Kay Lock Kolp: The Power of One Gentle Step

“When you ask someone, ‘How do you want to feel in a year?’ you never know what the answer is going to be,” says Kay Lock Kolp, her voice thoughtful and steady. “But when they start taking even the tiniest steps, something magical happens. People around them notice. Their world shifts.”

Kay’s world has shifted many times. A coach, artist, podcaster, and former early childhood educator, she helps people reimagine what’s possible—not by handing them answers, but by asking the kind of questions that unlock inner wisdom. But before she could do that for others, she had to face a hard truth: she had stopped taking care of herself.

In 2011, a medication reaction left Kay barely able to walk. “I landed in the hospital because I hadn’t been filling my own cup,” she says. “I was so worried about everyone else—my family, the world—that I wasn’t caring for myself at all.”

That health crisis changed everything. As Kay rebuilt her body—first to walk again, then to ski, and eventually to solo-hike the 190-mile Coast to Coast path across England—she also rebuilt her identity. “I had to learn to give myself the right conditions to thrive,” she explains.

“Just like an orchid needs light, water, and space, so do we.”

Her coaching now centers around that philosophy: small, brave steps that lead to big transformations. “Tenacity isn’t pushing through,” she says. “It’s having the courage to be gentle with yourself. To sit with what’s hard. To ask for help.”

When Kay got the idea to walk across England—a journey inspired by the countryside where author James Herriot once worked—she wasn’t sure it was possible. “I didn’t think I had the money, or the time,” she admits.

“I almost gave up.” But with support from a coach and friend, she found a way. “I asked, ‘What do you need to support me in doing what inspires me?’ That changed everything."

She made the trek in 2022, completely solo. She got lost. She got injured. But she also felt more alive than ever. The journey inspired her book Waking Up, a story told in three parts: awareness, action, and integration. “It wasn’t just about walking the path—it was about who I became along the way.”

Today, Kay works with clients ranging from parents to first responders, helping them reconnect with their inner voice. Her newest project, Art, Creativity & Wellbeing, uplifts everyday changemakers. “People who lead from the heart,” she says, “deserve support to stay true to themselves.”

Her message is simple, yet powerful: gentleness is not weakness—it’s the beginning of change.

“There is no cosmic panel of judges,” she adds, smiling. “You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to grow. And you’re allowed to ask for what you need.”