Mahara Wayman [00:00:05]:
Welcome to the art of badassery where I explore what it takes to live life on your own terms. Break free from the status quo and unleash your inner badass. Whether you're a rebel at heart or simply seeking inspiration to step outside your comfort zone, this podcast is for you. I'm your host, Mahara Wayman. And each week, I dive into the stories, insights, and strategies of those who've mastered the art of badassery and are living life to the fullest. They smile when no one is lucky. Welcome back, listeners, to another episode of the art of badassery. I'm your host, Mahara Wehman.
Mahara Wayman [00:00:47]:
And today, I'm thrilled to have a powerhouse of inspiration with us, someone who knows how to light the fire within and guide you towards your authentic self. My guest today is the incredible Laura Wallace, also known as Laura Ora. Laura is an alignment coach for female entrepreneurs, And her mission, totally badass. She's here to help you break free from the constraints of societal expectations, encouraging you to honor your energy and tune into your true desires rather than what you've been conditioned To believe you should want. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, folks. Laura is a multitalented dynamo. She's the CEO of Works and Company, An urban branding studio, a captivating speaker, and the mastermind behind the Gutsy podcast, a show that consistently ranks among the top 100. Laura is the embodiment of a visionary, and she'll be your guide, your motivator, and your champion.
Mahara Wayman [00:01:49]:
She's the 1st person who will give you that gentle or not so gentle nudge out of your comfort zone And the last one to wrap you in a supportive embrace as you ascend to the next level of your life. So guys, fasten your seat belts, grab your favorite drink, and prepare to be inspired as Laura Ora takes us on a journey into the heart of badassery. Laura, welcome to the show.
Laura Wallace [00:02:15]:
Hey. Hey. Thanks so much for having me.
Mahara Wayman [00:02:18]:
We're gonna have a great conversation today. Why? I don't know. I just have that feeling. I think there's a lot of similarities in what we do, And I, for 1, am very excited to hear about your journey to where you are today. So let's take it back a little bit. I found that all badasses have a story to tell, and that's why I have the podcast. So can you think back to a time When you went, I gotta make a change.
Laura Wallace [00:02:47]:
Yeah. You know, the the very first one and probably the most Powerful one of all of them is the very first time I decided to pivot into entrepreneurship. Tell us about it. So so I I've been a graphic designer by by trade for the last 21 years. My first job was working at, wait for it, The phone book. Designing ads for the yellow pages, which at the time was Huge for me because it was the 1st time that I got to really use my skills, and it it didn't take too terribly long to realize that that was not where I wanted to be forever. I I don't belong in constraints. I am a free spirited human being.
Laura Wallace [00:03:32]:
I love to work my own way, and I just felt, like, really kind of shunned down and, like, put into boxes. So My husband and I decided to start a family, so I was pregnant working at the phone book. And I just got this feeling in me where I was like, there has got to be more than this. There is more than this. And at that time, it's funny because this was 2007. So social media was not even remotely, like, a percentage of what it is today. So I didn't see or hear a lot of these stories at that time period. I just had this gut feeling that I I had to get out of there.
Laura Wallace [00:04:14]:
Right? It was, like, Stifling my creativity. I was miserable every day. It was impacting my health. And so at six and a half months pregnant, I said, I can't do this anymore, and I quit my job. And I started my branding agency from my couch with a little baby in my belly, And I had no fucking clue what I was doing. I mean, I was, like, 20, I think, at the time. Everything was new. Literally everything was new.
Laura Wallace [00:04:42]:
And, you know, but it was in that moment where I mean, that was the pivotal moment that led me on this entire journey. Right. And I think that that's a really important thing to lean into is that you never know what small changes. Yes. This was a larger change. Right? It was a pretty big life and change, but you never know what the decisions that you make, how they will impact, like, literally the rest of your life. So that that was a pretty big gutsy move, and that's kinda where the the concept of gutsy was born because, you know, it's about making these decisions that Maybe doesn't look or make sense to anybody else, but it just feels right to you.
Mahara Wayman [00:05:21]:
Oh, thank you for sharing. That is gutsy. How was there much fear around that, or were you so young and so miserable That fear didn't come into as like, I'm more afraid to stay put. Because I think sometimes, you know, different there are different reasons, Different emotions that that get us to make a change. Fear is a big one. I'm just wondering how much that played into it at the beginning.
Laura Wallace [00:05:48]:
Yeah. I think the the fear was greater on the side of if I stay here and keep doing this, this is how I will feel. And I'm just the type of person that I I can't tolerate stuff like that for very long, And I've always been just been very introspective. So, yes, a different peer played a part. Like, can I do this? I don't know what I'm doing. I'm young. I don't know anybody. Like, There literally was no influence around me.
