Takeover Tuesday: Lauren Golden

Here's the big how are these average, everyday moms getting radical results in their lives? How are they able to transform their health, money, families, homes, and have fun doing it?

The trick.

We're not average. I'm Hannah Keeley and I'm going to spill our secrets and answer your questions. And right now in that mom show. Hey, everyone, it's Hannah here and I'm so excited because I have a friend of mine. She doesn't know it, but she's a great friend of mine. No, we actually just recently met, but our circles have been, like, spinning around each other for quite some time. And as soon as she opened up her mouth, I'm like, oh, you're my best friend. Ok.

I love it.

So I have Lauren golden here and she's the founder of Free Ma. And when I heard those words together, free and mama, I'm like, all right, you're my tribe. Let's get you in, let's get your wisdom and let's figure out what does this mean to be free. So, Lauren, tell us a little bit about that and how you came up with this idea.

That's awesome. First of all, the feeling is completely mutual. So we can start there. We can be best friends.

Which one is going to. So when we get the necklace and we split the hearts, who's going to get the like Bedford and who's going to get the ends?

You can get whichever side makes you feel good. I'm very generous in that way. No, I'm just kidding. Yeah. So my business is called the free moment and I love what I do. I'm sure you can say the same thing, Hannah. It's so great to be at a point in my life where I can say that. Like, it's so cliche, but, like, I don't really work because I just. I kind of just love who I get to hang out with. And so the mission of the Free Mama is that no mom should have to choose between family and financial stability. And I feel like a lot of business owners. My business started from this mission but also from my own personal story, which was I became a mom, which was something I always knew I wanted to be. I was always like the mother's helper when I was little. And then I graduated to, like, full on babysitter and then I had, like, nanny and like, I always wanted to be around kids. I knew I wanted to be a mom. And when my husband and I, we struggled to get pregnant with our first and when we finally did have our first child, we actually never Had a conversation about what it would look like for me to stay home. Because we both were very well aware of how much money we made. We were very aware of the mortgage payment that came out every month. And it just, it didn't add up. The math didn't add up. And we knew that that wasn't going to be a possibility. And so I grew up with a stay at home mom and an entrepreneurial dad. So now it's all kind of like coming together. But I knew I was going to have to go back to work. And something really interest happened for me when I went back after my first child. And that was that I had a moment in my day. You know those moments where you know exactly where you were. Like, you can remember it.

Yes, yes.

Replay. So it was one of those. I know exactly like where my desk was in my office, how I was sitting. And I remember sitting back on that first day, like probably mascara on my face from dropping off my child. And I had this thought of like, wow, I really like to work. Like, I actually like, like I'm good at this job and I like it. And I kind of like wrestled with being okay with that because I feel like a lot of times we're supposed to feel guilty being a working mom, But I had this feeling of like, no, I love my baby. I still have the mascara's fresh on the face. Like, I love this human I created. But I actually really like the feeling of like thinking strategically and accomplishing tasks and using this other part of my brain. And so that was a really powerful moment for me. But it was actually my second, second aha moment, which was two years later when my son was born that I realized that the traditional nine to five was not allowing me to show up as the mom that I wanted to be. And for me, what that looked like was waking up really early, feeling really anxious, getting three different humans ready, sometimes four, depending on how my husband was doing that day. But like getting everybody ready, getting out of the house, you know, going and sitting at a job where I was told how long I had to be there, regardless of what work I had already accomplished. And then rush home, drive all over town, picking up kids, get home, rush through. Like, it was just, it was the rush. It was. Everything just felt stressful. Only to wake up and do it again. And so that was kind of my second aha is like, I love, ok, I love being a mom, I love my kids, I love working. But this whole job thing is really interfering with how I want my life to look like, and so that is when I started looking for different solutions. And I wish I could tell you that I found this kind of, you know, it was just a very obvious thing, but it wasn't like a lot of women.

And a lot of these things that we discover are, like, the hidden mysteries. And that's why you and I are both so on fire with helping moms, because, like, I don't want you to go through what I went through and trying to discover this.

Exactly, Exactly. And I will say, like, there's. There's. It's not one size fits all either. You know, it's really not. But I feel like I feel an obligation to. To tell people what I've learned because it so drastically changed my life. And now, two years after launching the Free Mama movement, it's changed the lives of thousands of other people, too. So, like, this is a proven thing. Like, I didn't just make it up.

