Ep. 17: Choose You Anyway: Healing, Alignment & Next-Level Success with Laura Grabavoy
What if the moment you finally looked “successful” on the outside was the same moment your soul whispered, “This isn’t it”?
This episode includes discussion of abuse and trauma. Please listen with care and prioritize your well-being.
In this deeply powerful and raw conversation, Laura Dionisio sits down with coach, strategist, and intuitive guide Laura Grabavoy—a woman who rebuilt her life from the inside out after decades of silence, trauma, and the illusion of “having it all.” Together, they unpack what it truly means to choose yourself anyway—especially when it feels impossible.
From surviving abuse and breaking generational patterns to doubling her six-figure corporate income in six months, Laura G. shares the inner shifts that unlocked her outer success. Her story is a masterclass in reclaiming your voice, healing emotional patterns, and allowing your energy—not your effort—to lead the way.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why does everything look perfect but feel wrong?” this episode will give you the tools, language, and permission to re-align with your truth.
What You’ll Hear:
✔️How Laura’s story of trauma and healing became the foundation of her movement, Choose You Anyway
✔️The exact question that changed her life: “How do I feel better?”
✔️Why success without inner peace still feels empty, and how to shift that
✔️What it actually looks like to stop proving your worth and start trusting it
✔️The power of emotional frequency, energy mastery, and the Law of Attraction in real-world results
✔️How she doubled her corporate income and found purpose through self-alignment, not hustle
“It’s never between you and them. It’s between you and God. So build anyway. Choose you anyway.”
– Laura Grabavoy
If this episode spoke to you, explore more tools for heart-aligned growth at https://www.leadintact.com/freebies/heart-aligned-career and download your Heart-Aligned Career Transition Starter to begin your own pivot with purpose or Book 20-min consultation call: https://leadintactwithlaura.as.me/free-consultation and don't forget to check out The Career Reclamation Journey at https://www.leadintact.com/career-reclamation-journey
Ways to connect with Laura Grabavoy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura_grabavoy/
Instagram to connect on “Choose You Anyway” movement: https://www.instagram.com/chooseyouanyway/
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You are listening to the pivot point where we unpack the defining moments that shift careers and lives. I'm your host, Laura Dionisio, a founder of Lead Intact, and my mission is to spotlight the raw real stories behind career pivots, the fears, the hopes. The messy middles and the bold decisions that follow if you're feeling stuck or quietly wondering what's next?
I hope these stories help you see yourself a little more clearly and inspire you to start moving toward your own dream life. Let's begin.
Introduction and Content Warning
Laura D: Hey there. Before we get started, I wanna give you a quick content note. In this episode, my guest shares her story of abuse and trauma. We keep the focus on healing and empowerment, but I know this may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care, take breaks if you need or come back to it later.
When you feel resourced, your wellbeing always comes first.
Meet Laura Grabavoy
Laura D: Welcome to the Pivot Point. I have an amazing guest today. Laura. Grabavoy. Like I cannot stop smiling. I like, even two hours ago, I was gonna go to the gym, but I was like, no. What if I'm late? I can't. I can't be. I must be here prepared and ready for the amazing Laura, Grabavoy. I will read her bio in a second, but just as a kind of casual introduction.
Laura G is an amazing coach of mine personally, and I don't like her just because her name is also Laura. But truly you'll see at the end of this episode, you're gonna be like, oh that's it. So thank you Laura for being here, and I'm just gonna go ahead and read your amazing bio. Laura
is a business strategist, intuitive guide, and the director of programs for She Sells and Superhuman Selling, where She leads with Heart and Precision as an integrator, helping scale a transformational brand with over 30 years in private wealth management and high level leadership. Laura now supports purpose-driven entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to align their business strategies with soul and activate exponential growth from the inside out. Ah, yeah. At the core of her work is helping leaders embody their next level, combining identity alchemy, energy mastery, and practical execution. plays a pivotal role in delivering the She sells framework of the four quadrants of quantum sales growth, guiding clients to shift their sales energy, elevate belief systems, and lead with authenticity her strategic role. Laura is the visionary author of Choose You Anyway, an upcoming book and global movement that empowers others to reclaim their voice, honor their truth, and lead from within. She encourages others to tune into the saying, no matter the noise. Even when it's hard, you are not here to fit in. You're here to trust who you are. Choose you anyway. goosebumps. Whether she's coaching high achieving clients through identity corporate teams, through soulful sales frameworks or channeling intuitive downloads to unlock clarity, is redefining what it means to be a leader in today's world.
Round of applause for Laura. Thank you so much. For being here. I am legit. I'm excited. I'm always excited to get a chance to connect with you and I'm extra excited for my audience to get a chance to connect with you.
