The Work of Warriors

Summary

In this heartfelt interview, Nashville country artist Kirstie Kraus shares her journey through the music industry, emphasizing the importance of mental health, self-care, and nervous system regulation. Discover practical routines, lessons learned from burnout, and how authenticity and self-love fuel her success.

Keywords

music industry, mental health, self-care, burnout, nervous system, Nashville artist, authenticity, self-love, career lessons, emotional well-being


Key Topics

  • Mental health and burnout in the music industry
  • Self-care routines and nervous system regulation
  • Lessons learned from career challenges and successes
Guest Name

Kirstie Kraus


titles

  • The 5 Key Lessons Kirstie Kraus Learned About Mental Health in Music
  • How Self-Care and Nervous System Regulation Boost a Music Career
Sound Bites

  • "Making space for quiet time helps me show up better."
  • "Trust your gut and listen to your body."
  • "Zoom out and see the bigger picture of your career."
Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Kirstie Kraus
01:03
Mental Health and Self-Care in the Music Industry
03:02
Kirstie's Journey in the Music Industry
08:44
Lessons Learned in the Music Industry
11:21
Navigating Mental Health Challenges
15:29
Experiencing Burnout and Recovery
21:09
Shifting Perspectives on Mental Health
22:49
Navigating Creative Seasons
24:26
The Power of Saying No
27:38
Protecting Your Peace
30:51
Listening to Your Body
34:29
Self-Care as a Non-Negotiable
39:01
Finding Your Purpose and Passion
43:43
The Importance of Mental Wellness for Artists
43:44
Tools and Resources for Mental Health

Creators and Guests

Host
Kim Rapach
Creator & Host - The Work of Warriors
Guest
Kirstie Kraus
Kirstie Kraus isn’t waiting for permission. The Nashville-based country artist has been carving her own lane with a sound that hits like modern country with a little extra kick — grit, groove, heart, and high-energy charm. She’s the kind of artist who can turn a festival stage, a honky-tonk, or an overseas crowd into her world, and her rise has been powered the old-school way: great songs, relentless touring, and a magnetic connection with fans. Along the way, she’s opened for artists like Thomas Rhett, Kip Moore, Brothers Osborne, Walker Hayes, Randy Houser, and Brandy Clark, while building a growing international following that’s taken her from Nashville to London’s C2C Festival at The O2 Arena and across to the UK on multiple tours.
Composer
Mac Rapach
Designer, Composer - The Work of Warriors
Producer
Mike Rapach
Producer - The Work of Warriors

What is The Work of Warriors?

Success shouldn't cost you your peace.

Welcome to The Work of Warriors, the mental health podcast for artists, entertainers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and high performers who want to build extraordinary lives without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Hosted by former therapist and nervous system strategist Kim Rapach, this podcast explores the intersection of mental health, nervous system regulation, creativity, leadership, and sustainable success. Through honest conversations with actors, musicians, comedians, producers, executives, entrepreneurs, and other industry leaders, you'll discover what it really takes to thrive both personally and professionally.

Together, we're changing the conversation around mental wellness in the entertainment industry by:

• Normalizing honest conversations about mental health

• Teaching practical tools for nervous system regulation and emotional resilience

• Redefining success to include well-being, healthy boundaries, and authentic leadership

Whether you're navigating burnout, anxiety, creative pressure, trauma, or simply searching for a healthier way to succeed, you'll find practical insights, inspiring stories, and meaningful conversations designed to help you build a life you don't have to recover from.

Because when artists are well, everybody wins.

Thank you for being part of this movement. Together, we're creating a healthier entertainment industry, one brave conversation at a time.

Kim Rapach (00:01.678)
Hello. Today we have the pleasure of getting to know Kirstie Krauss.

Kim Rapach (00:18.434)
Hey everybody, today's guest is Nashville's country music artist, Kirstie Krause. Welcome, Kirstie.

Kim Rapach (03:29.749)
Ahem.

Kim Rapach (03:33.622)
Ahem.

Kim Rapach (06:11.534)
Mm.

Kim Rapach (08:15.871)
Ahem.

Kirstie Kraus (08:24.88)
Hello

Kim Rapach (08:26.03)
Hi, Kirsty.

Kirstie Kraus (08:28.296)
Hey, can you hear me okay? Okay, because I'm... Thank you, it's nice to see you too. I'm using this and normally I would use a cord one. I guess it's right in front of me. So I could use a cord one too, if that's better. Okay. Okay. I think it would be better just to go direct because Bluetooth, yada yada. Plus it feels better on the body without the Bluetooth.

Kim Rapach (08:30.292)
I can! It's nice to see you! You look so pretty!

Kim Rapach (08:42.294)
I can hear you fine, so whichever is more comfortable.

Kim Rapach (08:50.156)
Okay. Sure. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (08:58.32)
Yeah, yeah. I was looking all over for it and here it was right ready. It's right on the ring light ready to go. That's how it works.

Kim Rapach (09:01.454)
All right.

Kim Rapach (09:08.588)
I am always so, yeah, I'm always so prepared that I'm not prepared. Like I'm not organized. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (09:13.842)
Yeah, that you're like, where is that thing? wait, it was there for me already. Yeah. That's why I haven't seen it in a while.

Kim Rapach (09:19.382)
Yeah. Yeah. Cause I set myself up to not have to look for it. Right. I totally get it. Thank you for being here.

Kirstie Kraus (09:24.604)
Mm-hmm.

