From Doubt to Do: Navigating Your Pathway to Possibility

By Kat O'Sullivan

"From Doubt to Do" is for anyone facing a significant transition who has doubts about what else is possible, no matter what stage of life they are in. When someone accepts the invitation to make a shift, they open themselves up to new possibilities. In Part I, Kat shares stories of personal and professional transformation, inspirational quotes, and thought-provoking questions that will inspire readers to have the courage to shift from doubt to do. In Part II: Your Transformational Journal, the prompts are designed to help readers go deeper, reflect on the insights they gained, and further research as they navigate their path to possibility. This book is for readers who are ready to say, "Hell, YES!" to what they really want and create new possibilities in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798350948905

Kat O'Sullivan

Kat is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and lifelong changemaker. She believes when "shift happens," it's time to "make magic happen." Kat leverages her 25 years of experience and expertise to help individuals and organizations achieve the seemingly impossible. She challenges assumptions, brings a fresh perspective, and creates a sense of curiosity about what else is possible. Kat has a long history of reinvention under fire, with immediate and long-lasting results. Kat works to provide clear strategies, plans, and practical tools to help everyone on their transformational journeys from "impossible" to "possible."

Book preview

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© 2023 KAT O’SULLIVAN

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN: 979-8-35094-889-9

Dedicated to our beloved daughter, Vanessa, who taught me so much about what it means to be alive, to live in the moment with joy and hope, and to embrace gratitude—even in unthinkable circumstances. And to my husband, Michael, whose love, and support continue to help me turn the seemingly impossible into the possible.

Some kind words from advance readers:

Even before finishing her book, I felt inspired, uplifted, hopeful, and confident that I could pursue what else is possible in my life. And that no matter what stage of life I’m in, I can think boldly about what’s next. With the helpful strategies and practical tools, I feel even more equipped to take it on.

– PAULINE FIELD

This book is all about doing the seemingly impossible. For me, it is about the dreams I’ve set aside. The heartfelt experiences that Kat shares and the impact they continue to have on people from all walks of life are inspirational and help me believe I can do the same. I feel more hopeful, eager, confident, and less inhibited to take on those things I’ve been putting off doing.

– REGGIE ODOM

Kat’s conversational and light-hearted style drew me in from the first page to the last. The honesty and vulnerability in sharing her ongoing transformational journey – with all its opportunities and challenges is insightful and inspirational. I love the ending – calling us forth to live our legacy every moment of every day.

– JENNIFER THIETZ

I believe the right book shows up at the right time. For me, it was perfect timing. It inspired me to take the parts and pieces of things I’ve started and never finished and put them in manageable order. It inspired me to believe that just because I’m 72 with some health issues, it doesn’t mean I have to give up. I can make plans and progress. I now have post-it notes with the next steps for my transformational journey. I look at them daily.

– CHRIS CLARK

Witty banter and conversational style hold your attention. Love that it’s interactive. The first part urges you to think about what you’ve just read. In part two, the journal provides an even deeper dive. It has inspired me to ponder how my personal experiences fit into my legacy.

– LOU SHANKS

Contents

Part One: My Journey from Impossible to Possible

PREFACE:

What if impossible is just a story we tell ourselves?

I. THE SECRECY FACTOR:

How are secrets impacting what’s possible?

II. DISRUPTION:

What if disruption is a good thing?

III. COURAGE:

What if it is possible?

IV. CLARITY:

Envision what you really want.

V. COMMITMENT:

Time to say, Hell, YES! to what you really want.

VI. CAPACITY:

Time to prepare yourself to do it!

VII. LEGACY:

What else is possible now?

Part Two: Your Transformational Journal

PREFACE:

What story are you telling yourself?

I. SECRECY FACTOR:

How are secrets impacting what’s possible?

II. DISRUPTION:

It feels impossible.

III. COURAGE:

What if it is possible?

IV. CLARITY:

I’m giving myself permission to envision what I really want.

V. COMMITMENT:

I’m ready to say, Hell, YES! to what I really want.

VI. CAPACITY:

I’ve got what it takes to do it!

VII. LEGACY:

It’s better than I imagined—what else is possible now?

BONUS

Celebrate Your Success!

Part One:

My Journey from Impossible to Possible

PREFACE:

What if impossible is just a story we tell ourselves?

What if impossible is just a story we tell ourselves? Do you have something you secretly (or not-so-secretly) wish you could be or do but haven’t been able to make it happen—at least not yet?

Meet Joy. She is my Chief Morale Officer extraordinaire. As I write, she is lying at my feet beneath the desk. She is an ever-present reminder to find joy in the moment and never forget the importance of taking regular breaks to take care of you.

