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A little over 10 years ago, Lauren’s life was thrown into total chaos. Her relationship ended in a shocking, dramatic, and heartbreaking way, and she found herself a single mom to four kids, barely getting by while trying to navigate an intense emotional rollercoaster.
In the years since then, she’s gone through multiple stages of redefining herself, first through external factors (her struggle, her titles, and her accomplishments), and later by going inward to figure out who she is at her core, when all the external stuff is stripped away.
Lauren will be the first to tell you that she’s still a work-in-progress (as we all are!), but she’s come a long way in building a life that’s filled with lots more peace, love, support, and faith than she ever thought would be possible for her.
She’s sharing her story and some of the wisdom she’s gained along the way in today’s interview with a normal person. Listen in as Lauren and Kristen talk about…
- How to process the grief, shame, and utter overwhelm that threatens to consume you during a crisis.
- What resilience is really all about (you’re going to love her definition of this), and how to create it within yourself.
- How to build self-worth from the inside and get comfortable within yourself, even without external titles and validation.
- The challenge of going from fiercely independent to inter-dependent, and why relying on people in your life (emotionally, financially, and for basic day-to-day help and support) is a beautiful, generous, and deeply human thing.
- How all identity crisis are, at the end of the day, spiritual crisis. Because you can’t answer questions about meaning and purpose and “What’s the point?” without acknowledging something bigger than yourself.
After you’ve listened, leave a comment below to let us know how Lauren’s wisdom resonated with you.
MORE ABOUT LAUREN
Lauren is a wife, mom, step-mom, daughter, sister, and friend. Of all of her accomplishments, both personally and professionally, these are the aspects of her life she’s most proud of. In her free time, you’ll likely find her reading or researching something. She’s a lifelong learner, and is currently pursuing certification in Christian Counseling. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, four children, and a gaggle of pets.
Hi Rachel & Kristen –
A friend introduced me to your podcast a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been binge listening since.
I was deeply touched by Lauren’s story and just want to thank Lauren for sharing so candidly and openly. Lauren’s closing remarks on identity were exactly what I needed to hear right at this moment. Thank you!
Hi Corinna! We’re so happy your friend introduced you to us. 🙂 We’ll pass along your comment to Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to share!
This is such a timely podcast post to listen to. I had two cats unexpectedly pass away recently and it’s been really challenging mourning them. I love that Lauren acknowledges that any loss or life change is valid of grief and that Western society doesn’t always recognize certain losses vs. others.
Sofia, I’m so sorry about your losses. There’s a special place in our lives that only pets can fill, and it’s heartbreaking to lose them. Our society may not believe that grieving a pet warrants taking time off work or turning down social invites or being sad for weeks on end, but there’s no right or wrong way to grieve. Make sure to give yourself plenty of space and time to feel sad for as long as you need to. There’s no shame in grief!
Lauren & Kristen,
I think it was destiny that brought me to listening to your podcast today. I am Lauren, but only in the middle of the worst years of my life and trying to redefine a new life. Everything I knew and was for 50 years has died. The details of what shattered my world are different but the stages and topics you discussed are exactly my struggles. All I could think was “OMG, she is talking about me” and I cried a lot because I wish I was closer to being where you are now, Lauren.
I have only recently discovered Clarity on Fire and want to just say I admire what you are all doing!
Thank you for sharing,
Stephanie
Stephanie — I’m so sorry to hear that you’re in the middle of such an impossibly hard time right now. I’m glad that Lauren’s story helped you feel less alone, and maybe even gave you a spark of hope that things can (and WILL) get better. My heart goes out to you, and I hope you’ll be extra gentle with yourself during this time of grief and transition.
So glad you found Clarity on Fire! I’m happy to have you as part of our community. ♥
Also, if you’d like to get in touch with Lauren personally, feel free to email me at [email protected], and I’ll be happy to email-introduce you two!