Episode #1 The Power of Possibility: Discovering Your True Potential

Join Kara on the inaugural episode of the Design Your Dream Life podcast as she explores the transformative journey of personal development and self-discovery. The main message is clear: you have the power to create the life you desire, no matter your age or circumstances. Kara shares her own story of overcoming failures and redefining what success truly means, emphasizing that it's okay to not have everything figured out. She encourages listeners to connect with their inner selves, challenge societal expectations, and embrace the possibility of dreaming big. With practical advice and heartfelt motivation, this episode aims to inspire you to take the first steps toward living a life that truly lights you up.

Kara's inaugural episode of Design Your Dream Life is a powerful call to action for anyone seeking greater fulfillment and happiness. She opens the podcast by establishing a safe space where listeners can explore practical personal development steps that lead to real change. With a warm and encouraging tone, Kara emphasizes that regardless of age or current life situation, everyone has the ability to dream and create the life they desire. Her vision is clear: to serve as a cheerleader for her audience, helping them navigate the complexities of identifying and pursuing their dreams.

In this episode, Kara delves into her personal journey, sharing her rise to success and the subsequent challenges that forced her to reevaluate her goals. After experiencing a significant business failure, she reflects on the lessons learned and the importance of defining success on one’s own terms. Kara's honesty about her struggles with self-doubt and the fear of stepping into the unknown resonates deeply with listeners who may feel similarly trapped in their routines. She reassures her audience that the quest for fulfillment is often riddled with uncertainty, but that embracing this uncertainty is essential for growth.

The episode culminates in a message of hope and possibility, encouraging listeners to reconnect with their aspirations. Kara advocates for a mindset shift that allows individuals to see beyond their current circumstances and envision a future filled with potential. She invites her audience to explore their passions, experiment with new ideas, and break free from the limitations imposed by societal expectations. By the end of the episode, listeners are left feeling inspired and empowered to embark on their own journeys towards discovering and designing their dream lives.

Takeaways:

• You have the power to create the life you want, regardless of age or circumstances.

• Feeling unfulfilled in your life is a sign that you may not be on the right path.

• The journey to discovering your dreams may involve trying many different things.

• It's important to challenge your limiting beliefs and grow the muscles of self-confidence.

• Success is not just about money; it's about feeling connected and fulfilled in life.

• Personal growth is a lifelong journey, and you should continuously seek to better yourself.

Links referenced in this episode:

• www.designyourdigitalbusiness.com

TRANSCRIPT 

Hello my friends and welcome to the very first episode of Design your Dream Life. My name is Kara, I am your host.

I am so excited that you are here.

You know, my vision for this podcast was to create a space where we can talk about living your best life and not all the woo around it, just practical steps to uplevel your life in every area. And I think in order to have your dream life, so to speak, it's not a myth like you are allowed to dream at any stage of your life.

I don't care how young you are or how old you are, you have the power to create the life you want. And I want to be that cheerleader for you, that BFF through this mic, cheering you on and encouraging you to live your dreams.

And some of you might not even know what your dreams are right at this moment. And I'm here to tell you that is okay. You don't have to have it all figured out.

But if you have that voice inside yourself that is saying, like, I know that I meant for more. I feel like I'm just going through the motions of life or I just, I don't feel lit up about my life.

Like I feel like I'm just in a rut or I feel like I'm in routine and I. And you're actually selling yourself. Just stay where you are.

Because let's be real, it's easier to stay where you are than it is to go into something unknown and something that's scary. And your brain is designed that way, right? Your brain is designed to keep you safe. It is doing its job.

But I am here to help you grow the muscles in yourself, to challenge those thoughts and to connect with who you really are and what you really want to be. And so I'll start with a little bit of my story because I'm sure all of you listening to this have no idea who I am.

So I will give you a little bit of Cliff Notes. I created my first multimillion dollar business in my 20s and lost it all before 30.

Then I rebuilt a successful career and I always thought I wanted to climb the corporate Ladder. And I became a COO of a multimillion dollar Facebook ads agency. All self taught. And when I got there, it was miserable. It was soul sucking.

