Lauren Abrams: From Darkness to Dreams The Healing Power of Sharing Stories

I do really believe 100% from every part of me that everyone has the capacity to be able to do the things that they want and not to be held back by the mental baggage that's in our head that we want to push through.

Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. In each episode, we get down and personal with people who go after the things they want to make all their wildest dreams come true. Join us as we unveil and dissect a formula for what it takes to do the thing. Here is your host, Stacy Lauren.

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the do the Thing podcast. This is your host, Stacy Lauren. All right, you guys. Well, this is another do the Thing moment. I swear, I tell you, there's these moments that you just know things are meant to happen, and this is one. I was recently at a podcaster meetup and got reconnected to someone who introduced me to my next guest. And the minute he did, and I got to look at her stuff, I was immediately in love and realized just all the synchronicities that we have. And so I'm really excited to just dive into her and her story and how she's helping people and just the impact that she's making in the world. And so I am so excited to welcome Lauren to the show. Hey, Lauren.

Hi. And it's same. I'll just say same. Yeah.

Yeah. It's amazing, right? Because we have a podcast now. We've met, and now it's. Who knows what's going to happen from here? And I feel just so honored to have this time, to be able to explore this stuff with you.

Yeah, I'm very excited to do the same. I can't wait to have you on my podcast. 52 weeks of hope. There's a lot of synchronicities here, for sure.

Okay, let's start off for the listeners, and let's share your story. I'd love to hear all about you.

Okay, well, I'm an attorney. I am an employee rights attorney, and I don't usually talk about it, but because of the research I did into you and what you do, I have to say, I just started my practice, and when I started it, after a while, people were like, well, weren't you worried about this? Weren't you worried about that? Weren't you? And I said, no. And if I had thought about and worried about all these things that people listed to me, I. I never would have started my practice. I was just really excited, and I wanted to be in court all the time, and I would go to all these burned out attorneys and say, can I go to court for you? Can I go to court for you? And I was really just biding my time till I could go to the DA's office. I had been appearing, they had a special program, and I would. And anyway, once I got sworn into the bar, I had a period of time until the interviewing process anyway. And so I was just running around and it started kind of. I didn't plan. Life unfolds a certain way anyway. And I just started my practice and I never went to the da. And it all just kind of unfolded and I would just run around and no, I didn't worry about this list of things that people had for me. And I just went for it. And it was exciting, it was fun. I would just go to the law library and research things and sit on this office floor of a friend I didn't even have. And so when my podcast. I didn't plan on a podcast. This is where you'll see a synchronicity. I had started a book. I went through my. I call it A Dark Night of the Soul. And I'm not a depressive type, but I went through a tough. Everybody goes through it. Nobody gets through this life unscathed. And when I got through it, I was like, what the hell was that? Because I'm somebody, I write gratitude lists all the time. I'm always so grateful for my life. And so when I got through it, everybody was like, why are we here? And what's the meaning of life? And I thought, all right, I'm just going to go and ask a much older demographic that question. They say nobody on their deathbed ever wished they worked harder and made more money. So I was going to go and ask these people, okay, tell me, what have you gleaned from living life? What is the meaning of life? I want to know. And I'm not a DIYer, but I thought, I'll ask a personal week for a year just for me. And that's as close as I get to diying, if that's a word. I just made it one. And I started doing that. I was single mom, raising my kids, busy giving back in my community and doing all the things that we do. And I started just interviewing a person a week of a much older demographic, and people would divulge really personal information to me. And it was so rich and so good that after about two and a half months I was there, started being common themes, and I was like, this is so good. I need to pass this on. And I thought, I'll write a book. One of those books where you open it up. You're like, that's just what I needed to hear. You close it, you open it again, and I'll call it 52 weeks of hope. And then the pandemic shut everything down. So I thought, okay, I'll start podcasting. And then I wasn't limited to la, and I could talk to people all over the world. And that's how that started. And actually, just as a little addendum, after one year, I took all my. Because I ask everyone for a message of hope at the end of the episode, and I compiled all my messages of hope. There's eight overarching themes, and I call it the Meaning of Life. And I was like, okay, so now I know.