I didn't invent it, But I tried.

A lot of different things before I discovered freelancing, which is kind of the punchline that we're getting to here. You know, I tried network marketing. I tried blogging. I didn't have some crazy, like, Shark Tank idea. Believe me, I try. I'm like, just invent something. Like, how hard can it be? Just, like, invent something and patent.

Do it every day. Yeah.

Why is this so.

You know, And I.

But I remember how it actually felt, and I. I'm fully confident that some of your listeners are feeling this on their heart right now. I remember what it felt like to literally just be, like, throwing it up, like, I'm ready. Like, I am a hard worker. Like, I will do this. I will follow through. I will figure this out, but I don't know what it is. And I just remember feeling, like, very discouraged and frustrated because it was like, I wanted it so badly, but I didn't know how to. How to do it. I didn't know how to get to the other side of it. And it was actually. And we've come full circle here. So it was actually I found an ad scrolling through Facebook, which is how a lot of people find me, and probably how a lot of people find you, Hannah. And it works, right? And so I'm unhappy. And it's night. I'm sure I'm in bed, and I'm scrolling through Facebook, and I see this ad about how to become a social media manager, and I'm like, well, I like Facebook. That sounds great. Like, let's do that.

And so I'm watching It.

Yeah, I watched it. And what was really cool is that I was able to take from this webinar. And I did buy the course, by the way. And just fun fact, I bought it without telling my husband because I was really nervous what he was going to say. Put it on the credit card. I'm not condoning my behavior, Hannah, but I'm just telling the truth. That's what I did. And then it was kind of like, it lit that fire, right? Of like, okay, well, I got to figure this out now.

I got to pay for it.

I got to pay the credit card off, like, before we get into an argument. So it lit a. But what was really cool is I was able to take this course that I had bought and actually consumed. Right? You can't just, like, get the gratification of, like, well, I just invested in my. No, you got to do the work. And so I did. I watched it and I did the work, but I made it my own. I took from it what I wanted, but the big thing that I got from it was that you can start your own business from home. And so we talk about this as freelancing, but really all freelancing is you're kind of like a small business owner, but you're providing a service. So rather than the E commerce or inventing something or whatever, you're basically like, it's all semantics, but. But we call it freelancing. You're a contractor for other entrepreneurs or small businesses who need your help. So if you're listening and you're like, like, what? You lost me at freelancing? Is that, like, coding? It could be, but you can be a freelance virtual assistant. You could be a social media manager. You could be a bookkeeper, a graphic designer. There's tons of skills and services that you can provide as a freelancer. And so for me, I'm sitting there and I had this just big moment, both watching the webinar and afterwards, where I was like, wow, Remember, I like working. I'm smart. Like, I can. I got some stuff I can do. How can I sell this thing and market myself so that I can do it on my own? Like, I can do it on my own terms. And so that's what I set out to do, and now that's what I teach other people how to do as well.

I love it. I love it. Isn't it cool how when we forth the blood, sweat and tears, and when we go through the anxiety and we make the bold commitments, what we're actually doing is God is leading us to a place where we're like forging through. And it's not always to get us to the end. It's for us to get there and say, hey guys, come on. I found something. You know, as much as I love what I've created, it's almost like I celebrate what I help other moms create more. Because I'm like, yes, yes. Like, I get so stoked about that.

We just actually spoke about this on one of my group coaching calls yesterday. I said, I'm like, you guys, your wins are my wins. Like almost by definition. Like, I don't get to win as a business owner unless what I'm teaching you works for you. And so, yeah, we were talking about that yesterday and I love it. And I love your point of like, you know, you're kind of getting to the point of like, it's not about the destination, it's the journey. And knowing that you don't have to be on a journey alone is a really big part of what my community is about. And I know that's, that's what you are talking about with moms as well. Like, you don't have to do this thing by yourself. You don't have to like be stuck in this like either or kind of thing. So that's something we also talk about a lot. You know, we. I grew up thinking to be a good mom, I had to stay home because that's what my mom did. And so that's just what it looks like for me. And then we've got, you know, the lean in movement over here on the other side and it's beautiful. And don't get me wrong, girl power, like, we need it, there's a place for it. But neither were speaking to me. And so what I just really challenge women to think about are what are the gray areas? What are the solutions you're not thinking of? What are those opportunities that maybe you don't even know exist yet? Because we don't know what we don't know. And so how can we, you know. In fact, someone just yesterday posted, it was really funny. I loved it. She posted it on our Facebook community. Something about she's wanting to do Facebook lives but like her two year old won't let her. Like two year old's not napping. Two year old will follow her to the bathroom. Two year old needs a snack right when she starts. Like all these things.