Laura Grabavoy: I am just like tearing up over you reading my book. I'm like, there's so much history in that and so much growth that I just love you reading that. So, and I love being here. And yes, we have amazing names. Laura G and Laura d.
Laura D: we do.
Laura's Background and Journey
Laura D: So I just wanna start off with, because your story is such a powerful one. So maybe we can start there. 'cause I know there's like the thing that you did the most recently, which we'll get to. But like before we get to the thing listeners are like, what are you talking about? lead us through beginning. Of your journey and
Laura Grabavoy: yeah.
Laura D: how did it all start?
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah, I will. I'll go back to five years ago. I was sitting on my couch and I was just, I was in a place that , everything outside of me was perfect. I had the perfect job. I had the perfect house, the perfect car R and I just remember at the time I had some things come up. My, my mom I had not really had a relationship with her just because of some past trauma.
So like, as I sat there, I was reflecting on the couch, like my mom called me and it brought me to a point in time where I was sitting on a couch with her when I was little. And I remember in that moment, we had, there has been, there was so much trauma that I, you know, experienced growing up. And my mom was really young when she had me.
She was 16 years old. And here I am at 16 sitting on the couch with her. And I remember that was the first time that I chose myself. And I remember sitting there and I remember feeling afraid, feeling anxious. But I knew inside that what I was about to do was gonna change her life and my life.
As I think about it and I look back at it, she had experienced a lot of trauma and I remember at that point in time. I really didn't think there was a situation that had happened that was pretty impactful that she almost died because of the abuse that she endured from my stepdad.
And I remember, I at a young age was like, I'm changing this. I'm gonna do something about this. And I remember sitting on that couch back when I was 16 years old. And I didn't know it at the time, but this is where really where my message comes about choosing myself and I was choosing her that I was gonna make change and that things are gonna happen and things are gonna be different.
And so, I had shared with her about some of the trauma and the abuse that I had endured from my stepdad I thought he was my dad at the time, but, um, he was, uh, sexually abusive to me and my mom wasn't aware of it. Fast forward back to the couch where I was at, which I was 45 years old and all the things that I had experienced up until that point,
I had lived my life, like I knew I wanted better and different in my life and I'd built this life that I was really proud of. But yet I still had these emotions inside this trauma that I really didn't know how to shift out of. And so, I was sitting on the couch. I remember her calling me and she'd not been a part of my life.
I remember she called me, she told me she had cancer. I remember at the time too it was like during COVI, I'm like, I got a bottle of wine and a big bag of m and ms. Plain m and ms looking for any kinda like. Relief because of the resistance that's there.
But I remember reflecting, I'm like, my mom, this is going on. My youngest kid just went, my son Braden went to college and so he's off. My daughter had left to go to the military and she has her own trauma that she was dealing with and she left.
So I'm sitting on the couch reflecting on that. And then reflecting and looking at my husband and like, is this all there is right now? Like seriously, like it was a lot that I was carrying.
The Turning Point
Laura Grabavoy: And, um, what was really cool is on that couch, I found this woman my own mentor, her name is Elyse Archer, which now I'm in her programs and I was sitting there and.
She had this series at the time it was called Releasing Re Resistance to What You Want. And that was so powerful for me. And I remember she was reading the book, asking it as given by Jerry and Esther Hicks, and at that time she talked about. The law of attraction and she even talked about her own story and her own inner, like inner work that she was doing.
And, but yet she had this huge growth and she was calling in. More in her life. And I was like, oh my God, how is she doing this? And it was just inspiring to me. And I remember when she, one of the series, she talked about the emotional guidance scale. And I was like, Hmm, what is that?
And I remember at that point I'd asked a question that changed my life. One question I asked
Laura D: was the question?
Laura Grabavoy: how do I feel better? How do I feel better when I feel so hurt by others? She had touched something inside of me knowing that.
I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back at it that I had all these emotions in me that I didn't know how to shift out of. So you hear a little bit of my story of, and, and again, like fill in the gaps, right? There's a lot of gaps that are there, but the main part of the story and I was like, I just felt man, why do I feel like everybody's against me? Why do I feel like my life is, it just felt so hard, like I was pushing. And success to me was, it was like I had to work hard. I had to grind. I had to, I had to make it happen
Laura D: I do wanna
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah.
Laura D: 'cause you said something so powerful that I hear a lot and it's that the outside everything seemed perfect. So I would love to hone in that moment. What was it like, what. I don't know. Was it a moment, was it a slow realization that it was like, oh, there's more to this success working hard I've been letting myself see.
Take us through that. 'cause I feel like a lot of the listeners really resonate with feeling that way.
