Week #8 – Pivot (with Lori Young) - Rise and Write with Grace & James

Week #8 – Pivot (with Lori Young)

In Episode #8 we interviewed Lori Young — writer, speaker, FB-Live video producer, and Certified Enneagram Coach! Lori told us the story of how the pandemic first threatened her pivot into public speaking — and then, in an unlikely turn, ultimately paved the way for her to pursue her passion! (And I got to ask one of my most favorite questions yet!)

Lori’s brand is Authenticity Over Approval and that’s exactly how we felt about our chat with her: authentic! Lori shared openly about what she experienced when everything she was working for came to a screeching halt, and how she found her footing in the months that followed.

Most important, Lori talked about how her knowledge of the Enneagram (and what drives her behavior) enabled her to be a better friend to herself at a time when she most needed it.

“I already have a pretty strong foundation of faith…so I just continued to do what I knew what to do, just in terms of leaning into something that was certain and sure for me, which was my faith.”

She went on to mention that her circle of friends was key:

“I also have some incredible friends (both locally and online)…we were all in the same boat. So I made sure that I didn’t isolate myself…that was probably the biggest things.”

Do you know yourself well enough to know when you are heading into a danger zone…and what you need to do to pull yourself out? The Enneagram is a powerful tool for learning how we behave in growth — and in stress — and it’s like having a good friend in your corner who knows the exact tough-to-love ratio you need to get back on your feet.

In addition to the Enneagram, we talked about:

00:00 – INTRO – we introduce Lori, what she’s working on, and all the management that goes along with it!
2:30 – FAKE FAMOUS – we sidebar about the HOB documentary that follows the Instagrammers on the quest for 1 million followers (it’s fascinating!)
3:30 – THE PATH – Lori talks about her path prior to speaking and how she got to where she is today, including a dire warning at 5:45 about NOT making the leap before you are ready.
6:00 – THE PIVOT – Lori talks about how she transitioned out of full time work to speaking; including her amazing story of her first real speaking gig on March 12th, 2020.
7:30 – THE PIT – Lori talks about what it felt like to have that rug ripped out from under her; and what she did about it; and how long it took for her to find her footing again.
11:30 – THE PROCESS – Jim asks how Lori coped with the depression she experienced those months in between; her answer: leaning into something that felt certain and sure for her (and a theme we are seeing in our interviews…a good circle of friends).
13:00 – ISOLATION – Grace asks Lori how her understanding of the Enneagram helped her cope in the midst of the pandemic and everything she was experiencing
19:00 – FRIEND OR FOE – we talk about how social media helped/hurt during Covid; Lori explains what the enneagram is and how it works and why it’s so important; how she uses it for individuals, teams, and businesses
28:15 – HOW IT’S GOING NOW – Jim asks Lori how the speaking is going now.
28:00 – THE HARDEST PART – Grace asks Lori about what the hardest part of her speaking journey was so far.
31:25 – PANDEMIC JOB CHANGES – Jim asks Lori if the pandemic strengthened her resolve to change/or make her doubt it
33:15 – MY FAVORITE QUESTION – I get to ask my most favorite question ever! If you could talk to yourself on March 13th of 2020 — what would you say?
36:00 – MORNING ROUTINE – we ask Lori about her morning routine, which (once again) she has allowed herself to change according to the season that she is in.
37:00 – WHERE TO FIND LORI – Lori tells us where we can find her on socials and on the web.
38:15 – WRAP UP – Jim reflects on what we learned from Lori; Grace reflects on what she calls a “clunky” growth year; and if you didn’t “pandemic” right, don’t beat yourself up; and why Lori’s experience is a great example of why the Enneagram is so powerful and practical.

What about you?

Want to add to the conversation? We would love to talk with you about your experiences with content creating, collaborating, and keeping fun company for the journey! Join us in our private Facebook group where we break these discussions down each week, share tools and techniques, and hold each other accountable to the work we have been called to create.

Because we know it’s hard…we want to talk about how!

Up next: Tune in to our Facebook page on Monday when we talk with writer, speaker, social media manager, and non-profit builder Deanna Day Young! (Oh, and did I mention she’s got a full-time job too?!)

Until then, set your alarm for whatever time YOU feel most creative and productive, and then…

Rise and Write!
Grace

About Our Guest:

Lori Young is a Certified Enneagram Coach. She speaks to businesses, non-profit organizations, and teams to introduce the concept of the Enneagram as a team-building and organizational development tool. Lori also coaches individuals, couples, families, and teams to help people grow, minimize conflict, and enhance relationships. Lori can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authenticityoverapproval
and https://www.facebook.com/loriyoungcoaching.
You can read her blog at authenticityoverapproval.com.