Meet Amanda Ohlau

We recently connected with Amanda Ohlau and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

Becoming a mother completely changed how I respond to doubt. When your life begins with loss—when you grow up without the safety net most people never have to think about; you learn early that survival requires resilience. As an orphan, I learned how to keep going long before I learned how to be confident. I learned how to stand on my own, even when no one was there to tell me I could.

That foundation was tested again when I chose to pursue a career in law enforcement. There were people who doubted me openly; who questioned my strength, my past, and whether I belonged in a profession that demands both mental and emotional endurance. Their skepticism could have stopped me, but instead it sharpened my resolve. I refused to allow anyone else’s expectations to define my capability or my future.

Motherhood added a deeper layer to that persistence. Every challenge I face now carries greater meaning because it’s no longer just about me. It’s about the example I’m setting for my son. As a mom, I’ve learned that protecting my peace is part of protecting my child. That means being intentional about what voices I allow into my life and what doubts I choose not to carry.

When doubt shows up, I remind myself of how far I’ve already come. I remind myself that my past did not break me; it prepared me. Persistence, for me, isn’t loud or aggressive. It’s quiet, consistent, and rooted in purpose. It’s choosing to keep moving forward, even when the road is uncomfortable, because I know that resilience is the legacy I want to leave behind.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

At the core of everything I do is purpose. My story has never followed a traditional path, and that’s exactly what fuels my work today. I’m a mother first, and that role shapes how I move through every professional space with intention, resilience, and heart. Growing up as an orphan taught me early how to stand on my own, and those lessons continue to influence the way I lead, create, and advocate.

Professionally, my background in law enforcement has deeply shaped my mission. Experiencing the realities of trauma, stress, and emotional strain firsthand led me to create My12, a platform dedicated to supporting first responders through trauma and PTSD. My12 is built on a simple but powerful idea: checking in matters. Whether it’s asking, “How are you doing—mentally?” or leadership stepping up to say, “I’ll go out on the road for you so you can take a mental health day,” My12 focuses on accountability, compassion, and real action within departments.

Life tested me again when I experienced a stroke. In the blink of an eye, my world flipped upside down. Suddenly, routines I had taken for granted—parenting, showing up as a police officer, pursuing my passions became daily challenges. I had to fight to regain my strength and reclaim the life I love. Giving up was never an option. That experience reminded me that true resilience isn’t just mental; it’s physical, emotional, and spiritual. It’s choosing to keep moving forward, even when the path feels impossible.

As Ms. Oklahoma Petite USA, I use visibility as a tool for impact. I believe representation matters especially for women, mothers, and those whose stories don’t fit a mold. Through modeling, media features, and public appearances, I focus on redefining strength and showing that resilience and femininity can coexist powerfully.

What excites me most is building a brand grounded in authenticity. My work creates space for honest conversations around motherhood, mental health, and perseverance, while still celebrating confidence, beauty, and ambition. I want people to understand that leadership includes care, and that strength isn’t diminished by vulnerability; it’s strengthened by it.

Looking ahead, I’m focused on expanding My12 through partnerships, speaking engagements, and community outreach, while continuing to collaborate with brands and organizations that align with my values. Above all, my goal is to leave a legacy of resilience for my son, and for anyone who needs to know that their mental health matters just as much as their service.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, three qualities have had the greatest impact on my journey: resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to find courage and protect my peace.

Resilience was forged early in my life. Growing up as an orphan taught me how to keep moving forward without a safety net, and that strength carried me through motherhood, law enforcement, and leadership roles where pressure was constant. But resilience took on a deeper meaning during my divorce, which was one of the most traumatic and painful experiences of my life. Over the past three years, I’ve had to rebuild myself emotionally while continuing to show up as a mother. I learned that resilience isn’t about pretending something didn’t hurt—it’s about choosing to heal for the little eyes that watch your every move.

Self-awareness has been equally transformative. Working in law enforcement and later creating My12 required me to recognize my limits, acknowledge trauma, and understand how unprocessed stress affects performance, relationships, and mental health. Self-awareness allowed me to lead with empathy, ask better questions, and advocate for change in a way that was constructive rather than reactive.

One of the hardest lessons I learned was that healing sometimes requires distance, even from people you once considered family. I came to understand that protecting my peace was not abandonment; it was necessary. As a mother, I realized that protecting my mental and emotional well-being is part of protecting my child. Not every opinion deserves my attention, and not every battle requires my energy. That discernment has helped me grow personally and professionally.

For those just beginning their journey, my advice is simple: never let anyone tell you that you aren’t enough. Don’t allow the world’s doubts to make you question your purpose. God placed you here for a reason, and even when the path isn’t clear, that reason is waiting to be discovered. Your journey may be full of challenges, but each step, every scar, every triumph shapes the person you were meant to become. Trust the process, hold onto your faith, and remember: your life has meaning, your story has power, and your purpose is unfolding exactly as it should.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

Two books that played an important role in my healing are The Strength in Our Scars and Forgiving What You Can’t Forget. Both reinforced that healing isn’t linear, and that forgiveness isn’t about excusing what happened—it’s about freeing yourself so you can move forward stronger, wiser.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: MsOklahoma_PetiteUSA & Anohlau

Image Credits

CreativiesBySteve
ShotzByTonio
My12 – Amanda Ohlau