Katie Stephenson

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Perfectly Imperfect (and Not Quite Finished): A Mother's Journey of Creativity, Courage & Self-Publishing

From a heartfelt poem written in the early hours of motherhood to co-illustrating a picture book with her kids—Katie Stephenson joins Chrystal Dawn on Her Brave Story Podcast to share the raw, real, and still-unfolding journey of creating Perfectly Imperfect.

This isn’t just a story about publishing a book—it’s about trusting your intuition, honoring your timing, and choosing to create from the heart, even when things feel messy or uncertain.

In this live episode, Chrystal and Katie dive deep into the imperfect creative process, what it means to heal through action, and how motherhood can crack us open into deeper purpose. Katie shares how her background in early childhood, her connection to nature, and her experiences as a mother and intuitive guide shaped both the message and the method behind her upcoming book.

They talk about the pressure of perfectionism, the courage it takes to start before you’re ready, and how asking for help—and inviting others in—can transform both your work and your worth.

This episode is a love letter to creative mamas, makers, and women in transition. A reminder that your story doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful.

Katie’s book Perfectly Imperfect was born from a poem she wrote for new mothers while preparing to speak at a Fourth Trimester conference. That one poem sparked a creative project that would involve her children, her community, and eventually, her decision to self-publish on her own terms. It is a story still in the making—living proof that we don’t have to have it all figured out to begin.

Whether you’re working on a project, parenting through chaos, or simply trying to listen to that quiet voice within—this one’s for you.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How Perfectly Imperfect was born from a poem and became a co-illustrated picture book
Why Katie chose self-publishing (and what she’s learned along the way)
The real challenges of perfectionism—and how to hold them with compassion
Why visual tools and messages matter for both adults and children
How community support, intuition, and inspired action helped Katie keep going
The importance of knowing your “why” and starting before you’re ready
Reflections on healing, motherhood, and the art of doing it all imperfectly
Why it’s okay to be in progress, and why that’s where the magic lives

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome + live intro and tech setup
01:57 – Meet Katie: mother, creative, and first-time author
04:04 – The birth of Perfectly Imperfect as a poem
06:58 – Speaking at the Fourth Trimester Conference
11:57 – Co-illustrating the book with her children
15:57 – Overcoming perfectionism through the book’s process
17:05 – Staying anchored in her ‘why’
21:43 – Holding perfection with compassion
29:13 – Why healing yourself helps heal the world
31:54 – The self-publishing journey: what Katie learned
47:38 – Final reflections + taking small, imperfect action