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah, and I didn't realize it. So the beauty of like transformation and growing and growth is that one of the things that I love is Steve Job actually, he talks about this, is that he's talks about you connect the dots looking back and that's, that's what I do in my life. So that, you know, I'm like, oh, and I'm, I'm continuing.
The growth and the transformation even today.
Embracing Inner Work and Transformation
Laura Grabavoy: but back then the question I asked was really powerful and her answer to me was basically it's a choice on how I feel. And I was like, oh, interesting.
No. What do, what does that mean? I am like, it's everybody else around me, right? she was like, let me take you through a quick exercise. And she said, think of something that makes you happy and. I was like, you know, I love my kids.
I mean, I love them, I adore them. And I thought about them and I'm like, you know what? I, I could feel the shift in my body. And part of me was like, it can't be that simple and easy, but can it? I'm like, okay, that's interesting. And so then she said, your outer world is a reflection of your inner world.
And I was like, what does that mean? And I knew there is a part of my soul that I, I got that, but then there was resistance there. However, what I loved about what she shared with me was I am. One that I've always been on this path of growth and transformation and I'm always in spaces and I'm always reading things to better myself, and I've gone to therapy.
I've done everything you can think of, like crazy things even. I remember she shared something with me that nobody ever shared with me. And I thought, and, and if, if I look back at it now, this outer part of things was, um, my relationships with others was a big thing. And it was, it was like, man, yes, I had this, I've, I had a nice home, a nice car.
I had, you know, a job that I made. Okay. Money at the time. It was okay. It was comfortable. But I was like, why am I not happy? And so, this outer piece of things is I was getting my happiness from. The people around me like trying to please 'em, or the, I remember finishing school, I remember like getting the job, the title.
I remember having the car, my kids were in good schools. I mean, my god, my daughter's a Marine, and it was like, these distinction make me happy. And, I'm like, why do I not feel good inside? And what I realized is that it was all this inner turmoil that was inside of me. I didn't know what to really do with it.
Laura D: Mm-hmm.
Laura Grabavoy: And one of the things, I know now as I've done the work is that, you know, and I have really strong I have strong women that I grew up around who took care of family. My grandmother, , basically, I look at her and she took care of my grandfather in her home when he had a stroke.
My uncle, which is a fun fact, is he was six months older than me, so we went to high school together, so he was more like a brother. And I know it was like, it was so fun. Like, you know, he played football, but, um, he actually, his senior year, he ended up actually getting into a really. He ended up be being bedridden.
Um, and my grandmother took care of him until he was at age of 40. So it's like, I was taught, you just push through. You just you persevere, you push through, you move on. There was a story of get over yourself, like get over this. Just push it down and go on. And what I didn't realize is that, I wasn't able to really fully heal this stuff inside of me because I was pushing it down and I wasn't allowing myself to just heal. I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine that was doing the work and she shared I, so I was like, you know, I just need to get over this.
I just need to get past this. And she paused and held me in the space for a moment. And she was like, did you hear what you just said? And I was like, no. And she reflected back what I said and I was like, oh, I said that. Oh, I didn't even realize that was a story. And so I was like, oh, I don't get to get over this.
I get to heal this. And I really, truly learned how to go within myself and the emotions, identify these emotions, and really heal a lot of the stuff that it, I was like, once I learned how to do this, my life started to change around me. Some relationships fell away. I ended up, calling in a job where I doubled my corporate income, a six figure income.
It was like I'd stopped trying to prove my worth
To everybody around me. I started,
Laura D: looking for that opportunity at that time, or was it just as you were healing it just
Laura Grabavoy: yeah. You know what's fun is when so this mentor, this coach that I talk about I ended up, investing in her program. That one short conversation. Changed like my whole thinking. And the way she talked about how she did her inner work and her quantum leap, which I think it was like a hundred thousand or her annual income, which was a hundred thousand into our monthly income.
And I was like, what? What? I was like, that is like. through inner work and through the, the work that, I learned how to shift this with inside of me. What was so fun is I remember at the time, inside I was like, I really wanna stop playing small with my life.
I know that I'm meant for more and better and bigger. And she talked about stop apologizing for what you wanted. And I was like, this is so fun. And so that's where I invested in myself with this. I remember I was in a job where I thought I wanted to be a manager of the group.
And then I was like, well, maybe I don't wanna do that. Maybe I want this. I started tapping into what I really wanted. And then what was so fun is I had everything, every job that I wanted kind of show up at the same time. And so I got to pick what I wanted to do. And the one that I picked was something that just came in out of the blue from something that I did a year ago. I love all the energetic work. So this law of attraction is around your frequency, your vibration, and that's why the emotions were so important. I was in this lower state of emotions and I was attracting in.
