Kat’s Powerful Life Beyond Addiction

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living Presents, Conversations With Rich Bennett. 

I'm going to get you. You're not going to show up! I'm not going to be involved. You're going to be involved. It's probably a few seconds. I just don't want these developments. No, no, no. It's okay. 

Rich Bennett 0:27
I am joined by a young lady I had her on the September for the podathon. Her episode was the most listened to episode. 

With all these people I have on that are in recovery. I usually become friends with them on Facebook because their stories are amazing. I just love to see them doing good. I hope they all know that if they need anything, they can always reach out to me. But this young lady has been setting the world on fire. And I'm going to get her on because there's a move to listen to her. So I have a cat back on. Hey, you're doing cat. I am doing good. Since the last time you were on, I don't think you had the new job yet. 

Kat 1:13
No, I was about to start it. And now I'm in between jobs now, too. Just waiting for kind of moving. But that's okay. 

Rich Bennett 1:21
You started something else, too, didn't 

Kat 1:24
you? I did. I started my own LLC this year. 

Rich Bennett 1:26
Oh, it is a LLC. 

Kat 1:28
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 1:29
sweet. Okay. 

Kat 1:30
I started my own LLC. And it's a project I've been working on for a while. sure you have daughters. You know, 

Rich Bennett 1:39
Where I'm 

Kat 1:40
you know, simply Southern and how on fire that brand is. 

Rich Bennett 1:45
I haven't heard that a long time 

Kat 1:46
But 

Rich Bennett 1:46
though. 

Kat 1:47
everyone wears those shirts. 

Rich Bennett 1:48
Okay. Here's 

Kat 1:50
like their bags, their sweatshirts. Like everyone's got simply Southern shirts, especially if you go on vacation. 

Rich Bennett 1:55
Now if you have a place 

Kat 1:56
have. 

Rich Bennett 1:56
because I don't 

Kat 1:57
Well, I'll get you a simple serenity. 

Rich Bennett 1:59
And 

Kat 2:00
it'll be better. 

Rich Bennett 2:00
See now I would wear that. That I would wear. 

Kat 2:04
So I kind of did um. Market my brand off of simply Southern, but changed it legally just enough that 

Rich Bennett 2:12
Right. 

Kat 2:12
they can't come after me. Yeah. So I'm simply serenity. And what we are building is it's very similar clothing styles to simply Southern, but they're all recovery or wellness based images that are on the shirts and. 

Rich Bennett 2:29
Okay. 

Kat 2:29
Also, like I've got friends of Bill W for people in AA, friends of Jimmy K for people in NA where that's how we talk about each other. 

Rich Bennett 2:38
Okay. 

Kat 2:38
When we're not trying to out each other's anonymity. 

Rich Bennett 2:42
Right. 

Kat 2:42
Be like I'm a friend of Bill or I'm a friend of Jimmy. And I have those kind of designs on the backs of shirts, so when you're on vacation, someone can just be like, Oh, that's a person in recovery and they'll automatically come talk to you. Or I'd let's say that person's say that person's got a friend of Jimmy K shirt on while they're at the beach. Maybe I should ask them to come to a meeting. So I look at those kind of things like I want to make those connections when you're not 

Rich Bennett 3:06
home. Yeah, 

Kat 3:07
you know, like you're always home and you're in your own meetings. You kind of sometimes you go out of area to meet 

Rich Bennett 3:14
right. 

Kat 3:14
people are here different things, but when you're on vacation, a lot of people don't go to meetings 

Rich Bennett 3:19
Yeah, 

Kat 3:19
because they're just in their little 

Rich Bennett 3:20
not 

Kat 3:21
space. 

Rich Bennett 3:24
Yeah, 

Kat 3:25
you are, you know, and you're only going to be there for a short amount of time, 

Rich Bennett 3:28
right? 

Kat 3:28
It's also hard to try to like get to know people because you're only there for maybe a week, a weekend, you know, you're 

Rich Bennett 3:35
around. 

Kat 3:35
not going to be 

Rich Bennett 3:35
Wow. 

Kat 3:36
So that was the big overarching 

Rich Bennett 3:40
Yeah. 

Kat 3:40
idea. Serenity, but also I just wanted to design my own clothes. 

Rich Bennett 3:44
They look good. They look good. I've seen them online and you design, you do all the 

Kat 3:50
everything. 

Rich Bennett 3:50
drawings 

Kat 3:51
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 3:51
and 

Kat 3:51
I draw them in colored pencil and then just have a doby turn it into an actual digital art. 

Rich Bennett 3:57
Have you always been in the art? 

Kat 3:59
I have, but I've never done anything like outward with 

Rich Bennett 4:03
Okay. 

Kat 4:03
it before. It's always just been like a coping skill for me. I'm a doodler. Even at work, you'll see doodles on my papers, you know? It's something where I've even noticed my son does it. I'm sure it's like our ADHD where I could be listening to you or the teacher, but I'm here coloring. Yeah, my fingers have to be doing something, you know, just so that my brain can focus. 

Rich Bennett 4:26
So you design the logo and everything. 

Kat 4:28
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 4:28
So when you get an tattoo of the logo? 

Kat 4:30
I'm sure 

Rich Bennett 4:31
will. I'm sure I will. I'm 

Kat 4:31
I 

Rich Bennett 4:32
surprised you haven't done that 

Kat 4:33
I 

Rich Bennett 4:33
yet. 

Kat 4:33
know. With all the other tattoos I have 

Rich Bennett 4:35
I 

Kat 4:36
right. 

Rich Bennett 4:36
mean, it would make sense. It's your brain. 

Kat 4:38
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 4:38
I'm just saying so she's going to go out here and make an 

Kat 4:41
afterwards. 

Rich Bennett 4:41
appointment 

Kat 4:42
You're right. 

Rich Bennett 4:44
So when did you start that? 

Kat 4:46
So this has been a project I've worked on for a couple of years, but I haven't actually gotten the LLC 

Rich Bennett 4:50
60 

Kat 4:50
till about 

Rich Bennett 4:51
okay 

Kat 4:51
go 

Rich Bennett 4:52
Wow. 

Kat 4:52
So this is this is my new little baby 

Rich Bennett 4:55
and you have a website for it. 

Kat 4:56
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 4:57
Right. 

Kat 4:57
Simply serenity apparel.com. 

Rich Bennett 5:01
Now is it mainly just shirts or do you do hats, bags? 

Kat 5:04
We've got hats. We've got tumblers. We've got actually have, um, luggage, because I want this to really be something when you're traveling that you can connect with people that are in recovery. 

Rich Bennett 5:15
and 

Kat 5:15
So, 

Rich Bennett 5:15
the tumblers are 

Kat 5:16
luggage 

Rich Bennett 5:16
great for coffee. 

Kat 5:17
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 5:18
Wow. 

Kat 5:19
Um, I've got a kids t-shirt that says like recovery runs in my family on the back of it. Um, so they're really cool and just all bright 

Rich Bennett 5:28
Yeah. 

Kat 5:28
colors, just 

Rich Bennett 5:28
Yeah. 

Kat 5:28
like simply so they're in the like bright tropical resort colors is what I'm going for. 

Rich Bennett 5:33
All right. So with this, because being an LLC, is it strictly online ordering or okay. 

Kat 5:41
Yep, strictly online ordering. Um, if I ever get to a point where I need to have like my own stock, I will. But for now it's a drop shipping company. 

Rich Bennett 5:50
That's a smart way to 

Kat 5:52
So I don't have to keep inventory on hand, the everything's connected 

Rich Bennett 5:57
do 

Kat 5:57
online, where as 

Rich Bennett 5:57
it. 

Kat 5:57
soon 

Rich Bennett 5:57
Yep. 

Kat 5:57
as you hit by, they start making it in the warehouse. 

Rich Bennett 6:00
Well, and now number one, if you have inventory, then next thing you do, you're outgrown your house and you don't want that, 

Kat 6:06
right. 

Rich Bennett 6:06
the other thing is if you store stuff in a garage or a warehouse, then you have to worry about mice 

Kat 6:13
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 6:14
and mice and love to get into boxes, 

Kat 6:16
And 

Rich Bennett 6:16
especially if that's close. 