Kirstie Kraus (09:29.926)
Yes, I'm glad it worked out. I'm glad we finally got to do this. I literally don't normally jump on a wagon so quickly, but I saw your chat with Allie and I'm familiar with Allie. I've known her in town and stuff and we always have good chats. She's just a real genuine human. I always am going up to her and we can have just a really real chat. I was seeing these clips and I was like, I have to reach out.

This is completely the era of life that I'm in and I've really focused on and I think it's so important.

Kim Rapach (10:08.78)
Yeah, well, and you're being very intentional. I've read your notes and you're very intentional with mental health and taking care of yourself. And it's so important. know, one of my biggest reasons for creating this podcast is as a former therapist.

I've just witnessed so many people who are walking around with or without a diagnosis, but feeling broken and feeling unworthy or as if they'll never be enough or something's wrong with them when there are so many things we can do.

to advocate for ourselves, to take care of ourselves, to take care of our nervous systems, and understanding the crossroads of nervous system regulation in an industry with highly dysregulated leadership often.

Kirstie Kraus (11:01.416)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (11:01.782)
and unrealistic expectations of the human mind and body and giving people permission to be human. know, it's so, I mean, that's one of the biggest reasons. And I think people need to feel human and need permission to feel human without feeling broken.

Kirstie Kraus (11:06.332)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (11:09.734)
Mm-hmm.

Kirstie Kraus (11:21.222)
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I never thought burnout would happen to me. Even all of the little tricks that I would do and the best routing that I could ever, you know, I went on my way to make sure routing was good and never did I think that that would happen to me. But I really did operate with a chip on my shoulder and...

realize like that's not with sustainable like in life forever and once you hit a certain age your your body's like no i don't i don't like this anymore this is really bad this actually borderline toxic to just be like driving so crazily and not have any time for space not have any time for you know the other side of the equation and the quiet time and your quiet mornings and

And so I definitely learned to make that a priority so I can show up in such a better, happier, fuller way.

Kim Rapach (12:18.478)
Sure, yeah. Well, I would love to hear more of your experience with the music industry. And if you just want to start by telling our listeners who you are and what you do. I know you're a Nashville music, country music artist. Anything else you'd share to introduce yourself?

Kirstie Kraus (12:22.152)
I'll see you.

Kirstie Kraus (12:32.134)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (12:37.48)
Yeah, well, I'm Kirstie Krause. I'm here on the west side of Nashville. Nashville's been my home since the end of 2017, and I have just loved every second of it. So I think I'm going on eight years, and then it's been nine and a half years going on 10 years to doing music full time and calling this my job. And every day I get to just dive in and focus on, yeah, the tasks at hand to make this dream keep going and...

keep being a reality and come true.

Kim Rapach (13:09.13)
I love it. What have been some of your wins in the industry? And they're different for everyone. So it can mean anything. It doesn't have to be, you know, an award or a platinum album, but for you, what would you say your wins have been?

Kirstie Kraus (13:13.916)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (13:24.808)
I love a moment when something so small, just want to help. And I think that's a win when someone wants to purchase a guitar.

because they just feel called to do that. They want to see me continue and play. And I had someone help start the Kickstarter for my first album with $5,000. So any sort of moments, like there's been a lot of them and that's, I'm so grateful and thankful for that because that means that they want to see me continue. Obviously winning awards on the Opry stage for the Josie Music Awards.

like in the circle, the sacred circle. Those are big moments. My mom and my aunt and some OG fans came in from Wisconsin to be there up in the balcony. And I accepted the female award, the country artists of the year for a female on the upper stage for the Josie Music Awards. And that's the largest independent music award. So that was definitely one of them. And

Sometimes I overlook things for sure, but at the end of the year when I'm really looking at, okay, I wrote this amount of songs a year. This is how many festivals I did. Look at how many more songs I have to choose from. set, like making a set list is becoming harder and harder. Like those are all things that I'm really proud of. Like I really love when I leave a writing room and I'm like, this, this is a great song, you know?

Kim Rapach (14:53.345)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (14:58.944)
Yeah, so you're from Wisconsin.

Kirstie Kraus (15:01.404)
Yeah, I was born in Florida, which is, I was born in Florida, but for two weeks only. And then we, my family moved back to Wisconsin. So my parents were in Florida, just got jobs, living up there, you know, a couple of years of just being married and not having kids yet. And they had me and then they moved back up to Wisconsin.

Kim Rapach (15:03.297)
Okay.

Kim Rapach (15:18.914)
Gotcha. We're in Wisconsin. I'm in Chicago. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (15:21.55)
Okay, it's Greater Madison, it's actually Janesville, Wisconsin. But now my sister moved to, she was in Sun Prairie, so she moved up to Green Bay. So Green Bay is now the new hub because I have a niece and a nephew and like family up there. And yeah.

Kim Rapach (15:39.136)
Amazing. Do you get to ever play in Wisconsin?

Kirstie Kraus (15:41.992)
Yeah, I think I took a little bit of a break from Wisconsin I was hitting it so hard and then I discovered the Gulf Coast and I was like, my gosh This is amazing and it kind of works how when you play shows and you get offered shows and hopefully each show you get offered a couple shows spin-off shows from that so I Just without thinking about it. I kept playing

you know, down in the South. And, but now like with two little humans, I'm like, no, every like two months I need to get up there. Like, I need to make sure to plan around this. Cause it just like, I feel it. I feel it so much if it's been over like six weeks. I'm like, I need to be back there. Yeah.

