So, Who Am I?
I'm Korrin Barrett, a keynote speaker, resilience coach, business professional and proud bionic woman who knows a thing or two about life not going to plan.
I've spent the past decade or so sharing my story, the lessons I've learned and a healthy dose of humour to help people navigate change, build resilience and see things from a different perspective, but there's a lot more to me than four missing limbs and a pretty extraordinary survival story.
Well, that wasn't the plan!
In 2012, I was 33, fit, fiercely independent and living in Australia, working on one of the country's largest gas pipeline projects. Life was busy, exciting and pretty much going to plan.
Then everything changed. A medical emergency led to sepsis, multiple organ failure and a fight for survival that nobody saw coming. I spent months in hospital, underwent more than 25 surgeries and ultimately lost both hands and both legs below the knee.
Not exactly the life I'd imagined! But surviving was only the beginning.
What followed was the challenge of rebuilding a life that looked nothing like the one I'd planned, learning to walk again, regaining my independence and discovering that while I couldn't change what had happened, I could influence what happened next.
Surviving was just the beginning.
Losing my limbs changed my life, but it didn't take away my ambition, my sense of humour or my determination to keep experiencing everything life has to offer.
Just four days after leaving hospital, I returned to work. Same role, same expectations, very different woman!
Since then, I've embraced opportunities I never imagined, challenged myself physically and professionally, and discovered that living life unlimited isn't about having no limitations, it's about refusing to let those limitations define everything that's possible.
Of course, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. There have been plenty of setbacks, frustrations, tears and moments where I've wondered what on earth I'm doing, but that's real life, isn't it?
Resilience isn't about being strong all the time. It's about learning how to adapt, asking for help when you need it and finding a way forward, even when that way looks different from what you'd planned.
I Am a Bionic Woman - I Am Korrin Barrett
In 2021, I had the opportunity to share my story on TVNZ's I Am series. It's a glimpse into my journey, the challenges I've faced and the life I've built since becoming a quadruple amputee.
If you've got a few minutes and want to know a little more about the woman behind the bionics, grab a cuppa and have a watch!
Password is IAM_2020
More than a good story.
My story might be what gets people's attention, but it's the lessons I've learned, both personally and professionally, that I hope make the biggest difference.
From boardrooms to conference stages, classrooms to sporting clubs, I share real experiences, honest conversations and practical perspectives on resilience, leadership, change and navigating the unexpected.
I'm not here to tell people that life is always wonderful or that a positive attitude fixes everything, I'm here to remind them that even when life doesn't go to plan, there's still plenty of living to be done.
And sometimes, a little humour goes a really long way!
