Ep.37 Navigating the Messy Middle

After 17 years in corporate, Laura Russell had seen and felt her fair share of layoffs.  So when her calendar invite came she decided to walk away with a severance and a passion for coaching.  Listen in on this conversation as Laura and I chat about what this first full year of business has looked like and the hard lessons learned.

In this episode, you'll hear about:
1.  Giving yourself permission instead of waiting for it.
2.  Navigating the messy middle.
3.  The value of community.

Go here for full show notes and links!

Resources:  Want to know 7 things you can do today to make leaving corporate easier?  Grab it here!

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Transcript

Unknown: 0:00

So another thing that I learned is absolutely how critical it is to rest. Yes, actually taking care of yourself and like prioritizing yourself. And I know ever, it's, I mean, it is a thing. It's like self care everywhere. But it's because it's important. It is important because if you can't take care of yourself, you're absolutely no good to anybody else. Your employer, your kids, your family, your friends. And I learned that the hard way because as I was going for the things that I really wanted with my coaching, I was enjoying it so much. And I was learning so much, and I was so like, gung ho about it, that I didn't rest and let things integrate. And I burnt myself out, and I'm still healing from that stupid mistake and that learning.

Jamie Stephens: 0:49

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of breaking up a corporate each week I chat with everyday women that ditch their nine to five to bet on themselves. We break down their journey into entrepreneurship, unpack the lessons learned and create the vision of how this life gets to be if you're willing to get uncomfortable and step into your potential. I'm your host, Jamie Renee, to time corporate escapee and coach to burnout women looking to plan their escape. Let's go. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Breaking up with corporate today. I have a fellow northwest Arkansas girl on the show today. And I am excited to introduce you to Laura Russell. Laura is your authentic self help coach Laura, go ahead and tell us what that means.

Unknown: 1:44

Yes, so I, I love self improvement. And I absolutely it is so important. And I've also discovered that there are some little things that could be done a little bit better with the whole self help industry. And so I'm taking an unself help approach within my coaching to help you get changed a little bit different way and get unstuck.

Jamie Stephens: 2:09

So, Laura, tell us about your corporate career and kind of what led up to this format. Yeah, to where you're at and kind of how did we get here?

Unknown: 2:23

Yeah. So I am, like, many most people in Northwest Arkansas, Walmart, so Walmart home office, and was there for 17 years, I worked in a couple of different divisions, but the most of it was in IT project management process management PMO. And I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. But it paid well. That's pretty much in a nutshell. And I was doing okay until a lot of new leadership came in, like they do in corporate. And they started doing a lot of layoffs, and moving our team around, which was mostly support. So that's also what they do. I landed on a team after a very large layoff that cut 75% of my team. Oh, yeah. And there is such a thing as survivor's guilt. As well as trying to, like pick up the pieces from all the work. Yeah, it still has to go on.

Jamie Stephens: 3:30

Yeah, the work doesn't get cut by 75%. Correct.

Unknown: 3:35

But they also put us under leadership that didn't really know what direction they wanted to go. And they did not have a clue what to do with us. So that few of us that were left, really pretty much we just tread water for three, four months. And because there was also the layoffs going on, it was like Okay, so now in the sitting doc, yeah. And I don't like this feeling whatsoever. Um, so at that point, I think it was like 3233, I decided that I really needed to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up, which was probably the first time ever, that I really allowed myself to do that. Because I'm a single mom. And I'd been in work I'd been working in, just keep going since I since I graduated college, because I'd had them at 2023 24 and then just never started. So I hired my first career coach. And that was when I started really getting to know myself. Like it started with my career. Because it's such a huge part of our life. Like it I'm very fond, very driven and I'm very goal oriented, sometimes to my detriment. And so it just kind of My eyes, like, actually looking at what I wanted, not just out of my career, but like, what I wanted my day to look like, what were the things that I needed in my life to like, feel fulfilled. And I know that's a complete life Kochi word. But it's like that feeling of fulfillment, like, like what I was doing actually mattered.

Jamie Stephens: 5:23

I mean, but that's the goal, right? I mean,

Unknown: 5:25

yeah, otherwise, we're just here like bumping around and other people.