Kat 6:17
It'll 

Rich Bennett 6:17
Yeah. 

Kat 6:17
do and all that kind of stuff. 

Rich Bennett 6:19
And if you're setting up for an event or something, you could easily have a certain amount of drop ship to you. 

Kat 6:24
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 6:25
And then sell them yourself. 

Kat 6:26
Yeah. That's what I'm thinking. Like maybe just order 50 for an event or something. 

Rich Bennett 6:31
And yeah, 

Kat 6:31
yep. 

Rich Bennett 6:32
Now, you're not going to be doing shirts where like you said, let's see. Somebody has a runner or something going on. You're not going to be designing the shirts for them. Right. Just strictly. 

Kat 6:41
Good. But I would probably want my little logo on 

Rich Bennett 6:44
Yeah. 

Kat 6:44
it. 

Rich Bennett 6:45
I think you're then you could be taking on too much too. 

Kat 6:48
Yeah, but that's something. Right. Exactly. You don't want to I want to stay small enough where it can just be me. 

Rich Bennett 6:54
Yeah. 

Kat 6:54
You know, um, because it is like I'll have. 

Rich Bennett 6:59
It's 

Kat 7:00
thinking always happens in the 

Rich Bennett 7:01
like, 

Kat 7:01
shower. So, 

Rich Bennett 7:02
I 

Kat 7:02
k. So I'll be. And I'll be like, you know what? That would be a really cool design. Like right now I'm actually, I know we're going to talk about my gym. My love with the jam a 

Rich Bennett 7:12
Yes. 

Kat 7:12
little. But I'm thinking of some recovery and fitness related designs to do. 

Rich Bennett 7:20
And 

Kat 7:20
so I've been playing around with those trying to figure out how I really want them to be on the shirts. Um, because a lot of us in recovery end up turning to physical fitness. I think that would be really cool. Like even just one more rep one more day or just a 

Rich Bennett 7:36
So 

Kat 7:36
couple of little little sayings to 

Rich Bennett 7:38
wait bar with the logo on each end. 

Kat 7:41
Yeah. Yeah. But still something where, um, and, um, I've already got a couple of guys that said they would buy them and wear them to the gym for me. I was like, perfect. Wear them to the gym. Get the logo 

Rich Bennett 7:54
Should 

Kat 7:54
out there. 

Rich Bennett 7:54
have told you to bring one. I would have worn it. 

Kat 7:56
I know I didn't even think of it myself. 

Rich Bennett 7:57
I mean, this, well, you know me, I always like promoting local businesses 

Kat 8:03
that. 

Rich Bennett 8:03
and all But, um, Man, that is awesome. 

Kat 8:08
thank you. 

Rich Bennett 8:08
You mentioned the fitness. 

Kat 8:10
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 8:10
I don't think you were into the fitness when you were all before 

Kat 8:13
I was just starting. Like I was 

Rich Bennett 8:15
you are going. 

Kat 8:16
walking 

Rich Bennett 8:16
the 

Kat 8:16
into 

Rich Bennett 8:16
freaking Gungho with this shit. 

Kat 8:18
I am. Rich knows because he sees me on Facebook. 

Rich Bennett 8:22
Color, that's what made me contact you. I'm like, damn, she is cause I always see the pictures with you and the kids. Um, and then what you're doing is it's like she's kicking ass. This is awesome. 

Kat 8:36
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 8:37
And I you're right. Fitness is when you're in recovery. Not just for people are recovery, but for mental health. 

Kat 8:44
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 8:44
It's a big thing. 

Kat 8:45
It really is. And I don't think growing up, it was ever like introduced to me as something that could help. 

Rich Bennett 8:51
Not even in school. Uh, 

Kat 8:53
You know what I mean? Like 

Rich Bennett 8:54
they didn't really. 

Kat 8:54
they don't, they don't talk about how it's a tie to it. They're just 

Rich Bennett 8:58
Yeah. 

Kat 8:58
like, Oh, you want to work on your physical fitness. 

Rich Bennett 9:01
Right. They make your mental health worse because they're saying if you don't do it, then you're, 

Kat 9:05
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 9:05
yeah. 

Kat 9:05
So like, I don't know why we don't teach kids like, hey, when you're 

Rich Bennett 9:08
Yeah. 

Kat 9:09
feeling anxious, go for a run, you know, or for me, it's just lifting really heavy things. 

Rich Bennett 9:14
It says you're running to. 

Kat 9:16
I'm not running. 

Rich Bennett 9:17
Okay. 

Kat 9:17
Cardio is not 

Rich Bennett 9:17
thing. 

Kat 9:17
my 

Rich Bennett 9:18
No, Into 

Kat 9:19
no. 

Rich Bennett 9:19
the weights. 

Kat 9:20
Mm-hmm. I, I did a half marathon, probably like 15 years ago. 

Rich Bennett 9:26
Nope. 

Kat 9:27
yeah, and that was but like, I did a half marathon in active addiction. 

Rich Bennett 9:32
What? 

Kat 9:34
Um, it was, I've, I've seen the memories pop up on Facebook sometimes and just how skinny I was. It was terrible. It was so bad. Um, but at that point in time I was right after my father had passed. So I did the half marathon for University of Maryland. They have 

Rich Bennett 9:49
Right. 

Kat 9:49
a big fundraiser every year. So I did that one. Um, just as like in his name that year, but it without stopping, I was shocked. 

Rich Bennett 9:59
With the working out part, are you're going to the gym or at 

Kat 10:02
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 10:02
home or both? 

Kat 10:03
I'm going to the gym and 

Rich Bennett 10:04
Okay. 

Kat 10:04
the gym, uhm, is probably the biggest investment I make each month. It's 150 bucks for me and my two kids to go. 

Rich Bennett 10:12
Your kids go to 

Kat 10:13
Yeah, but that's the beautiful thing, especially being a single mom in recovery. How the hell am I supposed to find time to myself? 

Rich Bennett 10:19
yeah, 

Kat 10:20
Yeah. You know, um, so being able to drop them off at the gym day care or my son goes to play on the basketball court and I can just work out in the weight room. You know, like it's perfect. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 10:31
yeah. 

Kat 10:31
It is perfect. And then I've, during the summer after I would work out, we'd just go hop in the pool at the gym. It was amazing. 

Rich Bennett 10:37
So how many days are you working out? 

Kat 10:39
It's usually about three days 

Rich Bennett 10:40
Three 

Kat 10:40
a week. Three days. 

Rich Bennett 10:41
days. 

Kat 10:41
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 10:42
How long per day? 

Kat 10:43
About an hour. 

Rich Bennett 10:44
About an hour. Okay. So you're not overdoing 

Kat 10:47
it? No. 

Rich Bennett 10:47
Some people might say that's overdoing 

Kat 10:49
it. Right. 

Rich Bennett 10:49
You're not overdoing it. 

Kat 10:51
And I really try to keep it to that not only because my kids get bored after an hour in like the gym day care, but, but because I know I can take things too far. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 11:00
Yeah. 

Kat 11:00
You know, like I know that's just the type of attic brain I have. Like I could take it to the extreme in any way shape or form. But I also have to keep myself in check because you mentioned how physical fitness can help mental health. One of the things that I've been working on with my own personal therapist this year is like trauma recovery because like 

Rich Bennett 11:23
Yeah. 

Kat 11:23
I've worked all 12 steps. Like I've got a good. I'm still working the 12 

Rich Bennett 11:27
Right. 

Kat 11:27
steps. Right. Like I'm always going to be 

Rich Bennett 11:28
the 

Kat 11:29
working 

Rich Bennett 11:29
12. Yeah. 

Kat 11:29
I sponsor. But I've completed all 12. I've definitely had what they call a spiritual awakening with unfortunately the real apps I had a little over three years ago. That was like my jarring 

Rich Bennett 11:41
Yeah. 

Kat 11:41
experience. You know, um, where now I'm struggling with like leftover trauma issues that I just never realized what they were. And like one of them just knock up on me and it is where basically do you know what dissociation 

Rich Bennett 11:55
is? No, but I know you're going to tell me. 