It literally changed who I was as a person and I didn't like myself anymore. And so I had to rediscover what success looked like for me and what my dream life really looked like for me.

Because from the outside you would think that I had it all going for me. I was making really good income, I was working from home, I could work from anywhere in the world.

But on the inside, just all the stuff that was going on, it was just absolutely miserable for me. And I ended up transitioning into a new division of that company. So I stepped down as coo.

We were starting a new division, I was head of that division and we launched some stuff and then I went on my dream vacation. And I will say this, not only was it a dream vacation, it was dream European family vacation. We also just upgraded our life. We bought a bigger house.

We actually came home from our vacation and ripped out our kitchen. And my salary was paying for that kitchen. But I came home from that dream vacation only to be told that I was being downsized.

And in that moment, I decided that I never wanted to work for anyone else again. That I wanted to create my own path. And it was so scary.

Like it was so scary because I really didn't have the confidence in myself to think that I could build something like that.

Now if I go into, you know, jumping back into my 20s where I built my multimillion dollar company, there was through real estate and I lost it all in 2008 when the whole market crashed. It's a whole long traumatic story. But I honestly from that thought, I don't have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

I mean, I played big and I lost even bigger, you know, and so for me, I had a whole bunch of self doubt and just insecurity around. Can I even be an entrepreneur? Is that even a thing that I can do? Because my past is telling me I sucked at it.

Like I failed big, you guys, I failed so big. So what makes me think that I could start something of my own? And maybe some of you have thought that yourself.

Maybe you haven't failed as big as I failed, but maybe you've thought that as an employee or something. Like you're like, who am I? Who am I to start this thing?

And I'm here to tell you that you are somebody who is incredibly capable of doing anything that you desire. And that doesn't mean that this journey or this path is going to be easy.

I probably promise you that it won't be easy, but it'll be worth it because on the other side, there's so much beauty and growth. And I think that's one of the reasons why I am so addicted to personal growth.

And I have been my entire life, like my entire life I have always been into self help and pushing my boundaries and trying to get to the next better version of myself or creating a life that I dream of. And I think so many of us are, we're living in a box, right?

We're, we're on a path that what society has dictated our lives should look like, you know what I mean?

Like, it's like we grew up and it's like, oh, like if you want to be successful, you should be a doctor or a lawyer or you know, climb the corporate ladder. Or even now we're saying, oh, like you could be in the skills trades.

And there's nothing wrong with any of that, by the way, if that is what you are truly desiring. I think the problem is that there is a disconnect for people who don't fit inside those boxes. And then we're left with, well, where do we fit in?

And usually what happens is we follow the paths of our parents like the advice they've given or our parents friends or guidance counselors or, you know, other career counselors. And because we don't really know how to look inward and discover truly what's inside of us. Because let's just be real.

It's not easy sometimes to find out what you truly desire.

And sometimes you have to try a bunch of things and hate them and realize, okay, I thought I wanted that, didn't want that, thought I wanted that, didn't want that in order to get to the place of, oh my gosh, this is exactly what I've always dreamed of. And so your dreams don't have to be clear. And I think that's part of it.

I think as we grow, we stop dreaming and we just kind of fall in line with wherever our life has taken us, whatever path it's taken us. We're just kind of like going down the path and we don't know where we're going.

And part of us is just like, well, I don't even really care at this moment. But then something happens or you start realizing that you're not super happy.

And so then you might second guess that because maybe, you know, you're a mom and you look at your Kids and your husband and you're like, I love you all to death. But how come I'm not feeling so fulfilled? How come I'm not feeling so fulfilled at work? Like why do I not feel this outpouring of fulfillment?

That is a deep, deep sign that you're not on the right path, my friends. And so I want to talk to you today about the possibility, the possibility of connecting with yourself deeper.

The possibility of dreaming big dreams and dreaming dreams that are just, you don't even know exist yet. You don't even know the possibilities exist yet, but you are open to the fact that they are out, that anything you want is out there.

And so when we're talking about possibility, I'll even say like, I had no idea the digital world even existed really.

