Lauren
“As humans, we feel that everything must have a specific place, be categorized. But this idea is so far from real. No one woman falls under the same umbrella, and this is what makes us so beautiful.”
Lauren is independent, driven, and energized by those she surrounds herself with. After years of working a steady job and becoming accustomed to the cycle of routine, the pandemic shut down her work temporarily. This short-term reset helped her to prioritize having time for herself beyond the 9-5 grind, giving her the courage to redirect herself onto a happier and more fulfilling path. Meet Lauren. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
L: Hey, my name is Lauren. I've been living on Vancouver Island in BC for 22 years and counting! I'm not very good at introductions so let's just jump right in!
K: Describe yourself in your own words
L: I am one of the most stubborn people I know, however, most would say it's a good thing. I'm driven with my work and am up to any challenge that walks through the door. I seek out change on a daily basis, which can sometimes become exhausting. I would like to call myself independent, however, being alone is one of my greatest fears in life. By surrounding myself with true friends and loving family I find myself being pushed every day to be the greatest version of myself.
K: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
L: My positive outlook on negative things is something I’ve always prided myself in!
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that has defined you or made you stronger?
L: 22 years on this earth and I can safely say that my story has yet to hit its climax. However, I took a leap of faith back in June, so I guess this is where it starts? I quit my stable paying job of 5 years. This is something that, if you were to tell Lauren of a year ago, she would have called you crazy.
Financial stability has always been something that has been enforced into my brain through the way I was raised. Both of my parents always had (and still do have) stable, 9-5, long-term careers. And good for them! They built what they wanted from life and I pride them for it! However, as soon as high-school finished, and my friends went off to post secondary, I got my first adult job working as an apprentice under a well known, successful hairdresser in my city. Because fuck college. There I was, making money before any of my friends, being able to afford to move out before them, buy whatever I wanted at the grocery store, going out and spending on weekends. "This is what I'm supposed to be doing," I would tell myself, "pick a career path and become successful in it.”
Then, COVID hit. Salons were forced to close and my life drastically changed. I have always lived on a schedule. First it was grade school, then it was work. I found myself not knowing what to do with myself, and for the first time I felt lost and not in control. It took a while, but I learned to step out of my comfort zone and forget what time it was. This may sound stupid to some, but for the people who live with a 9-5, you know what I mean. 3 months passed and I was able to go back to work! This was fantastic! I was so ready to get back into the salon! However, I found myself looking at my job in a whole different light. I didn't want to wake up, go to work for 8 hours, come home and repeat 5 days a week anymore. At the beginning I thought that maybe I just had to readjust to the working world, but a year slowly passed and sadly my mindset didn't change as I had hoped.
Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love doing peoples’ hair! I was definitely made to do this job, if any. But I learned during my time away from it that there is so much more than just making money and being "stable." So yes, I took a leap of faith and quit my job. Now you can find me doing peoples’ hair for half the week, while the rest I enjoy experiencing the perks of life! Hiking the beautiful mountains of the island, swimming in the lakes, spending time with my dog, seeing friends, etc. Next week I'm actually taking the time to go see family who I haven't seen in 3 years because I couldn't get the time off work. Yes, I'm not making as much money, but I am so much happier where I am. Some may be reading this and think it's the cheesiest thing ever, and honestly it might be! But it's one of the greatest lessons life has taught me yet, and I can't wait for more.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
L: *Shouts from mountain top* Care less!
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
L: What being a woman means is being your true, unconditional self. There is no category to be put in. As humans, we feel that everything must have a specific place, be categorized. But this idea is so far from real. No one woman falls under the same umbrella, and this is what makes us so beautiful.