Kat 11:57
Yeah. Dissociation 

Rich Bennett 11:58
is when 

Kat 11:58
when your brain is protecting itself. So it can like you almost like sometimes people just totally tune out whatever's 

Rich Bennett 12:06
right 

Kat 12:06
happening or sometimes they go into freeze mode or flight mode. 

Rich Bennett 12:10
that's where the 

Kat 12:10
But 

Rich Bennett 12:10
therapist or hypnotherapy or whatever. 

Kat 12:13
Right. So I didn't realize dissociation could also mess with other areas of your body. I thought it was just like a mental mind 

Rich Bennett 12:22
thing. 

Kat 12:22
game 

Rich Bennett 12:22
Right. 

Kat 12:23
Well, apparently, so I suffer with what's called chronic PTSD because my environment was the trauma, not an actual individual trauma that happened to me. 

Rich Bennett 12:36
Oh, shit. 

Kat 12:37
So chronic PTSD is you kind of live 

Rich Bennett 12:40
yeah, 

Kat 12:40
traumatic experience. So you're everything around you like you have to find armor to put on and figure out because you can't get out of your environment for 

Rich Bennett 12:49
for 

Kat 12:51
me, it was my abusive marriage. Like and I couldn't get out of that environment for several years. Um, where now what happens with it's called CPTSD and my dissociation is so strong that if my body feels a threat of any kind. 

Rich Bennett 13:08
Right. 

Kat 13:08
My brain turns off my hunger cues. 

Rich Bennett 13:12
Say what? Yes, 

Kat 13:13
so I dissociate so hard that I can't feel when I'm hungry. So and I had to do a lot of research in this and work with my therapist. But it's a survival mechanism. And your body basically is focusing on keeping itself safe. So it shuts off other operations. 

Rich Bennett 13:33
Wow. 

Kat 13:33
Yeah. So part of this fitness journey for me is I've had to like basically tell myself when to eat. 

Rich Bennett 13:42
Yeah, 

Kat 13:42
Because I also don't know when it's going to happen. Like I don't get a warning when like my body is going to pick up on a 

Rich Bennett 13:49
right. 

Kat 13:49
threat. You know, like a lot of times with PTSD, you don't know what the threat is. You can just feel it, you 

Rich Bennett 13:55
Yeah. 

Kat 13:55
know. Um, it takes you a little while to figure out what the actual threat is. Um, or what your body perceives 

Rich Bennett 14:01
fat 

Kat 14:01
as a 

Rich Bennett 14:02
man. 

Kat 14:02
But a lot of times like there were days where I would be at work and I'd be like all of a sudden I was feeling really lethargic or I'd get a headache. And I'd think to myself, I'd be like, I have an eaten. Like, all day. Did I eat yesterday? And there were just these times where I truly just, it never registered in my brain and that's really scary to me. 

Rich Bennett 14:25
Especially if you're doing fitness. 

Kat 14:27
Yeah! 

Rich Bennett 14:27
That food's important. 

Kat 14:28
Yes it is. And so I really have to like plan my day and my nutrition now. 

Rich Bennett 14:34
Yeah. 

Kat 14:35
So me and my therapist have been working on that, like, trying to make sure all of my needs get met. But then also we've been working on nervous system recovery because she says being able to, it's really as an injury to your 

Rich Bennett 14:49
sy. 

Kat 14:49
nervous 

Rich Bennett 14:49
Yeah. 

Kat 14:49
You go through trauma. And I'm trying to find ways to calm myself and 

Rich Bennett 14:54
Okay. 

Kat 14:54
things like that. I tell you what, we've been working on it for about two months now. And the past two weeks, I've been hungry. 

Rich Bennett 15:02
Now... 

Kat 15:03
Like without having to force myself to feel hungry. Which is really cool. 

Rich Bennett 15:06
Are you doing any meditation? 

Kat 15:08
Oh yeah. 

Rich Bennett 15:09
I was going to 

Kat 15:09
Meditation 

Rich Bennett 15:09
say does that 

Kat 15:10
is a 

Rich Bennett 15:10
help? 

Kat 15:10
big thing for me. 

Rich Bennett 15:11
Okay. 

Kat 15:12
I actually take meditative showers every day. 

Rich Bennett 15:15
Okay. You you have. love meditating, but 

Kat 15:20
I 

Rich Bennett 15:20
I don't think I've ever tried that. 

Kat 15:21
So I do, it's like a mindful shower. So I turn off the lights. I light candles in the room. 

Rich Bennett 15:27
Okay. 

Kat 15:27
It turned off the lights. And so then it's just like me in the water. And I'll actually close my eyes and think about how the water feels. Like how those soap smells like take those little things and actually just try to make it an experience rather than a chore. But 

Rich Bennett 15:43
in the shower, not in the 

Kat 15:44
bath. Yep. Yeah. I don't get enough time as a single mom for a bath. You know that. I was actually on 

Rich Bennett 15:50
phone 

Kat 15:50
the 

Rich Bennett 15:50
with my friend in my 

Kat 15:51
Recovery last night. Cause I thought I was going to have time for a bath. I was like, well, do you, do you care if I call you back when I'm in the tub? And she said no. And I called her back. And then she could hear Maxine. Cause my daughter got in the tub too. You know, 

Rich Bennett 16:02
couch. 

Kat 16:02
I just I can't 

Rich Bennett 16:03
I can't do 

Kat 16:03
I can't do anything. 

Rich Bennett 16:04
anything. 

Kat 16:05
I 

Rich Bennett 16:06
think that's why you're starting to see a lot more people when they're getting their houses redone. 

Kat 16:10
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 16:11
They're not getting a tub. They're getting a full walk in shower. 

Kat 16:14
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 16:15
I need that. I love. Of course, I don't have one now. I at least the tub I have is not picking up the soaker. I want a good soaking 

Kat 16:24
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 16:24
tub. No, no, no. No subject here. Wow. So for your nervous system, the chronic PTSD, which I didn't know I didn't know that was a thing. 

Kat 16:36
I didn't. Neither until my doctor labeled. You know, 

Rich Bennett 16:40
and it's scary because if you're not feeling the hunger and going days without eating 

Kat 16:46
And of course it would be it would be on my rest days when I would not notice because I wasn't taking myself to the gym. Right. 

Rich Bennett 16:54
right. 

Kat 16:54
You know, so I wasn't like looking at myself in a mirror. I wasn't like having those normal things where like maybe I should eat something. Um, it would be on a rest day when I'm I'm focused solely on work or I'm focused solely on the kids. I'm not thinking about having to go to the gym. And my brain would just shut off that hunger cue. I would never even feel 

Rich Bennett 17:13
So 

Kat 17:13
it. 

Rich Bennett 17:14
even when you were making food for the kids is just. 

Kat 17:17
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 17:18
Wow. That's 

Kat 17:20
And it's scary because like I'll hear. 

Rich Bennett 17:22
very 

Kat 17:23
Um, of course, like we're in the GLP one 

Rich Bennett 17:26
right. 

Kat 17:27
world 

Rich Bennett 17:27
Yeah. 

Kat 17:27
now, right. Um, so like people are paying to have that. 

Rich Bennett 17:31
Like 

Kat 17:33
I can't imagine. Um, like because that's what I hear happens. It turns off the food noise. Right. 

Rich Bennett 17:39
Yeah. 

Kat 17:39
You're not thinking about snacking and stuff like that. Like I'm not thinking about food at all. My brain totally shuts that off. 

Rich Bennett 17:48
Now what about for does it. I mean, what about like water. 

Kat 17:52
So I really I'm what happens when I'm in those states. And like now I can identify it. 

Rich Bennett 17:58
Right. Right. 

Kat 17:59
Now I know because I'm making myself eat breakfast lunch in dinner where I used to not be a breakfast person. 

Rich Bennett 18:04
Yeah. So 

Kat 18:05
now I'm making myself and I have two snacks and all of that. 

Rich Bennett 18:09
Um, 

Kat 18:10
where I would just, I wouldn't notice it was happening. 

