My Story

If you had told me that one sunny Saturday morning, I would be sat here on my bed with leave in conditioner in my hair writing a blog, I would have told you to jog on! And, yet, here I am. Eek!

Hi, I’m Lauren from London. Happily approaching my 4th decade, mum to young Bob, a shower singing bouncy optimist, acquirer of way too many books and a girl who likes to have fun.

I am also a lawyer: I wanted to be SO many things growing up surrounded by the fields of Oxfordshire, from professional whistler to brain surgeon, or, even a nun – blame Audrey Hepburn in The Nun’s Story! But, enthused by my talent for debating everything, solving problems & being bossy, what I REALLY wanted to be was Prime Minister (why not?) or, a lawyer. TA DA!!

So you meet me today working as general counsel for a global business. What I NEVER could have imagined back as that young girl (looking up to Ally McBeal as a role model) was that my passion for life would pull me to this question: how can we learn how to live & work in ways which allow for continued growth & responsibility at work AND be authentically and happily ourselves at the same time? How can we more joyfully play our own game of life?

This question didn’t just appear to me one day but emerged after a few life lessons… For many many years (decades..) I was driven by frustration & anger, which reached a tipping point in the years of Brexit, Trump and my divorce. I impatiently wanted the world to change, NOW.

I thought if only I could learn how to convince everyone to see things differently then things would start to change for the better and we’d all be happier.

If I could just get others to understand me? Why won’t they listen?? Ha ha ha ha ha. There was no joy at the end of this rainbow (ps I’m writing this somewhat tongue in cheek but it’s ultimately the truth!)… I went out far and wide in search of answers and acquired a new personal development hobby at the same time … but I kept coming back to a lesson I frankly didn’t want and which I tried very hard to reject: I needed to change first?!!!! It was the truth: only when I started to be able to see and approach things differently did I start to see a difference in my life.

And, I’m still learning & evolving. But isn’t that incredibly exciting? We’re not done! We are free to create new ways of living! We no longer have to follow a predetermined life pattern or manipulate ourselves to fit into some standard sized corporate box. In fact, I’m starting to realise in my own life that conformity really is for sh&t as it’s only by trying different things that we’ll get a different (and potentially happier) result for ourself and others. We weren’t modelled how to do this, and, I’m now realising that’s a good thing! We get to create our own model that’s unique to us.

I also know that in countless way I am incredibly privileged. Not least as I have diverse & amazing teachers, friends and mentors in my life; I work alongside wonderfully talented people; and have access to thought leaders both within and outside of my industry. It’s from connecting the dots I’m discovering from a myriad of different subjects (from business strategy and politics to psychology and metaphysics) that I’ve started to discover a potential outline to a new & happier way of living.

I often get told that people think I have more time in my day than they have; I don’t! They seem to think I don’t have fear; I promise you I do, shed loads of it! What I’ll unashamedly admit is I do have incredible passion & enthusiasm and I’m committed to channelling myself into continuing to uncover and try out ways of working and living so we live truly alive, now.

If I can become a weekend blogger, then, anything and everything is possible.

Love,