Claudia Wyatt of Quad Cities on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Claudia Wyatt shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Claudia, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
I will always stand up for someone that is right or needs help.
I once took on a leader because they we siding with a bully instead of seeing right from wrong. I remember speaking up for this person because they were being attacked, verbally, and couldn’t fight for themselves. Enter Claudia stage right. I immediately jumped in so they could be heard. Not only were they heard, but the rest of the team came stepped in to help.
In that moment, the leader chose to see me as a disrupted, the team saw me as someone that would fight for them. I may have lost the leader that day, but I gained a team.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am very grateful for the work I get to do! I help people and organizations believe in themselves. I am a certified Confidence, Cognitive Behavior, Life Purpose, Leadership and Empowerment Coach, Consultant, International Keynote Speaker and Writer. Known as the Enthusiasm Igniter and Self-Doubt Eraser.

I help people step into their power by unmuting themselves,
I activate transformation and living on purpose. I am motivated by bold action, unwavering self-belief and bringing your imagination to life.

My work is centered around getting out of your own way. Going deep to unravel the layers that are holding you back and keeping you stuck. Taking action to live your dreams out loud. To do that I need to find the root causes and the source of negative self-talk to take your power back. I teach leaders and teams how to communicate effectively and collaborate to slay their goals creating a community.

I have over two decades of coaching high performing teams. I have been a leader in every job I have had since I was 16. It was my own personal story of rising out of the shadows, that lead me to live this purpose for others.

This is were my Signature program The Walkabout Method was born. It isnt a cookie cutter coaching or consulting program. Everyone’s “Walk” is different. This method meets you were you are at while creates a community with others that are at different places ahead or behind you in the journey.

That’s why it works for individuals, groups, companies and teams. Everyone has personal struggles that effect their professional growth. This methods aligns personal professional development. It is the heart of my one-on-ones, groups, teams, membership, Keynotes and writing.

What makes my work unique?
It’s grounded in lived experience. I have walked every step of the work, in every aspect, personally and professionally. I have been through profound loss, debilitating mental recalibration, tramatic experiences, disappointment and failure. I didn’t let it break me. I broke free from it.
One of my coaching clients said “you have this amazing ability to pivot. ” meaning I read the room. I may have a plan for the session, but once I hear from everyone, I see thr theme and can change to accommodate the needs of the people.

I lead with my heart and I truly care for everyone I work with, speak to or write for. I am here because of you. If one person hears my words and it changes their life, it makes them stand up and/or gives them the courage to take action. Then I have succeeded!

Whether I’m speaking on stage, consulting for companies or working with individuals, my goal is the same, to stop playing small, to live on purpose, to show up fully authentic and to believe that, Yes I Can!

Right now I am working on expansion. I have laid the framework and beta tested. Now its time to go big. I am an action taker that practices what she preaches. I have new self-paced courses that will be released, I am collaborating with leaders, teams and tops voices to create meaningful change. All while working on my own goals that will help empower and inspire people to rise, lead, and live on purpose by following their inner compass!

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
That took me along time to find out. I was on a path long before I knew my path. I would say I was always curious, bold, an action taker, determined, creative, fun.

I was conditioned by the direction of what others thought I should do and who they thought I should be from a young age. Like many of us are. Just because you are good at something, doesn’t mean its your path. That is were my perfectionism and people pleasing took root. The rebel in me remained determined to do it my way.

I also lost the person I was for a very long time. I knew she was in there. She was fighting for me and cheering me on. I had to do the work to break her out. I had to let go of all the noise. I had to start listening to myself.

In the silence, I reconnected with myself and let my self live on my terms. Showing up fully as me. I put down the people pleasing, muting myself, judgement, shame and fear and blew open that vault I had locked myself in.

I learned a lot of lessons and had alot of celebrations. I’m not resentful for any of it, because it lead me here and back to myself. Grateful for the journey because I can see how it all came together to get me to this point.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When I started doing the work. When I finally broke out of that vault, I knew something had to change. It was time to take the risk to face myself. I had to get real with what I was allowing.

People pleasing, lack of boundaries, shiny object, syndrome, imposter syndrome, repressed emotions, I had it all. By doing the work I unraveled the layers. It was hard, but worth it!

That’s when I decided to start writing. I wrote out my story, my pain. Little by little each story healed me. Those words became my voice. They went from the page to the mic. Showing me my hero’s journey.

More and more people were reaching out to me saying they could relate. That they didn’t feel alone. I was helping others see what was possible. This is what happens when you get to the otherside. Each time I felt something unlock, a wall falling down. Not just for me, but for them.

I did a keynote in October that I knew would be huge for my journey. It was the last piece of the puzzle that had to come out, so I could let it go and truly take back its control. Not only was it huge for me and my healing, but the feedback from the room was incredible. I was also healing others by showing them the way through.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes! I fought hard to be myself, for myself. I always show up as me. I tell the good, the bad and the ugly. I am all for a celebrations, big and small. I am this enthusiastic! I get very excited about everything. I can’t contain it. My energy is real and magnetic.

I love trying new things and meeting people. I am all for a beat I can dance to. If you see me somewhere with music, I will be dancing! I am an action taker. I move fast. Talk fast. Fall fast.

I am extremely loyal and integrity is my core. If I am in your corner, you got me forever. I have a big heart. I love people!

Now I do keep some things to myself. One, because not everything needs to be told. No cares that I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. I wouldn’t want to know that either.

Two, I do know what needs to be private. Some people and moments in my life are mine. They stay in my heart. I choose to share them with those I love. I’m not hiding those moments or those people. I have respect for them. Those are for us.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
This is defined by a statement. “She cared!” Enthusiastically of course!
Meaning I cared about everything I did and everyone in my life and it showed.

That anyone in my life or anything that I did had meaning and left an impact. That I made a difference in the lives of someone else and my own.

I asked myself and answered this question years ago when I was not prioritizing. People always said “she’s busy or working.” I didn’t want it to say in my tombstone, “she worked,” because I didn’t make time for anything else. I worked to avoid parts of my life I didn’t want to see. It kept me busy.

That doesnt mean I didn’t love what I was doing. It just showed me I needed to balance my life and start living. Before I didn’t get the chance.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Caroline Sieren Photography for professional photography

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