Hi. I'm Kat Inokai
aka @bumpandhustle
Hi. I’m Kat. I’m a writer, host, and mom of two that lives in Toronto.
I started my first blog Thebumpandhustle.com in 2010 after the birth of my eldest, Vee. The blog chronicled motherhood and pregnancy (the bump) and my life as a designer and digital media entrepreneur – my hustle.
Over the years my lighthearted posts took on a different tone, and my writing started popping up in different places. I wrote about miscarriage and grief, divorce and relationships, blended families, and my chronic health challenges. I was a featured blogger for YMC, had posts published at Huffington Post and Metro News, made media appearances, and spoke as a guest at events.
I also started acting and producing film alongside the creative and strategic consulting I was doing at the time. Life was full.
Then in 2018, I had a life-changing health experience. I had an atypical stroke-like reaction to a biologic medication that I was taking for my Crohn's disease and spondylitis. I ended up in hospital and stroke-neuro rehab for a month, moving from wheelchair to where I am now with my mobility and health – on a journey of letting it land, one breath at a time.
I made a decision to share my 'complex autoimmune health' story on Instagram and for a few years I was privileged to connect with a beautiful community, creating content around the themes of disability, healing, accessibility, body image, and body acceptance. Through the Pandemic I focused on exploring self-worth and self-love through the lens of disability while helping myself and others to thrive along the way. This was a joyful time for me where I felt so connected to my purpose. I wrote an Amazon bestselling book, and launched the Let It Land podcast! I thought this was the clear cut path- but all of a sudden life took an interesting turn and took me offline for a while. For years actually.
In 2021, after experiencing a sudden uptick in severe neurological symptoms, I literally couldn't find the words. It was soul crushing. I started experiencing severe transient aphasia with my chronic complex hemiplegic migraines, and although I had started new medications, I was pretty sure that the way I used to speak, feel, think, and write - was gone forever. With screen time being a major suspected contributing culprit, I made a decision to go offline and focus on recovery.
Thankfully I didn't give up. I started small, found strategies to continue reading, writing, speaking, and connecting with my community in real life, slowly reigniting my career in corporate branding and marketing strategy - I'm a CXO now! More impressively, I'm even a dance mom! Life has been interesting...and it's full again.
I finally posted again in 2024, on Halloween, on LinkedIn of all places. I remember my heart slamming wildly, and I will never forget how good coming back to myself through sharing my written words felt.
We can't go back, and I'm definitely not the same Kat, but I finally feel that I can take gentle compassionate steps out into the digital world with no safety net, for myself. For my story. For your story. Because your story matters.
I'm so pleased to meet you as I meet myself again.
Hi. My name is Kat Inokai, and I'm still @bumpandhustle.
Here’s where I let it all land.
Welcome to my beautiful mess.
XO Kat