Tenacious Travellers is an interview series with the fascinating people I have met around the world. My life is better because of them and I want to help you get to know them too. The world is big, but having friends in every country makes it all feel like home.
I met Keltie Maguire in high school – we grew up in the same small town, which had only one high school at the time. I always admired Keltie because she was confident, smart, expressive, talented, and friendly to everyone. I knew she was going to do amazing things with her life!! I’m lucky to have stayed in touch with Keltie over the years and I recently caught up with her in Munich, Germany, where we discussed life, travel, and business over a delicious Bavarian weisswurst breakfast.
Tell us a bit about yourself – where you live, what you do
I’m a Canadian expat living in Munich with my German husband, Chris, and Mexican street dog, Shira. You could say we’re an international bunch!
Professionally, I’m a Clarity Coach who helps small business owners and professionals get clear on what they want, and create the kinds of businesses and lives they desire.
Personally, I am an avid traveller, craft beer lover and big fan of the outdoors — especially hiking in our neighboring mountains.
What inspired you to become a Clarity Coach?
I came to the realization that a lack of clarity was one of the biggest things preventing people from creating businesses and lives that felt truly fulfilling, and that ultimately, this lack of clarity was keeping them stuck.
After having conversations with countless fellow entrepreneurs — and exploring my own experiences running my former jewellery business — I saw that behind virtually every challenge, feeling of indecision, and uncertainty was a fogginess in terms of an overall vision.
Conversely, with clarity in terms of what we want and where we’re going, we can build a future that ultimately feels good and in alignment with what really matters to us.
How did your experience as a jewellery designer prepare you for being a Clarity Coach?
Well, for starters, it gave me a great foundation for building a second business. There were a lot of things I had already figured out by the time I started my coaching business. Of course, I’m certainly still learning, but my jewellery business taught me a ton about marketing, sales, customer engagement — you name it.
I also appreciate that there was a lot I didn’t do right in my jewellery business, whether from a practical standpoint (i.e. not managing my inventory well) or on a more holistic level (i.e. not aligning my business with the kind of life I wanted).
These learnings and experiences have been a great help in my client work, because I have knowledge and experience that my clients can relate to, and which also can save them from similar frustrations and headaches.
Have you ever made a big mistake in life, and how did you recover from it?
I’ve no doubt made lots of “mistakes” but I don’t look at my choices in this kind of black and white way. I feel like regret, or seeing something as a mistake, is a bit of a wasted emotion, and that’s why I feel like everything I’ve done and experienced has been a teacher — whether or not it was the smartest or best choice in the moment.
So I suppose I’ve recovered from mistakes by learning from them and knowing they were an integral part of the journey.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m proud to have done a lot of things that I’ve dreamed about in this life: having lived in two foreign countries, learned a foreign language, started two businesses, cultivated a very fulfilling and healthy partnership with my husband.
I’d say overall, I’m just really proud of the life I’ve created for myself. It hasn’t always been conventional, or what “most” people do, but it’s always been about following my own desires and living exactly the kind of life that’s right for me.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Give my doggie (who’s no doubt sitting at the side of my bed) a pat and tell her, “Okay, mama’s coming. I’m getting up!”
When you’re having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?
I try and get out for a walk or do something else that I know will be conducive to feeling better. But other times, I wallow in my misery, feel like shit and complain, ha ha. Sometimes we’ve just got to embrace feeling bad!
What’s something most people don’t know about you but you wish they did?
I think that because I’m a pretty bright and cheery person, people assume I’ve never faced any hardship or heartbreak. People are often surprised when I share some of the challenges I’ve faced because they don’t equate suffering with someone of my demeanor. I guess that’s a good reminder for all of us: we never know what someone has been through or is going through, and optimism and positivity doesn’t mean a person doesn’t know life’s sorrows.
Where is your favourite place (or places) you’ve travelled?
