very strong work ethic. I had patterned my own career behavior after her drive and began noticing similarities between us.
My mother kept putting off things that she wanted to do, believing that there was plenty of time for everything. One of the things she wanted to do was travel. When she finally allowed herself to do so, she died. At the end of all that work, my mother was never able to enjoy the fruits of those labors.
Losing my mother slapped me into the reality that I was doing the exact same thing.
I made a vow to myself right then that I needed to find different ways to live while reaching for my future goals and success.
I didn’t know where to start so I began studying productivity and turning my attention to new, different, or more radical methods around how to be more productive.
I was taking those tried and tested strategies and combining them with what I’ve learned over the years in my own career, and that led to me writing my book, Less Is the New More.
Life-changing moments and decisions are there to correct and redirect your life if you are paying attention.
The life I created after my mom’s passing also helped heal my challenges with being an introvert. It was easy for me to connect with people in very small groups of 3 or 4 people, I never would have believed I could get up on stage.
I am now getting out on stage in front of large speaking engagements to share my message with people and to help motivate them. To encourage them to level up and live their best-balanced life and to make their best impact on all of those around them.
How have you been able to bring this focus in since 2020?
I’m Helping people assess their lives and to be honest with themselves before it becomes too late is my mission.
We’re all seeing the impact, both currently and possibly forever, that the pandemic has caused or will be causing for us.
When everything was locked down, we know that a lot of businesses came to a halt. Like everyone else, I felt that frustration and, quite often, a tightness in my chest. My first tendency was to blame the pandemic. But then I realized it wasn’t the lockdown, it was where I was putting my focus. Once that clicked with me, I stepped away from what was stressing me out, and then my body relaxed. Just seeing my body respond and change back into my natural state, people around me began responding in kind.
We are now living in the pivoted alternatives. There has been a profound effect on your average person and with the determined go-getters. It left most people not knowing what they wanted to do next. I think we were all left looking inward.
Except now it’s time that we shift out of that internal observation mode. Look outward and see how we can help other people and work with them by creating a win/win situation, especially in the drive for our successes. It’s a whole new world and looking out and seeing what the possibilities are and how you can serve other people will come back and serve you as well on all levels, (even financially). Your impact or reach can be a lot wider for that reason.
How available are the opportunities for us now?
The pandemic is bringing in possibilities that we didn’t have before. We’re getting some great lessons and new mechanisms out of the shift that surrounds the pandemic.
Once I tapped into recognizing this, people were asked to include me in podcasts and business opportunities. So, I had evidence once again that just getting right with myself opens the doors for opportunity.
This inspired me to dedicate myself, even more, to focus on the things I wanted to do. Making sure I did my practice of gratefulness was always top of my list.
Keeping yourself in a state of “choice” also adds a bit of power to your life. Showing up without frustration or desperation makes a difference.
What is a great way to condition that focus?
I firmly believe everybody should do some sort of, I guess I will call them rituals. They can be as light and easy or as involved as you want, whatever works for you.
Of course, meditation is a good one, and journaling can be very powerful for people too.
I like a gratitude practice because it puts your mind in an open receptive state; it’s not just to recognize the things you’re grateful for. It also helps you understand that good things are happening and that you’re in a supportive place.
I also create a blend for my daily morning ‘ritual’. I start by doing things that are getting me into multitasking mode. I like to start with a gratitude exercise because that makes me not only exercise appreciation but also makes me remember that I’m accomplishing good things; good things are happening to me even if they seem like funky moments. So, that’s one. Second, I avoid my phone and emails until I sit down and do the writing first. I will work for an hour at least doing creative writing. It could be some marketing copy; it could be designing some new system or whatever. But it’s something creative that I do before I get involved in anything else in the world. And that accomplishes a couple of things. It gives me a certain sort of peace, and it gets me into the flow state for the day, which is when your mind and body work the best.
And I get something that I feel is good and worthwhile done first thing, so that makes the whole day productively better. Otherwise, the distractions will take over.
The other thing is regarding time. Time blocking is crucial. Time blocking means you design your week. You do certain things at certain times without wavering. Time blocking isn’t just for staying on point for achieving goals, but it gives you the opportunity to grow those personal relationships. Applying this type of structure will make a huge difference in your life.
What are the best resources to find you?
www.thatChrislee.com.
ThatChrisLee on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
