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  • About
  • Coaching
    • Life coaching
    • Business Coaching
    • Leadership Coaching
    • Half-day coaching intensive
  • Workshops
    • Compassionate Conversations
    • Write Your Life Stories Workshops
    • The Confidence Course
    • Free Monday Talk & Meditation
  • Speaking
  • Retreat
  • Resources
    • Kate’s books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 0 items

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Build self-belief &
find your direction

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Personal Growth, Confidence & Leadership Support

Kate James is a business, leadership and life coach based in Melbourne. Since founding Total Balance in 2002, Kate has worked with thousands of women find direction, let go of not feeling good enough and discover a true sense of self-belief.

Kate is the founder of The Confidence Course, a small group coaching program for women. Alongside Clinical Psychologist, Catherine Morey-Nase, she is the host of Compassionate Conversations and an annual mindfulness retreat for women in Byron Bay.

She is the author of six best-selling personal development books including Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life and Quietly Confident. 

Join over 30 million global meditators on the Insight Timer meditation app to listen to Kate’s free guided meditations and 30,000 others who have taken her ten-day audio course, Build Self-Belief through Mindful Action.

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leadership and confidence coaching Projects

Work with Kate

Business, leadership and life coaching with Kate James.

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Coaching

Create a compassionate relationship with yourself and build self-belief.

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Workshops

Rediscover peace and harmony with a transformative retreat experience.

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Retreat

Life Coaching Melbourne Clients

Kate’s coaching clients

Kate’s coaching clients are women who want to discover greater clarity about their direction and a deeper sense of confidence in themselves.  You may find that some of the following qualities resonate.

  • You might be feeling stuck or lost.
  • You may be burnt out from over-functioning.
  • You may struggle with self-confidence or self-belief.
  • You may have an inclination to overthink things.
  • You have a tendency to be hard on yourself and even perfectionistic.
  • You want to live with purpose and meaning.
  • Even if you don’t meditate, you like the idea of living consciously.
  • You care less about the external measures of success and more about being true to yourself.
  • You may have always felt a little different.
  • You feel restored by spending time in nature and care about taking care of our planet.

BOOK AN INTRO CALL WITH KATE

About Kate

Kate James is an author, business, leadership and life coach and mindfulness teacher based just outside of Melbourne. Drawing on principles from Positive Psychology, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, coaching philosophy and other forms of therapy, Kate helps her clients create mindful and meaningful lives. Her work is about inspiring clarity, balance, confidence and inner calm and she’ll work with you to create a deeper connection to your true self.

She is the author of six best-selling personal development books including, Believe in Yourself & Do What You Love, Be Mindful & Simplify Your Life, Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life and most recently, Quietly Confident.

Kate studied coaching in Melbourne in 2002 and opened a practice where she could blend her business experience with her interests in psychology, creativity and mindful leadership with her love of deep conversation, and purposeful living.

More about Kate

Kate James is a life coach in Melbourne.

Join Kate live every Monday

Join over 100 people from around the globe each Monday morning at 9.30am (AEST)
when Kate shares a free talk and meditation on Insight Timer. With over 129,000 followers,
Kate’s popular guided meditations will help you find clarity, calm and confidence.

JOIN HERE

What people are saying

Clare Bowditch
Big Hearted Business

‘I absolutely adore Kate. She is a highly skilled, generous and enormously gifted business coach, especially for those who don’t traditionally consider themselves “business people”. I discovered her through sheer luck (thanks Google), and I remain sincerely grateful for the counsel she offered me back in 2010 when I was first fleshing out the bones for what would become Big Hearted Business. Thanks Kate!’

Catherine Morey-Nase
The Wellbeing Corner

‘Working with Kate has literally been life changing. In addition to being extremely professional and having the highest integrity, Kate is wise, kind and generous. She is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and does just that with her compassionate, grounded and creative approach. Working with Kate helped me gain clarity and, more importantly, develop the self-belief to pursue what is truly aligned and meaningful for me.’

Elise Bialylew
Mindful in May

‘I had some coaching sessions with Kate to help me in becoming clearer about a project that I dreamt of running. Kate is authentic, professional, sparkling with creativity and truly inspiring. She provided generous ideas and helped me to develop this idea into a reality. Kate’s practice is grounded in the wisdom of meditation and you can certainly feel her clarity in the room. I have already spread the word to my friends and would highly recommend seeing her.’