So after I lost my real estate company and I was in bankruptcy and it took me years to recover and I had no clue and I found myself in 2008 in a digital marketing forum and I fell in love with digital marketing. I was just consuming all the things that I can consume and I just fell in love with it. And I mean back then this is really going to age me.

So it was 2008 around there was email marketing was a thing, it was like this, like whoa. If you could sell email marketing to businesses, oh my goodness, how crazy was this? Now I also want to share with you a little story inside of 2008.

I was bankrupt and so in bankruptcy in that year because my husband already made enough money in his career and we were a family of four. You're only allowed to make so much money and then the, the government garnishes the rest of your wage.

So like I couldn't really work cuz it would just be like a hundred percent of that going because my husband's wages were already being garnished. So I took that year to learn to learn digital marketing and I fell in love with it like I said. And there was a conference coming up in Las Vegas.

Now remember, I have lost everything. I'm starting from scratch. I have no credit. My husband's wages are being garnished.

Like I, I really am, I've got nothing, there's no, there's no very good outlook on life right now. And there was this conference in Las Vegas and I am in Canada. I'm close to Detroit, Michigan, but still that, that's a far, far ways from Vegas.

It's not an easy drive. So I really wanted to get there.

But there and they were talking more about digital marketing and there was Just something in me that was like, I need to be here. I need to be in that room. I think it's going to bring the skill that I want to the next level, and I really want to get there.

But I had no money to go, absolutely no money, and I didn't even have a credit card. So that's when I challenged myself to start thinking outside of the box. How do I get there? How can I get there?

So what I ended up doing was approaching some businesses about email marketing. I mean, I sold them on what I would be learning, the skills that I was learning at this seminar.

And I said, listen, if you pay for me and my husband to go to this retreat, I'm like, oh, retreats on my mind to go to this event and learn these skills, I will come back and implement them into your business free of charge. And I got a yes. And that was the beginning of getting back into digital marketing for me.

And now it's been a long road with a whole bunch of ups and downs and all arounds. But even in that time, I was resourceful and I was like, I knew. And that seminar changed everything for me.

And it's so crazy because it's those moments in your life where you have a choice to make and there's an intuition inside of you just telling you, like, I don't know how you're gonna do this. I don't know how. Like, but you need to, like. And I don't know about you, but for me, when that happened, my determination sets in.

And somehow I've always figured it out. And the reason that I'm sharing this with you is that I didn't even think any of that was possible. Like, none of that was possible.

And somehow just being dedicated to the journey of trying to create a new life for myself and a new identity, because I had lost everything in real estate. I was just like, okay, like, I'm already at the bottom. What's the worst that could happen? You know?

And maybe part of that allowed me to have a little less sense of scarcity, but at the same time, it gave me scarcity in another way, because it was like, you're a failure. You fail. Like, you don't know how to do things on your own. You can't be trusted to succeed on your own.

Which is so crazy because I was a CEO behind some of the biggest brands on the Internet and the brains behind some amazing successful marketing campaigns, and yet I was still having this narrative in my brain, like, can I really make it on my own? And so, obviously, I went through all of that, and I am now here just living the life that I am so grateful for.

And I never thought this would be possible. And there is a part of me, I'm not gonna lie, there is a part of me that was just like, okay, we'll just keep living this life.

And then there was again another calling of like, girl, you need to share this with other people, because there are so many other people who need to hear your stories, your motivation, your encouragement. Because I'm not special. There's nothing special about me. There's no reason why I get to live this amazing life that I've created for myself.

And you can. There's no difference. We all have shit to work through, and I'm still working on shit. Do you know it has taken me years to launch this podcast? Years.

Because I'm like, oh, gosh, do I really want to be the face behind a brand? Do I really want to put myself out there in front? I'm really successful right now. I'm making really good money, living my dream life.

Why do I want to come out here and put myself in front of people? Well, because there's a deeper calling for me. I really do believe that I can help women create a life that they absolutely love.

And I want to help guide you. I want to help. I want to help you discover who you really are. That lights me up. That makes me so excited. Like, I love that stuff.

I love that we can go on a journey, and on the end of it, you get to succeed and live your best life like that. To me, what a huge gift. Because at the end of the day, what I have realized is that money is great. Money is amazing.