Jamie Stephens: 5:30

Like, I don't think I, I think that there's this stigma where it's like, oh, you're one of those people like, oh, yeah, I'm one of those people that control of my life. Nice to me, too. It's like,

Unknown: 5:42

it's like I started living intentional. Yeah. Before it very much was, yeah, there were like intentional parts to it. But it very much was like on autopilot. Just do what you have to do to get through the day. Yeah, just get through the day. And then I started looking at like, Oh, my day I can, I can actually enjoy my day, huh,

Jamie Stephens: 6:02

that's interesting, you kind of get stuck in that survival mode, where like, you don't see anything else, even long past when you can, like, hit the brakes a little.

Unknown: 6:13

Yeah. I mean, you literally are living day to day. And it's like, every day feels the same. It's like the same to do list the same drive to work. And it's just kind of gray. That was where it started. And, and I will say I didn't leave corporate until this last year. So I started that journey in 2017. I didn't leave till 2021. So there was four years there, where I was still actively building my business, I was still in my job. And, and it was so weird, because like, as I found purpose, and joy in my coaching, it transferred over to my day job, even though there was still the shitty, all the corporate stuff that always goes on anymore. It's like I had choices. And I and I gave myself the permission to make choices within it, instead of just going along with the flow of do as you're told. And it was so interesting to me, because like I actually, within my day job, I was transferred to teams, where they were I was learning skills that have helped me so much within my coaching, like I was on a learning and development team creating software development. Yeah, trainings, just collected with like, agile software development, growth mindset. It was, it was and it was literally learning the steps of how to create training programs. I do that in my I do that now. So I got paid to learn it. Yeah, while I was there, so it just changed it.

Jamie Stephens: 7:59

Yeah, you and I were talking about this the other day is just kind of the the reframe that you, you know, that you can have once you start to do this work, because it even whenever it's like, Okay, maybe not my ideal situation, but recognizing that, okay, I'm here for a reason. There's something for me here. What is it that I'm here to learn? Or how am I supposed to grow through this situation? Because we can only see it? On the flip side, right? Like after we've already been through it. So like, just building that trust that it's there before you can see it, you know,

Unknown: 8:37

well in it. And it was if I kind of like knowing that hindsight, 2020 thing. I know I started coaching to get out of corporate. Yeah, that is I wanted out and I wanted out now. However, I wasn't ready to be out. Yeah. Now, like I was not developed yet as a person. I didn't have the skill set. And I really needed that stable paycheck. Like I said, single to kids, all the bills, all the things, it would have added a whole other level of Yeah, nervous. Yeah, for sure to jump out before I was ready.

Jamie Stephens: 9:16

And I keep thinking I am.

Unknown: 9:20

Turns out Oh, that's a whole nother thing. Let's we've not gotten to that part of the story yet.

Jamie Stephens: 9:28

Yeah, there's a learning curve for sure. You know,

Unknown: 9:31

there's a huge learning curve to being an entrepreneur that like there's a whole other thing, but that's what I learned is like I learned about myself, I learned how to be satisfied and content in the messy middle. As I was working towards something that I wanted, I was okay with where I was at. Yeah. And continuing to learn the skills of like how to deal with the messy middle, because it's not pretty Yeah. So

Jamie Stephens: 9:58

tell me about Some of those skills that you were using during that time and like how were you learning them yourself?

Unknown: 10:06

I learned them the hard way. Yeah, yeah. So it's basically it's it's resiliency, so or resilience. It's bounce back ability. So as hard stuff happens, and you get knocked down, you have a hard day you have it out with your kid, you get transferred to each new team, where you have no frickin clue what you're doing. All the things that life throws at you, it's like, you learn the skills to be able to know what your triggers are, when you're no longer feeling in your good space. And knowing what tips and tricks and like the tools, figuring out what your toolbox looks like, help you get back to that good place. And it's a lot of nervous system regulation. A lot of so that's the thing that that's the things that I've learned is like, I've learned emotional regulation, I've learned a lot of the different science behind it. But I lost a lot of the emotions, and even getting into the spiritual stuff of really tapping into not just your brain, but like your heart. Yeah, we're not just a brain.

