Meet LINDA MOLONY

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful LINDA MOLONY. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LINDA below.

Hi LINDA, really appreciate your meeting with us today to talk about some particularly personal topics. It means a lot because so many in the community are going through circumstances where your insights and experience and lessons might help, so thank you so much in advance for sharing. The first question we have is about divorce and how you overcame divorce and didn’t allow the trauma of divorce to derail your vision for your life and career.

I was heartbroken, No one wants to be divorced once, much less twice. I had just moved to Las Vegas, by myself. I had no job and no friends. I was so miserable even Jesus would have crossed the street if he’d seen me coming, but I was determined not to let my spirit be broken. My mantra was “There’s no revenge like success” and I vowed to become the best, most interesting, person I possibly could.

I joined a divorce support group. I did yoga every day. I became a hospice volunteer (obviously I wasn’t good with long-term relationships). And though I would have preferred to sulk at home weeping over my video of Princess Di’s funeral, I forced myself to explore the Vegas nightlife. After several weeks of watching comics perform at an open mic venue, I signed up for stage time–the beginning of what is now 22 years of performing standup.

During the “dark days,” I kept a journal. Figuring other women might benefit from my experiences, I crafted it into a memoir and self-published Bastard Husband: A Love Story in 2009, I’ve since written another book based on my expertise in career counseling. I’ve remarried and live in a beautiful senior community where I teach a weekly dance class. Had I not gone through such a painful divorce back in 2003, I would not be the person I am today!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Right now I’m semi-retired. I continue to write resumes and offer career consulting, I teach a weekly dance class in my senior community, and I still perform standup comedy. Occasionally, I’m asked to speak to corporate groups or high school students on career-related topics.

I also have a fun “retirement job” as a standardized patient/actor at a local medical school. In this role, I simulate a variety of patient cases to support the clinical training of students. My coworkers range from 18 to 80, and I love the diversity.

For the past year or so, my husband and I have been hosting trivia at a local restaurant. We’re amazed that we regularly have 100-150 people in attendance–they really love it!

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?

Three points that I would like to share:

1) Know yourself. We spend so much time thinking of others that we rarely think about ourselves. Know what you like to do and what you do best. Know what’s important to you. Know what you want and make a plan to get it. If you don’t know what you want, you’ll get whatever the universe gives you.

2) Step out of your comfort zone. Try something new even if it scares the crap out of you, and don’t expect perfection. Perfection is the enemy of progress. No one hits a home run their first time at bat. My first standup set looks nothing like my sets do today.

3) Remember that in the end, your heart beats only for yourself. Don’t put all your eggs in someone else’s basket. Relationships can dismantle, child grow up and do their own thing. Put yourself first, and don’t compromise yourself for the sake of others.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My mother has always been my biggest cheerleader. She’s 91 now, and tough as a two-dollar steak, so I can always trust that she means what she says and is not blowing smoke. She overcame debilitating agoraphobia in her 40s, so I’ve always been inspired by her strength. She went from never leaving the house to visiting all 48 contiguous states–amazing!

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vegaslindalou
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Husband-Story-Linda-Lou/dp/0981979602/

  https://www.amazon.com/Do-What-You-Want-Crush-ebook/dp/B0BF4JF63

Image Credits

Scott Krammer (photo holding microphone)