I can remember a time where being in front of the camera was one of the most nerve-wracking things I've ever experienced. As the years have gone by, and I've had to be in front of people more often, I've realized the way I'm dressing and carrying myself is just as much part of our brand as our collateral website and everything else with our logo on it. Here's the thing though, if I look back over the last 12 years of being in business and trying to be the quote-unquote perfectly dressed businesswoman—well, there is no such thing.

Your style is such a huge part of your brand and that really relates to what industry you're in, how you present yourself, and the types of clients you want to attract.

Over the last few years, I've really started to embrace who I am through the clothes I wear, the necklaces I wear, the way I style my hair. And just in the last couple of months I really started to come into my own self as a brand. And guess what? I'm way more comfortable, way more confident, and I am a walking reflection of who we are as a company.

This week, I want you to take your #powerback by going through your closet, getting rid of the shit that makes you feel frumpy or not awesome about yourself, and I want you to do something bold and outrageous—something you've always wanted to do but felt like you couldn't. Wear that outfit or those shoes you just always think, oh, maybe someday when I go to this special event or oh I'll wear it tomorrow.

I want you to wear it now.

The two main reasons we feel we cannot always express ourselves through our clothing is 1. We are way more worried about what other people think and 2. We work in an industry that doesn't support who we want to be aesthetically.

1.) The easiest way to overcome this is to shift your energy from what everyone else may or may not be thinking, saying, or feeling about you and put that energy back into you. What do you really want to do? How do you want to present yourself? How do you feel the most strong and confident and beautiful and powerful? Guys, you don't have to subtle anymore. I want you to be bold and uniquely who you are no matter what capacity that means.

2.) I think there are subtle ways you can start to infuse your personality at work. Maybe that's through your makeup, accessories, color—just pops of uniqueness. I don't want you to lose who you are in your profession. And the deeper question here is, are you working in an industry you feel aligned with or is it time to evaluate this as well?

This week through your apparel, I want you to do something that literally makes people go, whoa, that's different, oh, that's new for you, wow, I didn't know you had that. And I want you to just look at them, smile, and say thank you, I'm trying some new things and being uniquely who I am.

And I'll give you an extra challenge (if you're feeling extra spunky), take a picture of whatever you have done differently, post it into your story or on your Instagram, tag @TheGutsyPodcast, and let me know what you're trying!

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“You can have a website in an hour!”

“Building a website is quick and easy!”

(Insert silence because otherwise, I’ll say something I may regret.)

Having a website is a key part of building a business. It’s quickly become a necessary tool that helps to increase your visibility, build credibility, and attract new customers. The problem is, it can be overwhelming and frustrating to get.

First things first – should you build it yourself with an online tool? Or should you hire someone to do this for you? Well, it depends. This week, I’m sifting through a handful of your options so that you don’t have to spend hours on the internet at 2 a.m. trying to figure out which method is best. And then, I’m giving you a few key pointers so you know what you need on your website in order for it to not only function well but to be successful.

So, if the thought of your current website or the idea of building a new one makes you want to breathe into a brown paper bag, hop on over to the podcast so I can simmer you down. I’ve got you.

**Ready to build a successful website? Contact [email protected] and mention you listened to the website episode on The Gutsy Podcast for a FREE 15-minute consultation!

(Continue to Episode Blog)

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Everyone has some sort of dream, desire, or aspiration. Maybe you want to lose those 20 pounds that have been stuck on you? Maybe you're wanting to open a business? Maybe you want to travel more? Maybe you want to be more adventurous? Whatever the case may be, if you want something, not only do you have to work towards achieving it but you first have to believe you're capable and worthy of receiving it.

For instance, let's talk about weight—'cause that's a hot topic amongst most people on a regular basis. Let's say you have a goal of losing a certain amount of weight or being able to fit in a certain outfit you absolutely love. You know you're physically capable of achieving it, but mentally you have convinced yourself being that ideal weight frame, shape, or format is not for you. "Having a six-pack isn't for me, but every single day I'm going to dwell on why I don't have a six-pack."

Or maybe there's a dream home you're wanting to buy or build and you think about it and you pin it on Pinterest and you talk about it a lot. But then in your everyday conversations you're talking about why you could never have a home like that. Why it's so out of reach, why that kind of home is for quote-unquote for other people but not for you.