Joy has boundless energy. Her desire to get plenty of exercise, including jumping into the pool to go after the ball, chasing after the ball in the field, playing with her favorite toy, or going with me to feed the neighborhood horses, also helps me take the breaks I need and have FUN doing it. You’d never know it, but Joy is eleven—going on two! She is living proof that no matter our age or stage in life, it is possible to live life to the fullest.

Are you living your life to the fullest?

I am finally giving myself permission to pursue the life I really want. Seeing how Joy has no problem giving herself permission to pursue her passion has inspired me to give myself permission to pursue what I really want. A few years ago, I decided I wanted to shift from business consulting, executive coaching, facilitation, training, and leadership development to sharing all I’ve learned through keynote speaking and writing.

I also wanted to find ways to bring my love of photography into everything I do. For me, it’s all about capturing a moment that I will never see or experience again. Oh, and to do so in a way that will challenge assumptions, reflect new perspectives, and shed light on new possibilities. I especially enjoy macro-photography—zooming in to take a closer look to see what others might be missing.

At first, you might not see the bee at the center of this beautiful rose, but you can’t unsee it once you do. Such is life. Everything I love about photography also reflects my approach to life and is what I want to do through my writing and speaking. This quote is the perfect analogy for what you will find in the pages of my book.

Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives. And if things don’t work out, just take another shot.

Ziad K. Abdelnour,

Lebanese-American banker and financier

Okay, Polaroids may be old school, but they can also be lots of FUN. And I’m all about finding ways to be more playful. I used to shoot with a professional camera and all its trappings. Nowadays, I use my iPhone. Incorporating my photography into my book allowed me greater creative expression and made the writing more fun and meaningful. I trust it will add an element of joy for you, too.

Where do you have opportunities to bring more joy into your life?

I enjoy sharing my love of flowers and all they represent. I’m including one of my favorite flower photos at the beginning of each chapter, with some information about it and how it can be a metaphor for that chapter. If you love flowers and plants but aren’t quite sure how to keep them alive, check out the app Picture This. All you do is snap a photo of a plant or flower and voilà, it gives you the information you need to care for it and a little about the culture associated with that flower. It’s been a lifesaver for me and is what I’ve used to find interesting tidbits to share with you about the flowers I’ve chosen to include in this book.

Is this book for you?

Have you ever wondered why others seem able to go after their dreams, but for you, they always feel out of reach, at least at this stage of life?

While I believe this book will be especially poignant for people—especially women—later in life, we can face a significant transition at any time in our life, whether we are young, old, or anywhere in between. Those transitions can often feel like a disruption. While challenging, what if that disruption could be magical and lead you to new possibilities that allow you to create the life you really want?

IMPOSSIBLE IS JUST A STORY WE TELL OURSELVES.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that impossible is just a story I tell myself when I can’t see a solution or am too fearful to consider what else is possible. That’s precisely where I was a few years ago. I was at a critical pivot point in my life and profession. Despite all my past accomplishments, I was finding it difficult to believe I could pursue what I really wanted to do next. I was so busy doing what wasn’t working that I hadn’t even given myself permission to ponder what else might be possible.

I felt powerless. There was so much at stake. Making a significant shift in my life seemed impossible, given our circumstances, and seeming limitations. Then again, I’m known for shaking things up—for being a disrupter. As I pondered how I had turned the impossible into the possible so many times before, I knew there had to be a way, but I couldn’t see it yet.

"It’s not a matter of becoming someone new. It’s a matter of releasing all the limits, forgiving the hurts, and stepping into who God made

you to be."

Jennie Potter,

author, coach, and inspirational speaker

Best news ever: It’s never too late for a new beginning.

If you’re thinking, Yeah, right, you don’t know me or what I’m facing, I get it. As you will soon discover, I’ve experienced more than my share of life-altering disruptions resulting in challenges and opportunities. As I pursued them, I was often thinking, What the bleep! I often felt like I was walking a fine line between humbled and humiliated.

I certainly don’t have all the answers. Anyone who says they do, well, they are misguided. And when what worked before no longer works, you will learn that my motto is,

No time like the present to disrupt the norm!

Time to create a MAGICAL DISRUPTION®!

A MAGICAL DISRUPTION is not any ordinary disruption. It is a disruption you choose to embrace so you can discover what else is possible in your life. It creates a transformational journey from Doubt to Do and helps you Navigate Your Path to Possibility.

The only thing I can tell you for sure is that the seemingly impossible things I’ve taken on have taught me some priceless lessons. I continue to put those lessons into practice as I face each new challenge or opportunity. And each thing I take on provides even more opportunities for personal and professional growth. Ugh! Sometimes, I think, Enough already! But alas, that’s the price of an ongoing transformational journey.

The key is to keep reminding myself to find joy in the moment. And, of course, Joy is always here to remind