Italy is a country I could return to one hundred times over. It truly offers every kind of experience and landscape a person could want, and the food can’t be beat. I also absolutely loved my time in Croatia, though I have to say, the food couldn’t hold a candle to Italian cuisine.
Austria is another one of my favorite — yet most underrated — destinations. This isn’t to say people don’t plan their travels there, but I’m not sure it’s on most people’s travel bucket lists. As an avid hiker and outdoor lover, I think Austria offers one of the most beautiful and perfect landscapes to visit in the world. I feel like I’ve stepped into a storybook every time I visit — which lucky for me, is quite often, since it’s just a couple of hours drive from Munich.
I mean, I could go on and on. I had the trip-of-a-lifetime in Bali…I spent 14 months living in Australia, and it’s also completely magical…and there are 1,001 other places I’ve yet to see!
Let’s do a whole other post just about travel, shall we?
Editor’s note: Yes, let’s shall!
What do you love about Munich?
So much! Though can I tell you a secret? When I visited Munich as a tourist, my impression was kind of, “Eh…it’s alright.” I mean, the city is certainly lovely to visit, but it just felt very… “nice”. Let’s say Munich lacked that certain something that would leave a strong impression on me.
Of course, moving here has been a totally different experience. As a city, Munich is extremely liveable: it’s very easy to get around by foot, public transport and bike, we’re close to the mountains and the city itself is beautiful and green. Bavarian culture is proudly embraced; when you think of lederhosen and pretzels — that’s Munich and Bavaria, and as a Canadian, I find these kinds of things so interesting and quaint.
I love how much of life happens outdoors — public markets, and beer gardens, and congregating for drinks with friends in a neighbourhood “platz”.
Although aspects of life are pricey — like housing costs and health insurance — it means a very strong social system, and other things, like groceries and household items, feel shockingly cheap. We can afford to eat all organic here in Germany, and we still spend just a fraction on food costs, than we ever did in Canada.
Plus, the fact that Munich is smack dab in the rest of Europe, means I’ve got endless travel possibilities a short car trip, train, or plane ride away.
Ready to move to Munich?
Editor’s note: Already got my ticket!
Do you have a favourite book? Podcast? Movie?
I’ve always got at least a couple of books on the go, and I’d be happy to recommend a couple I’ve read recently:
For fiction, I very much enjoyed The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, and I also thought Greg McKeown (author of Essentialism) did a great job with his follow-up, “Effortless”.
I recently recorded a podcast episode sharing some of my favorite ideas in Effortless, which is all about making it easier to do the things that matter most. If you’re interested, you can check that out here.
In terms of podcasts, I’ve got a bunch that I like, but if I’m honest, lately I’m really trying to reduce inputs, as with so much to read, listen to, and generally, consume, it all gets to be a bit much.
That said, I always find Simon Sinek’s “A Bit of Optimism” podcast inspiring, as well as Guy Raz’s “How I Built This”.
Do you have any advice for people who feel stuck?
A simple question you can ask is, “When did I last feel not stuck?” Exploring the circumstances in which you last felt joyful and in flow can be a great way to identify what may have changed in order to lead to these stuck feelings.
You can also check out a 1-hour free masterclass of mine that takes a deep-dive into the topic, called “The 5 Reasons You’re Stuck” which explores the most common reasons people end up feeling stuck on their path — plus some tangible tips on how to get unstuck.
Are you happy with your life right now?
Very happy. I feel extremely grateful for the life I have. I’m very fortunate to have the privilege and opportunity to create the kind of life I have. But saying that, “creation” has played a big part in the joy I feel, because it’s something that I work to cultivate every day.
Thank you so much, Keltie, for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us! You have so many talents and I truly appreciate how you use your wisdom, understanding, and humour to enrich the lives of others.
If you’d like to connect with Keltie, check out these links where you are sure to find her:
Website: https://www.keltiemaguire.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keltiemaguire/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keltiemaguire/
The Clarity Circle, a private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/keltiesclaritycircle
