Glass Half Full
Glass Half Full
Who Are We Beyond What We Can See?
How do you navigate life when the world around you literally begins to disappear? Laura Bratton takes us on a remarkable journey through her experience of losing her sight as a child and discovering a deeper kind of vision along the way.
Diagnosed at age nine with a rare retinal condition, Laura gradually lost her sight throughout middle and high school—a particularly painful time as her peers were gaining independence through driver's licenses while she was losing hers. Yet through this profound challenge, Laura discovered a powerful framework for resilience that she now shares with others: the balance of grit and gratitude.
The most touching moments in our conversation reveal how Laura's family refused to let blindness become her identity or excuse. When teenage Laura tried using her condition to get out of chores, her mother simply said, "Laura, unload the dishwasher" and walked away—a moment of "tough love" that Laura initially resented but now recognizes as one of her greatest gifts. These experiences taught her that limitations don't diminish worth, and that acknowledging difficulties while choosing to move forward anyway is the essence of true courage.
Laura's definition of gratitude might surprise you. It's not about constant positivity or denying difficult emotions. Rather, it means being thankful for what helps us move through challenges—sometimes as simple as appreciating that a particularly tough day is finally over. This refreshing perspective liberates us from the pressure to "stay positive" and instead encourages authentic engagement with our full human experience.
As founder of Ubi Global and author of "Harnessing Courage," Laura now guides individuals and organizations through significant life changes and what she calls "non-death losses"—the grieving process that accompanies major life transitions beyond literal death. Her story reminds us that healing integrates mind, body, and spirit, and that our greatest challenges often become the foundation for our most meaningful contributions to others.
What change are you facing that could benefit from both grit and gratitude? Join us for this transformative conversation about seeing beyond sight and finding strength in vulnerability.
//www.laurabratton.com/
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, and welcome to another episode of Glass Half Full, a podcast and a safe platform where we talk with a variety of teachers, entrepreneurs, spiritualists, uplifters, givers, shakers and serenaders. Everyone has a lesson to learn and a lesson to share. Let's use our life experiences to enrich someone's heart, mind, spirit and soul. Through sharing our experiences, we can be a learning inspiration for one another. I'm your host, chris Levins. If you love the show and want to support us, you can become a monthly subscriber or make a one-time donation. Can become a monthly subscriber or make a one-time donation. Just look for the heart icon or the support link on our podcast platform. We're so grateful for your continued support. It helps us keep making this show even better.
Chris:Let's welcome today's guest. Today's guest is Laura Bratton. At the age of nine, laura was diagnosed with an eye disease and faced the difficult reality that she would become blind. She is the author of the book Harnessing Courage. Laura founded Ubi Global, which is an organization that provides speaking and coaching to empower all people to overcome challenges and obstacles with grit and gratitude. Let's welcome Laura Bratton. Hello, hello, hello.
Laura:Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity.
Chris:Can you tell everyone where you are in the world and what time it is? Please everyone where?
Laura:you are in the world and what time it is, please. So it is morning. It's nine o'clock in the morning in the southeast of the United States.
Chris:Excellent and thank you so much for taking some time out to be a guest here. On Glass Half Full.
Laura:We're so happy to have you today. Thank you for the opportunity. I appreciate it.
Chris:I'm excited. Yes, okay, we're going to jump right on in. I like to ask all my guests this first question I believe that our lives are in spiritual design. Can you share your life layout or blueprint with everyone? This is how you grew up, where your family lifestyle, and then just bring us up to today.
Laura:So I grew up in South Carolina, so in the deep southeast of the United States, very southern life. My mom was the teacher, my dad was in real estate. I have one older brother he's five years older Grew up there was literally we counted 60 kids on the street where we lived, and so it was constant riding your bikes, climbing trees.
Chris:You said 60 kids on one street. Yes, literally I was trying to do the math, I was like that's a lot of people.
Laura:It's a lot of people, but it was a lot of fun because everyone was always outside, everyone was always in their yard. There was always a kid to play with or tend to play with, so it was great. I was active in dance church. The brownies which comes before when you're young comes before Girl Scouts Did brownies for is comes before when you're young comes before girl scouts did brownies for a couple years. So just super active, extroverted, having a brother that was five years older, always keeping up with him and his friends, so forgetting I was five years younger, so it was it was a joy I love that, I that, and then, leading up to today, everything changed around the age of nine.
Laura:So, as the age of nine, my parents started to notice that I was holding books a little bit closer to my face than normal. I was sitting closer to the chair, or I was sitting in the chair closest to the TV, rather than just sitting anywhere in the den. There were such slight changes I didn't notice.