Things that were matching my vibration, my emotions, my thinking. And so when I started shifting this and changing this, within six months of doing the work I had called in this job that was doubling a six figure income. And I was like, hell yes.
Laura D: Yeah.
Laura Grabavoy: And it was so fun because it was like I got to pick what I wanted to do.
Laura D: You know what though?
Choosing Yourself and Finding Clarity
Laura D: you just said something really powerful that I really just wanna pause and hone in on, you said that at first you were like, maybe I want this manager job, maybe this, and then it sounded like you really leaned into what you actually wanted. Can you walk us through that?
Because I am imagining, like even for myself sometimes. I don't even know what I actually want because I'm inadvertently capping myself. So walk us through that process for anyone who's like I don't know what I want. I just know, not this, how did you not get over that, but how did you get
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah,
Laura D: part so that you were able to actually connect?
I've caught myself, Laura, I almost said it.
Laura Grabavoy: I know it is. Isn't it interesting how, yeah. That, that phrase comes up often and I have to like, catch myself, like everybody's on their own journey so that question though, it was I don't know if you've seen the movie. I'm relating the. The Secret, there's a movie out that's you can watch
Laura D: Documentary
Laura Grabavoy: there is some, uh, there's, it's not a, it's on Netflix.
It's called The Secret. It's with, yeah, I don't remember the actors, but I watch it often 'cause I love it. If you haven't seen it, you gotta go check it out. You'll love it. So one of the things in there is the woman in the movie, their kids learned a lesson from the guy who was really into like, law of attraction and, she was a disbeliever in it and the, you know, whatever.
But one of the things that got brought up that reflected back to me was they told her Mom, if you don't know what you want, if you don't know what you want, how can you ask for it? And I was like. Okay. That's the law of attraction. It was like, well, what do I want? And so the work that I do now with even women around, um, a lot of people get hung up on money and they make money, God, or they're like, they think that they need to apologize for what they really want.
Um, and so what I love and what I, I do is we take money out of the picture. I am like, if money wasn't in the picture and there were no limitations and no judgment, and you were to be, I'm in my zen den right now. I'm by myself. There's nobody here, and I close out the noise. I close out everything around me, and I was like, Laura, what do you really want?
What do you want? There's no limitations. You're not thinking about anybody else. What do you want? And that's so powerful for me. That's what I do for myself all the time. And so, this is where I wanna go back to this message of Choose You anyway. And so, I think about how I did this for myself on the couch with my mom.
I did this when I decided to invest in, and it was a, it was at the time, it was a good amount of money that I invested in a coaching program. I remember, like, I chose myself in those moments. And so, and anyways means it, it doesn't matter. I got to close out the noise of people around me.
I was gonna do it. I think about where I get this phrase from, and you can see behind me my little plaque on my dresser is the poem by Mother Theresa, where she says, build anyway. Be happy anyway. Do good anyway. Even if people think you're crazy. Even if you build and it might fall down, even if people think you're, you know, irrational. Do it anyway, because it's never between you and them. It's between you and God. And that has stuck with me my whole life. Like this poem has been like. This gives me the courage to choose me, um, and what I'm doing.
What I found is that when I truly do this, when I truly tap into what I want and go for what I want. What happens is the outside world around me, the people, the things mirror back to me how I am believing this, how I'm trusting this myself.
And so I'm doing this because I know that when I do this, I have greater impact for the people around me, for the people I love. I often get mirrored back. Man, you're so courageous, man. I can't believe you did that, man. I'm glad you did that.
You changed what you did.
Helped me change my life. You gave me the courage to do the things that I didn't think I could do, and I'm like, that's not why I set out to do it. In the first place, like any choice or decisions that I make, I do it because it's something that lights me up and that really fills me up and it gives other people the courage around me to do the things maybe that they really wanna do, but they have tapped it down or shut it down.
Laura D: I'm thinking about mothers single parents or anyone who's taking care of family member, anyone who was like, felt bogged down with responsibility. Like what I'm hearing you say, it's like it's not actually selfish to choose you and that like it's actually beneficial to more than just you.
That was so beautifully said, Laura.
Laura Grabavoy: Thank you.
Laura D: you, and it's not even just like this woowoo stuff of you worked on the inner world and then you're just floating out into the aby, right? Like you doubled your income in your corporate six figure income in six months. So let's go
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah.
Laura D: part of the story and then you had your choice on what
Laura Grabavoy: Yes.
Laura D: So yeah, so like walk us through that and what was that experience like?
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah, it was fun. Like I shared earlier, it was tapping into, I knew I wanted better. I knew that I got to put down trying to prove myself. And that was a big lesson that I learned through all this. It was like I got to tap into knowing my worth.