Jamie Stephens: 11:20

I feel like it always kind of, depending on how many layers down you are before, you know, but it always like everybody I've talked to,

Unknown: 11:29

it hits that part space. And you're like, yeah, oh, hell, that doesn't feel good. Yeah. So another thing that I learned is absolutely how critical it is to rest. Yes, actually taking care of yourself, and like prioritizing yourself. And I know ever, it's, I mean, it is a thing. It's like self care everywhere. But it's because it's important. It is important, because if you can't take care of yourself, you're absolutely no good to anybody else. Your employer, your kids, your family, your friends. And I learned that the hard way. Because as I was going for the things that I really wanted with my coaching, I was I was enjoying it so much. And I was learning so much. And I was so like, gung ho about it, that I didn't rest and let things integrate and burnt myself out. And I'm still healing from that stupid mistake and that learning?

Jamie Stephens: 12:27

Yeah, well, and that's just one more piece of awareness that you get to have now too, is like, Oh, my tendency is to push go all in and push through. And yeah, which is mine, as well. So I can relate to where it's like, oh, yeah, I actually should get up from my desk, take a walk outside and move my body in some way. You know, it's what you when you're excited about something or like, you're really, you know, it can be for a good reason. But understanding the role that rest plays. And really, I mean, it's something that I honestly have to work continuously to aim like, they may or fill permission, you know, like, I have this checklist of what I have to do before I can rest. And then it's like, when I hear myself, I'm like, This is ridiculous in so many ways. You know, I think probably a lot of women are in that regard. I mean, guilt is largely associated with women. So it's just like our natural default tendencies.

Unknown: 13:36

I would say it's, it is the one of the biggest things that I actually have to work with women on. Like, because they actually will not let themselves go into dream mode. And imagine different way of existence. Because they feel guilty for even doing that. Yeah. It's like, the first thing we have to work on is that permission of being like, Okay, I'm a human being Why am I different than this Joe? Blow over there? Exactly. It's to do it. Why can't I do it? And it's like, you can and that's all you have to sneeze.

Jamie Stephens: 14:10

There's a lot of unlearning. That has to happen in order for I mean, yeah,

Unknown: 14:17

it's not a switch that you just flip a second. Okay, sure. Yeah, I'll give myself permission.

Jamie Stephens: 14:24

Two minutes later. It's like, oh, I'm in tears. Let you like what's happening. Yeah, yeah. It's like just depending on the moment, you know?

Unknown: 14:33

Yeah. So yeah, that's like kind of where I went through the, you know, all the learnings and everything and how I ended up to like to finish off the story is how I ended up here. Where I'm at in my closet is I got laid off last year, they did another round of layoffs. And I was a non technical person on a technical like software development. Team even though I was doing trainings, and I was doing things that mattered, and that was important to like the, you know, the whole company or whatever, it didn't matter, because I didn't sit a certain. Yeah. type

Jamie Stephens: 15:12

threshold. You're like the art department and like elementary schools. Yeah. Art and music theory, the first you know, it's just like, oh, yeah,

Unknown: 15:22

that's hard, because I'd worked my way out also the

Jamie Stephens: 15:24

most valuable I'm not I mean, I don't want to say the most, but you know, it's like, everybody's got their role. And, yeah, that's one of the things with corporate is that there's just this, oh, well, yeah, you've got like, 100 years of experience between you guys. But we think that these people in this other country, you're gonna be able to do a better job than us. So we're just gonna save a few bucks. And it's like,

Unknown: 15:51

in in my case, because budget was so tight. They needed headcount for for developers, that I was had killed. That was that didn't develop. Yeah. And so they took everybody on my team, there was like, eight of us that were not technical. And they said, Okay, sorry. And I got paid. Well, they, they did it very, it was done. Well. At least I will say, give them that credit.

Jamie Stephens: 16:18

No voting buttons for you.

Unknown: 16:20

There was no voting by me. And it was so interesting, because I had just started I was telling Jamie the other day, like about my like, little manifestation story of how I find how I actually felt okay, with saying, Nope, I'm not going to go back. And just took my severance and said, Okay, I'm gonna give it a shot. I've been saying, I want to be a full time coach for four years now. Guess what, you have to give it a shot. And so that's what I've been doing for the last for last year.