Chris:I was about to say, were you aware of?
Laura:No, I was not aware at all. Wow, so my parents just made a routine ophthalmology appointment. Maybe she needs glasses, maybe contacts We'll get them and move on with their lives. That appointment led to a summer of constant appointments and having blood drawn and it sent literally all over the world for testing. And at the end of that summer I ended up working with a pediatric retina specialist in Atlanta, in Emory, and they were not able to make a formal diagnosis because it's so incredibly rare. So basically the most simple form that I can explain.
Laura:The cells in my retina started deteriorating and the cause of that was not known then. And still, 30 years later, even with all the genetic testing I do constantly, it still has not been exactly discovered. The gene has not been discovered that has caused the deterioration. So my optic nerve is perfect. My visual cortex is great. It's the connection of the retina, literally the cells in the retina. So for me as a nine-year-old I was in that appointment I obviously heard everything, but the gift of being a nine-year-old was that I could not emotionally process what that meant for my future. Yeah, so fast forward to middle school.
Chris:Yeah, because we're going to go back and talk in depth about yes, but let's keep going Fast forward. Take us.
Laura:The middle school. That's when I lost a significant amount of sight. Okay, so basically between in the four years of high school, that's when I lost all my vision. So by the end of high school I have. What I have now is no sight, Very, very, very limited light perception.
Chris:Wow, okay, okay. So bringing that into the education to high school. After high school, what happens? I mean this, of course, must change your trajectory, because now certain things you know as far as going on to college. Did you have to learn to read Braille?
Laura:Yes, so I actually learned Braille in middle school before I needed it because we knew I was actively losing my sight and that it was coming. So I learned it before I needed it and then, as I needed it went, there was very specifically because of my blindness. So they have being one of the largest universities in the country, they have the resources to have incredible disability resources. So they have a whole disability department that integrates people with all types of disability physical, mental everything into the university system.
Chris:That's awesome, yes, I didn't go.
Laura:It wasn't like a separate part of the school or separate part of the campus.
Chris:You're like I was in the school Right.
Laura:I was in the school. I was in all the normal college things. All the normal college things I love it.
Chris:I love that. Yes, of course, of course.
Laura:Good and bad, right Right.
Chris:Of course, that's what I'm saying, me too, anyone who's gone to college. We all shake our head right now.
Laura:Like I'm still alive, right.
Chris:Amen, me too.
Laura:Yes, that was a wonderful healing experience because it taught me you're still you, you're still human, you just can't see as well, and with accommodations, you can be perfectly integrated into the world.
Chris:And so college. As you have finished school, you're able to graduate with some type of certification or certificate.
Laura:Yes, I graduated with a BA in psychology and the reason for the psychology was again because of my life experience. I became fascinated in how we heal, how does our mind heal when we've experienced such traumatic changes and just grief process. So I got my BA in psychology and then, again because of my interest in that mind-body-spirit connection, I went to grad school and was the first person to graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary with a master's in Divinity. And, like I said, the reason for that was to then connect the theology, the spiritual, with the psychological, Because I knew through my own experience healing wasn't just mental.
Chris:It's so true.
Laura:It wasn't just the physical learning braille, it was the mind, body, spirit, completely connected. I couldn't really separate one from the other in my healing process.
Chris:Wow, wow. And were you able to continue on to have a family? Yes, oh, I love that.
Laura:Yes. So, engage now. Oh okay, miss Lady.
Chris:Hey, put a ring on it, congratulations. That's exciting. That's exciting. Any pets?
Laura:I've had growing up I had going to troopers labs and then, since basically in college I've had beginning, in college I got my first guide dog and then I had her for 11 years. And then I had my second guide dog for about 11, 12 years as well, and then she passed. My second guide dog passed away about a well actually literally a year ago so and I haven't gotten a new guide dog since then.
Laura:So I don't currently have pets, but this is the only year in my life I haven't had a pet or service animal.
Chris:Well, hey, you've got an engagement that takes the place of your companion, your companion is taken, I get it.
Chris:I get it. I love that. I love that. I love that your life is full. And now we're going to go back. I want to go back. I just wanted you to give a little touch about just the design of what's happening and let's go back to the nine year old. So what did you love when you were a kid? What were you doing? You know, because now the kids today they don't. You know. You say stuff and they look like crazy, like oh, hopscotch chalk. They're like what are you talking about?