Rich Bennett 18:13
So you weren't even drinking water. 

Kat 18:16
And 

Rich Bennett 18:17
you didn't, I mean, I would figure my pass out from dehydration or 

Kat 18:22
I 

Rich Bennett 18:22
something. 

Kat 18:22
would get like shaky. 

Rich Bennett 18:24
Yeah. Well, 

Kat 18:24
You know, I would 

Rich Bennett 18:25
okay. 

Kat 18:26
start to get shaky and then I would get a headache and I'd be like, okay, I need to like go take care of this. 

Rich Bennett 18:31
Wow. 

Kat 18:32
And it happened to me a couple of times where I was really at the end of my work day when I would realize it and I'd be like. Now I've got to drive an hour 

Rich Bennett 18:42
home. 

Kat 18:42
I've got to stop somewhere to get some kind of protein in me. It was just like, it was always something. 

Rich Bennett 18:48
So, especially at the shakes. Has it happened in front of the kids and how were the kids with it? 

Kat 18:55
So they don't really notice, 

Rich Bennett 18:56
Okay. 

Kat 18:56
honestly. Kids live in their own world. 

Rich Bennett 18:58
Well, that's just true. 

Kat 18:59
They just care that mommy's putting food in front of them. They don't care if mommy puts food in her. 

I'm like, I wish I could give this to you, you know, but it's, um, it was hard because like, I've been a bigger girl, you know? Like, I've been a bigger girl. I've been a skinnier girl in active addiction. I'm, um, and trying to find like, okay, what actual nutrients? 

Rich Bennett 19:42
Yeah. 

Kat 19:43
You know, like, um, so I really try to plan my workouts around what I'm eating too. So like, if I'm gonna have a steak for dinner that night, I'm gonna probably work out harder that day. 

Rich Bennett 19:53
Mm-hmm, 

Kat 19:54
absorb that protein. And like, um, if we have pasta one night, we're probably gonna go to the gym the next morning and use 

Rich Bennett 20:01
Yeah. 

Kat 20:01
those carbs, you know? 'Cause I definitely feel. I feel so much better being in the gym. 

Rich Bennett 20:10
Yeah. 

Kat 20:10
Um, I think part of it was like some self-defense for me at first, 'cause like, I felt weak, you know? 

Like, now I lift more than my abusive ex has been ways, you know? It makes me feel a lot better. Um, like if any, I, I can carry my 90 pound child up to bed. 

Rich Bennett 20:33
Yeah. 

Kat 20:33
Like, those kind of things. 

Rich Bennett 20:35
It does make you feel good. 

Kat 20:36
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, especially like my fourth grader. He's still a little baby. He'll fall asleep on the couch. So it's like, uh, then I'm dragging him all the way up there. 

Rich Bennett 20:46
Are you, uh, you mentioned self-defense? Are you doing anything, whether it be like more time? You're just 

Kat 20:52
thinking 

Rich Bennett 20:53
about it? Yeah. 

Kat 20:54
About it. They've had a couple of, uh, li pop up self defense classes at my gym. 

Rich Bennett 20:59
Okay. 

Kat 20:59
Um, and I've tried those. I definitely want to to get more into that. Yeah, um,I  just have to figure out how to fit it in my schedule. 

Rich Bennett 21:09
Well, 

Kat 21:10
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 21:11
Yeah. Cause I can, I can be time consuming as well. 

Kat 21:16
Yeah. My brother used to fight BJJ, so I know how much like he dedicated to that, especially when he was doing like semi pro fights. 

Rich Bennett 21:24
Yeah, 

Kat 21:26
um, I don't think I would want to like get in a ring with anybody, but I just want to be able to protect myself. 

Rich Bennett 21:32
that's the other thing too, especially with the chronic PTSD. If you're training like that, especially to fight, there's times where they want you to not eat right 

Kat 21:41
Right. Well, 

Rich Bennett 21:42
or to eat more, 

Kat 21:43
right. 

Rich Bennett 21:44
And that could really throw, and I'm 

Kat 21:46
having to make weight for. 

Rich Bennett 21:47
Yeah. 

Kat 21:48
I don't want to deal with that. 

Rich Bennett 21:49
just had a young lady on whose memory, 

Kat 21:52
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 21:52
and she does, she was doing Muay Thai professionally. 

Kat 21:55
Mm-hmm. 

Rich Bennett 21:56
And she, she doesn't do it anymore. Just because she she's too busy with her business. 

Kat 22:02
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 22:03
But yeah, there were times like she wasn't eating anything because she had to meet weight. Meet, but she was doing it while she was in addiction 

Kat 22:12
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 22:13
too. 

Kat 22:13
I 

Rich Bennett 22:13
And nobody knew it. Dude, she was in addiction. It was. 

Kat 22:18
I said I ran a half marathon, went and chugged some beers after. It was. Look. 

Rich Bennett 22:24
A half marathon is what two and a half mall 

Kat 22:27
It's 

Rich Bennett 22:27
or. 

Kat 22:28
13. 

Rich Bennett 22:28
13. A half marathon is 13 miles. 

Kat 22:32
Yeah, because 20. It's 13.1 because a full marathon is 26.2. 

Rich Bennett 22:37
While in addiction, you ran 13 miles. 

Kat 22:39
Um-hmm. 

Rich Bennett 22:40
Holy 

Kat 22:40
shit. 

I'll 

Rich Bennett 22:43
send 

Kat 22:46
you the memory next time it pops up in my Facebook feed. I was about 120 pounds soak and wet. I'm 180 right 

Rich Bennett 22:55
now. No, you're not. 

Kat 22:56
Yes, 

I am. 

Rich Bennett 22:59
No. No. I'll find 

Kat 23:01
believe. 

Rich Bennett 23:01
that hard to 

Kat 23:01
Almost. I went from when I first lost weight, I went down to 160. And now I've built back up to I stayed between 175 and 180 every day. 

Rich Bennett 23:14
Really? 

Kat 23:14
I'm also 5-9 rich. You got to remember that, too. 

Yeah, I'm 

Rich Bennett 23:24
Well, yeah, 5-9 is tall for a 

Kat 23:26
tall 

Rich Bennett 23:26
woman. 

Kat 23:26
for a woman. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 23:27
Well, it's 180 pounds. 

Kat 23:30
I 

Rich Bennett 23:31
was gonna say, do you know what they call 

Kat 23:33
it? I don't know what my body fat percentage. 

Rich Bennett 23:35
That's what it was. 

Kat 23:36
I have no idea. I don't think I want to get into like macro. 

Rich Bennett 23:40
you're not into the body building part. You're doing it for your mental health. 

Kat 23:44
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 23:44
And 

Kat 23:44
what 

Rich Bennett 23:45
with. 

Kat 23:45
comes 

Rich Bennett 23:46
And stays. 

Kat 23:46
is just 

Rich Bennett 23:47
added but yeah 

Kat 23:48
see you know 

Rich Bennett 23:49
and the staying shape 

Kat 23:50
bed 

Rich Bennett 23:50
of field 

Kat 23:50
yep like I'm still wearing the same size clothes as when I started they just fit better 

Rich Bennett 23:56
Mikey phone 

Kat 23:58
mind just fit better you know like I didn't really change gene sizes or 

Rich Bennett 24:02
yeah 

Kat 24:02
anything but my body looks totally different than when I started but it's still the same gene size it just fits better 

Rich Bennett 24:09
hmm maybe I do need to get into the gym then 

Kat 24:12
I think everybody does 

Rich Bennett 24:14
well it's I mean I do my main thing is cardio 

Kat 24:18
yeah 

Rich Bennett 24:18
I mean I love walking I never have tried winning the vibration boards 

Kat 24:23
yes 

Rich Bennett 24:24
oh my 

Kat 24:24
those are cool 

Rich Bennett 24:24
those are amazing I haven't tried doing planks on them yet 

Kat 24:28
okay 

Rich Bennett 24:28
I do want to try that I need to get back to doing yoga I loved 