Laura Wallace [00:06:13]:
There was no Instagram to hop on to to get some tips and tricks. Right? Podcasting was not even really a big thing at that point. So there was definitely some some self doubt that popped in, but I was so determined to just figure it out that that fear went aside. I was more Terrified of continuing to live a life that was draining me.
Mahara Wayman [00:06:35]:
Wow. I'm wondering how many of our listeners are nodding their heads right now going, Oh my god. That's freaking me. Yep. And one of the things that I say and comes up quite a bit in my work is Feel the fear. It's okay to feel it. You just don't wanna live there. Right? Because that's when you get ulcers and you feel like shit, and you you don't make it you know, you you just Settle.
Mahara Wayman [00:06:58]:
So I love that at such a young age, and I can't even imagine. You know? When I was 20, I think I was dancing in Japan. Like, I was not I was not settling down by any stretch of the imagination. So I think that's really awesome that you discover that within yourself. As you got into, embracing this idea of I'm going for what I want. What were some of the big moments along the way for you? Because many of us are doing that, And yet we're not prepared for the ahas because I don't know about you, but when I made the decision to be an entrepreneur, I was so freaking naive. Oh, if I
Laura Wallace [00:07:33]:
Oh, absolutely.
Mahara Wayman [00:07:35]:
I know that they will come. I'm just gonna tell people that this is what I do, and they're all gonna line up at my door. And I wasn't prepared for I was prepared for the hard work, but I wasn't prepared for the disappointments. And I'm wondering what if it was the same for you.
Laura Wallace [00:07:50]:
Oh, absolutely. I mean, it's like Any new thing. Right? Starting a family, starting a business, you know, changing locations, what whatever big change you're making, You can only look up and research and think into things so far. The majority of your learning comes from being in it, Right from doing the thing. And I think one of the biggest things that I've realized in my journey, now it's sixteen and a half years I've been a business owner, is that Just because you become a business owner doesn't mean that your personal shit goes away. If anything, it gets amplified.
Mahara Wayman [00:08:24]:
Mhmm.
Laura Wallace [00:08:24]:
And so insecurities, Tendencies, your resistance, past traumas, like, all of that stuff that has been a part of your life, habits, the The way you speak to yourself, it doesn't go away, friends. If anything, it gets put up on a stage and gets a spotlight put on top of it. And so we must be willing to work on ourselves as humans as we are learning to build and grow a business at the same time. And when you do those things together, that's really where big shifts start to happen. That's where you learn so much more about Who you are and what you wanna do, where things need to be delegated, what inner things do I still need to work on and shift and heal. Right? It's it's such a an an equal part that if we don't do 1 and we think that we only focus on the other, It doesn't go away. It will come back around. I promise you.
Mahara Wayman [00:09:22]:
Oh, I I know that. And I know that from experience. I I know that a lot of our listeners are feeling that way. So when on your entrepreneurial journey did you get that wake up call that, hey. I got some inner work to do. Because, truthfully, even though even the phrase inner work is fairly new. Right? I'm talking Right. Oakspeak here.
Mahara Wayman [00:09:39]:
But when did you realize that you needed to do something about the inside and your thoughts?
Laura Wallace [00:09:45]:
Well, I would say to you which time because it's been, a very multifaceted unpacking. Right. But the one that immediately comes to mind today and and I'm super intuitive, so I always share the stories and and the feelings that that come up in the space that I'm in because clearly somebody on the other end needs to hear this today. So I think the biggest lesson that I learned was that I really needed to heal my fear of abandonment. So that was a deeply rooted childhood trauma From both sides, my from my mother and my father, has appeared in my life more times than I would prefer to count and to share, But it's a part of my journey. People leave. And so how that showed up in my business was I Became this master people pleaser because I thought if I made everyone around me happy, and this included people on my team, If I made everyone in my world happy, if I did everything that they needed, if I overexerted myself, if I made sure all their boxes were checked, Then they wouldn't leave. And what that ended up doing was it left me dry as fuck.
Laura Wallace [00:10:59]:
It annihilated my health. It wrecked my bank account, and it put me in really crappy situations where then I was kind of forced to stand in a corner and make really hard decisions because I didn't really have any other choice. Mhmm. So this This really started to show up, and, honestly, the the big shift in where I really, really truly started to heal that was COVID. I mean, I know that we're all tired of hearing, like, the pivot COVID story, but it and we all have such an important moment that has happened over the last couple of years. Because when COVID happened in my industry, I know historically that the branding and marketing a like industry, first things to get cut when budgets are tight. Right. So I knew that I had to let everyone go, the whole team.
