Kara Stokes Coach

Kara Stokes Coach Storytelling Strategist | Speaker | Turning expertise into action through books, talks & engaging communications | Workshops + keynotes + software demos

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Today is a sad day.I have no proof.No heart-wrenching photo of me in tears.No major event happened.Today looks like the ...
22/06/2026

Today is a sad day.
I have no proof.
No heart-wrenching photo of me in tears.

No major event happened.
Today looks like the last four days. Time with family. Responsibilities. Decisions. Fresh air. Hot showers.
Except I woke up sad.

I sit with my sadness and ask her, What do you want to tell me?
She says it all. Talking until her wails become a whisper.
I ask, What do you need?
A cuddle?
A tissue?
A song?
She shakes her head.

I inhale deeply and nod.
She needs space.
I sit quietly and watch my sadness grow.
With each breath, she multiplies. Doubles. Triples in size.
She's finally so large, I cannot see anything else.
She's dark and heavy.
Looming over me.
Old me would cry in fear. Try to push her away.
Shout and rage. Judge myself for letting her get so big.

Not now.
Now I look at her openly. Lovingly. Patiently.
Sadness trembles. She inhales again…and deflates.
Much faster than she grew.
She shrinks. Changing from slate grey to dove. Then white. Then the palest, sweetest blue.
I smile softly at her and wave.
Sadness turns her head, staring at me one last time.
And walks away.

I know she'll return. I might see her coming.
Or wake to her beside my bed.
That's okay.
Letting sadness come and go means happiness visits too.
Yin to Yang.
Without one, the other cannot exist.
And then I would be numb.

Numbness is tempting.
And it's dangerous.
It's where you get lost.
Without fear or pain, there's no joy or love.
Every emotion fades.

So I open the door to my feelings.
Welcome them into my body, soul, and mind.
They show me who they are and why they're here.
I see them so clearly, let them become so immense, that even happiness aches.

Because life is meant to be felt.

*trigger warning - this post contains medical and mental health references that may be upsetting*It’s taken months for m...
02/06/2026

*trigger warning - this post contains medical and mental health references that may be upsetting*

It’s taken months for me to decide whether or not to publish this.
If you know me, you know I don’t throw words around for the sake of it. And this moment needed the most thoughtfulness I’ve ever mustered.

So here goes…
I have breast cancer.

I considered keeping this news off social media for so many reasons.
I don’t need comments with well-meaning but unsolicited advice on treatment options or “magic” pills.
Hearing about your cousin who went through cancer helps you feel closer to me, but it doesn’t change my experience.
And please don’t say “stay strong”. Grit is all I have. In two months, I’ve made more life-changing decisions than I’ve had to during my entire life (and I’ve been through some tough times).

You’ll say, “You’re so brave”. But my options are choosing to live while enduring a ride I never bought a ticket for.
Or letting cancer win.
Not much of a choice.

I decided to give this part of my life public airtime because the next year will bring noticeable changes for me. I’ve already lost my hair.
I can’t pop back in here, pretending nothing’s happened, when what I’m going through hurts - physically, emotionally and mentally. Every day tests me.

I want to lead the narrative of my story.

My breast cancer is curable. There’s no question mark hanging over my head about how long I’ll live. It was a huge relief to find out that my family and I have the gift of time.

There is a long list of treatments including chemotherapy, surgery and hormone therapy.
Beating this beast is a long game.

It will reshape who I am. What I stand for. What matters to me. And why I’m here.
I don’t know where it’ll take me but I’ll explore every question, musing and unexpected reroute with determination and an open mind.
Perhaps I’ll come back here as someone completely new. Or perhaps I’ll dig deeper into who I am right now. Who knows?

All I know is, this is not the end of my story. And I’m incredibly grateful for that.

If you want to help, take 10 seconds to sit, close your eyes and imagine a giant, pearly bubble of good health and love forming between your hands. Then throw it my way. Thank you 💚

Due to a recent health diagnosis, I am pausing my business indefinitely.Thank you for all of your support over the last ...
10/04/2026

Due to a recent health diagnosis, I am pausing my business indefinitely.

Thank you for all of your support over the last eight years. There have been many fascinating, funny and deeply moving moments. I’m so grateful for it all.

Remember that your words have the power to shape people’s lives and move their hearts. Use them wisely.

All the best,
Kara 💚

26/03/2026

I caught myself slumping in my chair, thinking ‘I’m so sore. But I need to get this done. Just 15 more minutes’.

My typing speed was getting slower and slower but still, I pushed on.

By the 2.37pm, it felt like 20 musty old socks had been jammed into my forehead. I couldn’t even decide whether to go to the toilet or have a sip of water first.

I’d gotten caught up in the “Sitting, typing more = getting more done” mindset. All it did was make me feel blue and churn out subpar words I knew I’d regret writing the next day.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the digital world and forget there’s reality beyond it. Between the endless scrolling and the constant pings, your brain withers and completely disconnects from what matters. (Sunshine, fresh air, hugs and laughter)

Lately, I’ve been prioritising screen breaks to be out in nature more. Putting my feet on the grass or spending five minutes among the trees to clear my mental cobwebs. Nature doesn’t care about notifications, to-do lists or the future. It just exists.

When you reconnect with the earth, you discharge anxious energy and release anger. It helps you strengthen your roots (your values, thoughts and focus) so you can handle whatever storm is headed your way.

Grounding yourself is more than a trendy term. It’s a necessity.

My high school psychology teacher was obsessed with The Simpsons. Every class involved a deep psychological analysis of ...
19/03/2026

My high school psychology teacher was obsessed with The Simpsons. Every class involved a deep psychological analysis of a Simpson’s character’s behaviour.