Laura:stuff and they look like crazy, like oh, hopscotch chalk. They're like what are you talking about? Yeah, my, my nieces and and stuff don't look at me like I'm absolutely. Oh my gosh, mine too I talk about like a cd right I know, don't say a record, they're like what?
Laura:oh gosh, no. So as a child I was so extroverted and love, love, loved being outside. Being outside it was torture when I had to. Basically, I wanted to come inside to eat and sleep. That was it. I loved being out in nature. I loved riding bikes, I loved climbing trees, I loved we didn't live at the beach but we spent a lot of time at the beach. So I loved the water, loved boating, basically anything outside.
Chris:Anything outside, so it was a visual world for you before this.
Laura:Yes 100%.
Chris:So what part of losing your sight was the most difficult to adjust to as a younger person? Because I'm sure it may be changed. As you know, things are getting older. But as a young person, this not you before, you're not even a teenager yet that you would experience. What was the? What was the? The hardest part?
Laura:so the hardest part most difficult to adjust. Yeah, and the hardest part, the most difficult was when I was in those high school years when, up until then, it was basically I just needed magnification and large.
Chris:OK, so you were still fine about, OK OK.
Laura:So that wasn't a huge mental adjustment. The hardest, most difficult part was in those high school years. As my friends are getting their permit and driver's license and becoming more independent, I'm actively losing my vision and going through a deep, deep, deep grieving process. So that was the hardest part I was losing as they were gaining.
Chris:Oh gosh, wow, Wow, I had to sit there.
Laura:I vividly remember sitting at McAllister's and we were having a turkey sandwich. I still literally remember it, I'm still sitting there and we were having dinner right before a high school football game and friends were talking about oh, I've just gotten my permit and I've just gotten my license and just passed the test. And I'm sitting there just dying inside like, oh my gosh, it takes me 10 hours to what takes you five minutes of homework? You know it takes me so much longer just to survive high school English. And you just got the gift of your license today. So that grieving I wasn't mad at them, obviously.
Laura:I was excited for them, but I was just grieving for myself. I can't do that. That'll never happen for me. So it was a deep, deep. The most difficult process was the grieving what I was not able to do and what I was losing.
Chris:Wow, wow, wow, wow. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you. How did your parents respond to this? Because you know, as the adults, they knew what was really going on and probably what was going to come. How were they with you? Did you notice a change in them or were they able to hide things because of you know out from you about the feeling of what was really going on?
Laura:of you know out from you about the feeling of what was really going on. So that was the incredible gift. The, the my parents and brother reaction was absolutely the gift. Again, in those high school years, when it's the most difficult, when it's the most just change and mindset. That was the gift of looking back. It was a healthy balance of. It is what it is. Yes, it's super hard, but we're not going to say it's easy. We're not going to say, oh, life is just normal, let's just keep going. We're just going to be very real. This is hard, we don't know what the future looks like. But here's the gift.
Laura:Every single day they would say to me Laura, all we have to do today is figure out the next moment. Oh, I love that. All we have to do is figure out breakfast and get to school on time. Wow, all we have to do is figure out breakfast and get to school on time. And where I was absolutely overwhelmed with anxiety and panic attacks and deep depression. They're constant. All we have to do is day by day, by day and I laugh at this now. At the time I was like you are so mean. One of the greatest gifts. Again, it's like the turkey sandwich story. I still remember this so well. I was convinced one night that, as a high school person and my brilliant high school mind that I wasn't going to have to do tours anymore at home because I was blind.
Chris:So I used my blindness as an excuse.
Laura:Isn't that a brilliant idea. I love it, laura, I love it.
Chris:Why not right? What did you say? Give me a break, people.
Laura:Yeah, usage of my advantage. Right, just get by with things in life. I thought I had this world figured out. I love it. So my mom remember. I said she's a teacher, so keep that in mind. She said to me one night, literally walking out of the kitchen Laura, it's time to unload the dishwasher. And I was standing right there by the dishwasher and I just kind of put my hand on the counter and I said, oh, mom, I can't unload the dishwasher, I'm going blind, expecting all pity in the world, right. And she turned around and she looked at me and said Laura, unload the dishwasher. And then she walked away.
Chris:I know that's right.
Laura:And my dad in the den heard all this and didn't come to my rescue.
Chris:He didn't jump off the house, he knew better. He knew better. You don't come to my rescue. He didn't jump off the house, he knew better. He knew better.
Laura:You don't have to unload the dishwasher. At the time, I was like you two are the meanest people parents in the world, of course and so I unloaded the dishwasher, angry. You know. What I realized is they were teaching me through their actions, by my mom saying that and my dad not coming to my rescue. They were saying you can still know the dishwasher, you're still you, you still matter, you're still enough, you still are equally as our daughter, just like our son is our son. Yes, maybe some of the forks and knives will be mixed up in the silverware drawer, but that's not the point.
