“Pace car…”

Shared by Breanne Smedley

There are some people that you meet in life, just at the right time in your journey.

Whether it’s the universe, God, or just being in the right place at the right time, it’s pretty amazing to look back and see how it happened.

I first met Karis Cooper out of desperation.

I was 6 months pregnant and suffering from awful sciatic pain.

I had called around to a couple of different chiropractors in the area, but none could get me in as soon as I wanted to.

Next up on the google search list: Cooper Chiropractic.

To my surprise, they had an opening the next day. YES!! I couldn’t wait.

I met Karis and automatically could tell that she was one of those women that I desired to be like.

Strong but gentle. Assertive yet empathetic.

Passionate. Generous.

She adjusted me and gave me loads of great information about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.

While chatting, the conversation went to her daughters.

And then to volleyball.

Turns out, Karis had connections to volleyball in the area, went to the middle school down the road from River where she played, and had two young daughters she was hoping to get involved with the sport.

“You’ve met the perfect person!” I thought, as I began to tell her where I coached and the programs that we had for youth.

Little did I know, it would be me that would benefit the most from this new relationship.

Karis came aboard my coaching staff that season and since then has become such an important part of our program.

Training the girls in injury prevention, but also in so much more.

She challenged them in all aspects of their life to set the foundation for their performance on the court.

Sleep, hydration, nutrition, posture, self-talk, self-love.

She showed up each week, measuring progress, and pouring into our team.

Then, I got to know her on another level as she joined our ConfidenceFactor™ Challenge and I spent the month living and learning through her stories.

Then, she came aboard GRIT with Kristina and I where I’ve been able to witness as she transforms across mind, body, business, and relationships.

In fact, today she just wrote inside GRIT:

“I have become more verbally confident and have felt more at home in my own body, my lesser self’s voice has been weakened, my clothes feel more comfortable, my muscles feel stronger, and business emails and correspondence have become more fluid.”

I’ve heard that it’s important to have people in your life that are just a little ahead of your stage.

A pace car that is living in the way you envision yourself living.

Karis is definitely that person for me.

She is strong, confident, and thoughtful.

Generous, kind, and authentic.

She doesn’t pretend to have it all figured out, but instead wrestles with the hard questions and digs deep to explore them.

She is modeling to me how to run your own business, raise kids, and “be all the things” for others while still being your authentic self and maintaining boundaries.

She is showing me that the learning never stops.

That you continue to evolve with each age and stage of your life.

Thank you Karis, for being that pace car for me.

I’ll be forever grateful for that annoying sciatic pregnancy pain.

Because it led me to you!

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