I would watch that Facebook Live any day.

That's a different story. Unfortunately, it's not ideal for her ideal client. But yes, I agree. Right. That sounds very entertaining. But she felt stuck right in her mind. It's like, well, I go into the bathroom or there's nap time, and I can't do either of those. And there was just this outpouring from all of the other moms of, like, what if you went outside, what if you sat in the car? What if you did a swap a neighbor, what if you hired a babysitter? Like, just dozens of ideas. And this mom was just like, oh, my gosh, thank you. And I think we. I think it's just an example that we can get so set in, like, what we know or what, like that there's only these options and there's lots of options. And kind of the motto that I've lived my life by is, like, if I don't like any options, I'm gonna go create a new one. Like, for yourself.

You know, I would love to talk about that some, because what I want moms to understand in podcast is, first of all, I think, what our goals boil down to. And whether it's I want to get out of debt or I want a better marriage, or I wish my home was more organized or I wish I could lose weight, it all comes down really to how you feel or how you think you're going to feel when that goal is met. And if you say, you know, I'll feel healthier, I'll feel more peaceful, it all comes down to, I'm going to feel free, gonna feel free. Like, we have that desire in us from God to live as free people, and we are supposed to be free. We're not supposed to be constricted by choices that we're making unconsciously. And so I think for a lot of listeners, a lot of people who are watching right now, I want to talk about what do you believe by default? Like, what have you believed? Because you always thought that that was the way it was supposed to be or that was how my parents lived, or that was, you know, what are your beliefs about money or about your career, about if you can work, if you can't work, or are you going to be a bad mom if you leave your kids? Are you going to, like, what are your things that you believe and why do you believe it? And when we get down to what you said, Lauren, if I don't see an option, I like, I'm going to create it. Like, we have the mind that can create things that have never been thought of before. And so where there is that desire, God gives us that desire. Not so it Will fall flat and we'll be disappointed. But he gives us that desire. So we'll get creative and think, how do I create this?

Oh, I love. You're like, taking me to church. I'm like, this is like, yeah, we.

Are now going to pass the plate. Say it again.

Yeah. And a few things just showed up for me. One is my favorite quote of all time is, whether you think you can or you think you cannot, you're right. And I think it shows the power of mindset. I say that quote an obnoxious number of times in my book. Not just once. Like, it's in there. Like, a solid 10 times. Like, I love that quote because it is such a reflection of inward versus outward. Like, it's easy to come up with all these excuses. So and so didn't believe in me. The situation wasn't right. I didn't have enough money, not enough time, all these things. But no, it's actually your belief in what you're thinking and what you're telling yourself, and that alone is going to be the thing that determines whether or not something is true. And so that was the first thing. The other thing is, I know it was a rhetorical question about, what do you believe? But what I was thinking of, we all have limiting beliefs. And as you start to break some of them down, what's interesting is new ones show up. Right. And so maybe two years ago, my limiting belief was, can I really create a course? I'm not sure I can do that. Am I really a leader? Will people really follow me? Well, now I've knocked those down. Which, by the way. How? Well, through action, by the way. Right? Like, you do it, you start taking the steps, and then you look at the data in front of you and you go, okay, Okay, I did build a course. Cool. I could do that. Got it. I've got the belief now. I don't have that limiting belief anymore because my actions backed up the proof that I needed. Right? Same. Okay. Yes. I have. I have a large Facebook group. People are listening to me. Okay. I can lead people. But it's interesting because we do start to create new, limiting beliefs, and I'll just be really vulnerable. My limiting belief right now is whether or not I'm capable of going to the next level. Because for me, one of the really interesting things about. And this goes back kind of to, like, the journey versus the destination. I accomplished so many of my life. Like, can you guys imagine? Think about all your goals for your life. I accomplished over a dozen of them in one Year. And I'm not saying this to brag. I'm telling you, it was terrifying. Like, it was amazing, but it was so scary. And so now I sit in this position of going, like, how do I continue to stretch myself? How do I continue to dream bigger? What does that even look like for me? And what's interesting is that as a doer, as an action taker, what I believe will actually get me to the next level is pause. Like, I almost need to, like, still the noise and still, like, and pause and really reflect so that I'm getting back in tune with the inward, not the outward. Right? Like, I get all the outward signs about what I could do with my business and what I can do with my family and all these things. But it's like, I have to go back to my inner voice of, like, what do I really want and why? And I loved what you were saying about, like, what do you think the goal will make you feel? And so for someone like me, who's really type A, like, very go getter, I have to, like, hit pause so that I can hear those feelings that you're talking about and really make sure I'm connected to them. So it's an interesting.