Laura:The point is you can still live and you cannot use blindness as an excuse.
Chris:That's exactly it. You cannot, because the world is not going to care enough.
Laura:Right, right, a hundred percent. This is like, yeah, I've learned this the hard way, this is hard love. And this is exactly right.
Chris:Because the world is not going to care. My mom has said the same thing in a different frame, a different system. Yeah, yeah. I'm doing this, so you understand? Yes, because they are not going to care and they're going to do it and they're going to do it, and they're going to. Yeah, wow, yes, parents Love it. And so you said you had an older brother, correct?
Laura:Yes, and again I thought he was a mean brother because he didn't, as I'm losing my sight, he didn't feel sorry for me, my sight. He didn't feel sorry for me. Like when we're playing at a literal example, when we're playing basketball out in the backyard, in the driveway, he didn't let me win. Like he didn't give me free shots, like he was like no, the ball, go go find it, you know. Like I'm not going to go get it for you. It's rolling down the driveway, you go get it, you go find it. And I was like, oh my God, you're so mean, right, like you're cruel, oh my gosh. But again, and we can, we still, I still laugh at it. Now I'm like that is the greatest gift you taught me. I was still your annoying little sister. Yeah, and that was the healing at that time that I needed. I didn't know I needed it, but just to be treated normal was all I needed.
Chris:Yes, yes, oh, wow. That is something I love it. The family is hilarious. Are you guys close today? Is your family still living? Oh, okay.
Laura:And what's even hilarious about this story? It's come full circle. They were mean to me growing up so I thought and now I'm the one, the first person they call when they need the mindset, mental, emotional, grieving support.
Chris:Look how the tables have turned. I love it.
Laura:And we laugh at that all the time. You're like, oh my gosh, we were mean to you for a couple of years. You know well, they know I call it mean, but it wasn't really mean. It was love and healing for a couple of years and now you're supporting us for a lifetime.
Chris:I love that.
Laura:So, yes, it's fun now that the tables have turned.
Chris:I love it. I love it. You talk about the grit and the gratitude, so I guess some of this is involved in that, in the story that you just told about it, that you've been able to find the midst of that and the trauma and transitioning things that are happening. I'm wondering is there a religious outlet as well? Was your family religious? Did you guys go to church? Was there any type of you know something on that sense or some community base where you guys were getting some type of, I guess, advice from?
Laura:Yes, so growing up in the Deep South, no surprise, we were Christians. So I grew up in the Methodist church. So church on Sundays? Yes, youth group on Sunday nights. You're there on Wednesdays.
Chris:Your life is there.
Laura:Yes, your life is there. It's a social activity. What was fascinating and deeply healing as a family as we went through this experience obviously my parents are grieving as well we were quickly realized just through our life experience. Faith is not about just showing up at church in a building.
Chris:Oh, no, no.
Laura:We instantly realized faith is deeper than just the religious showing up to be seen. It's that deep spiritual connection that, even in the midst of grief, even in the midst of loss, we matter. And a big, tangible example that I can give just to illustrate what I mean is so many people would say you know God is good, as good things are happening Right.
Chris:It's so true.
Laura:When life is going good and my parents would just kind of shake their head and they'd say God is so good, even though my daughter can't see, and healing. I mean we had countless people, and still do, praying for my healing. Yes, just because I haven't received my healing doesn't mean God doesn't heal us, god doesn't love us, god isn't with us.
Chris:And that the healing has not had start as you have. You know there's been many parts, like you say, of healing right, inner healing, outer healing, and so there's been a lot that's happening with that. So, but I love that A hundred percent.
Chris:I love it, so your parents were praying, so people from the church were praying. You guys had that behind you, yes, yes, I love that. I love that. It's nothing like to have that backing you know behind you about you know some type of spiritual or some type of religious you know thing, because they're all for doing something good, a hundred percent. So, whatever people call it, oh, I love that, I love that. So I want to talk a little bit about your book, which is titled Harnessing Courage. What does courage mean to you now?
Laura:And how has that definition evolved? So first I want to talk about why I titled it Harnessing Courage.
Chris:Yes, please.