Listen, the words you speak and the energy you put out into the universe are powerful.

You can't ask for greatness and then tell the world, the universe, and the people around you why you can't have it. This week, I want you to take your power back by preparing yourself for the greatness you are asking for, and honestly, this involves no one other than yourself; the thoughts you think and the words you speak.

You have to be willing to step into the greatness you're asking for and start projecting that energy out because what you are receiving is a mirror image of what you are putting out. Take a few minutes and take a personal inventory of that because when someone told me that, I was like "Oh shit, that kind of stings. But you're also really, really right."

Think about the goals you have set and the actions it takes to get to those (and not just the actionable checklist-type of things, but your emotional connection with them). What are you willing to sacrifice to get to that? What attitude do you need to change to receive it? What internal beliefs do you need to shift to be able to open yourself up to receive the greatness you are asking for?

Because here's the thing: Everything you want in life is 100% obtainable. Your goals are not too big. Your aspirations are not insane. If this is something you feel deep down into your core, I want to get behind you because not only do I believe in you—but I believe in your ability to manifest and create those opportunities so you can get to where you want to be in life.

The world is asking, are you ready to start believing in yourself or are you going to continue with old patterns, getting the same results, and being stuck exactly where you are today?

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One day, I was browsing through Instagram and came across a bold, beautiful image of a woman covered in confetti. I quickly wanted to find out what this was all about, and my love for The Confetti Project was born.

Jelena is the creator of The Confetti Project, which is an amazing photography series that douses amazing humans in copious amounts of confetti. And when I say copious, I mean POUNDS. Even months after my experience in her Brooklyn studio (check out my session here), I STILL find confetti peppered throughout my house.

This is more than a photo shoot for Jelena, though. 

In this week’s episode, she talks about how confetti is a metaphor for life. Experiences, whether good or challenging, are often taken so seriously and we forget that life can be fun. She reminds us that we don’t need permission to play and you most certainly don’t need to be perfect. 

Jelena also talks about her new book, Cancer and Confetti, and how the grieving process of losing her dad to cancer impacted her career. The concept of Celebration Therapy was born and has since impacted thousands of people, from women to men, couples, to friends, sisters, and parents. 

This was a beautiful episode to co-create—I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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One of the hardest parts of starting a business, in my opinion, is the temporary sacrifice you have to make of things you really love doing or buying (especially when you're first starting out or you're in those first few years. Maybe there's a vacation you want to go on or a house you want to buy. And so you have these really big goals, but also have these other things you just really love to spend your money on. So for this week's Powerback, I want you to take your power back by giving up something to get something.

So when we're thinking about money, we often invest in things important to us. But on the flip side, we also tend to buy things that simply make us feel good at the moment—and then find every excuse in the book to tell others why we can't do something else.

For instance, if you tell me or someone else you can't afford to go on vacation or go away for the weekend but you're eating out every night of the week—I'm going to guess you're throwing away a couple of hundred dollars to a thousand bucks every month just by eating out. Yeah, it may be fun and exciting and I think everyone should enjoy the pleasure of not cleaning dishes from time to time. Right? Like go out and enjoy yourselves.

But it's slippery when it becomes a habit and then you start doing it every day and then you're wondering, Well, what's going on with my bank account now? I don't have any money but I'm still going to go out. Then you start flipping the tables and that's an opportunity to step back and say, You know what? This is where my money's going.

Get real with yourself. The reason I can't go on vacation is that I'm not willing to give up going out to eat. And for you, it could be something else. It could be shopping, it could be buying your favorite latte on the way to work every day, maybe it's a whole bunch of subscriptions you don't use but continue paying for, or breweries and wineries.

What are some things you're trying to achieve? Maybe it's travel, maybe you want to get new software or programs for your business, maybe there's a big conference on your radar you'd love to go to. What is it that you need in your business or in your life to level yourself up, to invest in yourself, to spend some time to take care of yourself?

Then, I really want you to look at some of your other spending habits. Where is your money just kind of sifting through the cracks again? Is it running through the drive-thru or just grabbing things in the aisles as you're checking out and then you can start marrying the two. Think to yourself: How else could I be using this money?

Here's the important thing, too, guys—this is temporary. This doesn't have to be forever. You don't have to give up dining out or doing any of these other amazing things you love to do. Maybe you're just pulling back and not doing it as often. Maybe you put a pause button on it for a while and you say right now, something else is more important.