Kim Rapach (16:22.946)
Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. Yeah, and thank you for speaking to that because I think people forget, not the artists, of course, but those of us who are not doing that level of work, we forget that there are humans and babies and, you know, family members that are also missing out. And so making that a priority is so beautiful.

Kirstie Kraus (16:43.706)
Yeah, you can only do so many FaceTimes and then you just want to squeeze them in person. And I even had my niece like run up to the phone and show me the potty because she had potty in her potty. And I was like, yo girl, I can't wait to see this in person. Like, I'm so excited for you. But it was so cool how she like wants to show me things. And I have a guitar that I promised her already in my house.

Kim Rapach (16:48.674)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (17:09.422)
So inspiring. And I can tell just by the way that you talk about it, like you just have that balance and you've done a lot of work to get here.

Kirstie Kraus (17:18.48)
Yeah, yeah, I think it's missing, you know, sometimes you do, you just miss baby showers and you miss Easter if that's not in the plan or or Mother's Day's and sometimes it does work out where, you know, you you make a plan. But I really do think in advance if as you're planning stuff, if you keep all of that in mind and make it like it's it's give and take for sure because you can't take off every weekend. But

Kim Rapach (17:44.717)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (17:45.51)
But yeah, it's really nice to be able to be home. And I went home early March and my niece's birthday, while it was her birthday, I was on a cruise. So we just planned to do her birthday party early when I was home. And that was like really fun that we got to do that. Cause she's three, so she doesn't know necessarily if it's her birthday that day or not, you know? Like, so I'm really glad that my sister just like went in on making a whole party happen.

Kim Rapach (17:59.978)
That's sweet.

Kim Rapach (18:07.468)
Yeah, yeah.

Kim Rapach (18:14.19)
Sure, yeah, I love that. When you are, I'll be watching your schedule. So when you're close, I'll try to catch a show.

Kirstie Kraus (18:15.068)
the end.

Kirstie Kraus (18:20.2)
Yeah. Awesome. Yes, that'd be great.

Kim Rapach (18:24.936)
What would you say, Kersi, have been some of your lessons in the music industry?

Kirstie Kraus (18:31.91)
Hmm lessons I do have mentioned this to people that check your references. my goodness if you're not asking people who They're giving you as far as references or asking around the references that they didn't give you Really trust. I mean Nashville is a big city, but it's also a small town. So if someone had you know bad experience

Granted, probably another person did or vice versa, really just check the story going around town as far as, because there's just a lot of people that are sharks and ask for money and maybe don't want to actually do the work. And so that's important. And I think it's also important to not make any quick decisions. And I've done it. I've learned early on in my career that to just take time.

talk to people, get to know them a little bit. There's no rush in signing something and working together. mean both parties really do gotta make sure that it's gonna be a good thing. And the more people that you can keep close to you that align with how you do business, the better. Like if you don't like how they communicate up front, probably not gonna, I mean that will still be there.

in like a couple of months for now. So I've definitely learned those lessons and came up on them and I've also learned some hard things. They're like trying to fit somebody into a box that they are not there for. So I really, or on this earth for, so I really try to learn what people are good at and then...

like delegate appropriately. Like why am I asking someone to do something that they're not going to succeed at? They're just going to create a lot of friction. Because delegation and asking for help is like, you need to do it. You just, it's part of being a business owner. If you feel uncomfortable doing it, then like.

Kim Rapach (20:29.418)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (20:43.609)
How are you going to succeed? Nobody can do this kind of job alone, for sure. So taking help, but making sure that it's delegated properly.

Kim Rapach (20:53.294)
with the right people that you can trust. Yeah, yeah, there's a lot of people, a lot of people you're going to interact with and not everyone has your best interest at heart.

Kirstie Kraus (20:55.697)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (21:06.746)
Yeah, absolutely. And I'm definitely gotten way more comfortable on taking time to make a decision and not feeling rushed at all by another person's timeline or expectations. Just coming to a decision when I feel it's right. I've definitely learned that.

Kim Rapach (21:15.384)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (21:25.09)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (21:28.546)
What has been your experience with whatever you're comfortable sharing, of course, with your own mental health and maybe what you've learned that you'd be willing to share that might help somebody else?

Kirstie Kraus (21:40.836)
Yeah, you know, I was thinking about this. I figured we'd talk about this. And really, the job has so many different hats. I used to pivot so quickly throughout the day. And now I block things together.

so I'm not fighting my body or like today I've you know got in makeup so I'm gonna be doing other videos that I have blocked in my calendar knowing I was gonna be in makeup today and I need to do these videos that I promised you know that I would get to them and it's been like a week but I know that like I'm gonna be at home have time for this block it off of my calendar so I very much run my calendar like that now and that's been

world of a difference rather than feeling like I'm in this direction then over here and doing something like I have a plan in place and it's the most efficient process to get it done. I also get overwhelmed when things on the list like when my list gets too long and so I kind of have a motto where if I can do it and pretty much

Little over the time it takes me to like write it down and think about it again I'm just gonna do it right then in there. So a lot of times it's sending the the radio station like this is Kirstie Krauss and you're listening to my brand new single you got like if I can do that really quick Send it send the email out and never think about it on the list and not even have to write it down. That's like super peace of mind and a lot of times

Kim Rapach (23:03.854)
Hmm.

Kirstie Kraus (23:24.05)
things like that to the other person is very timely. So just, I guess I've learned what I can quickly do and what I definitely need blocks of time to do. And I've learned how my body and brain work. And so I take on harder things in the morning, and know, and like around 3 p.m.