Laura Wallace [00:11:48]:
And so I I made that hard decision. I did the thing. I packed up all of my shit. I went home, and guess what I was forced to do for the next couple of years? Be alone. And so I had to learn that the validation, the love, the, being embraced, really truly being seen and heard, that shit had to start inside. That didn't need to come from anybody else. People come and go all the time. I had to let them.
Laura Wallace [00:12:22]:
I was not letting anybody come or go because I was terrified of being alone. Now I do have a husband, and I do have a son who I love dearly, so I was not alone in that capacity. But looking at my work and the things that I was doing, I was forced to be alone, and so I was able to heal that. And and do I say it's completely healed and gone? No. I think that these things are always a part of who we are in our journey. But I had to learn how to be comfortable with myself, to be okay being alone for myself So that if somebody came and went, it didn't completely upturn my entire world. I didn't make that about who I was. I just saw this as another evolution of life.
Laura Wallace [00:13:02]:
So I really had to sit sit still and get very comfortable with knowing that I don't Need anyone else to validate and love me if I do that for myself first?
Mahara Wayman [00:13:13]:
That's huge. People listening, I hope you're taking notes because that is the epitome of being a badass. Excuse me. It's recognizing That you are worthy just the way that you are, even if you've had shit in your life, even if you've been a bitch or a real jerk. Right? You're still worthy of happiness. But it's a tough lesson to learn, and I think you're right. We can't ignore the fact that COVID was here apart from, you know, the obvious things that COVID did and brought sadness and drama, fears, all of those things. For us, personally, we all had to figure out who am I in the world of COVID? Who am I if I can't go out and chat with my neighbors at the grocery store? Who am I if I just sit in front of a computer all day? And what the hell is Zoom?
Laura Wallace [00:13:57]:
I remember And what the hell is Zoom?
Mahara Wayman [00:13:59]:
Yes. And what the hell is Zoom? So thank you for sharing that. And I think what's also really important about what you said And it it's worthy it's worthy of repeating is the first step is recognizing and and having acceptance for your thoughts, your stories, you know, how you're feeling. And it doesn't go away because you're right. It's part of our story, but we can change our relationship with the memory, For example, if it's a memory that's that's holding us back, we can change the story. We can put it in its right container like, okay. That's how I felt then. I don't feel that way now.
Mahara Wayman [00:14:34]:
Oh, thanks for coming up and reminding me that I am susceptible to feeling to being a people pleaser. Great memory. Great reminder. Thanks. I don't you know, I can set my boundary even clearer now that I've had that reminder. And I think that's one of the toughest things for my clients to understand is, And I was like that too. This idea of okay. I don't want that in my history.
Mahara Wayman [00:14:55]:
Can we just not either not deal with it, or if I deal with it, Can I not say that it's done with and it's never gonna come back? And the answer is no because you're human. So thank you for bringing that up and sharing that with us. What are some of the Really surprising things that you've learned about yourself as an entrepreneur.
Laura Wallace [00:15:14]:
Oh my gosh. I have learned That the more I allow myself to be myself, the easier everything gets, the happier I am, the bigger my bank account is, And the more that I grow and expand. It's it's in this resistance of being ourselves, the fear of showing up as ourselves, what are people going to think, You know, I need to be professional. I'm doing air quotes for anybody that's audio you know, listening through audio. There's just all these, again, shoulds and expectations, and and I navigated through all of them. Right? I built my business the way that I should. I built my team the way that I should. I Structure things the way that I should, and, you know, we had great success, but I was never really fulfilled, not longer than, you know, a couple of hours at a time.
Laura Wallace [00:16:04]:
And I'm like, okay. Something's something's not quite right. And when I really just started to lean in and embrace the way that I naturally talk And my quirkiness and my lovingly bluntness. Right? I'm just very direct. I go deep very quickly, and I was always afraid, Again, how that ties in, that that might turn somebody off and, therefore, they would leave. Right? See how everything is fucking connected. And I was just like, it again, it just got too tiring and too exhausting to continue pushing down This version of me and this version of me that I was pushing down is my inner child. Right? It's the reconnection with who I've always been before the world told me what I should be.
Laura Wallace [00:16:47]:
And when I invite her to just be a natural part of my life, I've got a picture of her on my desk back here. She's I've got a picture of her at home, and And it's this reconnection with who I truly am. And when I am simply me, that's literally when everything gets easier. Like, the the shift in life, in business, in finances, in happiness, in health, You can't even measure it. And, yes, there's some unfolding and some things take longer than others, but at the at the End of the day, there's a sense of fulfillment that I think that so many people are missing. Because we're just navigating the world, doing all the things, checking all the boxes, going through the routines, and it's like, when is the last time you asked yourself, what do I actually want, and who am I in this world? How do I want to show up? What comes easy to you? Because listen. Showing up as yourself is 7,000 times fucking easier than putting on a face. It takes less yep.