Jamie Stephens: 16:51

Sometimes we need that little like mama bird, push out the push out. And I needed like, okay,

Unknown: 16:57

yeah. And that's what I needed. Like, I needed the push.

Jamie Stephens: 17:01

So what surprised you about like your first, let's say, two months of, I want to go back a little bit further, like, knowing that you had been doing it for four years. And then, like, what did that first two months look like? I feel like that's such a rare, like raw and messy period.

Unknown: 17:24

I spun out like no other, like, literally spun that spun out.

Jamie Stephens: 17:32

How did I How did I pinpoint that?

Unknown: 17:34

I, I mean, I literally I broke up with my boyfriend, who I was perfectly content with and happy with. But like, and we had been together for two years at that point. And we started looking at like, the next steps of like, moving forward together. And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, literally, my life just got like, the rug yanked out from under me, hold up. And, and one thing about me like that I had learned on my journey, is when I get overwhelmed, I freeze. There's some that like, attack, or run. I go into like, just leave me alone. I isolate like no other i and, and I did. I was like, I need you to leave me alone. And he was like, No, I need you to talk to me. And I was like, Well, I can't talk to you right now. So yeah. So we broke up and did not talk to each other for two months. And we ended up getting back together. Once my head got on straight. And I finally got back to like lice senses. But like, literally, I just, I took so many courses. Oh my god. So many courses. Like, in trying to build my business. I was like, okay, so I need to take this marketing course. And I need to take this course and I need to do this. I knew that. And I just spun out. I was looking for answers everywhere. But myself. A lot of that a lot of crying. A lot of isolating. Because the biggest part was like most of my people, like all my friends were from work.

Jamie Stephens: 19:18

And I mean listen, they're 17 years 18 years like crap. Yeah,

Unknown: 19:22

that's I mean, and still I still the majority of my, my really close people are from there. I mean, that's

Jamie Stephens: 19:29

your you spend more time at your job, I mean waking hours than you can with your own family. I mean, when you work outside the home,

Unknown: 19:39

I get it. So it's it was it was very difficult because I had to I had to cut off some friendships that I didn't really want to cut off, but I just they were still there. There was so much like, bitterness that I was just like I can't this is It's not healthy for me. Yeah. And so I had to cut, I had to cut those friendships out, or, like, change them. Yeah, to be very, like, they were very contained. And I and I had to have very strict boundaries of like, these are conversations that I'm not gonna have, like, I don't want to hear about what's going on at work. I don't want to hear about the latest layoff. I don't want to hear about all this stuff.

Jamie Stephens: 20:26

It just brings up so much of your own crap that it's like, you know, it's it's like somebody pouring salt on a wound at the end. It's just like, I understand that too. It is.

Unknown: 20:39

It's like, you get to a point where you're like, Oh, I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. I'm, yeah, I got my I'm feeling settled. And then you got to also and so

Jamie Stephens: 20:49

just got promoted. And I'm like, exactly.

Unknown: 20:53

And there goes, the spinning out again, like, there's just a lot of I think that was the first two to six months. I mean, I still, I mean, it's been a year, and I still get triggered, and still have to, like, be very mindful of of things. So it's a lot of no drama. I mean, it literally is trauma, and unwinding it, and healing from it. And like detoxifying. Oh, for sure. For sure. From all of it. So, yeah, at the same time as you're trying to look forward. So it's that that like, it's real messy balance, it is very messy.

Jamie Stephens: 21:37

So yeah, and this is why i Well, it's a lesson I'm learning myself. And so I'm like screaming it from the rooftops. But everybody you need longer than you think, to make money, because there's all that shit in the way that you really have to just deal with before you move forward. I mean, then you have like, I'm just gonna be blunt. So like, why, after four years, Hatton that stuff come up yet? Or? Oh, I guess it was all new stuff. I was gonna say like, why would it have been so messy that first couple of months if you had been building your business for the last four years?

Unknown: 22:21

So when I say I had been building my business for four years, let me be very, very clear. It was half assed. Like, whenever I could, because imagine working a dog that's 45 Good. 15

Jamie Stephens: 22:35

It's not like you stepped out into a thriving. No, it was, okay, no.