Anyway, so, yeah, it's amazing when I hear your story, because that's really what I did. It's so weird, but it's just a different way. Sorry. My dog's apparently really driven by this conversation. For those of you that are listening, she just jumped up on the chair, which she's never done while I'm in a podcast. Do you see her? She's just like, yeah, I can see her.

Yeah, she's.

Anyway, very cute. But anyway, okay, so, yeah, it's like the part of the unfolding. Let's start there. And it seems like it worked that way, both for your law practice and for your podcast and for what you're doing now.

Yeah, I. I mean, I love what I do. I feel like I help people. And that was the whole thing. If I can help one more person feel not alone or keep going for one more day, that's worth it to me. And if I ever lose sight of that, then my ego's gotten in the way or something else has gone wrong, gone astray. Because that's my whole point.

How do you get through that uncertainty period where you don't really know what's happening because you're so sort of moving through it and things are just happening for you?

Well, I really trust my gut instinct, and journaling and meditation are my two best tools. They're the ones that really give me clarity and help me the most. I wish I would use them like chocolate. They make me feel the best. Chocolate's easier and faster. I just. It's like, exercise is so good for you. How come I don't do it obsessively, but, yeah, but those are the things that they just help me, and I get so much from them. So when I'm in uncertainty I just keep going. You just keep putting one foot in front of another and energy towards what it is that you can see you want. Just keep going. Even when you. I don't even know why I'm doing it anymore. You just keep going. And the right things happen. They just do. Energy towards your dream, even 15 minutes a day. It's like the field of dreams, you know, if you build it, it will come. It's that kind of a thing. It might not be on my timetable or you have to pivot a lot in life, but it happens. It just does.

And you mentioned the dark night of the soul, so I also had one of those. Although I called it my breakdown.

Yeah, whatever you want to call it.

But I like yours. I like your name better.

Or longer takes.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, just the lost. The lost time. I'd love to just kind of hear, how did you move yourself through that time?

Well, it's interesting because I can remember and I was in a spinning class and this woman, Angela, she's so motivational, and it was pitch black in there, the music blasting, and Angela Manuel Davis, Oprah, took her on the road as a motivational and everything else. And she's like doing her thing. And I'm in the back row. I was always in the back row. And it's pitch black and I'm crying, and I'm crying, I'm crying. And she's going, I don't know who I'm talking to right now, but somebody needs to hear this. And I don't know what she said, but something shifted for me and I knew I was going to be okay. It wasn't instantly, but I knew I was going to be okay. And I just kind of kept going. And again, putting one foot in front of the other, baby steps, whatever it was. And. And I just kind of went back to work and my best friend knew what was going on and she kind of sat with me that day. I was just having a really. Everyone goes through it. It was my turn. And it surprised me, the depths of it, because my kids, from the day my daughter, who's the oldest, was born, I was surprised that I could go through it as a mom because they've always given me such joy and filled me so much. And yet here I was, a mom, and still I was going through it. So circumstances still happen. Life still happens. So, yeah. And I got through it. You just go through it. You get through it. It is what it is. Yeah.

And I really feel what you're saying with hearing that message of I Don't know who needs to hear this, but. And then that's the thing that shifted you. And it's kind of cool, right, because we're both podcasters now and now potentially we're the ones, whether it's us or our guests, is the one that's giving that message to someone. And I think that's just an interesting connection point to see. And I'm talking to you, whoever's listening that is thinking about putting your voice out there in the world. Right. You just don't know what you know and what you have inside of you and what that experience is and who's going to connect to that.

Yeah. And it's finance and romance and you don't know. You can never judge anyone's outsides by your insides or your insides or their outside. You have no idea what's going with anyone ever. I know that somebody who worked in my office once was always like, oh yeah, Beverly Hills Attorney or this and that. He had no idea where I came from or any. I mean, I'm somebody. I used to be on the streets. I came from the streets and got off the streets. Got educated. Very good education, by the way. I could use that story to get scholarships once I was off and everything else. And went to very good schools and I'm well papered and everything else. It's no, it doesn't insulate me, but I never forget where I came from and I've always given back and I'm always grateful, which is why it surprised me when I go through things because I'm so grateful. I know exactly where I came from and I'm always giving back and helping people. But you don't know anyone's story, you don't know where they come from. So you can't assume anything about anyone ever. So, yeah, it's one person. It's like a door to my side. When I found out that he was always thinking that about me, I was like, just ask. Yeah, you know?