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One of the oldest questions of all time is: “How do I find a balance between work, home, self, and life?” Balance is something that we’re all craving yet can’t seem to find the magic formula to. How can I do all the things in my life well without feeling like I’m compromising something else? How do all THOSE people seem to have it all together?

This week’s episode is debunking the concept of balance. As much as I’d like to think it exists, it doesn’t, yet we fantasize something that many people claim to have (mostly through Facebook). I know, this may seem like a little bit of a downer, but the truth is, the true secret to balance is knowing what part of your life needs you the most at each moment.

If someone has a spotless house with all the laundry put away, all their work caught up, spent equal time with all their friends and family, worked out every day and is caught up on all their favorite shows, they're either:

1. Having a unicorn week and feel extra accomplished
2. Lying
3. Or have hired someone to help them

This week, I hope to help you feel a little more normal because we’re all going through the same challenges—some of us just appear to have it more together than the rest of us. So, if you’re feeling like you’ve thrown sand in the air and are trying to figure out how to catch it all, this week’s episode is waiting for you.

Cheers to not having a perfect balance.

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If you tuned in earlier this week, you heard I had three incredibly special guests, the Worx girls—the amazing powerhouse women that went through #LiberationWeek with me. This week, I want you to take your power back by owning your core negative beliefs.

So how does one even figure out their core negative beliefs? Well, this is really a time for reflection to get real with yourself. Maybe you've never allowed yourself the emotional space or the energy to say, Hey, you know what? This is what's actually going on and is the root cause of all of the things that have happened around me.

For instance, one of my core negative beliefs is I am too much. And that stems back from some childhood events that happened. Laura, shut up. Laura, you're too loud. And I carried that core negative beliefs with me throughout my whole life.

But it wasn't until I got quiet with myself and really thought what is holding me back from growing my business to where I know it could be. What is holding me back from being the bold, beautiful personality that I am? What is holding me back from dressing the way I feel most confident? What is holding me back from speaking up when I know I need to say something? So through this Liberation Week exercise, I was able to identify these questions and can now say, I believe in you, Laura. Yes, we can do these things.
 
Now, I see those core beliefs coming like a freight train with a flashing light on it. And once aware, so will you. You're going to be able to say, Okay, I see you. I know what's happening now. I know why I am reacting and responding this way. You will have this beautiful opportunity to change your response to it. So instead of reacting, you can respond. You can stop yourself for a moment, reroute, and actually head down the path you deserve.

It takes us out of this gas and breaks system. So we have an idea and we hit the gas, we're all for it, right? And then all of a sudden we slam on the brakes because something has happened or one of those beliefs pop up. Then we have another idea and we hit on the gas and we go really hard for really long. Wait, nope—brakes again.

Guys, whiplash is a real thing. And emotional whiplash is no different. By recognizing your core negative beliefs, you can coast a little bit easier, speed up when you need to, and slow down when you need to. You get to eliminate some of that knee-jerk like gas and go brake and stop—that hard emotional shit you've been doing to yourself.

And I want you to remember too, it's not about getting rid of these negative core beliefs. Yes, these have been instilled in you. They're kind of part of your DNA at this point. And the first time I heard that I was discouraged because I thought, Oh my God, I'm always gonna feel like I'm too much. Well, it's actually one of my superpowers, too, because that's what keeps me humble as I continue to grow on my path.

So know your core beliefs—we're not trying to get rid of. We're not trying to reprimand them. We're trying to invite it along in the car ride—but we're the ones driving now. They have no power to drive your vehicle anymore.

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I was feeling pretty sorry for myself a few months ago. Laying on the couch, drinking wine, and scrolling through Facebook. Then a sponsored post crossed my path—one that led me to enroll in Kate Blake’s 8-week program, resulting in major breakthroughs and the challenge to liberate my negative beliefs by wearing them loud and proud on a t-shirt. 

And because I work with insanely supportive, intuitive women, they accepted the challenge with me. 

5 gutsy days, 4 bold women, and 20 liberating shirts. Together, we created and embraced "Liberation Week," to take a stand against the negative self-beliefs we have clung to for so long.

·      “I’m worthless.”

·      “I’m broken.”

·      “I’m unremarkable.”

·      “I’m too much.”