Unknown: 22:39

So like, that is the and that's the other thing that I figured out. During that time is, it is like building that foundation of the business of figuring out who your clients are, what they want, how you can really help and like owning your strengths and your superpowers and all of the like, that part of the business. And hmm I didn't really truly figure that out until I was out. Yeah, because it takes time like dedicated brain power to like, truly get into that. And I didn't have that while I had my day job. Yeah, that's fair.

Jamie Stephens: 23:19

I can I can relate. I mean,

Unknown: 23:21

I could, I would coach people as as the opportunity arose. I would do a like I did my very first group to group program. I had my very first call the day before I got my planner that I got off. Like to this

Jamie Stephens: 23:44

mama bird kickout

Unknown: 23:48

first phone call, like kickoff call of like my three month group program. Yeah. And the next morning, there was a planner on my calendar saying restructure. I was like, Well, okay, then what I'm doing. Yeah,

Jamie Stephens: 24:03

leap and the net will appear.

Unknown: 24:06

Yes. So that's why I like when I say four years, it's like, yes, had I been able to actually a lot more time to do that. But I there was trainings in there. Yeah, me actually learning a new skill, going deep enough to actually like, feel like I made a difference and not just high level coaching skills. Yeah. And all the other things within that and life. I had two teenagers with their own mental problems. I had my own struggles, plus a day job and a relationship. Business was like literally last on that list. And then whenever I lost it had to move up.

Jamie Stephens: 24:45

Yeah, there's so much that you think you know and you think you're prepared for and then just so many kind of like smacks to the face. When you think that you're kind of began setbacks

Unknown: 24:59

like you It's literally like you run into a wall. Yeah, I can see that comment.

Jamie Stephens: 25:06

So what has been your favorite thing about since she left a year ago, almost a year ago,

Unknown: 25:12

time freedom, being able to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and not feeling guilty, that I'm not like logged on. And in that time freedom, it's allowed me to focus on my kids. And like really building up those relationships. Like I wasn't able to do before, and choosing what I want to do. If I want to work from the park, I can work from the park. That's one of my biggest values is freedom of choice. Yeah, I didn't get a lot of that when I was in corporate. So that yeah, that's why it's like, even more important to me like, now that's really one of the big. One of the big reasons I try this coaching.

Jamie Stephens: 25:56

Yeah, I think so many people got a taste of it during COVID. That it's like, oh, we're going back? Oh, yeah. If we can be Pollyanna for a minute, we're in good company. But it's just like, there's really, even when it's crazy, and things are not how we would choose and the world and you know, it's just like, yeah, things can be really terrible, and really great at the same time, honestly, and we hold the capacity for both. But like, I think it gets out of whack when all we focus on is like, the day to day, big scary headlines. And that's what we see. And that's what we hear. Because that's what runs news stations. And you know, I mean, it's just like, Twitter and all the things. It's just,

Unknown: 26:47

yeah, we are literally naturally hardwired to see the negative. Yeah.

Jamie Stephens: 26:52

And remember the negative. Yeah.

Unknown: 26:55

And feel the negative, like it literally is like front of mine. So it is it is you have to be very intentional about shifting to those seeing the positive and the gratitudes. And, and I mean, like literally, you can be having the most shitty day and you're driving and you see a gorgeous sunset. And it's like, I can breathe. Like it's just like this huge exhale, and this release of pressure that it's like that, that beauty is there all the time. If we're so so stuck in our heads worrying about all this shit, we're not going to see that sunset. Exactly. And we're not going to get to experience that like, reprieve.

Jamie Stephens: 27:41

So tell me what you help women with now.

Unknown: 27:43

Yeah, so first, it's getting unstuck. That is the biggest thing that I hear from so many, it's like, I just feel stuck. And that that word doesn't do it justice. But it's helping them figure out where they're stuck. How to get unstuck, and getting clear, like crystal clear on what it is that they actually want, not what their husband will, it's not what they're what they're been told that they want, they should want. Like literally, like, it's almost like peeling away an onion, to getting down to the heart of it. And like really seeing that's what they want, like from their heart space, and then shedding all of the layers. So that they can actually give themselves permission to create, like a life that they actually enjoy and don't want to escape from. And there's a lot of and some bounce back ability in there too. So I work with them a lot on creating that resilience, and just learning the skills because that's what they are they're just skills and doing that through community and connection.