Like I literally did this exercise of going through like. Just seeing and acknowledging myself for all the things that I had done on the corporate side. I'm like, I've been a top producer. I've, you know, I'm like, just going back and knowing like I finished my degree while I was, you know, uh.
Working as a branch manager for a bank. And at the same time, one pinnacle, I was a top producer, you know, so it was just like I was tapping into like all these, like really acknowledging these things about myself. And then, I think what's important about that, and even for your audience is to, you know, what I, what I noticed is that I was looking for acknowledgement from other people around me, bosses.
You know, like peers, whatever. I was trying to prove myself a lot of the times. But what I got to do is when I really just kind of acknowledged who I was, I started trusting myself more and I started seeing who I really was and I started tapping into like what were my strengths and gifts.
Then from that place. Of empowerment of seeing who I really was. I was like, what lights me up? And then I started to explore like, okay, do I really wanna lead a group of people? Well, let's see, let's put it out there. And I remember at the time my boss was having me basically lead the group.
I was doing everything as a leader. And then it was like I just put it out there like, that's what I want. And I remember him coming to me and we sat down in the office and he wanted to give me the job. When I tuned in inside, I was like, this isn't what I really want.
Reflecting on Career Choices
Laura Grabavoy: And I remember having to tell him and I love this boss so much.
He was so good to work with. And he graciously was like, well, if that's not what you want, then I totally get it. And I just remember then I was like, well, what do I want? Well, you know, maybe I wanna have my own book of business and. And so I explored that.
Discovering True Desires
Laura Grabavoy: I gave myself permission to explore it, and I remember I had an opportunity come up and I leaned into it and I was like, Ugh, that's not really what I want.
It's what would look good. It would make me good money. It's a great opportunity. But when I really, truly just tapped within myself, I was like, not what I want. Then I had this other job that came up and I was like, Ooh. I could feel inside of me. I was like, the growth, the opportunity, this lights me up.
I get to work with higher network clients, I get to work with the team. I knew I was gonna grow. It's, it was gonna help me grow. And I wanted to really just use my gifts as an advisor, right, advising people and my clients, I was like, this is fun. This is good. So when I tapped into it, I was like, this is what I want.
I. And so that's where I got to lean in.
The Power of Inner Work
Laura Grabavoy: And that whole process around negotiating my salary was like I knew my worth because of all the work that I'd done inside. And I, I acknowledged the gifts that I have and what I brought to the table. And when I did that, I was able to powerfully show up in the interview and the negotiation process, which is beautiful.
Laura D: you know what I'm really getting from your story too. It's just every time I've read articles or things outside of you coaching with you and Elise , but , i've read like other articles in the past about like how to negotiate the words, chase, what lights you up and just explore and just be in the energetic power.
Like it doesn't come up at all. But I will say, like hearing you talk about it, it's like I want what she's having. it's like when that the Harry Met Sally, like that movie, it's I won't what she's having 'cause honestly for my listeners out there, they're probably thinking the same thing.
The advice that I've gotten is do your research, know your numbers. Look at the amount of money that the company, you're trying to, like whatever's, and so that you can prove, you know what? It's exactly what you said. It's so that you can prove that you're worth the thing, versus you were like, no, I know I am. And also it sounded like the thing you ended up doing wasn't necessarily what you thought you wanted at first. Like you
Laura Grabavoy: yeah,
Laura D: And I think that's so powerful because I am, and you know this 'cause you're, my coach, but like I'm sure I'm not the only one. We think that we can't even go after whatever we want until we have it fully nailed down. like your process sounds like a good time.
Laura Grabavoy: To state the point though too, which is where I really love to work with women and, and, and men, both. Men and women.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Laura Grabavoy: But I did not realize that, you know, I'm gonna take it back to like, in order to get to this place where I really wanted something and really tap in is I needed to do this inner work.
And I didn't realize that the trauma that had been there, the emotions of this were reflecting. And, and my positions with my job even. So it was like, I remember like even with my mom.
Laura D: I.
Laura Grabavoy: My mom had tried to, like, I wanted her to acknowledge me for what I had been through, but she wasn't in my life, at the time.
And I was like so badly wanting her to acknowledge me. I wanted to prove to her that I was good enough, you know, that I was a good daughter. To prove that I was, that I could be loved by her. And I remember like always going to her, always trying to overexplain or bring her in my world when it was like this, prove this.
Pushed this force energy and people don't realize that, that this, if they don't know how to do this inner work around this trauma, that it shows up in your life in different ways. And it was in my work, you know, it was in other relationships even my husband, my relationship with my husband, I wanted.