Quietly Confident

In Quietly Confident, Kate looks beyond the narrow scope of popular culture and paints a broader, more human definition of what it means to have confidence and be ‘successful’. In an era that rewards those with the loudest voices (and the most followers), Kate encourages introverts to let go of outdated ideas and beliefs so that they too might shine just as brightly. With a better understanding of an introvert’s many invaluable gifts and showing us how to tap into our infinite worth, Kate will guide readers towards the confidence that already exists within each of us.

Quietly Confident - Kate James

Read Kate’s recent articles

Woman walking along a winding country road.

12 ways ‘not good enough’ shows up in our lives

  When I first wrote about the signs of ‘not feeling good enough’, I focused on four of the most common ways this difficult belief tends to surface, particularly when we’re stressed — overfunctioning, avoidance…

Read more
Wave breaking with horizon and soft clouds in the background.

Why we overfunction (and why it’s so hard to change)

  If you recognised yourself in my last post about overfunctioning, you’re not alone. I had a huge response to this article which tells me that you are I are not alone. What I find…

Read more
Field of white daisies

5 signs you might be overfunctioning

  Overfunctioning is one of the four hidden patterns I wrote about recently that often arise when we don’t feel good enough. The other three – avoidance, paralysis and people-pleasing – are also common, but…

Read more
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COACHING
COURSES
RETREAT
Clare Bowditch<span>Big Hearted Business</span>
Clare BowditchBig Hearted Business

‘I absolutely adore Kate. She is a highly skilled, generous and enormously gifted business coach, especially for those who don’t traditionally consider themselves “business people”. I discovered her through sheer luck (thanks Google), and I remain sincerely grateful for the counsel she offered me back in 2010 when I was first fleshing out the bones for what would become Big Hearted Business. Thanks Kate!’

Elise Bialylew <span>Mindful in May</span>
Elise Bialylew Mindful in May

‘I had some coaching sessions with Kate to help me in becoming clearer about a project that I dreamt of running. Kate is authentic, professional, sparkling with creativity and truly inspiring. She provided generous ideas and helped me to develop this idea into a reality. I had been to other career counsellors in the past but this was an entirely different experience for me. Kate’s practice is grounded in the wisdom of meditation and you can certainly feel her clarity in the room. I felt absolutely blessed that although I found her through a random web search, she proved herself to be so helpful. I have already spread the word to my friends and would highly recommend seeing her if you are needing inspiration and support to reach your goals.’ Elise Bialylew, Founder, Mindful in May

Angus Wurth<span>Bonsai Media</span>
Angus WurthBonsai Media

‘Kate’s approach in her coaching sessions is relaxed and friendly while being efficient and results driven. She very quickly understood where my business was at and as such was able to provide me actionable tasks that resulted in increased profit at a time when it was much needed. I will see Kate again and continue to recommend her to other business owners.’ Angus Wurth, Bonsai Media

Amy Crawford <span>The Holistic Ingredient</span>
Amy Crawford The Holistic Ingredient

‘Like everything that the gifted Kate James does, this delightful book is full of gentle, thoughtful and poignant messages that do as the very name says, it inspires the reader to Believe in Yourself & Do What You Love. This gorgeous book simplifies what can be a particularly overwhelming process of finding our true purpose; encouraging us to take time in this journey, to embrace vulnerability, to ask the deep seated questions of ourselves without judgement – but with self compassion and kindness. Gently directing our self discovery through her gorgeously positive words, Kate’s book is the perfect accompaniment to a comfy couch, countless cups of tea, scrap books and pencils. It is a must read for anyone questioning their journey and in need of further clarity and encouragement.’ Amy Crawford, The Holistic Ingredient

Audrey Reis<span>Melbourne </span>
Audrey ReisMelbourne

‘I came across Kate’s website by chance when searching for coaching. I was immediately drawn by her work and what she was offering. My life has turned a big corner after my discovery session with Kate. I was feeling very lost, unmotivated and in a very negative state of mind about my present and future professional life and my life general. After 10 years of successfully running a business in Australia I become a full time mum and my life changed direction. I was struggling to find out what I was really passion about and which direction I wanted to go after my career gap. Kate worked with me in a very powerful and honest way that help me to leave the session empowered and with a completely different outlook about my future. She helped me to realise my true potential and to work with what I know and am very good at. At the moment I am working on my new own business, and am very confident about my choices.  Kate is very professional, wise and grounded and when working with you she is fully present and committed to you.’

