The InDependent Wellness Summit is our free annual online event for all military and first responder spouses – past, present, and future. Learn more about the program here.
Day 3 of the InDependent Wellness Summit brought us interviews about cultivating balance, entrepreneurship, authenticity, creativity, building connection with different generations, and finding a sense of belonging and community. Sound interesting? This day of the Wellness Summit really inspired me.
Cultivate Authentic Growth- Laurel Smith
Day 3 started with the creative, hard-working, and colorfully organized Laurel Smith. Laurel is an entrepreneur and owner of Laurel Denise Planners. Her honesty and vulnerability during this interview really spoke to the heart. With the help of social media, she has elevated her brand and shares the grit it took to create something beautiful, practical, and helpful for busy women.
Laurel started by sharing about her enjoyment of planners in college, having an uncertain career plan, and working a cubicle job she didn’t enjoy. That’s when she started her jewelry line. She remained a stay-at-home mom and owned and operated her jewelry company that sold in major retail storefronts. She worked early mornings, and once her kids woke, her team worked upstairs in her spare bedroom. An inspiration for anyone looking to branch out in this military lifestyle.
She saw a need and started to envision a new style of planner that enabled her to see all her schedules at the same time. As the jewelry business became more saturated, her planner idea began to grow in her heart, and she decided to start a new business. After exiting her jewelry company, she realized that the tedious cubicle, spreadsheet-making job she once had helped give her the right foundation to build her new creative idea, planners. What had seemed like a job failure was necessary for her future.
She encourages us to ask,
“What’s that failure for? We fail plenty. What is that teaching you for next time? And how will that be on purpose for later?”
-Laurel Smith
Her commitment to exercise curiosity shows us it’s okay to pivot. She reflects on the importance of finding your voice and rediscovering your authentic self. She vulnerably shared her emotions after a copycat stole her planner idea. “I had my moment to be really sad, and then I got a great patent lawyer.”
It pushed her to get serious and play big to stay competitive. I think we can all relate to that feeling when we realize we need to step up and play big. She emphasizes the importance of allowing yourself to feel and then move on with a strategic next step so that you don’t lose momentum. Laurel is an inspiration, showing us what is possible when we put creativity and problem-solving together!
Cultivate Genuine Connections- Cindy Sullivan
Our second talk on Day 3 was with the sweet, seasoned, and well-rounded Cindy Sullivan. She’s a mom of three, a military spouse of a recently retired army vet and a math teacher of 27 years. Cindy talked all things deployment and got us back to basics on how to best thrive during times of separation. She emphasizes the importance of making connections and attending pre-deployment meetings.
My favorite nugget of wisdom during this conversation was to “build your support system before you need it.” She encourages us to find our tribe before things get messy. And later, we’re not scrambling to figure it out in times of need.
Cindy also encourages us to stay connected both with friends and to our area. She recommends getting involved in the community, doing fun activities, and being a tourist in your area as practical ways to continue enjoying life during deployment. “Don’t wait,” she states, advising we not wait until our spouse returns to do fun things but to do them now and, if it’s great, do it again post-deployment. She also touches on reintegration and noticing changes in her husband. She advises seeking help swiftly if you also notice changes post-deployment so it doesn’t escalate and compromise the marriage.
Cindy reminds us that we have a choice on what to focus our attention on. Most things we can’t control, so she opts to focus on the one thing she can control, how she feels about it. She challenges us to commit to a positive mindset throughout the separation instead of worrying about the possibility of negative outcomes. What a beautifully powerful way to bring peace of mind during a trying time!
The Day 3 interviews were full of inspiration!
ABOUT CARESSE
Caresse Noelani is a MILSO of seventeen years, a registered nurse, a mom of two, and the owner of Empower Waves LLC, Health and Wellness Coaching Services. Living the rollercoaster of military life brought her to a pivotal point in her marriage and self-talk that needed change. She now focuses on helping others transform well-being from the inside out. Starting with the same rooted practice that turned her mental health and wellbeing around. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