Laura Wallace [00:17:53]:
It takes less effort. It takes less energy. It takes less mental Conversation with yourself, you just are. And the exhaustion and the pushing and the pulling and The navigating and the this and the that all comes from trying to be something that you're not. So every single time that I've said yes to myself, my life improves.
Mahara Wayman [00:18:16]:
Such a great lesson, and, you know, what I what I've learned is that I am way more judgmental than anybody else in the world because I'm making assumptions that they wanna only see me with makeup on, for example. Right now, I've made assumptions all my life based on what I was told and what society you know, really how we were raised that I should be a certain way if I want people To accept and respect and all of those things. But the truth is, I was doing not so much as a as a young child because I I don't think it was totally unconscious, but as an adult, I was doing everybody a disservice because I wasn't being clear on how They could behave to make me happy. And what I mean by that is setting boundaries. Because like you, I had a definite level of people pleasing. I want people to like me. I want I want to get the promotion. I don't think I deserve the promotion because I don't have a degree, so I need to just be extra nice and do work extra cards so that they notice me, and maybe they don't check my resume or maybe they don't remember that I don't, you know, have all of the quote qualifications.
Mahara Wayman [00:19:23]:
But, really, what a disservice because I wasn't I didn't have the balls. I'm gonna set change that. I didn't have the vagina at the time
Laura Wallace [00:19:31]:
There you go.
Mahara Wayman [00:19:33]:
To demand their level of respect. So it's been a learning process. Right? And I really think now that setting boundaries and not people pleasing. It's a beautiful gift for both for both parties. Right? It's a gift for me, and it's a gift for that person or that company or that organization Or that that group, whatever, because I'm telling them exactly what to do to make me happy. And what I've found is that people really respect that because they want people for the most part, wanna be light. They wanna be nice, and they wanna if you give them an opportunity to do so, then they're like, okay. Right.
Mahara Wayman [00:20:10]:
I know. Oh, Oh, yeah. If I do that, Mahara's gonna be pissed. I better not do that. And if there's a problem with it, if it's a corporate example, you know, Then it's an opportunity to discuss. Well, actually, Maharaj, I do need you to work 5 days a week. Thanks for telling me you only wanna work 1, but, You know, really, that's that's not gonna work for us, tongue in cheek, but, I think it's one of the most powerful lessons that Humans can learn is that it is okay to set boundaries because it's a gift for the other person. Right? And we don't people pleasing really doesn't please anybody.
Mahara Wayman [00:20:44]:
Nobody's happy in a people pleasing thing. Right?
Laura Wallace [00:20:47]:
Yeah. And, you know, I think it gets misconstrued because people are like Like, it's it's black or white. Like, it's either people pleasing or I help no one ever. And that's so not the case. People pleasing is when you're doing things for the validation of others versus helping people or supporting people comes from within.
Mahara Wayman [00:21:06]:
Yeah. Good call
Laura Wallace [00:21:07]:
out. So recognizing that when you say yes to yourself, when you validate yourself, when you are setting your own boundaries, That gives you so much more time, capacity, and energy to be able to support people through a different level of energy. I love helping people, but I'm not going to completely overexert myself anymore to make everyone happy for their validation. See the difference?
Mahara Wayman [00:21:34]:
Each difference.
Laura Wallace [00:21:35]:
It so it it's so funny. Like, anytime I talk about this online, people are like, oh, well, you're just saying you don't wanna help people now or, you but I still wanna help people. I'm like, I didn't never told you to stop helping people. I didn't tell you to be an asshole. I told you to stop giving yourself away completely, To honor yourself, to fill your own tank, to say yes to yourself, to do the things that you need for yourself in your own life, And then let that pour over into the people in your world. It feels so much better to to help people from a space of joy and giving than a space of I need your validation. It's a completely different energy.
Mahara Wayman [00:22:13]:
Completely different. And such a there's You almost can't measure, and I you mentioned that earlier that it's immeasurable. When we give ourselves permission To be happy just as we are, we elevate to a different level of of energy, different level of existence, and we start to see things differently. And, Guys, it's so much nicer to wake up with a smile than to wake up going, oh, fuck. What now? Like, what's gonna happen today? And it's not always easy, but That's why we're having conversations like this to invite you to ask yourself, okay. What am I feeling? Like, why do Why do I do that every time I get into the room with these people? That's so interesting. What is it about these people or that person Or this this location that drives me that that has me feeling this way. I find that clarity is everything.
