About me
Kim Fuller is a mindful photographer, mindfulness and story coach, award-winning author, TEDx speaker, and founder of Born to Rise™.
Her passion is to help women stand in their power, story, and beauty to live a confident and peaceful life. She uses photography to mirror the beauty she sees in each woman, empowering them to show up authentically in business and life.
Kim also gives women a platform to share their personal stories with a live audience so they can process, release, and transform from victim to hero. She provides women with mindful tools through her Art of the P.A.U.S.E. method, inviting them to slow down and look inward carefully. This enables them to expand in creativity, intuition, peace, and joy and release their fears, judgments, and assumptions of themselves and others.
Kim leads workshops and story exchanges in the DEI space, with women’s groups, and at conferences. She’s been a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for Chubb Insurance, Bank Newport, Bryant Women’s Summit, the United Way, IGT, Adidas, Day One, and many others. She’s been a guest on several podcasts, radio shows, and television spots, speaking about mindfulness and the power of storytelling.
Born to Rise™ is the culmination of Kim’s work. She believes if we can see the greatest qualities in ourselves by unraveling unhelpful stories, assumptions, and judgments, we can heal and RISE to our greatest potential. We lead our lives with more love, compassion, and empathy when healed. When we share our stories, we connect more deeply, educate others, and bridge the divides that keep us from understanding those who seem different than ourselves. Kim also feels women’s voices need to be amplified to balance the stories that have been told for centuries by men. Women’s stories explore themes such as community, collaboration, and compassion, whereas many of our historical stories were about wars, power, and control. We need both versions of life to understand the best possibilities for all people and the planet.
Kim is a mother of three children, one of whom was adopted and is her greatest spiritual teacher. Her book “Finding” tells the story of her journey with this young boy and the Dalai Lama. One of Kim’s greatest gifts is she is a great hugger.
What do you do and why do you do it?
I believe that when women come together in community, there’s nothing that can stop them from making great and positive changes in the world. Women support, encourage, and have compassion for one another when they are in a healthy space.
I’ve seen and heard too many women play small, in their minds as well as in their desires. I want to change that. I help women show up and step into possibility in front of my camera and create stages where they can share and claim their lives through personal storytelling. When we can see all the hard stuff we have experienced as growth, lessons, and strength, we awaken to the wisdom and possibility of healing.
I host story nights and story festivals and published a book, including a collection of women’s stories. These events are designed to build community, bridge divides, and develop more compassionate hearts for all people. I do all of this because I have done this work myself. I study Buddhism, meditate, and move so I can grow and understand myself. This allows me to love myself and understand others. We all suffer but can suffer less if we watch and shift the stories we tell ourselves. I am also a speaker, workshop facilitator, and Reiki Master.
What changed for you after age 50?
I let go of my bad money mindset for one. This helped me worry less about money and put me in a greater mindset of abundance. I started the journey towards empty nesting, which was painful. Now fully there, I am embracing the time to focus on my mission, my husband of 34 years and travel. Menopause was fun but got through it and realized how much less I am focused on looks and more on how I feel.
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
Great job, keep going. This is all part of growth. You are loved and no one cares if you have a meltdown.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
I hope that on my deathbed, I’m calm and at peace with whatever is next. I believe in reincarnation and want to leave this world the way I want to come back. I made a vow to be a Bodhisattva, one who seeks to reach enlightenment, so maybe I’ll come back a little wiser and get a head start in my next life. This is what inspires me to keep seeking. I would also thank myself for the body and mind I was blessed with that allowed me to hug, dance, run, pet my dog, kiss my hubby, and be smart enough to have my own business.
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
The more women who are exposed to this work and start sharing stories with one another, healing and loving themselves, gives me hope that we are that much closer to living a more peaceful and happy life.
Who or what inspires you and why?
The Dalai Lama has strongly impacted me. I had a moment with him where everything changed for me, and I felt the power of being truly present. I continue to follow his teachings. I’m also very inspired by my sisters. They are a couple of badasses. And, of course, my amazing Mom, who raised us three a lot of the time on her own as my Dad was a military man.
Something else I’d like to share
Let’s make HERstory! Share your stories women. We need our voices in the world.
