Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Tull Harris.
Katie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I think, rather, I know that God had total control over the timing of my start in the wellness world. After years of being in the fashion industry (model/talent with The Campbell Agency, who I’m still represented by today!), I started to feel the call in my life “to share.” I wasn’t sure what that meant at the time, but I started to follow my intuition into the healing arts. I began yoga teacher training in 2016, with the full encouragement of my now-husband, Matt. Not two weeks into my training, my mom became ill overnight with a life-threatening autoimmune disease (I am happy to say she is a WARRIOR and loving life to the fullest today). It turned my world upside down… but looking back, it helped me tap even deeper into a consciousness of all facets of my life.
On top of yoga, we (Matt and I) started to study the food we put into our bodies, the power of our thoughts, and the different aspects of Blue Zone Living. After teaching for a few years, Independently, I took a role at The Refuge Meditation. This is when I met Chelsey Charbeneau, and from the FIRST time we interacted, I sensed she was in my life for a bigger purpose. I went on to further my studies with her, taking her 200 hr meditation teacher training. Once again, a door with infinite depth was opened for me in the wellness world, and I have never looked back. After completing the training, Chelsey asked me to come on board alongside her and help teach the future teacher training groups. That has been some of my most rewarding work yet in this industry.
Once Breathe Meditation and Wellness opened, it was clear that my studio home had been found. The space and the people are unlike any other in Dallas. The clarity that this practice has given me allowed for so much growth in all other realms of my life. My husband and I are dreamers, and we manifested a future of working together. He is in real estate, an agent with Rogers Healy and Associates, and I always had a knack for aesthetics and design. After the pandemic kept everyone at home, and we found out we were expecting our first little one in October, we decided to make that future a reality. I am currently studying design online, everything from color theory to feng shui, diving into the energy of spaces and faces and have also started the road to getting my real estate license so Matt and I can team up together! It feels like yesterday I walked into the studio to start my studies of yoga and meditation, and quicker than I could’ve ever imagined, my whole life has transformed. The power of prayer and positive thinking is something I will never take for granted.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh, the saying “Nothing worth having comes easy” certainly strikes a chord here. My journey has certainly had its fair shares of highs and lows. Hindsight is such a beautiful thing though, looking back, I can see the growth and fruit even from the most trying of times. To this day, I’d have to say that one of my highest highs and lowest lows all came at once. Learning the trust the process, and to LET GO of what’s out of your control have definitely served me well.
Matt and I were married on September 8, 2018, and the months/years leading up to that, we were actively searching and praying for a better quality of life for my mom. The autoimmune disease that she had shut both of her kidneys down seemingly overnight. After years of chemotherapy and dialysis, she finally became eligible for a kidney transplant. Now, what is important to understand here is the fact that my parents are essentially saints. They’ve been my sisters and I’s biggest supporters our entire lives. So when it came time for the tables to turn, it wasn’t something that came easy… for them, our safety always came first. I say all of that to say that we came to a point in 2018 where we found out I was a match for my mom. I could give her the kidney she needed. We decided to do the surgery after Matt and I returned home from the honeymoon and knew we would have the holidays to lay in bed and heal together.
The WEEK of our wedding, just three nights shy, we received a call in the middle of the night. The hospital had the PERFECT kidney waiting for her and she was next on the list. I’ll never forget seeing her the next morning as they were prepping her for surgery and being totally overwhelmed with excitement, fear, joy, guilt… the whole gamut. Needless to say, she had the transplant but was unable to be at our wedding on Saturday as she was busy healing up in the ICU. The pain of not having her there on the biggest day of my life pails in comparison to the joy of STILL having her in my life now. Her time here just wasn’t up yet!! That was such a unique experience, trying to say the least but it taught us so much in such a short amount of time. It taught us to count our blessings, each and every breath.
It taught us to truly not sweat the small stuff (my how my priorities had been out of whack!) And most importantly, it showed us the dedication of my father to my mother and the strength of their marriage and teamwork. There was nothing that mattered more, he needed her, and she needed him. He drove back and forth from my hometown (Cleburne) to Dallas every day through the wedding festivities to make sure and be with us both. My sisters and my friends and my new family (now in-laws) swooped in and filled a void for Matt and I, and we were able to share our nuptials virtually with mama, and in a way that neither of us could POSSIBLY forget.
So I’d say there have been trials along my journey no doubt but man oh man have there also been triumphs!! I know that the lesson in hindsight is one that changed my life forever… no matter what you are going through. You can always take a deep breath and remember, “this too shall pass!”
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a yoga and meditation guide in Dallas, and also have a presence online. I certainly have a sports/athletic background, but really I’d like to think my specialty is sharing and teaching an “attitude of gratitude.” When I look at my life, that’s exactly how I feel, thankful. I am definitely one of those you’d say looks at the glass half full, but I think that outlook has opened more doors for than I can count. Like even as I’m typing, I am just so dang grateful to be able to share my story. I want people to see that in themselves and their lives. I want people to realize how blessed they are… how each and every day we wake up is truly a gift. When we give ourselves the space to slow down and be present, It’s easier to see that Every breath we take, every person we meet, every experience we have is divine. Our time here on Earth, in the macro perspective, is so short. I love the thought of helping people make the most of that time, and realize what special lives they lead!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Without a doubt, my husband, Matt. From day one, we were instantly connected, and he has been my sidekick, my biggest advocate and given me a deep sense of security amongst all of the growth I’ve experienced. My parents and my sisters, who are a source of unconditional love and support.
My college coach, Julie Goodenough. She instilled a deep sense of faith in life, and always taught us to be women of integrity on and off of the court. I can still hear her saying “only control the controllable” when I find myself starting to get anxious!
Chelsey Charbeneau and Jenn Moulaison, who not only opened Breathe, but show all of us who teach there what it’s like to be kind, empathetic, and joyful business owners. They’ve created a space for us to flourish, and I will always be grateful for that.
Contact Info:
- Address: Breathe Meditation and Wellness – 4131 Lomo Alto Dr. Dallas, TX 75219
- Website: www.kttheyogi.com
- Phone: 8172406841
- Email: katietull@me.com
- Instagram: @kttheyogi
Image Credit:
Stephanie Rose – Wedding photo
Danny Bollinger – Studio yoga/meditation shots
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