Mahara Wayman [00:23:05]:
Can you can you share with us time when you were surprised at the clarity you got in a situation, where you went, oh, that's kind of crazy. So we're gonna take a short break right now, but I'll be back with my guest within 60 seconds. Ladies, unlock your inner badass And transform your life with my monthly subscription workshop. For just $47 a month, you'll have exclusive access To work closely with me, Mahara Wayman, as we dive deep into all things badass from personal development to conquering your goals. Imagine waking up every day with confidence, purpose, and a smile that radiates your newfound strength. Take advantage of this badass opportunity and join us today at www.mindfulnesswithmahara .com, and start your journey toward a happier, more confident you. Smile when no one is looking. You've earned it.
Laura Wallace [00:24:05]:
Yeah. Has it ever happened? Yes. Absolutely. I'm trying to think I'm trying to think of the best one here in this situation. Sorry. You're gonna have to edit this because I'm having I need to
Mahara Wayman [00:24:14]:
Make no note.
Laura Wallace [00:24:15]:
Process this for a second. You know, I think I think an example that pops Into my mind that that a lot of people listening might be able to relate to is when I got clarity around The way that I work and the way that I do things, and and let me explain that. So again, falling back into the should. You know? You should work, and if we're talking entrepreneurial, you know, we have a lot more flexibility in our time in our schedule. If you're in, a career that has you on a set schedule, there's different variations of this. But the point is, When I started to learn how I work best and knowing that I don't have to sit in my computer For x amount of hours to be successful, to be productive, to be, like, a growing, hustling business That when I work the way that I work best, which is different every single day, it would probably drive somebody batshit Crazy to watch me work, and that's okay. I'm not asking you to watch me work. It's how I function the best, but knowing that I get to choose.
Laura Wallace [00:25:26]:
Right? I get to say how I'm going to show up. I get to say when I'm going to work and what I'm going to focus on, and then knowing that When enough is enough, and that's the piece that I think it might be most relatable, is knowing that I don't have to continue to exert myself or to work 18,000,000,000 hours to prove my worth as a business owner, and especially in entrepreneurialism when that shit doesn't It doesn't go away. When you walk out that door right now, it doesn't just go away. You're not clocking out. Right? So really learning and trusting that What I have done is enough. What I the way that I work is great, and that that is an equation That if I allow myself to embrace that, I invite the peace. I invite the ease. I invite the clarity.
Laura Wallace [00:26:17]:
Because when I do that and I stop fighting myself, The clarity in other things start to just beam down out of the sky, my friend. Right? So the clarity of, you know, Fun example, Facebook was just not working for me. Right? Like, I was really beating my head up against the wall. It felt like one more thing. I really had this kind of gnarly, Like, energy towards it. And because I embrace myself in other ways and honor the way that I work, I had some mental clarity and space to really feel in and receive an idea. So one day, I was like, you know what? We're gonna try one more thing. If this doesn't work, then I know it's not it's just not for us.
Laura Wallace [00:26:57]:
So we started repurposing my TikTok videos as Facebook Reels, And within 3 months, I have gained 30,000 followers. Hey. That came from clarity because I got the clarity because I honored the way that I work. And, again, everything is connected. Whereas if I'm forcing myself to do things the way that everyone else does them, if I'm making myself Hustle. If I'm forcing myself to be at my desk from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, which is so not who I am, and that's okay. If I'm forcing myself to do those things, I don't have the capacity to receive clarity because it's just jumbled up with all of this shit in my head. But when you honor yourself, And I'm just using the example of how you work, and there's a bajillion different ways to really honor yourself.
Laura Wallace [00:27:42]:
When you do, You create capacity to receive answers, to receive little intuitive nudges, to say, hey. What if we just What if we just repurposed them? Right? And now Facebook is literally my top platform. It's where all of my clients are currently coming from. It's my most active platform, and it's the one that's growing the strongest. So none of that would have been possible, and I wouldn't have been able to impact all of those 30,000 people that are now in my world Had I continued to force myself to do shit that I didn't wanna do? You see what I'm saying? Like, it's it's mind blowing how little tiny tiny shifts Can add up to incredibly huge shifts in your world.
Mahara Wayman [00:28:28]:
What I love so much about that, and thank you for sharing that story, is You've mentioned it a couple times, and I wanna highlight it, this idea of trusting our gut. So people hear me say all the time. I'm gonna say repeat myself, but we are spiritual beings having a human existence. That's what I and when we have that intuition, that gut feeling, Oh my god, people. Would you just stop and listen? Because it's so powerful, and I have a I have a visual now in my world. No matter what I'm doing, I can picture my spirit guides beside me going either going, oh, yeah. She noticed. Oh, good.
