In this episode, Christie speaks with one of her favourite women and entrepreneurs, Ms. Lauren Richie. Lauren is a mental skills trainer, dance educator, adjudicator, writer, and unshakable optimist dedicated to helping dancers and athletes become their best, and it’s always an honour to share virtual time and space with her.

Our episode begins with us discussing the definition of the word ‘proud’, to which Lauren responds with her first of many sensational quotes, “game recognizes game.” We spend the first part of our conversation recognizing the greatness in each other and our dedication to what we call, ‘doing the work’. Lauren speaks with such a phenomenal level of self-awareness, shares a generous definition of love (to be seen, heard, and taken seriously), and speaks about how to sit with the compliments when we are so much more comfortable discounting those verbal gifts yet blindly accept criticism.

Lauren shares parts of her self-evolutionary journey, using the metaphor of unravelling a ball of yarn that is her past. I ask her how we ever get triggered in to adopting the belief that we’re not good enough, and how easily we can learn that without even the presence of a conversation, but through the lack of words or by action. We go on to discuss the difference between a beginner and a master’s mindset, and the danger of being in between, leading us on to recognizing how infinite learning truly is.

One of our favourite parts of this conversation is when Lauren brings forth the idea of giving yourself the permission slip, to be you, to practice what you practice, to teach what you teach, to do what you do. Christie shares her fears of living up to external expectations, which opens up both women to share how their egos have raised their ugly heads and what they’ve done to overcome that.

We finish with challenging our perceptions of ourselves vs the perception of others, and recognize how both perceptions are outside-in. Christie ends the riveting conversation with asking Lauren her new favourite question, what is your why?

We couldn’t recommend Lauren more as an artist, educator, or leader. To learn more about Lauren, visit https://withlauren.ca and listen to her podcast, The Dance Podcast, on Apple Podcast or Spotify.