Kat 24:34
yoga 

Rich Bennett 24:34
doing 

but I miss my total gen 

Kat 24:38
yeah 

Rich Bennett 24:38
I had I always had 

Kat 24:41
that but I 

Rich Bennett 24:42
know I still have it 

Kat 24:43
okay I got one in the basement I don't really use 

Rich Bennett 24:46
getting hurt 

Kat 24:47
ah 

Rich Bennett 24:48
because I got the bone spurs in the front and 

Kat 24:50
okay 

Rich Bennett 24:50
back of my neck so I would easily well 

Kat 24:54
tweak on 

Rich Bennett 24:54
it's well it's the Marine Corps mentality and me you know no pain 

Kat 24:58
no gain mm-hmm like it's supposed to hurt 

Rich Bennett 25:01
yeah 

Kat 25:01
yeah 

Rich Bennett 25:01
and I believe me my doctor yells at me for 

Kat 25:03
I'm 

Rich Bennett 25:03
that 

Kat 25:03
sure life 

Rich Bennett 25:04
and my so what I was doing even when I was going to the car I would just keep pushing myself so like oh it's not hurting it's not hurting it's not hurting you know because we're taught it's all on the mind 

Kat 25:15
it's all right 

Rich Bennett 25:16
next thing I know it's like a got a torn muscle or whatever 

Kat 25:20
and 

Rich Bennett 25:20
so I have I haven't pulled it back out I want to because I do I miss it 

Kat 25:26
yeah it's a nice piece of equipment 

Rich Bennett 25:27
it 

Kat 25:28
do 

Rich Bennett 25:28
is 

Kat 25:28
so much with it 

Rich Bennett 25:29
oh yeah so now I started doing the bands till I snap 

Kat 25:32
to one 

Rich Bennett 25:33
yeah that hurts when 

Kat 25:35
they 

Rich Bennett 25:35
yes 

Kat 25:35
do 

especially if it's one of the lighter colors that are like the tighter ones snap that 

Rich Bennett 25:41
yeah 

Kat 25:41
pop yeah 

Rich Bennett 25:44
Yeah depending on what you're doing you hit in the wrong place and I feel good at 

Kat 25:48
mm-hmm 

Rich Bennett 25:48
all 

Kat 25:49
but those are great great exercises

Rich Bennett 25:53
oh yeah you're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett we'll be right back

Wendy & Rich 26:01
Wendy I understand that rage against addiction is doing something very important a monthly donor program can you tell us a little bit about that absolutely we are hoping to get our supporters to join us in providing a monthly donation it can be five dollars or it can be more whatever you can afford really allows us to help plan and increase our fundraising efforts well why should people become a monthly donor what are they doing to help their monthly contributions let us plan for long term projects and respond quickly when urgent needs arise and I'll give you an example we had the need for a new mattress right and we've also had urgent needs for refrigerators and washing machines and all of that kind of stuff that comes up so they tend to need to be replaced and our women deserve to have the things that they need so with the monthly donor program technically anybody can do it for any amount and they're because rage against addiction always needs something I've known I've known you for years now and there's times you've told me you guys need a furniture you need clothes and also you're not getting the grants that you use to or the contributions that you use to so this monthly donor program will definitely help a lot yes so somebody becomes a monthly donor what is there anything that they're getting in return Besides, of course, helping those that need it, I know you guys have an, like, an excellent newsletter. Were they all the mediate you'll subscribe to that? Yeah, I will, but we'll subscribe you to our newsletter, so you'll know what's going on. You can kind of track our progress. Um, here's success stories, know the data, and, like, how many women we serve each year, and just be a part of something bigger. So with this, I guess they're also going to be, because of the newsletter, they're gonna be one of the first ones to find out about events coming up like the memory walking run, the basketball, and any other future events that you're doing, the podcast that you do, so they're going to be tied in right away. Yes. All right, so how can they become a monthly donor? You can go to our website, and that is rage against addiction dot org, and go to our donate button, and on there, you will have the option to become a monthly donor, and you can put in any amount that you want. Your commitment bigger small empowers our mission and changes lives every single day, visit us at rage against addiction dot org to become a reoccurring donor and join us in making a lasting impact. Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and belief in a brighter future. Together, we can make a difference. Join us today. 

Rich Bennett 29:05
Now, and I may have asked you this the last time you were on. Maybe I can't remember. But with your story, and the success that you're having, you know, century recovery. Have you ever thought about reading a book? 

Kat 29:21
I have not. 

Rich Bennett 29:22
Why not. 

Kat 29:23
It's never crossed my mind. 

Rich Bennett 29:27
here's a thing. You're a good role model. 

Kat 29:30
Because 

Rich Bennett 29:31
You are a single mom, raising your kids, teaching them well. You know, staying fit, learning more about your mind and your body. And that, that's important. And a lot of people don't know how to do that. And I think if you wrote, you know, wrote a book about it, it would definitely help a lot of people. 

Kat 29:57
And I think I've heard a lot of I've read in some books and like I'm a podcast person that I listen to podcasts all the time. 

Rich Bennett 30:02
She just doesn't listen to mine. 

Kat 30:04
Well, you know, I have quite the commute. So I've plenty of time. But what I've heard on multiple people say is that so many people go through life on autopilot, like not really thinking outside of what they have to do the next day. You know, like, so we're not thinking of what does what I do today affect 80 or 

Rich Bennett 30:30
whatever. And 

Kat 30:30
what is what I do today affects 

Rich Bennett 30:32
me. 

Kat 30:33
Where like, I'm really trying to, I've unfortunately lost my mother this year. Yeah. So watching that and watching my kids go through that, like, she was only 70. Like, I don't want to have my final day be 70. 

Rich Bennett 30:50
Yeah. 

Kat 30:50
Yeah. You know, and she definitely, unfortunately, a lot of it was mine and my brother's fault being where she could only think of the crisis in the moment. But she never planned for what her life would look like in retirement. You know, like, she didn't plan trips. She didn't do anything like that. She just went from one day to the other. And I don't want to be like that. 

Rich Bennett 31:09
Now, 

Kat 31:10
I want to be able to have big goals and dreams that are met and really enjoy my retirement whenever I get there. Luckily, her and my father left me in a very good place. 

Rich Bennett 31:21
Good. 

Kat 31:22
Um, we finally just had a life insurance policy payout where we're able to like breathe a little bit. 

Rich Bennett 31:28
Yeah. 

Kat 31:28
Yeah, because that's been since the end of May, 

Rich Bennett 31:31
they can, 

Kat 31:31
they take forever. 

Rich Bennett 31:33
But it's the thing is to, and when you mention your mom, past and it's 70 and, you know, yeah, it does. That sits in the back of your mind. My brother passed when he he was 62. That age has always scared me ever since he passed. Because I know my health is a lot better than his. 

Kat 31:54
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:55
But it's just these things that go through your mind. 

Kat 31:59
And so many people aren't thinking forward 

Rich Bennett 32:02
like, 

Kat 32:03
like, they just want to survive this day. 

Rich Bennett 32:05
This. 

Kat 32:06
you know, 

Rich Bennett 32:06
No, 

Kat 32:07
especially with the economy the way it is now, like, people are, like, before this life insurance policy paid out, I was robbing Peter to pay Paul. 

Rich Bennett 32:14
Yeah. 

Kat 32:14
You know, like, I went a couple days without cell phone service because we just couldn't pay that bill that month. The mortgage was more important. You know, like, now I can finally, like, breathe all the bills are paid. But everybody's living like that. 

Rich Bennett 32:26
Yeah. Like, 

Kat 32:27
it doesn't matter what you do for a living anymore. Like, um. 

yeah. and I'm like, yeah, child care. She's got two little ones. So that's probably, uh, cool 1500 a month easy. Then food has become a rent payment, a mortgage payment per month which 

Rich Bennett 32:58
is crazy. And it's, uh, 

Kat 32:58
so I can't go to Aldi for 150 bucks and get two weeks of food anymore. It's a close to 300. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 33:07
I love. 

Kat 33:08
Me too. They're definitely helping because that same 300 would be 600 at another grocery store, you know. uhm, but it's still like inflation hits Aldi too. 