Yeah. Are you open to talking more about that time in your life when you were on.

No, I'm not. I'm an open book. I'll talk about anything. I don't care. Yeah, yeah, you can listen over there. My first episode when they're like, oh, no, you have to tell. And I'm like, I'm not going to say anything. So I did this perfunctory little 10 minute thing and I knew it sucked. I just knew it did. And then I was like, fine. And so I just went blah. And I just told my story and set it off. And I did listen to it, and I was like, whatever. And it's, you know, people, evidently, they really relate. You don't have to come from where I come from, but it's the feelings. Like, no, I used to be strung out, drug addict and alcoholic, and I've been in recovery for decades now, so that's what it was. But I went low, low, low. And I didn't know there was a way out. I didn't know there was hope. I didn't know there was anything. So I'm one of those people that's really, really lucky. I ended up in rehab and got hope, and from that day forward, I've been clean and sober. So that's what that is. I know how lucky I am, but I also give back all the time. I mean, whenever anybody wants help, I used to be really quiet about it for a very long time. But after I released that a few years ago, I was like, okay, yeah.

I mean, it's incredible to know that you came up from that. Right? And then now you're able to help people because you've lived at that experience. And so whether they've gone through that or not, you have a. A different frame from the way that you're able to speak from.

Yeah. I mean, when my kids were little, I was like, what if somebody thinks I'm just. I just got sober and they don't want me to drive carpool? It was like, stuff like that. But it was just stupid because I'd already been sober probably 15, 20 years and clean. And then I come to find out some of them I should have been worried about. So, yeah, they're the ones. You never know. You never know.

I used to hear more about 52 weeks of hope. So I love hearing about the first podcast episode because I have a similar experience where it was like, oh, my God. And actually, if someone even said, don't publish that. You need to have, I did it in my car. And they're like, the sound needs to be better, all this stuff. And then I didn't listen to them. And then I didn't realize just that one episode by me publishing it has helped so many people start their own podcast because they got to see the imperfect part of it. And so I'm just curious just even how you were able to overcome that, being able to just put yourself out there in that way.

I mean, you have to be authentic. You gotta be. Okay, so here's how I did it. I thought I could get hit by a bus and Die. That's how I did it. And when I've come to realize this, nobody's paying any attention to me. It doesn't matter what I say. Nobody is paying attention to me at all. It doesn't matter what I say. Nobody's paying attention to me. Nobody's paying attention to you. If you're listening, nobody cares. Everybody goes, oh really? Maybe somebody will go, oh wow, that's an interesting fact. And then they move on. Nobody cares. I can tell you really the thing that you cringe the most about yourself in your life, first of all, it may help somebody else that you've gotten through it, but nobody cares. This is the thing I've learned the most.

Yeah, that's so true. It's so true. I remember my YouTube channel when I first got that going and my picture was all over it and I'm like, oh, that is awful. And how I just thought it was horrible because I was, I don't know, the self promotion on it just seemed terrible. And then I ended up changing it because I. All the thumbnails had me on it and I'm like, that is just weird. And nobody cares. I think that's where it goes. Nobody notices what you notice.

No one cares. That's the bottom line. No one cares. Everyone's thinking about themselves and the things that are cringiest to you. And then when I start talking about imposter syndrome, that helps everyone too when I talk about my imposter syndrome. But really high performing women suffer from imposter syndrome. Michelle Obama talked about it. I've done so much research on this because it was one of the first blog posts I wrote, not about somebody I interviewed. I'm a lawyer, so I'm used to research, so it's no big deal. And Sheryl Sandberg, it's in her book, it's, I mean, Meryl Streep, no matter how many movies she made, she's like, I gotta get found out. This time I can't act. It's really incredible. I can remember 10 years practicing law, walking down a corridor of the courthouse, thinking, now they're going to find me out. Yeah, 10 years.

What would you suggest to someone that is feeling that imposter syndrome would help them?