I'm typically doing guitar thing like that's like transitional period time like lunch is before that and then transitional time and then go back to whatever the night activities whether it's an interview or an event I have to go to then I'm then I'm ready by that but I do a lot of the computer stuff early because it won't happen at night and so I just feel like knowing myself and catering to that

has helped where I'm not feeling like I'm failing because I had something scheduled at 9 p.m. and my body doesn't feel like doing that. Looking at a screen at 9 p.m. or thinking about work, you know, that's like set list time.

Kim Rapach (24:28.034)
Yeah. Yeah. And it, right. And I think it's, you know, something we don't really think about is whatever is embedded in our nervous system. And you talked about like making the list. Like if I can take the time to write it down and plan it out, I might as well just send it off in a memo, a voice memo. Right. But I think sometimes we sit and we plan and plan and plan and we make lists and we, map it out because that feels productive, but it also feels safe. And then

We don't realize that we're not even regulated in that. It's like, I'm being productive. I've got a plan, but the plan doesn't happen. And then we enter into the shame spiral.

Kirstie Kraus (25:03.1)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (25:09.008)
Right. And you can plan, but opportunities do come up, especially in this industry too. Like I did not know a couple of weeks ago was going to go to Hawaii in the beginning of October right before this other festival. And I have this little window in between this festival and I'm like, well, I could stop in California and do some wineries. And next thing you know, he's one of my fans is reaching out about who has your contact.

for these certain wineries and these house concerts in California for essentially like planning on how I would fly. And that wasn't on my radar, but how are you gonna turn down opportunities like that if it works out so beautifully? feel like.

If you're on the right path, you're working with good people, it feels right, and it just kind of falls in place like that and it makes sense. And you're not having to fight it so hard to make it happen. That's when you know you're on the right path. So you do have to be open enough for those things.

Kim Rapach (26:15.288)
So did you, do you wanna share, I have two questions. Do you wanna share a little bit about your burnout, like your experience with burnout?

Kirstie Kraus (26:23.016)
Yeah, honestly, like I said, I'd never thought like I had a little chip on my shoulder. I'm like, that's never gonna happen to me. I would listen to artists songs and how they were questioning if they should be in music or not. And I'm like, that's never gonna happen to me. And of course, because I thought that or said that out loud, that's probably why it happened. I literally, all of a sudden, it was just like, I don't...

it felt like the energy fell off. I remember going about to go on stage and big festival with a band and they were starting the intro and I noticed like I was at like a five. Normally I'd be at like anything more than a five. Like I would, you know, be excited. I'd like, let's go. We're to go sing my music and like look at all those people out there like ready to go. And the band's looking good. Everything's good. But I was just kind of like meh.

And I like, this is odd. And I remember noticing that moment. And that was kind of the defining moment where I started paying attention that there was no ups or downs. It was just kind of like a meh all the time. And it got harder to...

to want to get work done and be excited about maybe going to California or, you know, like you thought, oh, there's so much, you know, so much steps that have to happen before that part happens. And I just got really overwhelmed easily and I didn't recognize myself, but I really do think that it was time, it was my body's way of saying,

we need something else. Like we cannot with stay in this. And so I really did. It's been like a year and a half.

Kirstie Kraus (28:13.0)
I really did turn inward and I took out writes, I took out writing appointments and listening to my body became priority number one. I was like, I don't know what this is, I got figured out. I don't know how long this is gonna last. I got figured this out because I've always loved my job and now I feel like it's just a of energy. I think through...

Therapy through going to Porter's call people that specifically offer therapy with backgrounds of the music industry and they offer free free therapy to musicians So through both of those and then doing lens therapy. I can't tell you how many people I told about lens therapy, but it really did reset any sort of like

just the daily anxiety. And I feel like I'm in a better position to look at a problem and just think about the solution from a very like, how do we fix this? From a very loving place, what would be the best solution right now? If we don't have a solution, that's okay. We'll come back to it tomorrow. Like we'll subconsciously think about it. But yeah, I feel like I used to get...

Kim Rapach (29:10.254)
Hmm.

Kim Rapach (29:25.549)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (29:36.141)
worked up a lot easier and now I just have things more regulated.

Kim Rapach (29:42.102)
Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. So what I think of when you said, you know, all the things that you're doing, and paying attention to your body. It's so common, especially in this industry.

to expect that the wins and the highs and the successes are going to be what makes you happy and makes you feel regulated. And so many people, and you've experienced this too, like you're, know, you're walking out into a crowd of people who paid money to come see you and you're like, that is not the answer. We want that. And that should be part of the experience. And it is the dream, but it's not what is going to regulate your nervous system. And so wouldn't it just make sense to have both?

so that when those big wins come or even if it's you know a Tuesday in a songwriting session like don't you just want to enjoy that and be present and love what you're doing yeah

Kirstie Kraus (30:36.52)
and be in your body. Yeah. And when you are more in your body and present, you can, you can, it's a different way of experiencing things. think I was, I was present, I don't before, but I didn't know like the real.

way of being present. I thought I was to the extent that I could be without worrying about the 500 things I have to do after this writing appointment and how am I going to fit all this in and I got to change the clothes in the car and I got this and like and it's like re- almost going through that information where now I don't. My brain doesn't have to continue to like run through that. We did it. We have everything set. We're good to go.

Kim Rapach (31:11.01)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (31:25.608)
I don't think about it. So it's a lot of like ruminating thoughts when your nervous system and anxiety is not regulated.