Him to prove that he loved me. I wanted to know that he loved me. And you know, I was like this constant, like proving this, you know, am I good enough? Like, oh, he doesn't love me. You know, like these stories that were running in my mind because I was searching and wanting stuff from my family that honestly
it wasn't healthy and not everybody's in this relationship and these types of relationships. And I'm not saying you have to have this amount of trauma. There could be little things that, you know that are there that you get to shift, but I didn't realize that without this inner work of going within myself and really stop pushing down these emotions and what we call them are limiting the beliefs that were in me, these emotions that were limiting me in my life.
And I was like, oh my God. I didn't realize that. And. I learned, how to shift them and change them. And so, as you know, you've done this work too, is that when you have a limiting belief, a belief or an emotion, how they limit us is by the way we feel. And so when we feel sad, when we feel anger, when we feel these lower emotions.
This is just our body's way of telling us that. One, we get to work on this, and two, they limit us. They're lies. They're not our truths. Then the work to do is like, and it's not bypassing. It's not like stuffing them down. It's really acknowledging and learning to heal this stuff. And then what you do is you make room then for emotions that are your truth.
Embracing Gratitude and Joy
Laura Grabavoy: And that our higher emotions, which is joy, and my biggest one was gratitude. Do you know how many days I woke up complaining about my day, thinking about, Ugh, I gotta do this? And I was like, how? I didn't even know this at the time, but it was like. I loved suffering. Suffering was like, if I'm suffering, then I'm doing something right.
I'm really working, it was what I was taught. Oh my God, how many of us wake up thinking that, if we're not suffering, we must be doing something wrong. And I was like, oh man. I remember hearing if I woke up every day with what was on my gratitude, what would be there, and I was like, oh my God, nothing would be there because I wasn't I, not that I wasn't grateful, but I wasn't intentional about it, and I was like, what if I could love pleasure more than suffering?
That changed my world, the pleasure of what is it that I really want and desire in my life? What are the relations? How do I want my relationships to be? What kind of job do I wanna have? What kind of impact in the world do I wanna have? And you know what, that's where money comes in to support me with all that.
And that's the work I love to do. I'm telling you, I've been in like the financial space wealth energetics, that there are stuff you don't even talk about. And I love to shift people's energy around money and wealth,
Laura D: I love it. And I love that
that you give about like the complaining 'cause I think that's so relatable . Can you give other examples for those who are listening who aren't familiar with what a limiting belief is? What are some examples of limiting belief or how has your life changed once you've shifted what that limiting belief was?
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah. And I'll give credit too. Where I lean into , you know, with the mentor Elise, and she sells community, and this is the work that I love to do with women and men. But Dr. Joe Dispenza was a really big, it was a big thing for me. He teaches about breaking the habit of being yourself.
I read his book and I remember, the limiting belief that was coming up for me was around this Get over yourself. I was like that. I was like, how do you get over yourself? Could you imagine saying that to a little child? Like, get over yourself.
Laura D: Sometimes we
Laura Grabavoy: And I was like.
Laura D: And that's what's sad. It's like normalized. And honestly, Laura, when you first said it to me, I didn't even realize that's a limiting belief.
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah, and it's like we don't get to get over ourselves like. No, and maybe it's like, get over that. I'm like, get, how do you get over that? How do you get over stuff? Um, I get, I get the whole thing about like, you know, like I'm, I was an athlete growing up. Like, you push your body like you perform, you, and I know you get this too, right?
You. You get this as well, but it was like there's a time where you have like resilience and courage and, persistence and 'cause you're training, but with your emotions, you don't get over it. You get to heal it. And so, the other thing is, one of the things that I bypassed for myself was I was like, I am not a victim.
I will never be a victim, but yet I was a victim. And I remember being like, I'm a survivor. I'm a survivor. But I skipped over the victim and I was like, why I think this is so important is that I was like, man, I felt like people were against me. I felt like, I remember like every, the world is against me.
Everybody's against me because I didn't feel safe. I didn't feel protected by, you know, my mom by the man who I thought was my father growing up. I didn't trust, and so it was like I had these thoughts that were running the program of my day. I remember like this was very real for me. I was like, I'd have something really good happen and I'm like, oh, when's something bad gonna happen now?
Because it couldn't be good all the time. And I was like, those are lies. And so what happens is the work that I love with this neuroscience and the stuff that Dr. Joe Dispenza talks about which is, you know, this is like the, this stuff I'd never even really tapped into, but.
I was like, when you, when your mind is, your subconscious mind has these programs of these beliefs, you're gonna find them. You're gonna look for them everywhere around you. And I wasn't consciously doing this, but it was like, you know, when is, when are things gonna go bad?
