Meet Laura Cardona

We recently connected with Laura Cardona and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I was so very often the only one in the room, and truth is – many times I wasn’t effective at all because I played small. I felt very “othered”, scared, and out of place. I didn’t speak up and the times I did speak up I was overlooked or dismissed. That built up a fury that made me work harder. I came in earlier and left later, not because I couldn’t get the work done in time but because I was always trying to get them to see how “good” I was….and here’s the thing- that method never worked.

I became more effective and more successful when I stopped waiting for their approval and started approving myself. I began seeing myself and all the value I brought. I began seeing myself as the expert. I began seeing myself as the incredible asset that I was. And let me tell you, this method has yet to fail me. I work for myself now, so now I make sure to fill the seats around me with people that look like me, have similar backgrounds, goals, dreams of healing and building, and more importantly want to continue to fill all the damn rooms with people that look like us.

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

I’m Laura Cardona, aka the Buena Vida Life Coach. I was born in Colombia, raised in New Jersey, and adventured around until I landed in California where I started my healing journey. Part of the adventures were working in the entertainment industry for nearly 20 years until I eventually transitioned into the role of a Life Coach. Today I dedicate my work to creating a positive and supportive space for the Latina/e/x community, where we get equipped with the tools and mindset needed to thrive and achieve our full potential. My Life Coaching practice and style is a unique blend of gentle loving West Coast guidance with savvy East Coast real talk. This work can be challenging so I always make sure to offer an empathetic and realistic approach to building/re-building yourself. My driving force and mission come from the unwavering belief that we all have the inherent right to balance our busy lives, have a strong sense of self-worth, AND live a joyful fulfilling peaceful Buena Vida.🌟 As for new projects and services, all of that juicy business can be found on my website: www.buenavida.life

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

Courage. I was but a wee child witnessing my single mother bring our family to this country. I watched how she took care of our family every day with her fierceness, ferocity, incredible resourcefulness, and immense love. It’s no doubt that was passed down onto her children, so I know for a fact that all my successes have something to do with the courage my amazing mother handed down to me.

Love. Love is an open mind. Love is an adventure. Love is art. Love is music. Love is curiosity. Love is joy. Love is what gets you back up when you fall. Love is what keeps you smiling after brutal losses. Love is allowing yourself to be seen and loved by other people. Love is seeing and loving other people. Love is a sweet kiss from a lover. Love is a hug from a friend. Love is eating a delicious donut and coffee. Love is honoring yourself. Love is having the courage to heal. I’ve done all of this because I lead with love. Always have, always will.

Trust. This is a hard one because it’s often misunderstood as trusting of others….and that can be challenging for many. I think of trust as trusting MYSELF. I trust my courage. I trust my love. I trust my resilience. I trust my wisdom. I trust my gut. I trust my wit. I trust the tough parts of me. I trust my soft sides. I trust my messy ass self. I trust the crazy. I trust that whatever I do, whether I fail or succeed, I’m gonna be fine. I trust I am always ok. That is my foundation.

My advice for folks who are early in their journey and want to develop or improve on these skills: Look within, my friend – You already have Courage. You already have Love. You already have Trust. Everything you need is within you. Sounds like a cliche? I get it. But it’s true. Just the fact that you are reading this shows you are already on some type of journey. You are on your way somewhere. Take a moment to give yourself props for all the things you had to endure to get here. Honor yourself for all that you come from. Hold yourself in warmth for the Courage and Love it took to get you here right now. That’s how you continue to develop and improve these skills- take a moment to see yourself in all your love, courage, and trust. It’s all there if you look for it.

How would you describe your ideal client?

My ideal client is a Latina/e/x starting a healing journey. She feels stuck. She’s in a rut. She’s in a funk. She feels helpless. She feels alone. She feels tired. She feels unseen. She feels unheard. She feels angry. AND she also feels a fire within wanting to create and build something beautiful but has no idea where to start. That is where I come in! All my wonderful clients have all somehow been drawn to me because I support them through un-funking themselves and help them move into handling their business. My ideal client is a bad ass in her own right. She knows it and just needs a little helping hand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.buenavida.life
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buenavidalifecoach
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/buenavidalifecoach
• Other: https://dot.cards/buenavidalifecoach