Kim Rapach (31:29.89)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (31:34.156)
Yeah. And that, you know, I have to, you know, put on my press on nails or paint my toes in the car, change my clothes. There's a period of time and for some people it's a long time, but like that is a lot of dopamine. That's a lot of excitement because that means you're making it right. Like I did it. I'm doing it until it taxes your nervous system. It's like, this isn't exciting anymore. This is actually causing harm.

Kirstie Kraus (31:47.592)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (31:58.342)
Yeah, and we're all human and no human is exempt from this. if it hasn't happened to you yet, it will and I'm not trying to say it like a doomsday. It's just, it is reality. Like we are human and the duality of this world, it will happen. everything that goes up.

Kim Rapach (32:05.678)
Right.

Kim Rapach (32:17.292)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (32:19.538)
you know, comes down or left and right. There's always this duality. So being on top of that and being mindful of that before it even happens could save, you know, save you a lot of, yeah, extra confusion and anxiety just listening to us talk about it.

Kim Rapach (32:38.742)
Right, exactly. And I love Porter's Call. I'm a huge fan of Porter's Call. I love them. So, I mean, that is an excellent resource. But what I was thinking is, has your perspective changed paying attention to your body and then changing your routines and your schedule?

Kirstie Kraus (32:43.12)
Yeah.

to.

Kim Rapach (33:03.074)
Has your perspective changed around mental health? Again, kind of like where we started where people think if they can't do all that, if they can't hang with like getting their clothes changed in the car and running from here to here and planning this, you know, from this trip to that trip, like, what's wrong with me? I can't handle this. I'm not cut out for this. That is so not true. Did that was that a shift for you?

Kirstie Kraus (33:23.154)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (33:26.664)
Absolutely, I think that when I was really busy, that's in my mind, I would be thinking like, this is great. Like this is, you like this. You know, was like telling, it's almost like I was telling myself that where now...

It's like, no, I really enjoy sitting in the sun on my yoga mat or going for a long walk and listening to a podcast or just reading a book, like sitting and reading the Dolly Parton and looking up one of her songs. Like I enjoy that. So I need to make sure I make time for that.

as well, where I think before, and I've never actually said this out loud or concluded this, but your question got me there, but I think I would tell myself, like, no, you like, this is what you like and only this. And so I think diving in, it has changed my perspective because we can like both things. We can like the quiet, peaceful space and we can like the stage and the show and love both.

and that's totally fine. You don't just have to be in this lane.

Kim Rapach (34:34.882)
Yeah. There was a little background noise and it just stopped.

Kirstie Kraus (34:38.844)
I think it might have been my air conditioning.

Kim Rapach (34:44.337)
okay. I was like, was it a train? It's very faint.

Kirstie Kraus (34:47.334)
Yeah, if I don't have my air conditioning, I was gonna turn it up because I know it's like, it will get cool very fast in here if I want it to.

Kim Rapach (34:56.529)
I was just like, wait, I kind of got used to it and then it stopped. was like, what was it? Was it a train? It was a long train if it was a train. Okay, so I had a question. I asked you about your perspective shoot and then I lost it.

Kirstie Kraus (34:59.782)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (35:14.084)
Also, I think while you're thinking about it, I'll just share, in this time and in this space, like in taking away writing appointments, you know, because I used to write two to three times a week, and then really just like slowing that down and really focusing on my mental health and then also rehearsing, like just practicing all these songs and getting them into spaces.

definitely have this this theory that we kind of just spin all these different plates or I I always use the pie theory like we have a pie and there's so many pieces to the pie and we can't focus on all the pieces at once but our job is all the pieces so it's like what's gonna be the the couple like you know the two pieces that we pick that we really focus on or like a three more four fronting things and it's okay to put

something to the wayside and bring that back and have a season and season of it. And because I stopped doing writing appointments that much, I really have been getting to a place where I'm just like writing things down and I'm excited and I hear ideas all the time and it's like fully back and I'm glad I waited for it rather than again fighting my body.

and going through the motions and not being fully there, maybe in a writing appointment.

Kim Rapach (36:45.164)
Yeah. You reminded me of my question. When you started dialing in and being really attuned to your body and commit, only attuned, but committed to your nervous system. Did you notice that opportunities started to come like more freely and more like things like you said, things just start to align.

Kirstie Kraus (36:47.792)
Okay, good.

Kirstie Kraus (37:14.043)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (37:14.698)
I see this all the time. It's like when you commit, the world starts opening up.

Kirstie Kraus (37:21.188)
yeah you definitely there's a whole there's a whole thing that happens you you people leave your life because you are in a different space than they are and that will naturally happen also like i've definitely always experienced if i'm on the right path and this is just something i've always believed like god put this in my heart and i'm here on the planet to do this so if i follow

all the opportunities that come in in my path that feel good and they make sense, then I know I'm on the right path. So I've always done that. But yeah, I have noticed that the people that I'm bringing in now are more...

in a similar energy space and are more regulated and are more happier and I'm able to have very deep meaningful conversations with them and so that is something I've definitely noticed has changed.

Kim Rapach (38:21.88)
Yeah. Yeah, you're allowed to be human, right? Like you're having these authentic, deep conversations, doing life human to human, as opposed to saying yes to every single opportunity and never say no, and feeling shame if you are tired or don't want to do something, right?

Kirstie Kraus (38:26.365)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (38:38.523)
Right.

Kirstie Kraus (38:43.624)
Yeah, thankfully that was a huge lesson I learned in college was the word no and just different ways to say no and learning it then I was I'm so thankful for it because that it really does help so much to not just because somebody brings something to the table and tells you they're a problem that they're trying to solve or what they need you know done.