Rich Bennett 33:18
I think it's, yeah, I hear a lot of people say they are. A lot of people are struggling. Um. I, one of the things I was always told was you hear, you always hear live within your means. 

And there are, there are, you guys, I mean, there are things I look as like, okay, do I need that? No. Cut that. I mean, I cut the court a while ago. 

Kat 33:49
Um, 

Rich Bennett 33:49
that didn't sound 

Kat 33:50
TV. 

Rich Bennett 33:50
as I wrote for 

Kat 33:52
Nobody needs 

Rich Bennett 33:53
Well, the only thing I have it for internet, because I, because I record 

Kat 33:56
cable. 

Rich Bennett 33:56
virtually. So I definitely need that. Um. But like even my daughter, my daughter's a big hockey fan. And I told her, she said, well, you're working. If you want, you're going to have to buy the service. 

Kat 34:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 34:08
I said, I don't watch. I know. I can't watch it. It looks like a flag going across the screen. I can't. 

Um, but there are, there are things that you have to cut. Do you need it now? I was going, I was a month to a different place to try for lunch or dinner. 

Kat 34:25
Yeah. How 

Rich Bennett 34:26
do you cut it out? 

Kat 34:27
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 34:27
I don't mind. 

Kat 34:29
And 

Rich Bennett 34:29
I 

Kat 34:29
it's 

Rich Bennett 34:29
find 

Kat 34:29
hard. 

Rich Bennett 34:29
something else to do in its place. 

Kat 34:31
Right. And it's hard like, especially with little ones that play sports. 

Rich Bennett 34:35
Oh my God, sports are expensive 

Kat 34:37
sports are expensive, but then how do you put food in them in between school homework, practice, after practice, they're exhausted. 

Rich Bennett 34:46
Yes. 

Kat 34:47
You know, um, so I'm using, I'll have one week where I purchase the food from Wawa the next week, I use my Wawa rewards to purchase 

Rich Bennett 34:56
a, a smart, though, 

Kat 34:58
you know, because if you order through the app, you build rewards the whole time. 

Rich Bennett 35:02
Yes. 

Kat 35:02
So then I turn around and they've always got the wraps, my kids like and a kid's meal is always one of the rewards on there that you. 

Rich Bennett 35:10
Okay, 

Kat 35:11
yeah. So then that covers my daughter's case idea that's the only things you'll eat from there. 

Rich Bennett 35:16
Do you guys have a renders? 

Kat 35:17
We don't. So the closest renders is one up here. 

Rich Bennett 35:21
What about the 

Kat 35:22
here? Oh, then there's 

Rich Bennett 35:23
one in 

Kat 35:23
the hickory. Yeah, this would be closer for me. 

Rich Bennett 35:26
Because one of the things I love about them, they have the phone app now, 

Kat 35:30
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 35:30
where you get better deals from the phone. No, like there's one time when shopping and you get a free panel. Is it what's the package of baking a pound? free pound of baking. 

Kat 35:40
Yeah, there 

Rich Bennett 35:40
So I 

Kat 35:41
you go. Just for 

Rich Bennett 35:42
don't 

Kat 35:42
using 

Rich Bennett 35:42
I 

Kat 35:42
the 

Rich Bennett 35:42
don't need it, but baking goes good with everything. Um, yeah, all kinds of stuff. Now I did because I had a bad habit of since I cook, I would cook for an army. 

Kat 35:57
Mm hmm. Well, 

Rich Bennett 35:58
a lot of people get thrown away because a lot of people don't eat leftovers. 

Kat 36:00
oh my God, that's one of 

Rich Bennett 36:01
So, 

Kat 36:02
them is annoying things. 

Rich Bennett 36:03
oh, yeah, 

Kat 36:03
My children don't touch leftovers. It's all on me. 

Rich Bennett 36:07
To start portioning, a where it's like, I would eat two to three portions, what for myself? 

Kat 36:13
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 36:14
It's like, which is probably why I was up to 300 pounds. Um, it's like, no, it's just to a portion. 

Kat 36:20
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 36:20
And eat better. Why watch how you cook it? I mean, I it's it's expensive to do a diet. 

Kat 36:29
Yes, it is. It sucks how it's so expensive 

Rich Bennett 36:32
to change your lifestyle. 

Kat 36:33
Right. Yeah. You got to like, you got to change the, the actual box that you're trying to put the 

Rich Bennett 36:40
in. 

Kat 36:40
puzzle pieces 

Rich Bennett 36:40
Yes, yeah, 

Kat 36:42
instead of just trying to shove the puzzle pieces in there. Like, no, you have to change the way you're thinking about the situation. Um, we're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. We don't need a lot of the extra stuff that we used to do. Like, we still always have like, even just buying chocolate milk. No, just make the chocolate milk if they want it, 

Rich Bennett 36:59
we don't need, yeah, 

Kat 37:00
because half the gallon would go bad, because they only wanted three cups, you know? So now I just buy the chocolates here. Just little things like 

Rich Bennett 37:08
smoothies. 

Kat 37:08
I do. I'm an injure person. I've got an 

Rich Bennett 37:11
Me 

Kat 37:11
injure 

Rich Bennett 37:11
too. Yes. 

Kat 37:12
It's so easy. 

Rich Bennett 37:14
Now, what kind are you using almond milk, sweet milk? 

Kat 37:18
I used soy milk, it's got the misprotein out of any of the alternative 

Rich Bennett 37:22
Are you 

Kat 37:22
milks. 

Rich Bennett 37:22
giving that to them using chocolate syrup? 

Kat 37:25
Mmm, I haven't yet, but my kids are honestly pretty healthy. Besides their candy habit, they have. 

Rich Bennett 37:32
Their candy 

Kat 37:33
the candy habit is terrible. Uhm, but they, they eat pretty 

Rich Bennett 37:37
habit. 

Kat 37:37
well. 

Rich Bennett 37:37
Yeah, 

Kat 37:38
I haven't had to really worry about them. Uhm, they're not super picky or anything like that. 

Rich Bennett 37:44
That's amazing. 

Kat 37:45
Yes, my daughter will pretend like she doesn't like what it is and then next time just don't tell her what it is and she eats 

Rich Bennett 37:50
and the youngest is what? 

Kat 37:51
it. Four 

Rich Bennett 37:52
Four and not picky. 

Kat 37:54
Mmm, yes, you just have to present it the right way. 

Rich Bennett 37:58
So, like, even green vegetables, shall we? 

Kat 38:00
Yeah, she loves broccoli. She's not a huge fan of green beans, but I think that was because she had green beans a lot of daycare, but she should eat broccoli. She loves salad. 

Rich Bennett 38:11
Okay, so 

Kat 38:13
forget 

Rich Bennett 38:14
about writing a book about your story. You got to write a book about how to get kids to eat stuff that's good for them. 

Kat 38:19
I don't know what it was. I always have a salad with a meal. Uhm, it's something I've always preferred to do. Uhm, I know there's like biohacking research. Have you ever heard of that? Where? It's supposed to like help you digest the rest of your meal afterwards. But honestly, I've just always liked salad. 

Rich Bennett 38:41
Yeah, me. 

Kat 38:41
I'd honestly rather have just like my protein on top of salad and skip whatever the carbs are involved. yeah, a Cobb salad is perfect. 

Rich Bennett 38:52
Yes, 

Kat 38:53
I also, I mean, shameless plug for chilies. But whenever I go over there, they have the quesadilla explosion salad. That's my favorite. So it's got like. 

Rich Bennett 39:03
Okay, wait a minute. Hold 

Kat 39:04
on chicken on top. 

Rich Bennett 39:06
First of all, I mean, a Mexican restaurant should not have a dish with explosion. 

Kat 39:13
Oh 

Rich Bennett 39:15
my 

Kat 39:15
god, but it is and it I don't I don't even think it's the healthiest thing on the menu, but um, 

Rich Bennett 39:20
the explosion. That's what it 

Kat 39:23
It's 

Rich Bennett 39:23
is. 