Mahara Wayman [00:29:05]:
There she goes. There she goes. Or Oh, for Christ's sakes, Mahara. What part of this don't you understand? And they'll put something else in my way. So it's a beautiful recognition that we are not alone, first of all. We're not alone. And if we give ourselves permission to just slow the fuck down, Often, we'll get our own answers even if they sound bizarro. Right? It's okay to go, well, that's interesting.
Mahara Wayman [00:29:33]:
Where'd that come from? And, you know, many of us a lot of us in the world are super creative. I'm also creative. I love graphic designs. And I learned early on that if I couldn't figure something out, I would say I would let it go up up in the air in a bubble. I'm talking to t like, a young a young person. That's how I visualized it. Like, I don't understand. I'm just gonna put it in a bubble and let it float away.
Mahara Wayman [00:29:57]:
And all these years later, I'm like, oh my god. That was fucking brilliant. Right? It's pretty good. Do it consciously. I'm like, okay. Universe, I need help with this. I can't quite it's not I got the start. I don't have the middle or the end, so I just leave it.
Mahara Wayman [00:30:09]:
And I I basically ask for some help, and then, You know, day an hour or 2, 5 days, whatever later, it just drops. Oh, that's how I solve it, or that's what I should do next. And I think so many of us, women especially, get caught up in the should ville, and we don't listen. It's Like, I don't have time for that. Well, that can't be right. I gotta get the I gotta get this done. I gotta do that. I've gotta I hate that.
Mahara Wayman [00:30:34]:
I've got to. So I love that you highlighted this idea of just doing what feels good. And I also recognize that you said, and it changes day to day. Because I ran into this this belief that, okay, if I'm I work for myself and I like to do x, I should still do x from 9 to 5. My boss? Yep. No. I'll do x when I feel like doing x or when I know that x is aligned. But it is it's a journey, peeps.
Mahara Wayman [00:31:02]:
And for those of you that are new to the entrepreneurial journey, you may have you may be thinking, okay. I do a, and I get b. Yeah. Not so much. You may do a and get nothing, or you may do a and get x. An x doesn't you don't even recognize what a gift x is. So you're like, fuck. That's not what I wanted.
Mahara Wayman [00:31:24]:
I wanna be. You You know, I wanna be. What the hell? So, really, what I'm hearing is you learned early on to Slow down. Get clear with what you were feeling. Honor it, and then do what felt good as opposed to what Didn't feel good. Yeah? Absolutely. Oh, so so juicy and interesting. I can't wait to see the the the comments on this Because, really, this is the key to happiness is recognizing that you just that it's okay.
Laura Wallace [00:31:58]:
It is Absolutely. Go happy. And and honestly, trusting that Those intuitive downloads, hits, feelings, however you associate with it, that it's enough. That those things don't have to be loud and banging on the drum. Sometimes those intuitive hits are like little whispers. It's like Passing little thoughts. Right? And I think where a lot of people get stuck is, well, that can't Possibly enough. I need more information.
Laura Wallace [00:32:29]:
I need more validation. I I don't trust that. Right?
Mahara Wayman [00:32:33]:
Trust is huge.
Laura Wallace [00:32:34]:
And I think that Trust is enormous.
Mahara Wayman [00:32:35]:
Come up. That is trusting yourself, trusting the universe, god's spirit, whatever you however you resonate, Trusting yourself and trusting those that love you. And I think this is really interesting because I've had so many instances even recently where I have someone has given me a compliment or supported me in some way, and I went, yeah. Well, whatever. Of course, you're gonna say that because you like me. And my daughter actually is 1 I have 2 2 daughters, and they both have Recently called me out on some behavior and or thoughts that I've had. And it's I'm so grateful that I've raised them to be These amazingly strong female, you know, girls that know their worth and have and have the guts to call their mommy out when she behaves or thinks, You know, in a way that's supportive.
Laura Wallace [00:33:30]:
Good on them. Good on them.
Mahara Wayman [00:33:32]:
Good on them. My youngest, she did it kind of like with a bat over the head. It's one of my first transformations when When I was in the corporate world, quick story, sitting on the couch, having mom mother daughter time watching something on the Disney Channel, I suspect. She was maybe 13. Couldn't have been Disney, but, anyway, 9 o'clock at night, laptop on the couch beside me. I get a ding notification of an email. She's talking to me. I turned my back on her, opened the laptop, answered the email.
Mahara Wayman [00:34:01]:
And when I turned back to her, she was glaring at me and called me out. What are you doing? This is our time. What the hell? And I'm like, I laughed it off, but she says, I'm not impressed. Like, honestly, they can't wait till the morning. And truthfully, I was embarrassed at my behavior. And I thought, what am I doing? I'm doing all this for somebody else? Like, what? And it wasn't they didn't ask me to be to answer the email at 9 o'clock at night, but I I made that from my fears of not being good enough. I had to do on the ball for everything, and that's one of the first times that that Kayla really called me out and just showed me life as it was, and I'm so grateful for it.
