We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Lajas recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lauren, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Super simple: i honestly don’t care! No really. I have learned to not let the opinions of others dictate how i feel about myself. I only allow a certain amount of energy to combat the negativity that comes my way, and quite frankly, I’d rather devote that energy inward, always working on the relationship i have with myself. How i talk to myself. How i perceive myself. After all that, very little room is left to worry about what someone else thinks. I have gained weight. I have lost weight. I have had curly hair. I have had straight hair. I’m too loud for some and too quiet for others. Every time, someone always had something to say. You can’t please everyone, so i choose to make sure that the only person I’m concerned with pleasing, is myself. That all started when i could accept that while I’m a flawed human being, i am still fabulous! I am not responsible for other people’s perception of me, and when i finally understood that, it was so freeing. I also lean into the fact that no matter what, i will walk like the world is my own runway because it pleases, me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a creative, through and through. I’m proud to say, i just finished writing my first book! It is called, “The Lost Cause Chronicles: Confessions of the Problem Child.” It has taken me my whole life to come to terms with my childhood. I wanted to share my story to not only inspire others to share their own, but to start some hard and uncomfortable conversations about foster care and the adoption system. I was a stereotypical foster kid, with the tantrums and behavioral issues to boot so naturally, i was written off as a “lost cause” but i chose to let that fire i have always had within me transform me into a beacon of hope instead of letting it consume me entirely. How i have been able to tame the storm within, has always been through my creative projects. I sing and write songs. You can find me on all the major listening platforms. I am working on my next musical project called “Slightly Southern” which is my acknowledgement to the universe that no matter how hard i tried, you can’t outrun your roots. Obviously, i am a writer as well. I have a lot to say so i use whatever medium i can to tell stories and hear them so i will be launching my brand new You tube series in the new year! I am super excited about that project
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that i feel have gotten me to this point in my life are resilience, resourcefulness, and discipline. The last one has definitely been a process to develop and the most challenging to master but as a writer, if you can’t be disciplined enough to simply sit your butt down and write, then i have some news…maybe writing isn’t for you! I am also a self-funded musician and entrepreneur that doesn’t come from money and i always made the decision to not pursue a full on career that could have been more lucrative because i didn’t want to sacrifice my creative time, meaning two things: i have worked multiple jobs at once and burned myself out on multiple occasions while having to teach myself to have some grace and patience because i can only do so much on my own. I’ll get there when i get there! That is where the resilience comes in handy. Some advice i can give to people who are just starting on their creative journey is to stop over complicating it! As a perfectionist, this was hard for me to learn but put your art out there. You have something to say or want to make them feel so don’t overthink it. Remember why you’re creating in the first place. Lastly, i know this is cliche to say but trust the timing of your life. Enjoy the process. These things take time, especially in the creative industry.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
I am self-funded. That isn’t necessarily an issue per se, but i can only do what my very small budget allows, therefore, it has taken me a lot longer to finish or start the projects i want. I would love to do more but i have learned to have patience and grace with myself. I’ll eventually get there!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lavielauren.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenlajas/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@laurenlajas
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/search/lauren%20lajas
Image Credits
Lisa Olsen
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