What helps is name it to claim it. As soon as you name what is going on with you, say I'm feeling imposter syndrome, which is fear. 50% of it dissipates. And so as soon as you identify the fear, the feeling, and I did not grow up talking about my feelings, my Little cheat on this is Google feelings chart. And there are so many to choose from. There are so many. And just look at that and see which one that you're probably feeling. And then close your eyes and see where in your body you're feeling it. And there's some place in your body you're feeling it and keep. Now stay with it. Stay with the feeling. Breathe into it and it'll move. And if you can stay with it and feel it all the way through your body, you're going to have new neurotransmitters. You develop new neurotransmitters and you won't have that exact experience again. You will grow from that experience. And then you walk through it. You got to walk through it. Yeah.

Especially coming from a society where we're tend to told to suck emotions in and it's hard to really show yourself. And what that's doing is it's getting you to really feel it and then release it and then be able to move on from there.

Yeah, no, that'll come out some other way. If you don't feel your feelings, it's going to come out in your health.

Yeah.

So I've learned so much since I started my podcast. It's unbelievable. I've got plethora of information of this now. No, you got to breathe into it. Your breath. I've heard. I've interviewed so many breathwork people and breath related people. Your breath is huge.

Yeah. Do you think because like we talked about the. We both had this dark night. Right. Do you think the podcast is what helped you also get out of it? You heard that person talking and that sort of let that injection. But is there something about that activation of voice and then being able to connect with others that sort of has helped you evolve to another level?

Oh, absolutely. I mean, I've gotten so much knowledge and. Okay. So the number one message I got from elders is we need community. They were always like, you young people have to put down your phones, which I love being called a young person and connect with each other. And so I could end up on here with you. We could be on here like this weekly.

Right.

And we could manifest anything we want. Right. And we could feel like we're BFFs after such a short period of time because we see each other on Zoom and everything else. It's not the same as physically being together. We need to physically be together. It's the human experience. And I work from home now. I do not have the human contact I used to have. And when I'm with a lot of other people. I get charged, I get energized. I'm like, oh yeah, this is what we need. We need to actually hug each other hello and do all of this. And we actually need that kind of community. And you have to find ways to get that again. It's why loneliness is such an issue and everything else. It's about having community because I feel like I'm on zoom with so many people and I'm talking to so many people and I'm getting so much information, but unless I'm physically with other people, it's not the same. So the number one message in the blue zones where people live the longest, the healthiest and the happiest. Why do you want to live a long time if you're not healthy and happy? Right. It's because they're physically together.

What are some other common themes that you notice from the people you interviewed from your podcast?

They're of service. They are of service to others. Everything isn't about love and service. It's not just community, but love and service is the other thing. I do a lot of service work and I never want to go. I was just talking to my daughter about this. She had gone to feed homeless and or hungry, I don't know. She was doing something, it was through her work and she was so happy and she had loved it so much. And I go, you're backing up. When I just talked about on my podcast about self soothing and everything else that a hundred percent of the time you feel better, you feel better. I don't care if you don't have time. I don't care about any of that because I talk about the overwhelm and burnout and all that. And you will feel better a hundred percent of the time if you go and help others. I can't.

What would you suggest to someone listening that is like, okay, yeah, I want to do that. I'm hearing what you're saying. What would be a good step for them to just take action?

There's so many, it depends where you live. But feed the homeless, feed the hungry. There's so many ways and places to do that. I mentored a girl in a high school. She was high achieving in an underperforming school and she, I mean, very poverty stricken family. The family made 10,000 a year for four people living in one room. And she'd never met anyone who had been to college. So I mentored her for a number of years through high school for the college application process and scholarships and all of that. And she'd never been to a restaurant, all of that. So I took her out once a week and I had to sit through traffic. It wasn't a good neighborhood. My husband was always sure I was going to be shot when I went downtown and everything. And it was very time consuming. And every time I left there, I felt great. I mean, there's so many areas to help. Call your local churches, universities, synagogues. Oh, my God, the universities. Any student from another country, they have no one here. So many of them, they have nowhere to live. Some of them. There are just so many places that these people, they need help. And so military. And the military, by the way, the va. There's lots of places where you can help. And also you could help them. Childcare people need help walking their dogs after they're in an accident. There's so many ways to help.

What's another theme?