If you don't have the capacity to help them, that's totally okay. And I had to like really hear that and really learn those ways of saying, not just no, but like, I would love to help you. But I just do not have the capacity to take that on right now.

and know and like that is true like that is your truth and that's totally fine and so speaking your truth in that way and not being afraid to say no is totally fine and in this position people do ask a lot of things like you you know there's so many social media platforms there's facebook messenger there's your text message there's your work number like there's email there's a lot of ass of stuff so and you know i

been trying to reach Dolly and she gets, you can only imagine how many different asks she gets. She sits on Tuesdays and goes through her list of people have reached out to her. And so it is definitely something that a tool that you need to have and you're so well, just to say no and not feel bad about it because that's your truth. Or like, I don't have the skillset.

Kim Rapach (40:03.726)
Sure.

Kirstie Kraus (40:21.824)
I don't have the capacity for that right now or whatever the whatever this statement is, you know, I just took on another project. Had I known this, maybe I would have taken that on, but I have to honor my commitment. However you say it, that's it's just putting your truth in that and standing in that really does give you so much harmony and so much peace. And I've definitely am in the business of perfect.

What is it? I pro- protecting my piece. I was trying to say projecting. I was like, no, protecting my piece. That is like my MO.

Kim Rapach (40:54.336)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And artists, I think, get tripped up in the one piece of, if I don't do it, somebody else will. And if I don't do it, I'll get passed over, I'll get forgotten, I'll get canceled, whatever. And the other piece of, it's hard to protect your piece, one, when you don't have it, right? You don't even know how to find it.

Kirstie Kraus (41:21.575)
Right.

Kim Rapach (41:22.698)
or to make those aligned decisions when you're not regulated. If you're constantly running in fight or flight, you can't make aligned decisions and know, this is what makes, this is what feels right in my nervous system. You have to learn those tools so that you can sit with yourself and go, okay, does this make me light up like a Christmas tree or does this make my stomach hurt? And then trusting that.

Kirstie Kraus (41:28.488)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (41:34.352)
Yes, so true.

Kirstie Kraus (41:45.86)
Yes. Right. And you're so right. I feel like if people aren't regulated in their nervous system, they have no way of easily taking temperature if it's a yes or a no for them. They're like, I don't know.

Kim Rapach (41:58.87)
Exactly.

Kirstie Kraus (42:02.236)
I think that's a sign as well to kind of listen to your gut more, like listen to your inter, because our bodies know everything. We just have to give them space in order to give us the answers. I mean, my body will tell me exactly what it wants to eat, what it, you know, when it wants to eat, like if it's not feeling well, it's thirsty, like it tells me all of that. I don't have to go to, you know,

Kim Rapach (42:17.097)
Amen.

Kirstie Kraus (42:32.18)
to go online to look on what I should do. My body will just tell me if you really listen to it.

Kim Rapach (42:36.876)
Yeah. Yeah. And the more you learn that, the clearer everything becomes about decisions, about, you know, friendships and people you can trust or not trust. Like it just start like the amount of clarity that I have in my life. It's almost concerning sometimes. I'm like, that's an that's a big no. Okay, that they're not going to understand that. Right. Like, and that's okay.

Kirstie Kraus (42:43.889)
Absolutely.

Kirstie Kraus (43:00.328)
Yeah. And I find that stuff, I remember early when I was moving to Nashville and asking like, you know, there's YouTube videos about asking yourself questions and if your body like leans up or forward, it's like, yes. And if it leans like...

Kim Rapach (43:11.544)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (43:15.908)
know back are you feeling like any sort of constraint or like not an expansive feeling it's a no like it just is and i and so if you are in a predicament where you just want to try that try the try the asking your body it's it's very interesting how how that works

Kim Rapach (43:33.814)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's incredible. And it's the, I don't know, I think, especially, especially women, we've just been so conditioned to abandon our bodies. And so we just don't trust ourselves. And we trust whoever is, you know, especially if you have big goals and big dreams, you just start to trust the wrong people. You know, again, whether it's a friend or a manager, like, start trusting yourself. And if you don't know how,

Kirstie Kraus (43:57.202)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (44:03.15)
It starts with the nervous system, you know.

Kirstie Kraus (44:05.914)
Absolutely, and if you're not sure or don't have the basis for that like I definitely early on had to look at how they were treating other people and How they were interacting with even when you're standing there? How are they interacting with other people because one day that will be you?

Kim Rapach (44:23.65)
Right, yep. Yeah, so many situations where you really just can't say that'll never happen to me.

Kirstie Kraus (44:31.782)
Right.

Kim Rapach (44:32.641)
Data is data and history repeats itself. And it will come for you too. Yeah. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (44:35.609)
Absolutely.

Yeah. And people will stay in those loops for, you know, a long time. So it's not like it's miraculously they're going to treat you differently than how they treated that person that you just witnessed. It's probably the case that they're going to stay in the loop. mean, getting out of those type of loops takes work. It takes a lot of work and it takes quiet time and things that sometimes people aren't ready for until they're ready. So just know that.

Kim Rapach (45:02.253)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (45:08.776)
I mean, it's not, don't speak from any place. I'm just speaking from a place of like, I've worked through it. And so I remember, you know, seeing those things, but not knowing from this perspective that that was like the huge telling moment.

Kim Rapach (45:27.596)
Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm glad that this was a hell yes for you.

Kirstie Kraus (45:32.528)
Yes, it was! Literally, I was like, I am all about this. I hope she responds to my message.