Each day, for five days, we wore a shirt with handpicked statements that revealed a lie we have convinced ourselves is the truth. From client meetings to grabbing lunch—one by one, we took back the reigns to our own stories in order to rewrite them as they should be.

The results? Life-changing. We cried. We yelled. We talked about things that have been locked in the vaults of our minds for far too long. And one of the most fascinating parts? Watching other people open up about their insecurities because we created a safe container for them to do so. 

This week on The Gutsy Podcast, I have three very special guests—my Worx girls. We’re laying it all on the table:

·      How we identified our core negative beliefs

·      Where we had our shirts made

·      How we felt

·      What shifted

·      How we’re different

This episode is deep, impactful, and raw. I invite you to enter a safe space with us and give yourself the gift of self-awareness of your own negative self-beliefs so that you, too, can liberate.

(Continue to Episode Blog)

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How many times along your journey have you felt like, I really want to do that, but I don't feel like I'm ready yet. Or maybe there's part of you that says, Hell yes, girl. Hell yes, guy. Let's get this moving. And then the other part of you is like, Oh, hell no. So then you end up in this mental tug-of-war when you feel like you could—but there's a whole part of you that's like this is too scary.. let's not do it yet.

I want you to take your power back by starting before you're ready. Now you're probably thinking, Oh my gosh, Laura, there are so many things I have to figure out and I need to look at this and I need to measure that.

I just want you to stop for a hot second. I want you to take a deep breath and I want you to ask yourself what is true and what is real. If you're at a turning point in your life thinking, you know what, I want to start a business, but you've made up every possible scenario in your mind as to why you can't—ask yourself, are all of these thoughts actually true? Probably not.

Or maybe you're at a different point in your life. Maybe you're thinking it's time to have kids. Is there a perfect time to have children? Absolutely freaking not. I'm going to have to change my schedule. I don't know how we're going to balance these things. It's going to cost more money. How are we going to do the normal things we do on a regular basis?

You see, right when we're on the edge of doing something we know we feel called to do—whether that's starting a business, having children, trying a hobby, hiring an employee, etc.—right when we're on the cusp of doing them, guess who loves to come knocking at your door? Self-doubt.

Look, you can always read more business books or listen to one more podcast or take one more class or do a little bit more research to convince yourself that you're ready and you know what? As soon as you do those things, you're going to find one more thing to do because self-doubt is preventing you from actually taking the first step to do the thing in the first place.

You can use your gut and your risk-taking abilities to make these decisions and I really want you to focus on where you are feeling these feelings in your body. I love the concept of bricks or butterflies to make decisions on whatever it is I'm doing. So if you're having a very light, airy, higher in your stomach feeling—that's what I would consider butterflies. That's an uneasy feeling of excitement and fear all mixed into one cocktail. That's a great greenlight. Keep going because you're in the right direction.

Whereas if you feel a very deep stinging, lower in your stomach feelings, something that just makes you feel like something's not quite right—I want you to stop, turn around, reevaluate, and do whatever else you need to do to figure out.

The best way to take your power back is to just simply take the first step. Just do something. One thing. You don't have to conquer the entire situation in a day. You don't have to have all the answers. You don't have to talk to everybody and their mother about what you're doing. I just need you to take one step because then tomorrow or the next day, you could take one more step and the week after that you could take another. And before you know it—you've built momentum.

The secret is: No one's really ready. The only difference is some people push through and do it anyway.

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Instagram is by far my social platform of choice. You get all of the visual inspiration without all the extra nonsense. Just like any other tool, it takes time to learn how to use it to enhance your business. I’m guilty of getting sucked into the feed of beautiful things and last-minute “shit, I haven’t posted in a while, let me throw this up there quick,” mindset.

On today’s episode, we have artist and Instagram master, Allie Dattilio. Allie has grown her oil painting passion into a full-time business and guess where it all began? Instagram. With over 24k followers, a robust email marketing list, and sales that sell out within hours, Allie has all kinds of tips and tricks to share with you.

Allie talks about how to choose intentional hashtags, her secrets to awesome bright white photos, and how she balances maintaining the ‘gram while growing a family. And her biggest takeaway: Annual strategic planning to help her achieve her financial goals.

If you’ve been trying to figure out how to maximize your feed while making some money, this episode is for you.

(Continue to Episode Blog)

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