Who is KP? 10 Facts About Kristin

So you want to know more about KP? Here’s 10 quick facts about me!

1) I am so in love with Jesus.

A part of my journey towards holistic health and wellness includes my spirituality. I am a Christian who attended Christian school until 10th grade and was in church every Sunday. I can ace a Bible class easily but realized my application of the Word was subpar. I had to ask myself, “am I truly trusting in God when struggles come?” “Am I really striving for wisdom?” “Am I tithing my time?” “Do I believe the words I sing?” I had become a comfortable Christian, doing what I needed to do in my religion but lacking true commitment in my relationship with God. Sometimes God has to shake your world in order to catch your attention. And for me, He did just that. Now that He has my attention, I am ditching the religion and embracing the relationship. I recognize I’m nothing without Him and my all comes from Him. I have to represent Him in all I do–I am made in His image, after all. Right now, I’m seeking a church body that embodies Christ and His love and focuses more on a relationship with Him than practicing religion.

2) I absolutely love my husband.

This dude is truly my other half; mi media naranja; the cheese to my macaroni. I met my Booskie in 2012, and while initially, I wasn’t interested in dating him, I soon discovered that I couldn’t get him out of my mind. We connected so well, and I was completely comfortable around him—something that I was never able to accomplish in previous relationships. I knew this guy was special and designed just for me. We fell in love quickly and are almost 4 years strong in our marriage. While everyday isn’t easy and we have certainly experienced some (hopefully all) of the “worse” of our marriage, I wouldn’t want to experience this life and this journey with anyone other than him. I’m so thankful he responded to that first Facebook message my tipsy butt sent him back in 2012.

3) I have multiple letters behind my name.

I am a proud alumna of the University of North Carolina (2017 Men’s Basketball National Champions, in case you forgot), where I received a BA in Exercise & Sport Science. I also have a Masters of Public Health and am a Certified Health Education Specialist. Quite frankly, your girl knows a bit of what she’s talking about in regards to health and wellness.

4) I renovated a house.

When my family offered my grandparents’ house to my husband and I, we viewed it as an opportunity to return to our home state and keep the house within the family. We didn’t realize the renovation would be as extensive as it soon became. The house is a full remodel that we piloted, designed, and mostly completed ourselves. The renovation provided me some valuable life lessons: I’m capable of so much; never limit myself; sometimes you have to bleed (literally) to get the results you desire; the journey may be ugly but the final destination makes it all worth it; and a real estate career is in my future. Of course, we blogged about it. Feel free to check out The Harper Bungalow.

5) I love books.

I may or may not have a slight addiction to collecting books. My mother read books to me while I was in her womb, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I believe e-readers are akin to GMO food–just not real. The sensations that come from physically holding a book please me: holding the book, feeling the pages between your fingertips, smelling its earthy scent, and being cast into another world from its words…I told you, there may be a slight addiction. In the future, I would love to own a bookstore but worry I would deal with separation anxiety from actually selling the books. For now, I will aim to design a home library similar to Belle’s in Beauty and the Beast, to house all the books I can’t give away…pretty much all of them. I’m striving to read 24 books this year. Check out what I’ve read so far.

6) I believe family is everything.

You probably have already deduced this from my posts. I am close to my family, both immediate and extended. I oftentimes joke about my mother’s family being abnormally close: my Papa was 1 of 11 children who, in adulthood, all lived relatively near to one another. Those siblings began planning annual family trips for them and their children. Four generations later, 35+ family members still plan and execute our annual trips, along with holiday gatherings and family night outs. Growing up, every summer included a week-long charter bus trip to a distant state or even country with 25 other family members. Even now, seeing my great aunts and uncles on a near-monthly basis is my normal. Now, imagine being married to someone who also greatly values quality family time–more family trips, outings, and dinners. That reminds me…

7) I am a foodie.

I love food. Good food. Food that’s made with love. Food that’s so good, you worry about what ingredients were included (did grandma really stick her toe in it?). I religiously attend food truck rodeos and invite multiple people so I can sample food from multiple trucks. I prefer to socialize over a good meal; if an social activity doesn’t include food, it’s highly likely that I will not be in attendance. I enjoy all cuisines, but my go-to foods are pizza, ice cream, my chicken pot pie, Thai, and Bojangles chicken and biscuits.

8) I am unhappy.

I have felt this way for a few years now. Let’s be clear: I am extremely grateful for who I am, where God has placed me, and what my future holds, but I unhappy. Discontent. My grief certainly has not alleviated this feeling. I began to suffer from depression and anxiety: unmotivated; analyzing every detail; unable to attend social gatherings due to fear of my emotional responses; wanting more; unsure of what more is and how to achieve it. Essentially, I was stuck. I saw everyone else moving along their life journeys and recognized I wasn’t moving with them. What felt even more dejecting was that I didn’t know how to get moving. A part of my spiritual journey includes me seeking God and presenting my concerns to Him. He reminded me that my life’s purpose is to glorify Him and to seek Him–all else will fall in place as He deems it. Now, I’m not worried about happiness. I know it’s temporary; happiness ebbs and flows. I desire joy–that continuous appreciation of life. I want to be able to recognize that although this journey will be rough sometimes, this journey is worth it, as long as I keep moving. That mentality is joy.

9) I love music.

Just like the O’Jays said. Music is just magical: it resonates with your emotions, uplifts the spirits, unites people, and changes the world. I enjoy most genres of music but grew up on gospel quartets and R&B oldies. Music is one of my favorite types of self care. Some nights, I will play the oldies and relax; other mornings, music is my way to energize my spirits and set the tone for my day. When writing, I’m bound to have some music bellowing in the background. Some of my most memorable moments are enclosed by a distinct song. Milton Brunson’s “I’m Free” is always me and Papa’s song. An argument between my mother and me was resolved when Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet” crooned through the car speakers, and we harmonized the tension away. On one of our first dates, I danced with my husband (then boyfriend) to Tyrese’s “What Am I Gonna Do.” He sang the lyrics but became awkwardly silent when “one day I’m gonna make you my wife,” and “because I was falling in love with you,” lyrics came up. It was hilarious and quite awkward. Lastly, music is so vital in my life because I enjoy singing. I’m from a family of singers, and music is a strong thread weaved in our family cloth. Three generations of my family have been in musical groups. As for me, I have major stage fright, but who knows what the future holds…

10) I am a budding minimalist.

Thank God I’ve never been materialistic, but I do hold a large reservation toward sentimental items (and books). When we began the house renovation, the house had to be cleared of all items. I can’t sugarcoat it: my Papa was a hoarder. He kept everything. Stacks upon stacks of obituaries, stereos, every tool created, old clothing, kitchenware, furniture, everything. We rented 6 dumpsters to clear the house of junk and demo materials. That process was a wake up call for me to only keep what I need or love. I have minimized my closet and have worked on reducing the number of paper keepsakes (cards, programs, etc.), as I had shoeboxes full of programs. The hubby and I aspire to own a tiny house in the future to further reduce our carbon footprint and treasure this earth. Currently, we have minimized our kitchenware, home decor, and are composting and starting a vegetable garden.

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you were able to learn a little more about me. Stay tuned for more posts on holistic health and wellness!

-KP

#holistichealth #joy #food #houserenovation #minimalism #books #AllofKP