Kerry Rowett <span>Awaken Kinesiology</span>
Kerry Rowett Awaken Kinesiology

‘Kate has a real gift for helping her clients stabilise when they’re going through challenges, or a time of growth. She has a wonderfully calm presence. Her advice is practical, grounded and strategic and she expertly guides you to seek your own solutions. In working with me on my kinesiology business during a time of expansion, Kate was able to help me formalise plans, work through many decisions and provide strategic guidance. Kate is generous in her nature and wonderfully affirming and encouraging. I have also seen the highly positive effects working with Kate has had on some of my clients, who always speak of her with the greatest respect.’

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LATEST FROM THE BLOG

12 ways ‘not good enough’ shows up in our lives

  When I first wrote about the signs of ‘not feeling good enough’, I focused on four of the most common ways this difficult belief tends to surface, particularly when we’re stressed — overfunctioning, avoidance…

Read More »

Changemaker: Sara Tiefenbrun

In November 2012, I met with Sara Tiefenbrun at a local cafe to talk about the opening of the Melbourne branch of Alain de Botton’s The School of Life. To say I was excited is an…

Read More »

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When I was taught to meditate, over thirty years ago now, the advice was very rigid. You had to practice twenty minutes, twice a day or you might as well forget it. For so many people who learned, this ended up being off-putting and often not realistic. These days, there are so many different approaches and it's much more flexible – which is exactly what we need.Almost everyone I work with is short of time, but they're still keen to be mindful. And the reality is, you can achieve this even in just a few minutes.In its simplest form, mindfulness is really about two things – paying attention and non-judgement. When you start there, you realise you can practice in so many small ways and the impact can still be incredible.You don't need to head off on retreat (although it is pretty amazing) or block out huge amounts of time to simply tune in and pay attention.Try one or more of these small pauses today:▫️ Drink your tea, coffee or water with your full attention. Slow it right down and notice what you taste, smell and feel – bringing a sense of appreciation.▫️ Take five long, slow breaths. Pay attention to extending your out-breath to engage your parasympathetic nervous system.▫️ Before you send an email or make a call, pause and think about your intention. What matters most in this interaction?▫️ When you're at your computer or using your phone, notice your breathing. It often becomes more shallow (or we hold our breath without realising).Small moments of mindfulness really do make a difference. A few simple pauses through your day can bring you back to calm, clarity and presence. 🙏#mindfulness #presence #selfawareness #mindfulliving #mindfulnessretreat
I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries lately, mostly after chatting with my wise and insightful daughter, Meg and my wonderful colleague, Catherine. Both of these women know all about setting healthy boundaries. I still find it difficult at times, even though I'm aware how deeply this affects the way that I feel.Healthy boundaries aren’t walls that keep people out. They’re more like an inner framework that helps us stay true to ourselves while staying open to others.When our boundaries are clear and flexible, we can be giving and loving, and we can listen without feeling drained or resentful. When they’re blurred, we can feel overextended, irritable, and even anxious, not because others are asking too much of us, but because we’re not honouring our own limits and needs.If you’re wondering whether your boundaries are healthy, reflect on these questions this week. If you find yourself answering 'yes' to several, consider where you can be a little more true to yourself.✨ Do I say yes when I really mean no?✨ Do I feel guilty when I take time for myself?✨ Do I often feel responsible for other people’s feelings?✨ Do I worry about expressing my own needs and preferences?✨ After spending time with certain people, do I feel somewhat depleted?Healthy boundaries come from a place of self-respect. They’re not about shutting the world out, but about creating the conditions where connection feels safe, sustainable and uplifting.Like anything, our boundaries need care and attention. They can shift as we grow and change. They can strengthen as our self-respect deepens.Working on your boundaries isn’t about getting it perfect. It’s about noticing when you feel out of balance, pausing to listen, and making small, honest adjustments that bring you back into alignment. 💛 #leadershipgrowth #healthyboundaries #womeninleadership #personaldevelopment #emotionalintelligence #mindfulleadership #selfawareness #confidentleaders