Okay, so if you have a dream, then this goes perfect. I love your podcast. I love everything that you do. I love your acronym, all of it. Okay, so if you have a dream, something you want to do, life's in session. This is not a test run. This is it. This is your time. If you have a vision or something you want to do, there's a reason it's in your mind. Do it. This is it. And like I said before, nobody's paying that much attention. Go for it. Even 15 minutes a day towards that dream gets the energy going. I don't know how life rises up to meet you once you start putting energy towards that dream or goal. I mean, I remember when I started dating, I thought, I've been through some stuff. So I'm sure now that I started to date, the perfect person will come to me. No, but eventually I manifested my husband. I always say I manifested you. So it did not happen right away, but it happened.

Okay, so now you have to share how you manifested him. How did that work?

I. Sorry, I've. I did listen to your podcast. Mine was a dating app, so, yes, I was sure I would just meet him wherever, but I didn't go anywhere. And I was not, as a single mom, gonna just hand out my number, give it to somebody. So. Yeah, but I used a professional, so.

Oh, great.

Shout out to Evan Marquette. Oh, so amazing. Yeah, Evan Marc Katz is amazing, but there's plenty of other people too. I. I know. Ariel Ford also has what a Feelingization. Things you can listen to for free on her website. Okay, one of my. Yeah, I mean, plenty of things you can do.

And when you said manifested. So did you do a certain practice to be able to bring him in your.

Yeah, I wrote qualities I would want. Not physical, but the qualities that I would want in a partner, not what I didn't want. They were all in the positive and I was told to include monogamous and straight, which were two qualities that wouldn't have crossed my mind. But to me those were a given. Nothing is a given. And so I included those. And family oriented, generous, that I respect and he respects me because I get bored easy, easily. And yeah, I love that.

And so what else are you doing with 52 weeks of hope?

So I've done a little bit of a shift for burnt out, overachieving type A people who have forgotten the pause because answers emerge in the pause and if you're doing, doing, doing, you're never going to get your answers. I am in a two year mindfulness meditation teacher training that is just absolutely amazing. And the only reason I'm doing a mindfulness meditation teacher training is to keep me meditating every day. People are like, why are you doing this? I go, so I keep meditating.

Yeah, it's true, right? Because when you are able to learn it that deeply and with people that are doing it too, it probably helps you stay focused and to be able to do it.

Yeah, absolutely. And plus I love the people that are in the program at their all over the world. And plus the teachers are just like it's with Tara Brock and Jack Kornfield if you know them. But anyway, it's amazing and, but I, I mean I would walk and hike and stuff listening to Tara Brock anyway. But when you just breathe and take that, it can be 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or take a walk with around the block without a device. Which is really hard because especially if you listen to podcasts or if you have things you have to listen to to catch up on or anything like that. It's really hard to take a walk without a device, even something like that. That's when you, you get such good ideas. Answers emerge when you don't have a device. I mean, I get great ideas in a shower because there's no device or if I'm in the car without anything on. It's always when I can't take notes like shower or the car. But anyway, it's taking those few minutes. It could be three or five minutes of just closing and set a timer and being quiet. And there's just, there's so many studies on it. It's unbelievable.

So yeah, I love what you're Doing. Because it is hard when you're in the fire, right? And you're working hard and kids, whatever it is going on, and you can't even breathe because you're so busy and you have all these moving parts and taking care of this person and taking care of that thing. And then all of a sudden you're getting people to pause, right? And be able to take that moment. And that's when that stuff. Space happens. That's when you're able to be like, wait, what's happening? What am I even doing right now?

