We were lucky to catch up with Laura Drake recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laura, 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.
I started at the bottom. Raised by a workaholic and an alcoholic, I married the first guy who asked at 19 after knowing him 10 days. He was a batterer. But after 3 years, I realized I had two choices– to die or take control of my life. I could mess up, but I couldn’t do as bad a job as he had, right?
That was the beginning. It took lots of work and as many mistakes, but I got my degree, met a few teachers along the way and married a good man who believed in me. All that helped me believe in myself.
I had a career as a CFO, and am now the author or 15 books. I’m not done, but look back and am proud.
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?
I’m an author – originally in Western Romance, but I’ve moved into Women’s Fiction. I write about heavy subjects, but always with hopeful endings. I’ve been in bad places, and I write to remind others in tough situations that things CAN work out, even if you can’t see a way through right now.
My most recent release, For Roger, looks at the right to die. I hope that whichever side you fall on the debate, the emotional story helps you understand the other side just a bit better.
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?
An optimistic viewpoint – it will keep you going when things get hard – in a word, hope.
A learning mentality. Knowing that failures are part of the process, and if you don’t quit, and you keep learning, you have to get there eventually. It’s science!
A tiny warm place in your chest that has faith in yourself. It doesn’t have to be big, and no one else has to know about it, but if you don’t have that, you won’t make it. No one else’s approval will replace that.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. My first husband wouldn’t allow me to work, and we lived about ten miles out of town in a cabin – the mailbox was a mile down the road. We had electricity, but no money for propane, so we went to town to do laundry once a week – and I could go to the library. They had a 5 book limit, so I chose the largest volumes, so I wouldn’t run out of reading material. This book saved my life – literally. See, I knew I was in a dark, dangerous place, but it hadn’t occurred to me that I was the answer.
It was the beginning of a better life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lauradrakebooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauradrakebooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lauradrakespeaceloveandbooks