Kim Rapach (45:38.67)
Well, thank you so much. You talked about Porter's Call and lens therapy and your daily routines. would say, what would you say are three non-negotiables on a daily basis that you have for yourself to keep your nervous system regulated, to keep your mental health in check and to be able to be present and enjoy this career?

Kirstie Kraus (46:03.738)
Yeah, I love like listening to Bible app or some sort of meditation. I use Hertz music. I...

love these at night, the blue light glasses, but ultimately just trying to turn my phone off for a little bit, like having time where I'm just making food and that's it. I'm not trying to multitask every day. So that's a non-negotiable. And then literally like I would not survive if I didn't drink at least two and a half of these. Like I drink so much water and with the electrolyte stuff and

Kim Rapach (46:34.616)
Same.

Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (46:41.768)
I'm in a bad mood if I don't. Like, I just don't feel right. So those are kind of...

Kim Rapach (46:41.794)
Yeah. Yeah.

I've had people accuse me of having alcohol because I always have my water bottle and I'm like, I always have water. Like, what does that even mean?

Kirstie Kraus (46:51.804)
Yeah.

yeah that's funny well they like because it's i guess not clear so they think something else is in there but yeah i've had this specific one since since christmas and i just every day like just fill it fill it with my my special water and those are yeah i think those are like the main things because it's so easy to be on your phone in the computer all day long and i

Kim Rapach (47:00.234)
I guess.

Kim Rapach (47:06.989)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (47:12.343)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (47:22.342)
definitely have all my electronics switch over after a certain time to take out the blue light and do like the nighttime mode and red light and all the things that helps as well.

Kim Rapach (47:27.36)
Nice.

Kim Rapach (47:34.146)
Yeah. Yeah. You take so many intentional steps for your mental health. It's so inspiring. And again, I hope people hear that this isn't, there's something wrong with Kirstie. So she has to do all these things. It's like, Kirstie just loves herself and wants to sustain her career for ever. at least until she, know, until she doesn't want to anymore, but it's just not always.

Kirstie Kraus (47:41.227)
Kirstie Kraus (47:55.975)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (48:02.414)
a mental health issue, like in a, in a deficit, right? It's a human issue. Like we all have a nervous system. We all need water. We all need sleep. We all need to get off our phone. Like collectively, can we humanize this process instead of always what's wrong with Johnny? He, you know, isn't answering his calls and he's not showing up the way he used to. It's like, maybe his nervous system is fried.

Kirstie Kraus (48:04.4)
Yeah. Right.

Kirstie Kraus (48:29.352)
Yeah, absolutely. I think it's okay. Like I'll message people and be like, hey, I'll deal with some car troubles right now. I will get back to your messages and read all these like when I can, because I get a lot of, you know, social media messages and I...

Kim Rapach (48:43.768)
Sure.

Kirstie Kraus (48:45.544)
I love my fans. We have a close relationship where we can message back and forth. But sometimes I just can't get to it in a timely manner and I just at some point let them know. I just say, in general, I'm one person. I also got to fit work and all these other things in there. I'll get back to you in messages. Feel free to send them to me and I'll get back when I can. And I just kind of set precedence like that as well.

Kim Rapach (48:53.326)
Sure.

Kim Rapach (49:00.803)
Yep.

Kim Rapach (49:11.736)
Yeah. Well, and I love that because for me, and I was just thinking this today, I'm just coming off of being sick and I'm still recovering from surgery. And there was a mix up with a phone call and I just, stopped and I paused and I was like, nothing is urgent to me. Like, yeah. Yeah. But I don't have to answer anybody right now where I used to, I used to be like, I got to get back to them. Just same thing. Or they, they'll think I, you know,

Kirstie Kraus (49:29.096)
recovery is most important. You know what I mean? Like, yes.

Kirstie Kraus (49:41.0)
Right, the con, right, my gosh, the con, that was something that was a huge shift. I remember that moment when it was like, I have to get back to that email, like this email, and people would be like, do it by the end of the day. People love to say that, especially festivals with all their paperwork. But you know what, like, what's the...

Kim Rapach (49:42.146)
or might lose my opportunity, you know?

Kim Rapach (49:57.58)
Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (50:05.512)
there's no consequence that's gonna happen if I do it tomorrow morning. You know what I mean? Or they just told me today. Like they told me at 2 p.m. and they said do it by the end of the day. Like sorry, I had plans as a human. I can't accommodate that and knowing that that's like reasonable to say, you know?

Kim Rapach (50:08.716)
Right, right.

Kim Rapach (50:18.487)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (50:23.862)
Yeah, yeah. Even if your plans were a nap, right? If it's just self care, like it's still it's my plan.

Kirstie Kraus (50:28.232)
Yeah, seriously like I Think a level of respect in a window like all needs to go in the equation and I'm so happy that you You said it like that like to some people be like, there's something wrong with her She just she knows she's just loving herself and I had someone another artist tell me one time I've never met anyone that like does practices as much self-love as you do and I was like

Like that was a moment for me. That was like a big compliment and I took that, yeah, as a compliment. Like to them it was more of just an observation as they were saying it. But I was like, no, that's wonderful. Like I'm so happy you said that. I feel like that's really important. And.

Kim Rapach (51:17.518)
I think it's the most important, Kirsty, because imagine if everyone took care of themselves with that much intention. I mean, take the industry, the music industry in Nashville, just in Nashville, just that alone.