And I was like, something would happen. I'm like, see, there it is. Why did this happen? Why did this person back stab me? Why did this person do this to me? Or I'm looking for somebody to hurt me and I'm like, my God, I didn't even realize that was running the show. For me, it was like automatic, you know, like when you're driving sometimes and you're like.
The same place, or you're walking sometimes where like you're just automatically going. That's what happens with our subconscious mind, this programming that's there. The work that I got to do was like, oh, I get to create a different identity. I'm breaking the habit of being it myself.
I'm like, who do I wanna be and what do I get to change because this is not helping me at all.
Laura D: Yeah. That's so powerful. And I wanna go into so you do this amazing thing.
Breaking Free from the Cage
Laura D: You've doubled your six figure C corporate salary, right? You're doing the thing. And then tell us about any recent pivots or learnings that have happened lately. If you would like to share.
Laura Grabavoy: I know. This is so fun. And you're the first person I'm sharing this with live, so this is special for me to do this with you. So July 22nd, 2025, which was just recently, I was walking on the beach and I was with the same mentor, but now she is a business partner of mine. And so I've been in this space, which she sells, and I've been in here since the beginning.
But really just in this space, I've been doing executive coaching. I've been a director of programs and integrator. I remember walking on the beach and I remember walking and I decided to release my corporate job
Laura D: Oh my gosh. Okay.
Laura Grabavoy: And I,
Laura D: we have to dive deep because I'm sure I'm not the only one who's like.
Laura Grabavoy: oops.
Laura D: sorry. You doubled your six figure corporate job. Were there any emotions that went through or because you had done so much work, was it just an, of course, this makes sense.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's oh my God, please, is a secret dream of mine.
Laura Grabavoy: this is fun because what I had stepped into, started to become my cage.
Laura D: Say more
Laura Grabavoy: it was no longer.
So I knew in my soul, I'll tell you, the walk on the beach was fun because. I have felt this for a while. Like I've been growing and growing and I think about, I don't know if you've heard, and I think about, I actually, I was in yoga class after I did this thing, and one of the things the, and this is so fun, this is how the universe comes in to support me, but she talked about the hermit crabb.
Have you had heard the story of the hermit crabb?
Laura D: Oh yes,
Laura Grabavoy: Okay,
Laura D: may not have.
Laura Grabavoy: Yes. So I'm thinking about how hermit crab they basically, their shell is their life force, right? So, and as they grow, they grow out of the shell. It becomes that cage, it becomes like suffocating for them.
And so they get to move out of that shell, and they're a little vulnerable, right? They're like, they're looking for a bigger shell. They're looking for their next move, this growth. I think about when I was on the beach and walking, I had felt like this cage, this shell that I had been in.
I knew I wanted to release it. It no longer lit me up. What really lit me up was. Really just being in this space of really helping people grow and expand.
Choosing Yourself Anyway
Laura Grabavoy: Doing the work that I do within the community coaching you know, writing sharing my story I'm an author, a co-author, and permission to be Powerful, and I have this book that is Choose You Anyway in this movement around helping men and women to choose themselves anyway.
And so I was like, man, if. If that's something I wanna write, well I better choose me. And I remember walking along the beach and feeling like every limiting belief was coming up. And I knew, like we talk about quantum leaps and a quantum leap, if you've ever read U squared, it talks about a quantum leap isn't something that is always rational or logical.
And in order to. Really just call in what I really want. I knew I had to release what no longer felt good for me. And so I remember walking along the beach and I'm still processing this. This is so fun because like there's so much more lessons that are gonna come out of this. But I remember for, walking and Elyse actually was with me, my mentor and business partner. And we were walking along the beach and. I was releasing so many limiting beliefs that were showing up with this. And again, these beliefs that were like you're crazy. Why are you gonna do this? Like, this is not rational.
But I knew this is like my desire, this want inside of me. And I remember thinking like I know the water and the ocean is very healing. And it was like I was speaking it all out and letting it into the water. I was like, remember walking? I don't know if you've seen like the movie, something's Gotta Give and they're walking down the beach and then all of a sudden there's a moment in time where they turn and like they change the, the conversation.
Well, this conversation was positive. I remember literally like turning around and as I turned, I just knew in my body it was time to release it. And I was like, yep. And I remember just speaking it out. Once I get back to the car, I'm making the call and I made the call.
Laura D: Oh my gosh, I'm processing it too. It wasn't even me who did it. So it's been as,
Laura Grabavoy: I know I.
Laura D: recording, , a little over a week ago. How are you feeling about it now?
Laura Grabavoy: It is been like, I've been on a high, like it's been so good. But I will tell you, like I did not realize, you know, when your passion, when this cage, it was a cage, I felt like it became a cage. It wasn't always like this. Um, but what I realized is that my passion was no longer. And this, and it was like, it took so much for me.