Money makes all the things possible that you can buy, right?

But there are so many rich people who are so unfulfilled and so lost, or they're lonely, or they have lost everything in the way of getting their money. So money is just one part of your dreams, right? Creating the money that will allow you to live the dreams.

That other part, that mindset work, that thought work, the thoughts that are going through your brain, and that is what is actually putting you on the path to where you are today. That's the important work. Feeling lit up is the important work. Yeah, money's important. And sure.

But what's truly, truly important is you and how happy you are and how connected you feel. And let me tell you, you're not going to always feel connected in life, right? Because life isn't always perfect, right? People say life is 50 50?

It could be 50, 50, or, you know, any other number you want. But there's the good and the bad.

And I think some people are under the impression when you're living your dream life, that it's a hundred percent good. And that's just not the case. Like, you will always have the good and the bad in every phase of your life.

So why not start living the life that is super amazing? So that even when you still have those bad days, man, those amazing days, they make up for it.

And then some, as opposed to people who are staying in a life that they're just a byproduct of. They're just almost. What do I want to say? I'm, like, losing my words already. You're like a witness. Do I want to say witness? A bystander?

Did I already say bystander? And you're just kind of watching your life go by, and I want you to feel like your life is so damn good, that you're just grateful to be here.

That when you wake up and you look at your kids and. Or you look at your husband or you look at your life, it's just beaming with passion because that's what I've created. And I think it's such a huge.

And believe me, I've been there. I have been there. When I look at my kids and I'm like, why do I not feel completely fulfilled?

Because personally, for me, I needed more fulfillment than just being the title of wife and mother.

Now, again, if that is just your fulfillment, and I shouldn't say just if that is the fulfillment that fills your heart, I think that that's incredible because it's not about, like, you know, I'm, you know, oh, I don't. I don't think I can be more than just a mother. It's not about labels or anything. It's about you and how you feel fulfilled. And I.

There's no right or wrong. Right? And this is what I love. Like, I am not a guru. I always say to people, to any of my clients or whatever, I am not your guru. You are your guru.

But I am hoping I can be your guide to you becoming your guru. And part of that is, there's no right or wrong.

There's just for you and giving yourself permission to explore that, giving yourself permission to dream about possibility and what is possible for you to understand that, gosh, there's just a million ways to make a million dollars. There's a million ways for you to change your life. The question is, what do you want right now?

For me, I fell into the digital world and I learned about digital marketing and I taught myself some skills.

And now I get paid a lot of money and have an amazing life that I can work from anywhere in the world as long as I have my laptop and an Internet connection, I. I can do that right now. Some of you, maybe you're listening and you're like, I have no idea. Maybe you see influencers online.

You're like, I would never want to do that. And that's okay, too. There are so many different paths on what you can take to break into what I call the digital economy, right?

There's E Com, there's all of these things, right? What you need to start looking at is, well, what do I want to play with? Also, what is, like, the easiest thing to break into, I think.

And trust me, I've had it all. I've had E Comm stores, man, and I've been like, okay, not enough profit margin for me.

I've had digital courses, and I've had them flop and spend so much time and energy into creating out digital courses and the sales pages and all of that stuff just to have them go. And then you're like, so deflated. For me personally, being a service provider has been the winning factor for me, right?

But learning the skill, right? Learning the skill, learning digital marketing. And digital marketing is a huge umbrella within digital marketing. There's so many different things.

So if you want to learn a little bit about digital marketing in a digital business, you can go grab my free blueprint on it. And if you just go to www.designyourdigitalbusiness.com, you can get it, and I think you should pick it up. There will be some videos you can watch.

You can learn a little bit more about that. It will open your mind up to the possibility of what making money online is. And it really can work for anybody.

And I feel like for me, I needed to start somewhere. And you build upon skills. Where you start's obviously not where you end. Because life is a journey.

And even for me, I keep evolving and learning and figuring out what my next steps are. So I think that's it for today. My friends.

I hope that you have enjoyed this first podcast episode about what is possible and know that anything, anything is possible as long as you commit to the journey and commit to yourself. And I look forward to seeing you on the next episode.