Don't allow themselves to pause.

We.

Unintentionally keep ourselves busy to buffer us from a reality we may not be ready to face. And that is usually a reality of our own potential that we're not ready to face. We will continue to get busy with this and shuffle things around in the house under the guise of organizing or, you know, these. These behaviors that don't really have any end result because we don't want to get to that place where it's like, you know what? I actually can do this. That's a very scary place to be. It's like, I can't come up with an excuse any longer except the fact that I'm not willing to take the bold step. And that is when I find myself in that position. And I love it when people are like, well, I just don't feel a sense of peace about it. For me, peace feels like my pits are sweating out, my heart's pounding out of my chest, my head is throbbing, and I'm pulling out a card going, whole crap. What am I doing? Like, that kind of stuff where I have to show up to the level of belief in myself that matches the level that God believes. And it's like, whoa, I'm not there yet. He's leading me every step of the way. And it's so funny. That you said that one of your favorite quotes is whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can't. You're. Because mine is so similar to that. I probably say it every single day to my kids. I said in my books. I said, my podcast, whatever you say. So when I hear someone say, oh, that's just out of my price range. Whatever you say, like, whatever is coming out of your mouth, that's how you're gonna continue.

That's your truth. Yeah, I can't afford.

You never will afford it. Yeah, never will. Until you believe, like, instead of, I can't. How can I. How can I do this next step, as scary as it is? And being a free mama, I mean, I love that that is. That's your entire platform. Because I think every mom is created to be free. But freedom is not a feeling. Freedom is what is on the other side of that bold action that you have to take. And I just want to encourage moms today. And I know you feel the same way. It's like, do the thing that scares you so you'll know what freedom really feels like.

It's so timely that we're having this conversation, Hannah, because just yesterday on my personal Facebook page, which I, like, never post to, I'll be honest, I'm the worst. Now that I have tea, I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful because they help me with these things so that I can focus on things like being on podcasts or coaching my students, which is lovely. But yesterday I was like, you know, I really haven't posted my page in, like, months. So I made a post. Yeah, pretty much. So luckily other people tagged me and stuff, so it looks like I'm alive. But the first line of my post yesterday was fear. I wrote the word fear, and I made a list of all of the. Oh, I got goosebumps. Like, the most amazing things that have ever happened in my life in every single one of them involved the feeling of fear. So you. Like you said, if you are at peace, you. You should be nervous, right? Like, like, you. The things. And I love that you're talking about God. Kind of like pulling you in a direction. Like, for me, if I know that there's fear showing up, that's kind of the universe's way of saying over here.

Like, yeah, yeah, exactly like this.

This is the right path for you. Because it shouldn't. It's not that it should be. Well, it should be a little hard, because we should. We should work hard. If it was easy, everyone would be doing It. But it's. But it's often simple. But it's that, like, emotional jump that.

Feels the belief that you have to break through. Yeah. And people have proven it, and now it's time for you to prove it. Like, how much do I believe this? Yesterday on Instagram, I posted.

Is.

You never get less afraid. You get better at telling fear to go to hell.

Yes. Oh, my gosh, yes, girl. We are so. We are best friends.

We are. I'll go buy the necklace today.

Amazon prime, mine in the mail. But it is true.

You get used to, like, oh, I recognize you. Freaking liar.

I can go to hell.

Go back to hell. I'm taking this direction. And so you do it. Afraid. You just do it. And you get used to that feeling of, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm flying by the seat of my pants. My hair's on fire. All right, I'm in the right spot.