Laura:And then specifically talk about how I define courage. I'm so glad you asked because I love talking about why I specifically named the title or named the book Harnessing Courage. So, as I shared earlier, I've had two guide dogs and the leather strap that goes around the dog and then the end of that strap that the person holds the end of the harness is called the harness. So, out of respect and just deep gratitude for both of my guide dogs, I named it Harnessing Courage because it took a lot of courage for me to pick up the harness and trust that 60-pound black lab to literally be my eyes. So, just out of respect and gratitude is why I named it Harnessing Courage.
Laura:How I define courage now is having the ability to acknowledge and validate how we're feeling and then choosing to move forward with courage looks like acknowledging okay, I'm really really upset and angry and sad, sitting here eating dinner with my friends as they're talking about getting their license. Yet having courage looks like feeling that emotion, validating that emotion and then choosing to keep going. This is just what it is. So, again, it's that emotion, validating that emotion and then choosing to keep going. This is just what it is. So, again, it's that grieving and moving forward all at the same time.
Chris:I love that, I love that. And before this, what would you have said? That it was Just the word of feeling brave. Brave, never feeling your feelings pushing through just that toxic positivity yeah, an outer shell of what the real feeling of of right feeling.
Laura:it is a hundred percent. Wow, wow and um. What do you hope that people will take away from this reading was to be that resource for others that I've received from my family and community so, as they empower me at the worst, darkest, deepest time of my life, I want to be that source of empowerment for other people going through change. So this book is specifically for people as you're just in the midst of major change and trying to figure out how in the world do I move forward? Am I going to survive? Am I still enough? What does life look like now? Who am I? This book lays out, tells my story and then constantly turns it back to the reader to say how do you apply this to your life? Where you are now? All of our change is different, yes, but the grief process and the emotional process, the anxiety, the anger, the depression that's the commonality.
Chris:Yeah, you're right. And having a chance to reflect on self, you know, in these areas to really take a look for, I love that. I love that. Let's hear a word from one of our sponsors. Body and Voice Studios Want to improve your singing, strengthen your vocal projection or refine your diction. Now you can take voice lessons from anywhere in the world with Body Voice Studios. Their expert vocal coaches offer personalized online lessons so you can learn to sing from the comfort of your home, no matter where you are. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced singer, they'll give you the tools and understanding you need to use your voice with confidence. Mention Glass Half Full Podcast and receive 10% off your first trial lesson online. Visit wwwbodyinvoicestudioscom to get started today Again. Visit wwwbody the letter N voicestudioscom. So let me ask you what does your inner dialogue sound like on a tough day and how do you coach yourself through it?
Laura:Sorry, no, that's perfect. Sorry, I started too quick.
Chris:No, no, it's okay.
Laura:On a tough day. It looks like fast forward now, not in the high school college days.
Chris:No, no, no, yes, please Fast forward now, not in the high school college days.
Laura:No, no, no, yes, please. The inner dialogue looks like sitting with the pain, sitting with the grief. If I need to and I do this all the time just go in the bathroom and have a five-minute cry, just acknowledging the difficulty of the situation, whatever that difficult situation was, acknowledging that feeling that, and then, in the next moment, choosing to keep going, choosing just to do the next thing, whatever that next thing is If it's a phone call, email, you know, whatever it is, so it's the inner dialogue. Looks like that courage, that grieving, whatever it is, so it's, it's the inner dialogue. Looks like that courage, that grieving and then moving forward.
Chris:And then doing something to continue, yes, to continue the movement of it. I love it. Thank you for your truth. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you for sharing that. Can you share a moment when you surprised yourself with your own strength, maybe for someone else? Yeah, you know those moments sometimes when you just have, you know, you're in the moment, maybe giving some good advice to someone. You're like somehow you kind of like step outside yourself and you're like, wow, it's flowing. In that moment where you're surprised, like wow, look at you know, look where I've come from to be able to dig to give this advice.
Laura:Honestly, it hasn't been one moment. But circling back, it was the process of writing the book. Oh, okay, when I got done writing the book and and then I went back and as the editor and I were going back through it and it's like, did I say that that's helpful, going back and reading the book, that that was the moment that you're talking about. Okay.
Chris:Okay. So when you so okay you go back, you read the book, what do you feel? What did you pull out of your own writing? What did you get? A deeper understanding Did you get like? What did you come out with that you didn't when you went inside before you started the read?
Laura:A deeper understanding of how hard life has been and also what I've overcome and moved through and continue to live with every day.
Chris:How hard life has been for you, or just for yourself, okay, okay, you had a chance to look at yourself.