Laura Wallace [00:34:42]:
Well, it shows how how easy it is to get into an autopilot. Right? To get into a habit, to get into the expectations, It it just becomes the way that you do things, and the way to break that is to break it. Right? Like, self healing, the inner work, shifting your life. It's not sexy. I think people really get Attached to this idea of a quick fix or a hack, you know, we're gonna hack our way out of these things, or it's gonna be this Instagramable whatever. It just doesn't work like that. You know? The the shifts, the real nitty gritty stuff that gives you the life in the business that you really want. It's in those quiet, mundane, stupid moments when you decide to go in And you get awareness around what you're feeling, and you choose something differently and doing that over and over and over again until a new habit has formed.
Laura Wallace [00:35:40]:
It's not sexy, but it's worth it.
Mahara Wayman [00:35:42]:
It's not sexy at all. And I love that you said the word shoes because I'm reading, a book by Gabby Bernstein. I think it's called accelerator Attractor. Attractor. And she talks she shares a tool, which I think is brilliant, and it's been worded in many different ways by many different people. But, basically, it's get clear, Forgive yourself for thinking that way and choose something else. Like, choose a different thought. And so I I I highlight it because it's so simple, It's so, so powerful.
Mahara Wayman [00:36:09]:
And so I invite all of you listeners to ask yourself, what is a story I'm telling myself that no longer serves me. So get clear on that story. You know? Forgive yourself for believing the bullshit, And then choose a different story or choose a different thought even if it's just 1 degree different. You know? If the first thought is I totally suck, Then maybe the new thought is, I'm actually good at these things, at one thing. But it doesn't have to be, because we don't want you to tell yourself something that you can't believe, but It's finding the truth in our lives that will set us free, but we need to have the courage to to go there. So it's it is a slow it's not gonna happen overnight. You know? I'm I'm almost 58, And I'm still learning things about myself at 58, and here's a little, you know, vulnerability moment. I always thought I was great Until I recognized that I was pretending for much of the time.
Mahara Wayman [00:37:08]:
I mean, I am great, but I wasn't honoring the fact that this situation made me unhappy or this behavior really didn't feel aligned. I mean, I think I only learned what aligned meant maybe 5 years ago. Really? Right? We just go through life doing and doing and doing? Awesome. Okay. So where are you at today, miss badass Laura Ora.
Laura Wallace [00:37:33]:
Physically, like, location wise or just in life? In business?
Mahara Wayman [00:37:37]:
Yeah. In business, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, wherever. Where you at?
Laura Wallace [00:37:41]:
Yeah. Where am I at? I I am in a a transition. Oh. But one that I finally feel like I got to call the shots on.
Mahara Wayman [00:37:54]:
K.
Laura Wallace [00:37:55]:
And that's pretty fucking cool.
Mahara Wayman [00:37:57]:
You know, this minds wanna know.
Laura Wallace [00:37:59]:
So I, you know, I I'm consistently leaning into what lights me up and what drains my energy, what I feel called to versus what I Put off until the 11th hour and just really noticing what is working and what's not. And I've been a I've been a designer for 2 decades, And I've loved this career so much. It's provided me so much knowledge and value, and I've met incredible people. But my gutsy move right now is this transition where I get to decide what the next phase of my career looks like, and that is Fully, 100% full time embracing Laura Aura as a brand. And, it's Terrifying to let go of something that I've known pretty much my entire life, but also exhilarating at the same time because my soul is like, Finally. Finally, we get to do what we were put on this earth to really do. So it's It's an exciting time. A lot of things shifting around, a lot of decisions to be made, but, you know, I think that it's really important to recognize that When you make a decision and even though your head's gonna wanna get involved and tell you the what ifs and, if your soul feels at ease, If there's a piece inside of you, that is every bit of every energy telling you that this is a hell yes.
Laura Wallace [00:39:23]:
Keep going. So that's the space that I'm in right now.
Mahara Wayman [00:39:27]:
That's a cool space to be in, and I wanna say congratulations for listening because I can't even imagine Giving up something that you've worked and had worked at for so long and been so good and had such success at. But what so what I'm hearing is You've really sat with it, and you you trust yourself enough to recognize That you don't need that part of the business to be successful in who you are. Correct. And our time on earth is all about Changing and evolving and growing. And it is okay to say goodbye to something that no longer serves you. In fact, it's one of the Key con key conversations I have with my clients is ask yourself in every every given moment. Just take a moment to say, does this move me closer to my goal or further away from it? And sometimes, there is a life to an experience, and it's okay to to close the doors on it Because that experience has stopped moving you closer to your dream. So I am crazy proud of you.