Totally. 100%. I agree with you completely. And I say this again in a very slightly different way, but I think there's this huge misconception, and I talk about it all the time in my community, and I'm sure you do, too. Where they look at me. Well, it's easy for Lauren to do a Facebook Live. She does them all the time. And I'm like, yeah, it's easy. Now, would you like to go watch my first 30? They're all in the archive. Like, go watch them. They're still on the Internet. And just so you know, there's, like, a little bit of pee in my pants while I'm doing it. I'm terrified of it. And I tell them that because it's. I think they're. I think it's easy to look at people who we believe are ahead of.

Us, like some kind of special skill set or even.

Yes. Like, well, they must not be afraid. And it's not about not being afraid. It's not about not experiencing fear or having that peace like you're talking about. It's about your willingness to do it anyway, to do the hard thing in spite of your fear. And that's how I always talk about it. Like, and if you want something to be more peaceful or easier, the only way to get to that is to go right through it. Like, there is no workaround. There's no workaround. We all got to walk through the same thing. The first.

I gotta tell you, the first time I was ever on television, literally, they're counting down. They're like, 60 seconds. I was throwing up in the bathroom, I was throwing, like, I'm wiping puke off my lips as I stepped up onto the light, you know, and did it.

Anyway.

Anyway, you show up. You show up. It was Rachel Ray. And I was like, ooh, that's not good, though.

That's real. I'm probably throw up, too. That's pretty good.

And then I come out there, like, everything's great.

Turn it on. Yeah. And then you go back out and.

You'Re like, okay, I just did that.

Yeah. No, that's beautiful. And you probably did way better than maybe even you thought you did afterwards, right? Like, everyone else's perception because they didn't know all the junk you had going on. Yeah, it's the same for anybody. You know that. I don't know how many women in your community are interested in a business or starting a business, but I think anytime you try something new, whether it's going on TV or a new, you know, a new gym membership. Oh, my goodness. I'm just trying to think. Like, I'm a pretty. I'm an extrovert, clearly. We like to talk. We're loud. Like, I get this stuff. But, like, I. Even when I go to a new gym and I, like. Like, I'm kind of nervous to go to that class by myself, I'm kind of, like, looking around. I'm like, how fit are we in here? Like, how's everybody doing? We all have that moment of, like, feeling alone, I guess, you know, Like. Like, am I that fraud? That, like, imposter syndrome? Do I belong here? And so I think something that is important to me, and I can. I can just tell Hannah that it's important to you, too, is giving women, especially moms, that place to go. You know what? Like, I peed my pants, too.

Like, you know what?

I barfed, too. Like, we do these things. We're all in this together. Like, I know nothing special that you don't know. I promise. And if I do. If I do know something special, like, my vow to you is that I will share it with you. Like, I will share you that tip that I learned, that thing that made it easier. That is what this is all about. And so, yeah, I love it. I love moms.

I do, too. They are the best. We are. Yeah. We are the best people pretty much on the face of this earth. So let's just celebrate that, and let's all just live free. So I love it. Yay. Oh, Lauren, you're amazing. How can people find out more about you so we can close it up?

Yeah, I'm a Facebook girl. The best place to hang out with me is in our Facebook group. You can search the free movement. I also have a book over on Amazon or you can check out the freemama.com.

Yes. And by the way, I'm going to give a shout out to your YouTube as well. You're incredible. Thank you. Thank you.

Really fun. We launched Free Mama TV in January and I really enjoy it. It's a good time.

Yeah. You're rocking it, girl. I love you, love what you're doing. And I'll make sure to give you one of our little hard necklace pieces.

Okay? Yes. Best friends.

Because now we're best friends, so we have to celebrate them.

Thank you so much.

Thanks so much. Talk to you later. Are you ready to get radical results in your life? I can give you the jumpstart you need for massive success. As in fact, I've got that mom show starter kit right here with your name on it, girl. And I want to give it to you absolutely free. Just go to thatmomshow.com or text the word kit K I T to 345345. That's the word kit to 345345. That mom show starter kit comes with my best selling time management program for moms. Squeeze the day, my guided faith based master mom meditation and a printable copy of the master mom manifesto. Print that baby out. Say it every day. Just watch what happens. That mom show starter kit is valued at over $300, but I want you to have it for free. Just go to thatmomshow.com or text the word kit that's K I T to 345345. Again, text kit to 345345. I'll talk with you later.

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