Kat 39:23
got like three toppings of like, helpings of chicken on top. And it's it's so good. The corn salsa 

Rich Bennett 39:31
on 

Kat 39:32
it. It's delicious. 

Rich Bennett 39:39
Oh, so it doesn't have that bad lettuce that was going around. 

Kat 39:42
Right. I luckily, I never got hit with that. With how many salads I eat. 

Rich Bennett 39:48
Oh, I don't know if I did or not, but there was a couple days. My stomach was just not feeling right. 

Kat 39:55
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:55
And it could have been some for, you know, a burger or sandwich, some type of sandwich I had. Who knows. 

Kat 40:02
Right. 

Rich Bennett 40:02
But you know, 

Kat 40:03
we go through a lot of strawberries too. And that was the other thing that 

Rich Bennett 40:06
was. 

Kat 40:07
By those. 

Rich Bennett 40:08
Oh, yeah. Now, all right. So it's funny. You mentioned that because one of the things I started doing and I found this out from my nephew from Richardson 

Kat 40:20
forms. 

Rich Bennett 40:21
To 

because certain there's certain places where you don't want to get strawberries from certain, like, states and countries, but one of the things I found out, no matter what type of fruit you get. 

And it was put in a bowl of water and vinegar solution. And I never knew that. Let it sit for several minutes and then rinse it off. You'd be surprised what 

Kat 40:51
How 

Rich Bennett 40:51
it 

Kat 40:51
much 

Rich Bennett 40:51
pulled. 

Kat 40:51
gunk comes on? 

Rich Bennett 40:52
Yes. Especially if you're getting like apples and all from the store with 

Kat 40:58
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 40:58
this. 

It's scary. 

Kat 41:02
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 41:03
It's scary, but it pulls that stuff out. 

Kat 41:05
Pulls it out. 

Rich Bennett 41:06
So it makes it a lot better for you than you can freeze them. I mean, you should do whatever. 

Kat 41:11
Right. 

Rich Bennett 41:11
God, why are we talking about food? I'm getting 

Kat 41:13
hungry. 

Rich Bennett 41:14
So with the fitness, and the nutrition, especially after you figured out about the chronic PTSD. 

Kat 41:22
Do 

Rich Bennett 41:23
you have a nutritionist that helps you put together menus? Or are you just doing on. 

Kat 41:27
know. There's Chachi P. T. for that, 

Rich Bennett 41:29
what 

Kat 41:29
you 

Rich Bennett 41:29
others 

Kat 41:29
know, 

Rich Bennett 41:29
don't 

Kat 41:30
I did take. I took a Google AI certification course to like learn about AI. Yep. And you really have to like train AI to do what you want it to do. And there's ways to ask it questions that you'll get a better answer. 

Rich Bennett 41:49
Right. 

Kat 41:49
Where like you can have it, like right now, I have one of the chats in my chat. G. P. T. is I've trained it to be a nutritionist essentially. 

Rich Bennett 41:59
Smart. 

Kat 41:59
Yep. So I can like tell that chat what I'm gonna eat at the restaurant that 

Rich Bennett 42:05
Yeah. 

Kat 42:05
night and it'll be like, "Alright, you covered this, this, and that, and you're good." 

Rich Bennett 42:09
Alright, first of 

Kat 42:10
Because 

Rich Bennett 42:10
all, 

a lot of people, even people younger, younger than you, I mean, people like their early 20s are afraid, scared to death, of AI. 

Kat 42:25
I 

Rich Bennett 42:25
don't know why. I do know why, because for some reason they think it's gonna take over the world, it's 

Kat 42:30
Well, 

Rich Bennett 42:30
not. And you're using it as a tool, and that's something I tell people all 

Kat 42:34
the time. 

Rich Bennett 42:35
And Bray say AI, especially if you own a business, because if you don't, you're gonna lose out. 

Kat 42:39
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 42:39
And use it as a tool, but don't let it run things for you. 

Kat 42:43
Right, 

Rich Bennett 42:44
Especially, I am so, we just talked about this not too long ago. I am so sick and tired of seeing the same graphics on social 

Kat 42:52
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 42:52
media. It's like, "Oh, come on, people, you can tell it's AI" because everybody's got the same thing. 

Kat 42:57
And the, the background that looks like spray 

Rich Bennett 43:00
Yeah. 

Kat 43:00
paint. So unfinished and 

Rich Bennett 43:01
Yeah. 

Kat 43:02
terrible. I hate it. Especially because I do the social media for work a lot. So like, I don't, I want to stay away from any 

Rich Bennett 43:09
this. Well, 

Kat 43:09
of 

Rich Bennett 43:09
here's, I can understand the part where people are getting scared now, because with AI, 

people are letting it do the work for them and not using it 

Kat 43:22
Not 

Rich Bennett 43:22
as. 

Kat 43:23
double 

Rich Bennett 43:23
it. 

Kat 43:23
checking 

Rich Bennett 43:23
And he doesn't have that personal touch. 

Kat 43:25
No, it doesn't. 

Rich Bennett 43:26
That's gonna, that will kill businesses or people's brains or influencers quicker than anything, because people can tell if it's not that personal touch. 

Kat 43:35
Right. 

Rich Bennett 43:35
So, wow. May we cover it a lot. 

Kat 43:38
(Laughter) 

Rich Bennett 43:38
Week how? See, this is what happens when you get two people together that have the ADHD. 

Kat 43:44
Exactly. 

Rich Bennett 43:44
Alright, so what's the next big thing for Kat? 

Kat 43:47
The next big thing for me I've got 

Rich Bennett 43:50
a, a-- 

Kat 43:50
a, 

Rich Bennett 43:50
Besides, right into 

Kat 43:51
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 43:51
books. that. 

Kat 43:52
yeah. We'll work on 

Rich Bennett 43:53
(Laughter) 

Kat 43:54
I have a recovery month line of clothes that will be coming out 

Rich Bennett 43:59
Nice. 

Kat 43:59
soon. So, I've been working on that the past couple months. So, those will come out this month in September for a recovery month. I do have, I'm waiting for a new job to start, so that'll be really exciting. Similar, like, operations and licensing that I've been doing, but just for a different organization. 

And I'm really excited to see how my kids grow this year. Like, they're both in school this year. Like, we just had our last day of daycare yesterday and like, ended that era, you know. So, I'm excited to see, like, what, what my kids accomplished this year. My son's got really into basketball, and I'm his coach for basketball, so that'll be fun this year. And my daughter is really into gymnastics. 

Rich Bennett 44:48
Oh God. (Laughter) 

Kat 44:50
So that that can get very expensive, very fast, but she's-- 

Rich Bennett 44:53
Yeah. 

Kat 44:53
So, we'll see how that goes. 

Rich Bennett 44:56
Yeah, the next thing you know, "Mama, can I do dance?" Wait, so your son's only doing basketball? 

Kat 45:00
Oh, no. He's in soccer right 

Rich Bennett 45:02
Okay. 

Kat 45:02
now. Then he's got basketball. He's got baseball. This is his first year playing soccer, and he's doing real well. They've got him in goal 

Rich Bennett 45:09
Okay. 

Kat 45:09
with-- Cool. He seems to really like being goalkeeper. 

Rich Bennett 45:13
And how old's he? 

Kat 45:14
He's nine. 

Rich Bennett 45:14
Nine. 

Kat 45:15
Mm-hmm. 

Rich Bennett 45:16
So, he's probably right on the gulf with Santa Claus, right? 

Kat 45:19
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 45:20
Okay. 

Kat 45:21
Yeah. Last year was touchy. Yeah. See, he was skeptical, you know? Like, you could--he was asking questions. But he's also such a good big brother that I think if 

Rich Bennett 45:30
He 

Kat 45:31
I-- 

Rich Bennett 45:31
would do it 

Kat 45:31
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 45:32
for-- Okay. 

Kat 45:32
Yes, he would. 

Rich Bennett 45:33
Because it's just funny, I haven't, you know, haven't seen you bring up Dan and Richardson or down there. I'm 

Kat 45:39
(Laughter) 

Rich Bennett 45:39
just saying. (Applause) Just 

Kat 45:41
That 

Rich Bennett 45:41
saying. 

