Influential Woman · Writing and education
Kim Berling
Decision-Making Strategist, Practical Wisdom with Dr. Kim
Coarsegold, CA
Her Story
About Kim
I have had an adventurous life, traveling the world and taking in all the wonder. My first career was that of Acupuncturist and herbal medicine maker. I suffered a catastrophic leg injury about 25 years ago and lost the ability to give acupuncture treatments and massage. After that I focused more on running my non-profit organization, Compassion Without Borders, which was located in Nepal. I ran CWB for approximately 27 years. I finished a Ph.D. program in Buddhist Studies and Philosophy and began working as a professor about 20 years ago.
Now that I've retired from being a professor, I am writing full time. I've written three self-help books and a sci-fi novel (being released on Amazon at the end of April). I'm also a decision-making strategist with an upcoming course on Udemy. My expertise is in critical thinking and decision-making is an extension of that. I have a website called practicalwisdomwithdrkim.com where all my writing, projects, and online courses will be available.
I live in the mountains by Yosemite with my four cats, and my days are filled with hiking and writing. I have a wonderful and peaceful life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kim
01What do you attribute your success to?
I am extremely adaptable, strong, persevering, focused, action-oriented, and forward-thinking.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I think the best career advice I ever received came from one of my professors. She told me to be very open to criticism. I have taken that advice and always put my work in front of experts to evaluate. I do this because I want to be the best that I can be. I think seeking opinions has made me a better writer and continues to do so. It's criticism without cruelty. I always tell my professors or beta readers to please rip my work to shreds so as to make it better. Being open to honest evaluations of your work so you can improve is the best career advice I have ever received.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say don't be overly sensitive. Seek out non-cruel criticism so as to be better at what you do. Also, don't be afraid to share your own thoughts honestly. Don't edit yourself, just be free. Lastly, do not live inside a socially constructed box. You are your own person.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
For me, the biggest challenge is the way the technological format of writing has changed. I've had to adapt to things like Amazon and self-publishing. You don't have to do it that way, but it's now harder to get with a traditional publisher. I think AI and the notions of originality, creativity, and aesthetics and the biggest challenges right now. AI is also the biggest opportunity right now. It is not going away, so I think that learning how to use it in our businesses is the way to go.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty and integrity. People have a strange relationship with those two qualities now, partly because they think there are alternative facts (which there are not).
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