Kirstie Kraus (51:25.338)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (51:31.276)
We'd have a whole different world. We'd have so much less addiction. We'd have so much less suicide. We'd have happier people. We'd have, you know, we'd have less assault. I mean, it changes everything. I would say when you regulate your nervous system, you change the world.

Kirstie Kraus (51:34.79)
We really would.

Kirstie Kraus (51:48.328)
Absolutely. mean one one person can change imagine like you were saying like a collective and in that space and we could change a lot of things and that's like a whole whole other conversation for another time, but I wanted to share like this is One of my I don't know if you can see it, but it says good morning. I love you. I Love you do your emails It's like do your emails I love you, but you should do your emails

Kim Rapach (52:06.892)
your alarms.

Kim Rapach (52:12.91)
I love that. It's almost 10 o'clock. Get it done. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (52:18.504)
But I think, yeah, little things like that. I just feel like it gives, yeah, it just gives me a little smile and reminds me that I'm here. I'm here for myself. I can trust myself to be there and listen to my body and not be an enemy or put myself in bad situations. I can trust myself.

Kim Rapach (52:44.876)
Yeah. And that's it's one, it's so obvious, like that it is authentic. It's so obvious. It's authentic. Like I can feel your energy through the screen, but that is the energy you are bringing to a writing room, to your, you know, your niece and nephew to, and when you're on an airplane, when you're at a festival, when you're writing, like that's the energy you're bringing. And that's the most, Ooh, I got goosebumps. That's just the most powerful thing that you could possibly do. And so good.

Kirstie Kraus (52:55.482)
yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (53:06.193)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (53:14.8)
Good job, good job just showing up for you. Yeah.

Kirstie Kraus (53:17.894)
Yeah, thank you. I'm so glad we got to talk about this. I've never actually gotten ever in depth in this type of spaces and things I do just on a daily basis. So this has been really cool to be able to talk about this back and forth.

Kim Rapach (53:37.587)
Yeah, awesome. This is what I talk about all day, every day. So it's all I ever want to talk about. So I appreciate you being here. If there is someone who's struggling and you had to give a response, you know, if someone's struggling with their mental health or with burnout or questioning, should I, you know, like you said in the song, should I even be in this industry? What?

Kirstie Kraus (53:43.172)
That's awesome.

Kim Rapach (54:04.748)
would you say to them?

Kirstie Kraus (54:07.516)
think take in the bigger picture because maybe it's just right now or this season where you're feeling these down feelings, but in the bigger picture there's been more days where you're like, yes, this is what I meant to do. So for sure, like zoom yourself out and take in the bigger picture and you're human and just know that people have down days or they have days where they just want to Chip Flix or whatever movies you're into and eat popcorn and...

Call that the day. Like go for a walk, watch a movie, and that's totally fine to do. I myself used to feel so guilty taking days, but people in all different industries, take days off too. So it's okay for you to have a bad day or a bad week or just be sad about something, but really zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

and maybe even write some things down that you remember that really was a moment that touched you. Or just as things happen, I definitely have a list of good things people have said to me. And so I can go back to that moment and that list and look at it and kind of reread, look at what they said. That's so encouraging. That's why I do this.

Kim Rapach (55:30.284)
Yeah, that's a really good point to keep the notes and the evidence and the data of your whys and your support system and the gratitude and notes from fans and DMs and that sort of thing because our nervous systems are built for survival. And so it's always looking for what's wrong and how to protect you. And if you don't know that and you're not focusing on gratitude, it just all feels so all consuming and it can get really dark. So that's a really great practice.

Kirstie Kraus (55:56.794)
Yeah, celebrating all the little wins. All the little wins. Like, I got to go in this room with a writer today that I remember wishing that I would get in the room and we had a great day and we got a song and I did that. Like that was something I wanted to do and it happened.

Kim Rapach (56:02.124)
Yeah. Yeah.

Kim Rapach (56:17.196)
Yep. Yep. Well, and soon you'll be like, I am so excited that I finally got to talk to Dolly. It's coming. It's coming.

Kirstie Kraus (56:24.072)
Yay! Yes! I keep, I keep just putting it out there and manifesting. I'm like, I know one day I'm going to be on the Opry stage and I'm going be singing to Ava Dali with like for her birthday and there's gonna be a bunch of other female artists on stage and it's just going to be to celebrate her birthday. I was like, that will happen. I know that to be true in the future. It's just a matter of when.

But I just keep putting it out there and picturing it and that's gonna help it. Be there.

Kim Rapach (56:56.77)
I love it. Yeah, keep going. Yeah, I love it so much. Thank you so much for being here. Is there anything else you want to share with our listeners before we go?

Kirstie Kraus (57:06.864)
Yeah, I just want to say if anyone's tuning in and I don't know you, I still love you. I think that we are all here to just love and we're all brothers and sisters and so it's just really cool that we get to be on this planet and just experience life and everything that that all entails and it doesn't always look perfect and that's okay.

Kim Rapach (57:32.632)
Thank you so much. such a delight. I'm so grateful to have met you. Thank you for being here.

Kirstie Kraus (57:34.96)
I was like, how am going to say this without crying? I was like, I'm going to say it and I'm not going to get teary eyed. I was determined. Yeah. This has been awesome. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really glad this worked out.

Kim Rapach (57:41.964)
Hey, we welcome tears. We welcome tears around here. It's beautiful. You can always cry my presence.

Kim Rapach (57:54.496)
Me too. Thank you for being here. All right, I'll talk to you soon.

Kirstie Kraus (57:57.126)
Yeah. Okay.