At the end of year 12, he gave out a Simpsons-themed award to each student.

I was the last one in the class to be called up.

Anxious, petite and desperate to put 100 kms between my and my peers, I shuffled up to his desk. With my head down, avoiding all eye contact, he said, “You get the Maggie Simpson Award. Kara, you’re the dark horse. Quiet and unassuming. No one knows what you’ll do. But one day, you’ll surprise us all.”

Two decades later (and maybe a fraction more 😉) those words are still lodged in my head.

Until I was 30ish, I was always seen as the quiet one. The meek one. The eager-to-please one.

Over the years, I’ve shed those labels and let parts of me come out.

But a friend and mentor recently said to me, “You’re way smarter and more brilliant than you let anyone know.”

It was a firm, loving prod to own my intelligence.

I’m not University Smart. Or CEO Smart.

I’m Connect the Dots Between What You Say and What You Do Smart. I see beneath the words and feel the emotions you’re holding back.

I’ll never stand in a boardroom and wow people with my intellectual insights.

I’m much happier creating internal shifts that make individuals say, “That’s what I’ve been trying to say all these years! Thank you for putting it into words.”

Funny how I’m fab at encouraging people to let their thoughts rip, loud and proud. Yet I’m still keeping my brain on a leash.

Personal growth is ironic like that.

10/03/2026

Your 40th birthday gives you the keys to a new kingdom 🎂🎉

Where you quit living by rules made up by people who were just as clueless as the rest of us.

You’ve spent decades climbing the ladder, tucking away the too loud or too creative parts of yourself to fit into the C-Suite or blend in at networking events. You’ve thrived professionally because you were so good at moulding yourself to suit each situation.

But somewhere along the way, you left yourself behind.

Welcome to the age of the Creative Rebellion.

Reclaim the parts of you that don’t care about quarterly KPIs or best practices.

Write the book. Join an adult dance class. Try pottery, archery, rollerskating or whatever hobby you’ve been too embarrassed to do.

Say what you’ve been holding back.

You’re not having a crisis. You’re becoming more interesting.

Cheers to all my 40+ buddies 🥂 Loosen your waistband, put on that old Nirvana T-shirt and quit pretending you enjoy seeing 157 photos of Sally’s baby.

Live how you want to live.

03/03/2026

We’ve been conditioned to believe our body is a glorified, caffeine-fueled taxi for the brain. Useful for getting us to meetings, but not much else.

Your brain is a smart guy. He’s also cautious and a little bit manipulative.

He prioritises safety and being logical. So he’ll convince you to say yes to a new partnership even when it feels wrong. To approve a project even when you know it’ll blow out the budget, disrupt daily workflow, and the team will hate it before it’s even started.

Your brain will do whatever it takes to keep you following the same trends and making the same mistakes because that’s comfortable and known. (The poor fella thinks he’s doing you a favour!)

Your body, though? She doesn’t have a filter.

She knows when a deal is dodgy before you’ve even seen the contract. She knows when a chapter of your book is hitting the mark and when it’s waffling on.

A tight chest or sudden burst of energy when you’re out for a walk are all vital data. Even churning guts may be a signal that you’re going the wrong way (or you shouldn’t have eaten those weird bliss balls Margaret made for morning tea).

If you’re building a business, sharing your expertise or writing a book while ignoring your nervous system, you’re working with only half the information.

My latest article explores how to stop relying on your thoughts to fix every problem (because sometimes your brain is wrong 😱) and start using your physical state as your intuitive business guide.

Read it here: https://karastokes.au/your-body-is-your-best-business-guide/

26/02/2026

When was the last time you consciously went outdoors?
I don’t mean walking between your front door and your car, or walking to the train station.

When did you last decide to go outside for the sake of being outside?

Nature is the best pattern interrupter because it’s ever-changing.

While we’re stuck in the same daily habits, nature’s shifting the way it moves and works. There’s always something new to see outside.

Deliberately choosing to be outdoors is one of the best ways to reduce stress, refresh your perspective and inspire beautiful ideas. (It’s my go-to hack for when the words won’t flow onto the page.)

We need greenery around us to flourish as much as plants need sun and water.

Feed your soul today. Go outside. Close your eyes. Soften your shoulders. Exhale slowly to release all the s**t that’s bugging you this week.

Be still in this moment to notice how much the world has changed around you.

It’s the weirdest thing, isn’t it?You can lead a successful business, navigate a complex restructure, and solve a cultur...
24/02/2026

It’s the weirdest thing, isn’t it?

You can lead a successful business, navigate a complex restructure, and solve a cultural crisis before your first coffee is cold. You are, by all accounts, an absolute authority in your field.

But the moment you sit down to write your book, the Expert Paradox kicks in.

Suddenly, your profound insights feel obvious. Your frameworks feel messy. And that blinking cursor? It starts to feel like a judge and jury for your entire career. 🫠

Being a brilliant “Thinker” does not mean you have the skills of a professional “Writer.” They are two different skill sets. You’ve done the hard work of building the business and living the stories. Don’t struggle through the syntax and structure on your own.

This is where I come in.

I’m not a traditional ghostwriter who makes you sound like a plastic LinkedIn bot. I’m your co-writer and thought partner. I catch the gems in your rambles, sequence your ideas, and organise your words so you stay in your zone of genius.

You provide wisdom. I provide the structure and the prose. Together, we build a legacy-defining asset you’ll be proud to promote.

Stop staring at the blank page. Your thinking is too important to be stuck in a Google Doc draft.

DM me the word ‘BOOK’, today.📚

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