Yeah, that's when the download occurs, or you feel like you're not aligned with who and what you're supposed to be and something's off. People, there's CEOs who are so lonely, or you're in this really, this job that looks so good from the outside, but you're not happy. You're lonely. You're not doing what it is you really want to even do. You're working so much. You could work three days a week, make even more money and be happy and see your friends and laugh. Remember, that's how I changed my intro to do you want to laugh from your gut again? Remember that? Remember laughing with your girlfriends, just laughing. I mean, who does that anymore? That's what we should be doing. And you can, but it's a matter of what is it that fills you with joy? Yeah. What do you really want to do? And getting clarity on that requires getting quiet. What do you love? What makes you really happy? And that requires a pause and a breath. And I say, you don't need to add to your to do list. How about a to don't list? How about just getting quiet? So that's what I've been doing with my podcast lately. And I interviewed this week. Today's episode is our mutual friend Joe, who, by the way, is very big on this. And he takes time and he's regimented, actually. And it took his own. Everybody has their own moment where you're like, ooh. And mine actually came. Somebody I was talking to to try to help me with this said. And I said, you need to pause. And he said, oh, you clearly don't have a 2 and a 4 year old. And that's when my head went, oh, wait a minute. That's actually. It was when my kids were really little in elementary school and I got a call from the doctor saying I need a blood transfusion and I had to go to the hospital. And I was like, what? Because I'm always healthy, I'm still. And I was like, what do they. And I can remember driving the hospital going, do I have time for this? I don't know, I should go to the office instead. And it was actually when I was like, do I go to the hospital or do I go the office or quarter whatever it was. And I was like, okay. That was my moment when I was like, okay. And I actually started taking quarterly long weekends, four day weekends and going and doing a recharge for me, I would just hire somebody, having somebody. It takes a village to help me with the kids and the dog, you know, the kids, the dogs. I get somebody else go stay at the house so I could recharge. And that's actually when I learned to start meditating. And I would just go and breathe. That's when I learned I need to fill my. My mask up first. Just like on the plane they talk about.

So someone's listening and they're in the middle of it and they're just like, yeah, Lauren, that sounds great for you, but how in the world can I do that? Let's talk to that person.

Right? And actually I just did an episode on this. That's what I said. Yeah, good for you, Lauren. And what I say is get quiet for 10 minutes. 10 minutes. Take 10 minutes and fill up your tank. Because meditating for five or 10 minutes, it is unbelievable how it recharges you. And before we were work from home attorneys, we would meditate in my office in the afternoons. It was not required. It's not like you don't work here anymore if you don't do it. Because it was my office, it was completely up to you. But I'd be like, you know, you might want to. And it's a recharge. It doesn't sound like, yeah, right. I'm going to fall asleep if I do that. No, it actually recharges your batteries. So I'm determined to put just some recharging how to meditate. I'm not just some guided meditations 5, 10 and 15 minute on YouTube just to prove my point. Yeah, yeah. Just to recharge your day or reboot your day. That's what I was going to just.

Oh, I like that. Yeah. Your day. Yeah. So what are your dreams with 52 weeks of hope and where do you want to take it?

Well, I would like to do a few masterminds a year. I'm never going to coach. I'm very clear. I'll get other people to start coaching. And I do want to start live streaming meditations and Live streaming with somebody else. I think it'll be really fun to start. Just. I like live streaming. It's easy. You don't have to edit, right? Yeah. Re listen or do anything. I just live streaming.

That's there.

Yes. Live streaming's easy. And I want to finish my book. I have not written my book, but I was listening to your different challenges, and I was like, oh, that's so good. So. And I think I'd like to create more community and do challenges. I mean, I just. I love what you're doing. I just think it's amazing. Every episode I've listened to of yours, I just love. Aww. Oh. And it starts my head just going. Everything's firing, so that's so cool. I love doing the podcast. It's just something I really enjoy doing. So, yeah, I'd love you to share.

What you love about it, because I feel like a lot of people don't realize the power. There's people listening that have a podcast, and they're like, oh, yeah, I get you. But then there's other people that don't realize the power that it can do for your personal growth and for so many other things.

I get to meet the most interesting people. It is unbelievable. I interviewed listen to Andre Norman, okay? Go listen to his and be like, okay, now I get it. Andre Norman was in prison for life, okay? And I mean, it's unbelievable. And he's now a motivational speaker, which I did make his. When I asked him for his message, I hope he turned around to me, goes, if you're listening to this right now, you've got a chance. If people live across the street from me, they don't have a chance because it's a cemetery. And he went on this whole message of hope. He was in prison for life, trying to be the number one prisoner, whatever person to be afraid of. And when he was almost number one, he was number two and almost the most feared. He had his moment. Wow. And he ended up going to anger management. He ended up getting an education. He ended up. It's an unbelievable story. And he's out, and he helps people, and he spread speaks at Oxford, mit and like, you name it, you name. Richard Branson is one of his. He is the most unbelievable. I got to be him. Okay? You listen to other people I have talked to, but not just that. I also know that when I break hard, that's trauma. I thought trauma meant you have to be molested as a child or something. Breaking hard means you go with your breath, and that Gets stored in my body and that I need to breathe, that everything gets stored because I didn't, you know, these breath work and that everything's at trauma. And so I have to watch my breath. I make sure I'm breathing. So everything that's going on, I'm like, am I breathing and everything? And so I'm a healthier person and I get to meet people like you. And so I talk to the most amazing people all over the world.

