Redefining Strength: Coach Kiah on Joy, Self-Acceptance, and Showing Up Anyway
What does it mean to chase joy when life throws everything at you? When your industry is built on grit and endurance, how do you carve out space for softness—for self-love, for grace, for joy? That’s what we explored on this week’s episode of Your Ag Empire with Coach Kiah Twisselman Burchett.
From a California ranch to the Kentucky hills, Kiah’s story is one of radical transformation—not the kind measured in pounds or titles, but the kind that happens when you learn to stop running from yourself.
Showing Up Before You “Arrive”
Kiah’s journey started like many others—full of pressure, perfectionism, and self-doubt. She was the daughter of a ranching family, raised in a culture where toughness is a badge of honor and vulnerability isn’t exactly encouraged. But after years of wrestling with her body and identity, Kiah realized the change she was craving wasn’t about size. It was about presence.
“I thought I needed to hate myself into changing,” she told us. “Turns out, what I really needed was to love myself into showing up.”
And show up she did. Kiah went on a journey not just of health, but of healing. She lost 125 pounds, yes—but what matters more is how she rebuilt her mindset, her relationship with herself, and the way she defines worth.
Mental Health and the Ag Industry
Kiah speaks candidly about mental health, especially in rural spaces where it’s often sidelined or stigmatized. “There’s this expectation that you just tough it out,” she says. “But toughness isn’t stuffing your feelings down. It’s choosing to feel them and still keep going.”
This resonates deeply in agriculture, where silence around mental health is often mistaken for strength. Kiah challenges that narrative. She reminds us that asking for help, getting curious about your emotions, and being kind to yourself is a form of resilience too.
Building a Brand on Vulnerability
Today, Coach Kiah is a motivational speaker, coach, and digital creator who uses storytelling to build a bridge between rural identity and modern self-worth. Her social feeds aren’t polished highlight reels—they’re real, raw reminders that progress doesn’t always look pretty.
She’s not trying to be an influencer. She’s trying to be a lighthouse.
“You don’t have to have it all figured out to make an impact,” she told us. “You just have to be willing to show up, again and again, as you are.”
And that’s exactly what she does—whether she’s sharing a win, a rough morning, or a pep talk in her barn boots.
Why Her Message Matters Now
Kiah’s voice is timely in an era where rural people—especially rural women—are increasingly online but still hungry for real connection. Her message cuts through the noise: You don’t have to wait to love yourself. You don’t have to earn joy. You just have to stop disqualifying yourself from it.
We need more voices like hers in ag. Not just because she’s smart, funny, and wildly engaging (though she is), but because she represents a shift in how we view success. It’s not just about what you grow, build, or post. It’s about how well you know yourself when the lights are off and the work is done.
The Takeaway
If you’re in a season of burnout, self-doubt, or just plain tired, this episode is a reminder that the journey matters. That you don’t have to hate yourself into greatness. That your story—yes, yours—is worthy of joy, not just endurance.
As Kiah said best: “You can love yourself now and still want to grow. They’re not mutually exclusive.”
And maybe that’s the most powerful thing of all.
