Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurin Williams.
Laurin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am currently a full-time nursing student, mentor and aspiring writer. Before completing undergrad, I had my mindset on my next steps. Little did I know, life would take me on a different journey. My route to where I am today was anything but “traditional”. From leaving the HBCU, I attended at the time (right before my senior year), to moving to a completely different state and being in another country miles away from family, I was in for quite the adventure. I found myself in Atlanta doing servant leadership, which I fell in love with. As one with a hidden desire for adventure but never being able to get past the whimsical dreams that lived in my heart, I began to explore the possibilities of where my dreams would take me. I began to participate in various service projects, event planning, leading conferences and even opportunities for speaking engagements. While I was exploring skills I never knew I had, my passion for healthcare never left me. I completed undergrad but I already knew that would not be my final stop. With much determination, I now find myself pursuing my nursing degree. Care and compassion have always been a major part of who I am and I get to continue to serve others in another way, through healthcare. I also have a passion to see other women blossom past life challenges and allow their inner dreams to come alive.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been anything but a smooth road. There were many challenges that I had to overcome. While I knew I always wanted to “help” and inspire others, I never would have thought my life story would be the very thing that I use to be an encouragement to others. I remember, after taking a major step of faith in pursuit of what I would like to think of as “walking into my purpose”, things were great until I started hitting roadblocks. I had my mind fixed on what my life would look like in the next ten years. I completed my undergrad course study and was ready for my next move but I would continuously receive repeated denial letters as I applied multiple school for my graduate level studies.
Over the course of several years, I felt stuck in a place of unattainable dreams (all while still doing other amazing things). My life at times felt like a paradox. How was it I was seeing myself bloom in so many areas but also felt like an absolute failure trying to pursue my dreams? I went through seasons of feeling depressed, unworthy and forgotten. A lot of these setbacks at times took a hit on me both mentally and emotionally. It did not always make sense how things just weren’t working out. One of my life mottos became, quitting is not an option. I was determined not to give up, as much as I wanted to sometimes. Through this process, I realized I was just where I needed to be, even when it did not seem to be what I imagined. My life was already planned out for me and I had to wait for the perfect timing. As I look back at these challenges, I now see that those are the very things that continues to fuel me each day. My story keeps me going and pushes me to be an inspiration to others.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am currently working on a book to be released in 2020. My goal is for my story to inspire many others while I share vulnerably the hard truths of some of the things I had to face as a child well into adulthood. My desire is that others would feel free, unashamed of their past and continue to have hope for their future. I’ve realized the very things that I was ashamed are the very things that has made and continues to mold me into the woman I am today. Everyone has a story. My hope is that others too would be empowered and honored to share their battle stories without shame.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory hands down would be when my older brother would get out the camera. This was the old school camera that recorded on a VHS. Wow, the nostalgia. Whenever the camera came out, I just knew it was my time to shine! I would do my impromptu fashion show or depending on the day, it would be my talk show. Those were sweet memories that make for good laughs during the holidays with family.
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