Yesterday I stumbled across some photos from the launch of my first book, Believe in Yourself & Do What You Love, held just over a decade ago. I’d forgotten how magical it was – the celebration of a lifelong dream to become a published author. It got me thinking about how so many of us, introverts in particular, rarely reflect on our best moments. The strength of humility is wonderful, but we can overuse it at times.As I flicked through the photos I remembered the joy of that night and how meaningful it was to share it with so many of my favourite people. So here’s an invitation for you this week. Scroll through old photos, glance back at your CV or spend some time reflecting and see if you can recall a moment you feel genuinely proud of (it doesn't need to be a big thing). And then, rather than keeping it private, share it with someone you trust. Let them know how it felt and allow yourself to re-celebrate. If it feels right, you might even share it more widely – perhaps in a post of your own. A big thank you to everyone who joined me on that fabulous night including my beautiful Meg, @ramaekerskaren, @enaproducts, @thewellbeingcorner, @lbeavan, @sarah.rudledge, @denu_australia, @lizzycphoto, @thegaleriefitzroy and many others I don't have photos of including @naids, @mindfulinmay, @ofkin, @christinaredlich, @louise_weigall, @linda.salo, @simbeever, @theholisticingredient, @corporatechillout, and anyone else I have missed. Special thanks to the gorgeous Sarah from @babylonflowers for making the tables look so stunning and to Emma Murray for the great photos. 🌸 #reflection #celebrateyourself #introvertstrengths #joyfulmoments #selfkindness #confidencecoach #womenwhowrite #lifecoachmelbourne #believeinyourself
I’ve been exploring the theme of ‘not good enough’ for a while now, and the more I research, the more I see how deeply it touches every aspect of our lives. It doesn’t just shape the way we see ourselves – it influences our career, health, relationships, friendships, even the way we handle money.I’ll share more on my latest findings in next week’s article but for now, I want to leave you with this beautiful reminder from Hafiz.If you’re doubting yourself, comparing yourself to others, or feeling like you’re falling short in some way, keep these words close this week and remind yourself that you are valuable, loveable, and entirely unique – not because of what you have, how you look or what you achieve, but simply for being yourself. ✨ #selfworth #selfkindness #innerlight #confidencecoach #healingjourney #mindsetmatters #notgoodenough #selfacceptance #gentlegrowth #personaldevelopment
I've had so many lovely responses to my recent articles about the four patterns of not feeling good enough and the signs of overfunctioning. It seems that this one is a common pattern for many of us.This week, I've written about why we overfunction and why it can be difficult to change –even when we know we're doing it. These behaviours often feel hard-wired into our being. If this sounds familiar, you might like to read my latest piece (links to all three articles are in my bio). I share the hidden pay-offs and the costs we often overlook, along with journal prompts to help you explore how and why overfunctioning might be showing up in your life. Over the coming weeks, I’ll write about how to transform overfunctioning, as well as exploring the other patterns of avoidance, procrastination and people-pleasing. #overfunctioning #selfdoubt #confidenceforwomen #notgoodenough #journalling #personaldevelopment #womenandwork
Just over a month ago, Chris and I had to move out of our house while it was being repaired from flood damage, so we decided to take a little road trip. We drove across to Mallacoota, up the south coast of NSW, across to Canberra, and back down through the mountains.Usually, in the middle of winter, if we were planning a trip we’d head somewhere warm. This time, we chose the opposite and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful holidays we’ve had.I think it helped that we stopped in so many places where we could immerse ourselves in nature, but I’m also aware that we expected very little. It was a simple trip with lots of home cooking, slow days, and finding delight in small things. When the days were sunny, we were grateful; when it turned cold, we were ready for it.It has me reflecting on how good it feels to do things differently, to challenge the ways we get set in our thinking. Because we loved this trip so much, I came home planning to repeat the same route next year. Then I realised I was missing the point – what made it special wasn’t the path we took, but all the things that were so unexpected.Sometimes real magic unfolds when we change our habits, let go of expectations, and allow ourselves to be a little more adventurous.An invitation for this week: where could you be more curious or open, or let go of one of your usual patterns? ✨ 📷 @chrisjamesphotos#innercalm #quietconfidence #mindfulleadership #wellbeingjourney #authenticliving #gentlewisdom #selfacceptance #findingpeace #womenempowerment #innerstrength #emotionalwellbeing