Mahara Wayman [00:40:31]:
I I I mean, I'm excited for you, and I'm also really proud of you because you're, again, stepping up and stepping into your greatness and honoring why you're here because, People, we're all here for a reason. We're not here just to shoot the shit. We've been we've chosen a path. Often, we don't remember it, and we spend our whole life trying to remember what it is that we said we were gonna come and do and learn. But I love that you are Embracing this transition for yourself. And, honestly, I can't think that it's all I can think is this is So exciting for all of the people that you work with, that you are going to impact. Congratulations.
Laura Wallace [00:41:11]:
Thank you. Thank you very much. It, I I'm a huge advocate for practicing what I teach, and I I speak so Wholeheartedly and passionately about the things that I teach on because I've been there. I get it. You know, and I might just be a few steps ahead of where you are right now, and this is gonna give me more capacity to continue to turn around and put my hand out Pull you through it as well. So it's it's exciting. It's, you know, it's actually not even terrifying, Which I which is how I also know that it's just right in every capacity, the time, the season, the energy, the space, because I'm more excited than I am afraid, and, good shit is to happen. So thank you.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:03]:
That's so beautiful, and it's interesting because I felt that way. And I was telling you about this before I hit the record button. I had a download about 5 months ago that now is the time to do podcast. I've always loved interviewing people. I thought about doing a podcast years ago, but I didn't really know what a podcast was, and it kinda I just let it go. It wasn't the timing. And then about 5 months ago, I'm like, oh, it's time to do a podcast. And I just did it Because everything came so easily.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:31]:
The name of the podcast, the artwork for the podcast, it just came easily. So other people were looking at me going, Wait a second. You haven't researched this. You need to do this, and you should actually do this. And I'm like, nope. It's done. I'm doing it. It feels good.
Mahara Wayman [00:42:44]:
It feels right. Has it been easy? For the most part, it has been easy, and I'm learning as I go. But to your point, when things are aligned, it is easy, And it is more exciting than than scary. It is more expansive than contractive. And I think the reason part of the reason why I was ready for it is that I am now able to recognize that in myself. When I'm feeling Trepidation from this isn't the right time is different to the feeling of, oh my god. I'm so excited. It's a subtle difference, but now I can recognize those in myself.
Mahara Wayman [00:43:21]:
And it sounds like well, you've had 20 years of and more of working on this for yourself. 16 years as an entrepreneur, you're ready. You're ready.
Laura Wallace [00:43:31]:
I'm more than ready.
Mahara Wayman [00:43:32]:
I'm more than ready. I love that. So Just to tie this all up with a bow, you have been, I think, badass for a long time and have continued to share your growth with your peeps, whether it was through Facebook or Instagram or TikTok. I'm gonna go check out your TikTok vids, by the way. And you are now at a place where you are taking your own advice and really allowing yourself To step into even another level of greatness for yourself. You are you work with, entrepreneurs, men and women, I'm assuming. And you have this amazing podcast, and you've got this big transition that's coming up for you. Is there anything else that you want to share with our listeners today about Laura Ora.
Laura Wallace [00:44:24]:
You know, I just want to I wanna give everyone the permission that they don't need, but maybe need to hear today in this moment, in this season. That you're allowed to want what you want, that your decisions don't have to make sense to anybody other than you and your soul, That your intuition sometimes is this very soft whisper, and that is loud enough. And that as you continue to say yes to yourself, even in the smallest turns of the dials, the smallest itty bitty decisions, And you start to taste what it feels like to be yourself again, that only amplifies, my friend. That only grows. The hunger for that grows, and you'll very quickly learn in how many different circumstances and situations in your life where you're not being your full self. And when you taste that for the 1st time or the 2nd time, it stands out like a light bulb. So lean into that. Know that you are worth every ounce of being who you are, and the world is a better place because you are.
Laura Wallace [00:45:29]:
So lean into you. We need you.
Mahara Wayman [00:45:31]:
I love that so much. Laura has been such a delight and such a pleasure. Those of you that are listening, don't forget to check the show notes, find out how you can Connect with Laura. There'll be show notes in the show notes as well. You'll learn how you can connect with me. My name is Mahara Wayman. This has been a really cool episode of the Art of Badassery. Thanks for joining.
Mahara Wayman [00:45:51]:
We'll see you next week. Thank you for tuning in to the art of badassery. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and gained valuable insights to help unleash your inner badass. If you found this podcast helpful, please leave a rating or review on your favorite platform. Your feedback not only helps me improve the show, but it also helps others like yourself discover the podcast. Until next time, keep embracing your authenticity and living life on your terms. Here's to you.