Kat 45:41
would be awesome when Santa come to town. 

Rich Bennett 45:43
It's always the first--so they do dinner with Santa. It's always the first Friday. Okay. And Saturday and second Friday and Saturday. Okay. 

Kat 45:52
Cool. 

Rich Bennett 45:52
You know, Richardson's Forms 

Kat 45:53
Mm-hmm. 

Rich Bennett 45:53
is--Okay. 

Kat 45:54
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 45:54
Right down there. 

Kat 45:55
Alright. 

Rich Bennett 45:55
And then, I think the second Saturday and Sunday is "White Marshmall" with your Fire Department and Richardson Cater's 

Kat 46:04
That. Oh, cool. 

Rich Bennett 46:05
But yeah. You come to the farm, it's--yeah. 

Kat 46:08
That'll 

Rich Bennett 46:08
fun. I 

Kat 46:08
be 

Rich Bennett 46:09
think Friday they do dinner for-- Dinner with Santa is breakfast. 

Kat 46:12
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 46:13
And I think Saturday is dinner. And if they like fire engines, 

Kat 46:16
mm-hmm. 

Rich Bennett 46:17
Because the fire truck comes around all--every time. 

Kat 46:19
We actually chased Santa on the fire truck last year. (Laughter) Because it didn't come to our neighborhood, I guess I missed the cutoff for requesting it. 

Rich Bennett 46:28
Yeah. 

Kat 46:28
Yeah. Because we're like right on the Abingdon line for the Abingdon Fire Company. But then, they always published the Santa track. 

Rich Bennett 46:36
Yeah. So 

Kat 46:37
we went--when it was going through Fire Point Park and all those little streets, so I knew we would be going slow. We went back and 

Rich Bennett 46:44
changed the dam. We 

Kat 46:45
Sure 

Rich Bennett 46:45
sure did. 

Kat 46:45
did we we followed Santa and Mrs. Claus my kids loved it 

Rich Bennett 46:49
Well just to let you know if you bring him to Richard Sins I know Santa does not have a time limit for the kids to come up and tell him 

Kat 46:57
cool. 

Rich Bennett 46:58
Oh, you know, 

Kat 46:59
We've got an end with Santa. oh 

Rich Bennett 47:00
oh 

Kat 47:00
yeah 

Rich Bennett 47:00
yeah. 

Big time. So alright cat actually do you have anything to add because this is the fun part? I mean, seeing her talking to you is Right? but 

Kat 47:13
mean if I'm always going to plug myself, but if you go to simply serenityaparel.com 

It's very similar to what you'll you're used to wearing on vacation with simply Southern except it's a recovery twist Trying to build community while even when you're not in your community And then for anybody who's listening who's new to recovery Please give yourself a break ask somebody else who's been there done that what they've done and don't try to do it on your own A google search isn't gonna get you to the best treatment center. You really have to ask somebody who's who's in it 

Rich Bennett 47:49
I 

Kat 47:50
And we have plenty of resources in our community. We're really blessed So you can really you can even just reach out to Rich and he'll help connect you to whoever So if you're new, please, please just don't do it alone. That's that's my plug 

Rich Bennett 48:03
Alright, so I have a hundred different questions here 

Kat 48:05
good for it. 

Rich Bennett 48:06
I'm not gonna answer your all 100 

Kat 48:07
not 

Rich Bennett 48:07
you I can do it one of two ways I haven't broken down in five blocks 

Kat 48:12
Okay, 

Rich Bennett 48:12
So you can pick a number one through five and then whatever numbers are in that category of that to pick again, 

Kat 48:16
okay 

Rich Bennett 48:16
or You just pick a number two and one hundred whatever you want to do 250 250 

Kat 48:21
right in the middle just right in the middle 

Rich Bennett 48:24
So my number 50 because it's 

Kat 48:25
middle. 

Rich Bennett 48:25
in the 

Kat 48:26
Mm-hmm Everybody picks the beginning of the end. I'll pick the middle 

Rich Bennett 48:30
This is a good question. 

Kat 48:31
I cool. I 

Rich Bennett 48:31
Haven't seen all where'd you go and I got my glasses 

Kat 48:36
these 50 

Rich Bennett 48:36
on what is a value that guides most of your decisions? 

Kat 48:43
A value that guides most of my decisions would be authenticity 

Because that is something that I learned through recovery and through relapse if you're keeping anything to your Self and recovery. It ends up becoming a resentment or a very sick secret that just like eats away at your soul So I one of the biggest values since I Rededicated myself to my recovery has been being authentic in all aspects of my life Whether that hurts somebody's feelings or not sometimes or does it maybe it's not Like sometimes especially in business if you're authentic You're not gonna get the answer you were hoping for you Or sometimes you've got to put on like a corporate face for certain things and I'm just not that person. 

Rich Bennett 49:31
That's good though 

Kat 49:32
I would love to be in the corporate world, but not at the expense of myself, you know So I'm just I'll I earned myself a seat in the C-suite and I'll do it again 

Just my way, you know, I I don't want to do it where somebody's doing me a favor. I don't want to do it where I'm getting in bed with somebody who might 

Rich Bennett 49:57
be 

Kat 49:57
not Person for the people in recovery because unfortunately there are a lot of bad actors out there From sober living on up unfortunately. and 

Rich Bennett 50:05
Yeah 

Kat 50:06
I just want to go where like my god takes me and be off myself My authentic self wherever I am. I never want to have to wear a mask every again So that's the that's the big value that guides my decisions is like am I if I make this decision and am I going to be able to be my 

Rich Bennett 50:24
yeah, 

Kat 50:24
authentic self through Carrying it out, you know So whether that's work school the gym anything I just like 

Any aspect of my life somebody ask me for help in Facebook Messenger. I'm gonna be straight up with them I'm not gonna sugarcoat anything If I don't have the answer, I'm not gonna pretend I do, you know It's 

Rich Bennett 50:48
good. It's good. See, that's what makes you so special 

Kat 50:52
Thanks I 

Rich Bennett 50:53
Want to thank you for coming 

Kat 50:54
It's 

Rich Bennett 50:54
on. 

Kat 50:55
for having me. 

Rich Bennett 50:55
Oh my pleasure I think you're gonna be on again because I'm gonna run something else by you, 

Kat 50:59
all 

Rich Bennett 50:59
but 

Kat 50:59
right 

Rich Bennett 51:00
Very 

Kat 51:00
cool 

Rich Bennett 51:01
proud of everything you're doing don't stop keep kicking ass 

Kat 51:06
and 

Rich Bennett 51:09
taking names Again, just you from everything I've seen from what I've heard the most important 

role that you're doing and You are phenomenal. It is being an awesome mom. 

Kat 51:25
Thank you 

Rich Bennett 51:25
So thank you for that. 

Kat 51:27
Yes, it's my favorite role ever

Rich Bennett 51:31
[BLANK_AUDIO] Cat's second time joining me shows just how much can change when someone keeps doing the work. Since sharing her road to recovery during our Pada Thon for recovery last year, she has continued building a life centered on purpose, strength, and service. She launched simply serenity apparel to help people in recovery recognize and connect with one another. Embraced fitness as a tool for mental and emotional healing and continuing learning how trauma can affect both the mind and body. And what stood out most was Cat's commitment to authenticity. She isn't pretending to have every answer or claiming that recovery makes life easy. She's raising two children working through trauma, preparing for a new job, building a business and still making herself available to others who need help. Her message is one worth remembering. Give yourself a break, talk with someone who understands and please don't try to recover alone. Cat, like I told you, I'm proud of everything you're accomplishing, but I'm especially proud of the mother and role model you continue to be. Thanks for coming back, speaking honestly and reminding us that recovery isn't simply about leaving something behind. It's about discovering who you are, creating the life worth of living and helping others find their way forward. Until next time, I'm Rich Bennett. Thanks for listening and remember, every great conversation starts with someone willing to listen and someone willing to share. Now it's your turn. Join the conversation by sharing this episode, leave in a comment, or reaching out to me directly. Take care, be kind to one another, and I'll talk with you again soon.