“In an age of speed, I began to think, nothing could be more invigorating than going slow. In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.” Pico Iyer Wise and beautiful words from one of my favourite writers.Even in the midst of a busy week, maybe this could be your focus? ✨#slowliving #mindfulmoments #simplewisdom #beingpresent #quietmind #innercalm #thoughtfulquotes #picoiyer #intentionaldays #findingstillness
Last week I wrote a new article in my 'hidden patterns of not feeling good enough' series, this time focusing on five signs you could be overfunctioning. The list could have included many more but these are a few that you might relate to.1. You feel responsible for everythingYou’re the first to notice what needs doing and the first to step in – at work, at home, and in your relationships. This constant responsibility can come from a fear that things will fall apart if you’re not in control.2. You stay busy to avoid feelingsYou fill every spare moment with tasks, even on your days off. Often, this relentless busyness masks uncomfortable feelings that arise when you slow down.3. You always put others firstYou go the extra mile for everyone else, often at the expense of your own needs. Over time, this shifts from kindness to self-abandonment.4. You feel resentful and guiltyYou give endlessly yet feel unseen or unappreciated. Resentment builds, followed quickly by guilt which is a sign that your boundaries may be out of balance.5. You feel anxious when things are out of controlYou plan ahead, double-check details, and rarely drop the ball. But uncertainty makes you uneasy, often triggering a deeper fear of not being enough.Overfunctioning can feel like the only way to keep life running smoothly, but it often comes at the cost of your wellbeing. It keeps you stuck in a cycle of stress and burnout, leaving little space for your own needs or joy. When you start doing less, you create room to breathe, to think clearly, and to feel more connected – both to yourself and the people around you. Small changes can open the door to a calmer, more balanced way of living. I've included a link to the article in my bio if you're keen to read more (and start changing). #overfunctioning #burnoutrecovery #boundariesmatter #emotionalwellbeing #womenandwork #calmoverchaos #mindfulboundaries #stressrecovery #selfworth #peoplepleasing #busymind #highachiever #mentalwellbeing #selfkindness #calmliving #stressmanagementtips #womenover40 #perfectionismrecovery #confidencecoach #coachingforwomen
A few weeks ago, I shared a post about the hidden patterns that show up when we don’t feel good enough. Then last week, I wrote about how exploring our life stories can help us understand ourselves better and give our lives greater meaning.Quite by accident, I’ve just come across a piece of research that brings these two threads together and confirms something I’ve felt for a long time: writing our stories can be transformative.Each of us carries an inner narrative that explains who we are and what’s possible for us. But sometimes that story is skewed or outdated – especially when it tells you you’re not good enough. Rewriting your story isn’t about fixing or changing yourself. It’s about seeing yourself more clearly and holding your experience with greater truth, clarity and compassion.While working on a writing exercise for my Life Stories facilitator training, I stumbled across this old photo of my family. I was around seven years-old and we’d just moved back to Sydney. I was at a new school and hadn’t yet made friends. It was a pretty lonely time in many ways, but after writing, I came to see it very differently. It was when I learned to love spending long hours on my own. Immersing myself in novels, playing alone at the local playground, and learning to love the stillness of nature.Finding that photo helped me see that chapter of my life very differently. Not so much as a time of aloneness but rather, a time of discovery.That’s the power of writing our stories: it gives us the chance to look again and sometimes, to see ourselves and our lives in a completely different light.I've included a link to last week's article about some of the benefits of story writing in my bio. Have a read and try the tips I suggest to help you start writing your stories. ✨#narrativeself #writingtowellbeing #selfworth #womenwhocoach #confidencecoach #lifecoachmelbourne #mindfulleadership
© Kate James 2025

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