Laura:Yes, realizing, oh, most people my age haven't been through all this, because when you're in the midst of it, it's survival, yes, and so you just assume everybody's going there. I mean, you know, cognitively they're not, but you're just like, oh, this is everyone's experience. And to step back a little bit and what you said, to look inside and realize, wow, this has been really really, really hard, painful, and yet I have developed a sense of strength and courage that I'm proud of. That goes back again to your question. That surprises me. Yes, so it's that both and Realizing how hard it was and also being surprised at the courage I've developed.
Chris:I love that. I love that yes.
Laura:Yes.
Chris:So let me ask you if fear shows up now in your life, what's your first move?
Laura:Acknowledge the fear, recognizing. And the reason I say that again it goes back to circles, back to what we've been talking about is how I used to find courage is don't be fear, I can't be fearful. No, no, no it was like I never let myself feel the fear. So the healing, the power comes when we're fearful, just to say, all right, I'm fearful and here's why.
Chris:Yeah, this is it. This is it and the reason why and you know, sometimes being fearful is not a bad thing- Right, right. You know what?
Laura:I mean Like I'm actually glad, I'm fearful in this situation.
Chris:Yeah, this, is it Right that I do feel some type of way, Something is telling me that you know something's not, is off or something's not right or something you know. The awareness of it, I think, is important as well to be able to, you know, be in the moment, to be aware of what's happening. So definitely recognizing it and stepping into what it is, calling it what it is. I love that. I want to talk a little bit about resilience. What does that word mean to you in your life?
Laura:Again, very similar to courage, Resilience is acknowledging the hard and choosing to keep going. So again, using that example of fear to me, resilience is acknowledging that I'm fearful and then choosing to do something about it so the fear doesn't overwhelm me and shut me down.
Chris:So you believe everyone has access to resilience?
Laura:A hundred percent yes.
Chris:Yeah, yeah, maybe some don't know how to get there or know what they need to do.
Laura:Or want to get there.
Chris:You know what. I didn't want to say that, but thank you for the truth and stepping in on that. But you're right, you're right. Some people like exactly where they're at.
Laura:Because sometimes I mean it's not but it feels easier not to be resilient. It feels easier just not to try In to be resilient. It feels easier just not to try. In the short term, that's easier. Yes, in the long life human experience, that's not helpful.
Chris:Right? No, not at all, not at all. I love that. I love that At the end we'll talk about where people can find your book and dig in a little deeper. With that, I wanted to change a little bit and talk about your company, ubi Global. Tell us about it. What inspired you to start it? What does the name mean?
Laura:Yeah, so I founded the organization for the exact reason that I wrote the book. So through speaking, through speaking to organizations and then also coaching, working with people one-on-one, I use the exact model that I wrote about in the book the balance of grit and gratitude. And again, the reason I developed the organization was all to help people. How do we navigate through change when we've experienced such a major change? How do we navigate through and not let the change shut us down, lock us down in fear? So the book, the coaching, the speaking was 100% Because I had received support that empowered me to move forward. I wanted to spend, and am spending, my life, being that support to others in the world.
Chris:I love that, Laura. That is so fantastic. That is so fantastic. So, okay, well, what does the name mean? Anything special? Why did you choose it?
Laura:Yes, again, that was like harnessing courage. So the word Ubi means is in Latin and it means when or where. So I'm and the reason I chose that I'm constantly asking others that I work with and organizations that I speak to when or where do you need grit and when or where do you need gratitude?
Chris:Oh, this is it right, because sometimes we can mix it up or not give it when we're supposed to. On that, I never thought about it until you just said it, but Right, wow. So can you give us an example, now that we've talked about it? Until you just said it? But Right, hmm, right, wow. So can you give us an example, now that we've talked about it, when do you use grit and when should you use gratitude?
Laura:Yeah, they work in balance. Okay, so it's not all one, it's not all the other. They work perfectly together. And what I mean by that is again let's go back to that the silverware story example or the silverware jar. In that situation it took even though I was angry in the moment, it took grit to just say okay, I will well. No, let's think about it from our parents' perspective. It took a lot of grit for them to say, okay, I will well. No, let's think about it from my parents' perspective. It took a lot of grit for them to say you need to unload the dishwasher. Even though they wanted to baby me, feel sorry for me, they knew the long run what I needed to learn. The lesson was you're still you. So that took that grit in that moment to choose courage to say, even though it's going to be hard for you, you have to unload the dishwasher.
Chris:And I love the fact that she walked away. Right, you sorted out. That's not up to me, right you? However, you need to do that. That's your business and I'm out the way. I love that. That's my mom too.
Laura:Yeah, she literally turned a ball down my hall.