Yeah.

And first it was different religious leaders that I have no religious background. I'm not trained in religion. I mean, now I am somewhat, but I didn't grow up with that. And I got to talk to an iman, which I expected him to have all these religious robes and scars or something. And he came on and he looked like a dad from Arizona, which he is. But he was the most amazing person. And he said the easiest way to get over prejudice against Muslims is to meet one. And he talked about how he does that. It was such a fascinating conversation. And that was one of my first 10 interviews.

Amazing.

Still is with me all these. A few years later, that is. Why, is that enough?

Yeah. Oh, that's a baby.

Okay.

Yeah. Okay. Lauren, I'd love to hear your number one piece of advice for people on doing the thing.

Oh, gosh. You just put one. Just go. Everything always works out. It just does. It might not be on your timetable or the way you think it will, but it just does. I have interviewed people with horrific stories. Horrific. And they've gotten through it. Everyone goes through it. And yet they keep going. And they keep going with grace and dignity and helping others, because that's what we're doing here. If you're listening and you're drawn to this, that's what you're doing. And you have a dream and a goal and something you want to do, clearly, or you wouldn't be drawn to this. So you can do it. Everyone has their own unique voice. Everyone. Everyone has their own unique handprint. No one can do what it is that you can do the way you can do it. And so you have that dream and that thing that you can do, and it's in your head for a reason that Angela Manuel Davis, she'd say, God gave you that dream for a reason. I can't do her whole thing quite like, but I heard her say it enough times for enough years like, you have it for a reason. Use your gift. Yeah.

And then, okay, someone's saying they're hearing us, and they're like, okay, but I'm scared and I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know what to do. What do we say to that person?

Yeah, you do. Yeah, you do. Get quiet. That's where the pause comes in. Okay, so here. I don't know how I went my whole life without knowing this, but I got to learn this in my teacher training class. Put your hand on your heart. It's on my how to Overwhelm and how to Self Soothe podcast. Put your hand on your heart and breathe. Just breathe. And know that whatever you're feeling belongs. And you're okay. You're okay. You've got this. And then write on the top of a piece of paper. What's my first step? And just start writing. You know, you don't have to ask a million people. You ask somebody who's done it before you, of course. But don't start asking a whole bunch of people, what do I do? What do I do? What I do? Because you'll get all of their opinions. But you know, you do, you know, and so just write and then take an action. If you have to pivot, you pivot. You're going to have to pivot sometimes anyway along the course of what you're doing, but you know what to do.

And please share where people can find out about you and if there's anything specifically you're kind of working on right now that they can join.

Yeah, well, you can go to 52WeeksofHope.com, the number 52WeeksofHope.com and I've got a couple of things that you can do. I do have an ebook that you can work your way through anything you want to do. It's specific for work relationships, where you live, any of the major players, types of things, and you can write it out in there that's free, but there's also a scorecard. I've quantified the personal development space so you can give yourself points. You're just trying to do a little bit better each week than you did the week before. You get points for meditating or for being of service or journaling. There's a bunch of different things that you can do that's free. It's all on the website, and so are all the podcast episodes. So good.

Thank you so much for coming on. So is so much fun.

I know. I love what you're doing here. I love your community, I love your podcast. I love your book. I love all of it.

Thank you. I love what you're doing. This is exciting. I'M excited to have this connection with you now. It's really great. Yeah, same co creation is in the works.

Yes, absolutely.

And for the listeners, do the Thing. Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.

Thanks for listening to the do the Thing podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. But even more, we hope you'll be inspired to do the Thing. Do you have a burning question on Doing the Thing that you'd like answered? How about an inspiring do the Thing story of your own that you'd like to share? We'd love to hear all about it. Just leave us a voice message at dothething callcast co or email us at hello, the Thing podcast.