Daily Inspiration: Meet Kristen Hayes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Hayes.

Hi Kristen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My story began in a season of heartbreak, uncertainty, and reinvention. After navigating a painful divorce and jumping into a relationship before I had truly healed, I was left feeling disconnected from myself. That breakup became my awakening as it pushed me to stop waiting for someone else to choose me and start choosing myself.

I spent over a decade in the federal government, working hard, playing it safe, and climbing a ladder that no longer fulfilled me. I knew there had to be more…more freedom, more impact, more alignment. That’s when I Am Kristen Simone was born.

I started showing up online not just as a fitness girlie, but as a whole woman—soft, strong, healing, and evolving. I documented my self-love journey, my feminine era, and my glow-up season. From solo dates to sweating it out in the gym, romanticizing my life became my therapy, and sharing that journey became my purpose.

Now, I help other Black women turn their pain into power through inspirational fitness, beauty, and lifestyle content. I left my federal job to become a full-time content creator and entrepreneur, and I haven’t looked back. I Am Kristen Simone is more than a brand—it’s a movement for women stepping into their next level with softness, strength, and strategy.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! It’s been anything but a smooth road. From grieving the recent loss of my mom, to walking away from a marriage, and jumping into a relationship before I had fully healed, I’ve had to restart more times than I can count.

One of the biggest challenges has been managing anxiety, especially as I made the decision to leave my federal government job after over a decade. I was in a high-stress, emotionally draining environment where I constantly felt undervalued and boxed in. The return-to-office mandate after years of remote work was the final push I needed to step away and choose myself.

Leaving that job came with so many fears—financial instability, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to succeed on my own terms. But my fiancé supported me every step of the way. He reminded me that I deserved peace, purpose, and the freedom to build a life I love. That support meant everything during a season when I was doubting myself.

The transition hasn’t been easy. There were days I battled burnout, overthinking, and the pressure to constantly create. But I’ve learned to give myself grace, to rest when needed, and to lead from a place of healing. I’m no longer living just to survive. I’m creating a life rooted in alignment, softness, and purpose.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a content creator, fitness coach, digital entrepreneur, and the founder of I Am Kristen Simone—a brand that empowers women to transform their pain into power and romanticize every chapter of their journey. I specialize in inspiring lifestyle content that blends beauty, wellness, fitness, and soft life storytelling. I also run a faceless brand called The Soft Exit, where I teach women how to exit their 9–5s and build freedom-based income streams through digital products.

What I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built just by being my authentic self. I show up online with transparency, sharing my growth, my grief, my glow-ups, and my grind. I help women feel seen in their healing, confident in their bodies, and worthy of softness even when life gets hard. That blend of vulnerability and strategy is what sets me apart.

Whether I’m in front of the camera creating a reel, behind the scenes coaching other creators, or writing digital guides to help women make money online—I pour intention into every piece of content I create. This isn’t just social media for me, it’s ministry, it’s movement, it’s legacy.

What makes you happy?
Happiness for me is rooted in peace, freedom, and purpose. I feel most alive when I’m creating from the heart, inspiring women through my content, and living a life that reflects my values. I enjoy slow mornings, anything girly and pink, gym sessions, and quality time with my fiancé bring me deep joy—but so does knowing I’m free.

Freedom to create. Freedom to rest. Freedom to travel whenever I want and explore new places, new energies, and new versions of myself. That kind of freedom wasn’t always available to me, so now I protect it fiercely. Travel gives me perspective, creativity, and inspiration. It reminds me there’s more to life than survival.

What truly makes me happy is knowing that I’ve turned my story into something that helps other women heal, grow, and glow. I’m walking in my purpose and that’s the sweetest joy of all.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkristensimone?igsh=YzdxM3o3cHBtODRq&utm_source=qrI’m
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxsbfdgtctCCfi5x9VRbi2g
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamkristensimone?_t=ZT-8wlCdjko52k&_r=1

Image Credits
Pics By NiNi