Chris:I love that I love your mom for that because it's true and you know a lot of parents today are a little too supportive, where the kids are not able to do enough because they feel bad, whatever their reason is. I'm not a parent so I really can't speak on that, but I am a teacher and I just noticed that the kids are, you know, they are kind of coddled. Sometimes, when you feel like they're capable of doing it, they do it for me in the class all day, all day, and when they see you then they can't do it no more, right? So which?
Laura:says what's happening. Yeah, it takes a lot of grit for her to say in this moment, yeah, it takes a lot of grit for her to say, in this moment I'm choosing what's hard, and the balance of gratitude is just her being grateful to believe in me, knowing that I'm enough. So then fast forward to today. Like, let's go to the example I'm talking about of my inner dialogue. Today, the balance of grit and gratitude looks like let me grieve in this moment, let me have that five minutes in the bathroom of crying it out, and then the gratitude is I choose and I'm grateful that I can keep going, that this fear, this grief doesn't just have to overwhelm me, swallow me, shut me down for the rest of the day.
Chris:And you know, when you bring in that gratitude and gratefulness, you can't be angry. It doesn't just have to overwhelm me, swallow me, shut me down for the rest of the day. And you know, when you bring in that gratitude and gratefulness, you can't be angry. It doesn't work that way. They both don't sit in the energy at the same time. So if you go into that, it's going to pull that other right on out the way. Right, you know, right. So that's another way to feel like, yeah, this is it. We're not going to sit in it because it's easy to sit. It's easy to sit and it's time and a place. Like you say, get that bathroom, cry whatever I always say, people feel the emotion. Like you should feel the emotion. Let it touch you in the way that it's going to touch you. So you really understand what it is Jealousy, whatever, really, if people can be honest to express what the emotion really is and then release it.
Laura:Yes, Let it go.
Chris:I mean, I don't want to, because otherwise the body is holding on to it and you just feel like yeah. And it destroys you. Yes, from the inside, you're like no, no, no, no, no, no, no. So, okay, with the company. I want to ask you you said you've been working with different clients and different type of organizations. Have you learned something from someone or from an organization through your experience in teaching them that you like? An unexpected lesson or unexpected learning experience that you received while teaching?
Laura:Yes, yes, just, it has been such an amazing experience just to witness other people's strength in so many different ways, so many different ways. So the gift of what I do is again in the speaking and the coaching. I don't tell them, this is exactly how you have to do it to heal. I'm saying here are the resources of grit and gratitude. Now you go, apply it. You go just what you were saying about your mom.
Laura:You go figure it out. I'm not smart enough to tell you exactly what to do and how it's going to work for you. What I know is these resources work, so it has been deeply healing, deeply encouraging, inspiring. Just to be that guide, to be that support, to say here are the resources and then to observe how people use them. That has been deeply, deeply healing and empowering and I absolutely love it.
Chris:Oh, I love that. I love that. So are you doing? Is it one-on-one work? Is it with, like, a lot of people? Can you give us? An example Do people come?
Laura:in from the office. Yeah, so the speaking is all traveling across the country, traveling across the United States, speaking to corporations, organizations. Again, the common theme and why they bring me in, is they're experiencing some type of change that they have to obviously figure out a way to navigate forward.
Chris:Now, is this, on all levels, like corporate businesses, Like you know what I don't know? Maybe you can't say like what type of industry is like, but I'm just trying to imagine like, is it like that type of corporate stuff?
Laura:or yes, it's both corporate and associations.
Chris:Oh, ok, ok.
Laura:So it's both corporation work and associations. And then the individual work is, again, not necessarily one type of person. What I mean by that is like one specific type of change, it's more a non-death loss. So again, what I mean by that, we often think of grieving as the death of a human, the death of a loved one, the death of a friend, the death of someone we know and care about.
Chris:Something dying.
Laura:Yes, the grieving process is when we lose anything significant, whether it's a physical illness, whether it's a job loss, a relational change, you know, a cancer diagnosis, some type of major change we're experiencing. So typically, the people I work with are experiencing non-death losses Okay, and I work with them and support them on, again, how to navigate through that change.
Chris:Wow, wow. Where do you see this work in the future? What is it that you'd like to be doing? What is?
Laura:it that you'd like to be doing. I'm so deeply passionate and love both the combination of the speaking and the coaching, so my goal is definitely to continue the speaking and do a lot of speaking, but then also balance that with the individual, because I love the corporate association work and then I also love the individual work of being able to go really deep with individuals, so my goal is to keep it, keep them both, keep them both, not just one or the other, but keep them both going.