I do a lot of work around my energy, around really cultivating joy and gratitude. And I remember like, it just started to become heavy and that was my sign, that it was time to release it. And so I released it and I was like. Okay. Wow. I felt like, what am I gonna do with my time now? And, but you know, of course I'm fully into, uh, the She Cells world, which is so fun.
You think about your energy sucking like over here to like, and it was like I was doing all this work to keep high vibe and. And yet I was like, this isn't like my calling. This isn't my purpose. I know this inside because of the work that I do. And I was like, you know what?
If I'm this transformational coach, if I'm helping other women to step into their true power and purpose and really just this transformation, I'm a hypocrite. If I don't do it, I'm telling others to do. And so like I knew inside of myself what I needed to do, what I get to do not, and again, it wasn't for anything.
Else, but it was like my own soul calling to do it. And so, and it's been fun. I'm like, but I get to rework these limiting beliefs that come up now around this. And so I know that I am fully supported and I know that I trust myself. So just like when I made that decision with, you know, what I wanted, I was like, I choose that same methodology for myself and this piece, I was like, what do you want?
I'm tuning into it all the time. And I was like, this is what I really want. And guess what? I don't have all the answers and how it's all planned out, but I trust myself and I know, again, I know my worth. I know what I bring to the table. I know who I am and I know that I'm fully supported. And I have, like, I look back and again, I bring up Steve Jobs thing about looking back and connecting the dots.
And I have so much evidence that when I trusted in myself. When I followed my passion, when, and, and I keep, you know, doing this work I've seen, so not only the six figure income that I manifested, but I've had so much healing in my life. I've had, transformations around my relationship. I've called in other sources of income for myself, which is something I wanted.
And so, I know that money can come to us and flow to us in many ways and I've seen it happen in my life.
And now it was like I get to really lean into this more and the belief of it, and it's fun.
Laura D: Oh my God, my smile's so big. I don't, I've, so excited. I'm excited for you and Laura, I can guarantee there's probably a lot of people who were listening who were like. my God. You're just speaking into words, what's in my brain, what I was afraid to admit to, and I would love to connect with you and work with you.
Connecting with Laura
Laura D: So if anyone is thinking that, how can they get ahold of you and be in your energy?
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah, so you can follow me on well LinkedIn now, now I can be on LinkedIn and talk about all the things , which is fun. You know, I get the corporate side of things, but I don't need to get it
anymore. so you can connect with me on LinkedIn on Instagram. It's just my name, Laura, Grabavoy.
And then I would love for you to follow my journey with Choose You anyway I'll be sharing some of the stuff around the book, and around this movement that is really just lights me up about you get to choose you. And so, yeah, that's the best way to
Laura D: That's
Laura Grabavoy: get ahold of me or follow.
Laura D: the show notes. So don't worry about writing it down. I've got you.
Final Thoughts and Reflections
Laura D: And I have one question that I always ask my guests, and it is,
You are an item at a coffee shop, so it could be a drink or like a goodie or anything, what would you be and why?
Laura Grabavoy: Ooh. So my favorite drink is the, shaken espresso with hazelnut at Starbucks. So why I love it is because it's deep and dark, just like me. It's a little bit of sweet. And a little bit of crazy 'cause you shake it up.
Laura D: yes. That
Laura Grabavoy: Oh. Like I like to shake it up. I like to go deep and I am very sweet and authentic, so I'm just like the drink that I drink.
Laura D: And like
Laura Grabavoy: Yes.
Laura D: of truth, man. Honestly,
Laura Grabavoy: I.
Laura D: for those listening, Laura, the other day, like we were on a call and she was like Laura to me not talking to herself. She was like, Laura, what is it that you're feeling because your energy feels off. What is it that you need to release?
And I was like, why do you see me so well? but honestly,
Laura Grabavoy: Yeah. Yes.
Laura D: recommend Laura enough.
Laura Grabavoy: I love it with you. I know we're on the corporate side of things, you know, we get to change things and we get to change it by who we are, and who we're being. And so the way we show up by choosing ourselves anyways is what's so important. So I want your listeners to remember that, to choose yourself that it doesn't matter.
The noise around you, it doesn't matter. Let's go within and you get to really connect with your own truth, and trust yourself and choose you anyway.
Big thanks again to Laura. Grab Avo for sharing her story so openly. These conversations are such a reminder that no pivot is too messy, too late, or too unconventional. If something she said resonated, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with someone you know who needs it, and when you are ready to start your own pivot.
Head to www.leadintact.com for free resources or book a free 20 minute call with me. I'm here for you.