Be the Coffee (Still.)
Why this old story still brews up the truth I need to hear—again and again.
Back in 2013, I tried to start a blog and called it Be the Coffee.
Not because I’m addicted to caffeine (though let’s be honest... that too), but because of a story I stumbled on that hit me right in the feels—and still does.
Maybe you’ve heard it. Maybe this will be your first sip. Either way, here’s the gist:
A young woman tells her mom life feels impossible. She’s tired, overwhelmed, ready to give up. So her mom takes her to the kitchen and boils three things: carrots, eggs, and coffee beans.
Same boiling water. Three different results.
The carrot starts out strong, but the heat softens it.
The egg seems fragile, but under stress, it hardens.
The coffee beans? They change the water.
They don’t just survive the heat—they transform it.
That’s the kind of energy I want to bring into my life, even now.
Especially now.
But Real Talk?
I still bounce between all three.
At work? I’m usually a coffee bean—cool, calm, caffeinated.
In my personal life? Sometimes I’m more like soggy carrots in a soup I didn’t sign up for.
And that’s okay.
Because the point of the story isn’t to shame you into perfection—it’s to remind you that transformation is possible, even in the hot mess of life.
Why This Still Matters
12 years later, I am a 50 year old woman who’s seen a lot of boiling water and still needs the reminder that how we respond matters more than how we appear.
This blog is my way of staying grounded in that reminder—and sharing it with you.
It’s where I’ll keep pulling up a chair and saying:
You’re allowed to be soft and strong.
You can have messy days and still be making progress.
Sometimes, growth looks like reheating your coffee and trying again.
What You Can Expect Here:
Recipes that don’t make you cry into your cutting board
Wellness tips that feel like hugs, not homework
Mindset shifts that meet you in the chaos, not above it
And the occasional Care Bear, Grey’s Anatomy playlist, or pantry meltdown story—because, life.
So if you’ve ever felt like the carrot, the egg, or the bean... you’re not alone.
Let’s keep figuring it out together—one sip at a time.
xo,
Kerri
P.S. Want a little extra accountability and a whole lot of fun?
Join me for my Spring Into Action Bingo challenge! It’s a playful, goal-setting game built around the 12 primary foods from IIN—things like joy, creativity, relationships, and yes, actual food too.
We set goals, we check in weekly, we cheer each other on—and when you complete your board, you get a ta-da moment and a cozy reward.
No pressure. Just progress. Come play with us!
