We recently had the chance to connect with Katelyn Hill and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Katelyn , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Hi everyone! So fun to be back and a part of this special series. My first 90 minutes of the day looks a bit different since last time we chatted. I have two boys now! We added a second baby boy to our crew. On a good day, I try to wake up an hour before the kids: I make my latte, wash my face and get cozy lighting on.
I like to journal, spend some time with God in prayer and reading. I also doom scroll because don’t we all 😉
Then my kiddos start to wake up. We do some snuggles on the couch, watch a quiet show, and I get breakfast going. I always always prioritize getting ready for the day as it helps me keep my energy up and feel confident!
There’s lots of giggles, running, trucks being pulled out everywhere, running and some melt downs on certain days. I’m so thankful I get to start my days with my babies after some solitude.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Katelyn Hill. I’m a 32 year old mama, wife, songwriter, worship leader, consultant and homemaker. I also host a podcast called “The Worship Leader Next Door” where my co-host and I get to dive into the ins and outs of vocational ministry, leading music teams and leadership development in the big C church.
My day today involves a lot of being in the hustle in bustle of motherhood with two little boys of the ages of 4 and 1. I also work part time consulting and worship leading here in Virginia. My husband and I re located from Nashville about a year ago. We have settled on some land we are developing and I’m grateful that I make frequent trips back to Nashville to write and refresh my creative outlets.
My hope is to inspire other women in my season that they can fully show up to motherhood and nesting their homes while keeping their creative flame alive. It will look different, but it’s possible and so rewarding to hold space for both parts of our lives as young, busy mamas.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I just remember having a massive imagination. I felt the happiest when my creative juices could flow and I could play and lean into whatever story I found myself in. I believed I was enough for whatever I wanted to do or felt God calling me to. I didn’t feel intimidated to use my gifts. I believed they were adequate. That I had been given the measure I needed to run with my dreams. I believed in my singing voice, my ability to communicate, dance and I miss that simplicity. I didn’t let my growing awareness of the many talented people in the world stop me from believing I could create right along with them. Now, I fight the narratives sometimes that my gifts are not enough. I’m sure you all have those moments and days. As a child, I had so much freedom around that. I strive to journey back to that place of enjoying who I am instead of criticizing.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
In 2022 I had lost my job due to covid a few months prior, I had a new baby and my only sibling had just passed away. We had moved to a new part of town that felt a bit more isolating and I simply felt like I was struggling to stay connected to my purpose. I was caring for our precious son but also missed my creative outlets that felt were lacking greatly at the time. It seemed as though I had to start over. Singing had slowed down so much in Nashville for me, I wasn’t going to a job daily and had to find purpose in caring for our little home and sweet baby.
I felt hidden, like it didn’t matter if I did worship ministry anymore or wrote songs. There were so many people around me doing all of those things, I struggled to see why my contributions in these areas still mattered. I struggled with identity.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I think so! It’s what I work towards whether it’s from the platform doing music or on social media. Of course I’m tempted to always present the shiny and prettiest parts of myself and life. However, I’ve seen such beautiful glimmers when I choose to show up raw, letting the imperfect show. It’s really sweet to see what happens even on social media when I’m honest about the harder days or parts of life. I crave what’s real and down to earth in my own life. My goal is to emulate being down to earth, open and honest. I do my best to show up authentically. But it takes me practice to let my guard down and truly embrace all the parts of me.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
I will regret not being present with my kids. I will regret if I don’t make sure I put my phone down and truly soak them enjoy. Truly enjoy them. That is probably the biggest thing that comes to mind. It’s going fast and I don’t want my craving to be busy pull me away from the beauty of this season.
I would also regret not releasing more music and doing some more traveling again with it. I loved that time in my life and would love to go on the road again, even if very scaled back. There’s quite a few songs that I’ve written that have been in the works to be released and I would still love to get them out to the world.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: katevhill_
Image Credits
Lindsey Carson
