Why I Wrote "Shine Brighter" (And Why It Almost Didn't Happen)

I'm sitting here with an advance copy of my book Shine Brighter in my hands, and honestly? Part of me still can't believe it exists.

Not because I doubted I could write it, but because two years ago, I was in no condition to write anything at all.

I was broken. Completely, utterly broken.

And if you're reading this thinking, "That doesn't sound like the Laura I know" — well, that's exactly why I had to write this book.

Why I Take My Shoes Off in the Front Yard (And Other 'Weird' Things That Keep Me Grounded)

My neighbors have definitely noticed. I'm pretty sure I'm officially "that woman" on the block now.

And you know what? I don't care anymore.

Because this "weird" five-minute ritual has become the difference between starting my day as myself versus immediately becoming who I think everyone needs me to be.

How Losing My Identity Led Me to Find Myself

There are moments in life that divide your story into "before" and "after." May 2023 was mine.

I had just landed in Miami with my husband for what should have been a celebration of another successful year and our 15 year wedding anniversary. The email notification chimed on my phone as we entered the baggage claim, the quarterly rankings were in.

The year before, I had generated nearly $900,000 in revenue for my firm. I was a star performer, someone others could look up to, the definition of professional success.

This time? $35,000. Dead last.

I sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed.

The Truth About Living a Life That Actually Lights You Up

Let’s have a real talk today.

Not the polished version.

Not the highlight reel.

Not the “just hustle harder” nonsense we’ve all grown tired of.

Let’s talk about building a life that actually lights you up from within.

If you've been feeling it lately—that quiet nudge inside, the knowing that something needs to change, I’m here to assure you that you are not alone.

And that whisper is getting louder, isn't it?

Here's the truth we've been conditioned to forget: It's not the big, bold leaps that change everything. It's the quiet micro-moves you make every single day.

What if I told you freedom isn't some distant mountain to climb, but a series of heartbeats away?

Ever have one of those days where something on the inside feels unmistakably wrong?

You tell yourself the usual lies. You're just tired. One more coffee will fix it. Just check one more box and that hollow feeling will vanish.

(It never does.)

The corner office. The impressive title. The calendar that confirms your importance with every packed hour.

And yet—there it is again. That 2AM staring contest with the ceiling. The tension headache that arrives like clockwork every Wednesday afternoon. The digestive issues your doctor calls "stress-related" that no prescription quite resolves.

You've become masterful at compartmentalizing these signals. After all, discomfort is just the price of success... isn't it?

You are not your résumé. You are not your LinkedIn headline. You are not your inbox, your to-do list, or your overflowing calendar. You are not what you do.

But chances are, the world taught you otherwise.

From childhood, we’re praised for performance. Gold stars. Straight A’s. MVP trophies. Somewhere along the line, “What do you do?” became shorthand for “Who are you?” And we believed it.

I know I did.

There comes a moment — often quietly, often inconveniently — when the question surfaces:

"Is this it?"

You’ve hit the milestones. Built the résumé. Achieved the success you once dreamed of. But instead of fulfillment, there’s a faint, persistent hollowness.

If you’ve felt this, you’re not broken.
You’re just misaligned.

After interviewing over 30,000 professionals, I've seen the hidden pattern again and again:

The higher people climb, the more they're celebrated for what they do — and the easier it is to lose touch with who they are.