Jamie Stephens: 28:56

Let's talk about community for a little bit. Yeah, because I know we actually just kind of found each other in the same circle Instagram and kind of chatted for you know here and there a couple months back you know, few messages back and forth commenting on a story here or there and then at one point I think I posted something and I had in my added a location tag and said like northwest Arkansas or something along those lines and you like immediately each time you're like oh my god so yeah, I mean like when you're working from home and like your people that you're used to in a corporate environment you're it's like built in friends, you know, you find your people those two you go to lunch with it's who you go to the bathroom with and gossip about it. I mean, not just about the gossip with, you know, all the little things and whenever you're working from you're like, number one on yourself in your business, and alone at home. It's like it, it's really hard is really lonely. Yeah. Like I've had this podcast. So like, I get to meet some really amazing women. But you know, there's been a handful of them that I've actually like, developed real friendships with. And so that's been really cool. But otherwise, it's really, I mean, that's a challenge. So how did you set up your community? Let's talk about why it's important. And yeah, so

Unknown: 30:27

I'll just be clear, I haven't set up by community yet. I'm literally that's one of the things that's about the launch. Yeah, so perfect segue perfect timing right now. Um, but I would say, first of all, this, one of the big things that I noticed during all of my training programs, and there was a lot of them. I'm a learning fanatic. I'm always trying to grow and learn, that is something I do, the biggest game changer that I found in all of the programs that had the most impact in my life was not the curriculum, it was not the coach or the director or whoever it was leading the program. It was actually the connection, that community of women that I was going through the program with, or the community of people that I was with, now all of those things were wonderful, and very impactful and very helpful, we would not have been able to have the community without them. But it allowed a level of like vulnerability. And being seen, that is not there, when you just go through a self paced course, or you're just doing something on your own. It's amazing the amount of like, a horse that you can have, through having a discussion with somebody that's like,

Jamie Stephens: 31:51

on the same that,

Unknown: 31:53

like literally. And when I say discussion, I'm not talking like about the weather or, or anything like deep, heartfelt conversations where you're literally like, your heart is connected to their heart, and you truly see each other. And it's about stuff that is it's hard to admit. Because there's there's like a level of shame about it, that you're like, Well, this is just wrong. I shouldn't be feeling these way i I'm wrong for feeling these, these feelings. The the power in having a conversation where somebody also is feeling those things, get like, flip something that you're like, Oh, we're both human?

Jamie Stephens: 32:42

Well, because you'd like immediately know what to say to them. Yeah, you know, versus yourself. You're like, oh, no, you can just go on forever, about how much you know, they should value themselves. And it's like, Wait a second. This is why don't I say my lesson? Yeah, this is my reflection. We were put together for a reason. All the things, you know?

Unknown: 33:03

Well, and it's just that common bond of like humanity. Yeah. Yeah,

Jamie Stephens: 33:08

I didn't get I didn't get I wasn't a human before. No. No, I didn't actually see the value. I didn't know. Like, I didn't know what I was supposed to get out of a community, like in previous like, classes and stuff that I had taken. So I never participated. I mean, I was always working, it was always like, full time jobs. So it was never a priority for me to actually log in after work and do anything other than learn the curriculum. But like that change this last program that I took when I learned to like how to do podcasting. And, I mean, the people that I've met in that community, I mean, it's just like, I've got some really good friends from there. Now. Of course, none of them are local. So but you know, it's just like, I don't know, it was just like, I think we as coaches need to do a very good job of making people understand what you actually get out of the community. You hear like emotional support, and you're like, am I'm good. I've got my dog, but like, it's a whole other level. Here's

Unknown: 34:19

the thing about emotional support is women especially, first of all, don't like asking for help is good, because it admits weakness. And even then, if they want to, they don't know how. So you put a bunch of people in the community and you don't give them some sort of, like assistance in like, or like guidelines or ways of, of actually connecting. If you just stick somebody on a platform somewhere and say, Okay, go mingle. Yeah. What do I do with that? Yeah, I'm gonna go and talk to somebody randomly and be like, hey, Do you want to go like, making adult friends is not easy for her, like, you want to be my friend, like. So it's, that's the first thing with communities really, truly like re teaching them how to do it different. And it starts where it's literally like smaller groups. You literally have to form smaller groups. Because if you have too much, you get lost in the crowd and people will automatically hide.

Jamie Stephens: 35:30

Yeah. Well, I mean, especially if that's your tendency, it's just like,

Unknown: 35:34

I've got so much to do. I don't need to do go do that. What's the point that I'm just

Jamie Stephens: 35:37

gonna lurk? Professional There you go, girl. Oh, I wouldn't even do that. I'm just like, I'm scrolling. I'm like, Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. But like never like actually being involved. You know,

Unknown: 35:54

it's different. That's where, like the community and connection. I kind of use those two words interchangeably. A lot.

Jamie Stephens: 36:02

Oh, you were telling me you were gonna have it? It's on heartbeat. Yeah. tussah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I'm, it's coming back to me now. Yeah, I have not checked that out. That's, that's interesting. So do you have like a launch date for that?

Unknown: 36:17

And have a rough timeline of like, September ish, okay. Probably mid September. And like I said, you can go in and like, apply to work with me. And one of the things that I pride myself on doing differently as a coach is I do not take a cookie cutter approach. Like we're all humans, we all have different feeds destinations, we want to go to different budgets, different schedules. And I apply that same like personalization to like my, my process of like, figuring out if we're fit to work together, and how we work together, and I've got different options based off of

Jamie Stephens: 36:59

what they need. And that's all on your link tree and your Instagram.

Unknown: 37:04

Yep, they can go to my website to see the different ways and just apply to work with me. There's the button on my link, link tree. Awesome.

Jamie Stephens: 37:14

Okay, well, I think we are rapid coming up on time here. Is there anything else that you want to say or anything else you want to share?

Unknown: 37:25

Um, I would say the first thing that it's the first step is really getting clear on that you want something different. And then it's okay to want something, something different. It doesn't mean that what you have now is bad.

Jamie Stephens: 37:39

That's good. That's, you know, it's coming back to the guilt default. You know, that's one of the things where it's like, I should be happy. I should, you know, I got a car that runs I've got a house, it's got a job, but you

Unknown: 37:54

should, you know, nice family.

Jamie Stephens: 37:56

But it's okay. It's okay to want more. A, it is okay

Unknown: 38:01

to want more. That could not have been better said. All right. It's actually on my website. Oh, look at that. Think about it. I

Jamie Stephens: 38:09

love it. Well, great minds think alike here. All right. Thank you so much, Laura. Thank you so much, Jamie. Thank you, Laura, for being so open about your journey. I mean, these are the stories I love telling and I have been so lucky to find a new local friend on this journey that is on a similar path. Some of the things I want to highlight from this conversation. Number one, live intentionally. There's more to life than just getting through the day. Move beyond the gray and mundane and be intentional about cultivating joy in your life. Number two, find the reframe. If there's a situation that's bothering you, or a circumstance you're not keen on, ask yourself if this were totally for my benefit, what is the lesson, this kind of intentional thinking can open up all kinds of things for you. Number three, learn the skills to navigate the messy middle, you will fall it's part of life. When you have bounce back ability and learn to regulate your emotions. You don't have to get dragged down by light. When you fall, you just get right back up. Number four, rest is key to your success. You have to allow yourself time to integrate or you will burn out even if you're doing something you love. So just be aware. Number five, be ready for the push. Just like a baby bird eventually gets kicked out of the nest, the universe will oftentimes give us that push that we need to make a change in our lives. If you've been procrastinating on something that's been calling on your heart, just know that that push is coming. Number six, the value of community. It comes up and so many conversations and in so many ways but being part of the community can completely enrich your experience. shared experiences shared guilt, grief, apprehension and success. It's all made easier when you have real people to share and help on understand the journey that you're on okay guys that is everything for this week it's all linked in the show notes I appreciate you being here thank you so much for listening and I will catch you next week