Chris:I love that, I love that. And how do you keep good mental health? What do you do to keep yourself ready and prepared, besides the cries in the bathroom?
Laura:So great question. I focus a lot on holistic healing. So again, that mind, body, spirit connection. So for me, I've done a lot of research and worked with a lot of people on what lifestyle and when I mean lifestyle, specifically the eating, the exercising what are those daily habits that just have become part of my foundation? So it's not. Oh, I'm on a diet now for three months and I'm not going to eat that type of food or whatever.
Laura:You're making a lifestyle change months and I'm not going to eat that type of food or whatever. You're making a lifestyle change, right, but a lifestyle change that, not a lot of processed food. And one of the major reasons I do that and have chosen that is I feel completely different. My anxiety is less when I have a lot of sugar and processed food. I am so anxious it just even if. Even if I don't have a lot of sugar and processed food, I am so anxious it just even if I don't have a clue why it just my anxiety is so much higher. So for me, eating well is really important.
Laura:Exercising is deeply important. That is so, so, so healing for me and again on that lifestyle foundation, not just that, like I'm gonna do this for six weeks and see how it goes. Again being outside nature. Even though I can't visually see it, I have those deep memories for so long.
Chris:And you can feel it.
Laura:I can feel it.
Chris:You can take your shoes off, you can touch the grass.
Laura:Absolutely. Now here's a question for you.
Chris:People say that when one thing is taken away as a sense, the other ones are more advanced. Do you feel that about yourself? Is your hearing or your sense of smell or touch or taste magnified?
Laura:Yes and no. Okay, I don't, okay. So my experience has been it the other senses don't advance. Okay, I'm just more in tune to the other senses. Oh, because, think about it, you're you're depending on five, I'm depending on four. So it's not necessarily my hearing didn't just like become.
Chris:You're not a superhero here. Pretty good Bionic woman Like no joke.
Laura:People ask me like can you hear through walls?
Chris:Yeah, this is it. I was over here like can you what's you know?
Laura:So it's not that the other senses get better, it's that I depend on them more, and so I'm more in tune to them.
Chris:Okay, so do you find, because you're more in tune, that you have greater use of them than maybe the average person?
Laura:Yes.
Chris:Okay, yes, absolutely. Can you give us an example?
Laura:That's what I was just trying to think about.
Chris:I'm sorry, no, no, no, it's just those everyday small moments of oh did you hear that?
Laura:That's what I was just trying to think about. I'm sorry, it's those everyday small moments of oh, did you hear that? And the people around me hear what? What was it? They have no clue what I'm talking about. Like, what did you hear? What did he talk about? So I pick up on those little nuances. Again those little nuances, that. It's not that other people don't want to hear whatever or can't hear you're not hearing.
Laura:It's just that they're more in tune I love that so again, the example I like to use is you know, like when you're with a little kid, you know like they're in a stroller or something and they're like, oh, a plane. And you're like you hear the plane, but 12 million things going on in your head yes you know, you hear the plane, you see the plane, but you don't stop, like little kid, to point up at the plane yeah, no, this is it.
Chris:It's just a relay of something that's part of the scene. That's happening.
Laura:Yeah, it's like they still heard what I hear.
Chris:They're just not stopping to recognize it and because you're visually not going to be a part of the visual of it. Then you're hearing, you're really the listening is really listening.
Laura:Right, right, perfectly said.
Chris:Because, as a musician you know, we always tell this I've had my kids sometimes close their eyes so that they can hear a little deeper, because when your eyes are open it's just like you know candy play, all the colors and you seeing so many things and you know distractions. But when you close your eyes, like with meditation or prayer, you can really focus a little bit deeper to go within. So, okay, thank you, thank you for that truth about that. Thank you, I know everybody's experience is different, but I was wondering about that for myself. But at least you can go out, they say. You know, walking in nature, having your feet in the grass and in the sand, is huge for the energy attaching to nature. I had a guest on and she's always going out in her garden with her feet in the grass and just feeling it in her toes and she says how magnifying it is, the energy that she feels from doing that.
Laura:Yes, I completely agree and that is my experience. I have a lot of dizziness because of the blindness and I can be outside and it gets better. The dizziness is I'm not as dizzy A couple days at the beach. I'm a different person, just physically, how I feel, wow. So, yes, it is very, very, very tangible.
Chris:Wow, thank you for sharing that. Thank you for sharing that. I wanted to ask you, if your courage had a theme song, what would it be?
Laura:That's a great question.
Chris:Oh, thanks.
Laura:I absolutely love, love, love. And you're going to laugh at this, but remember I'm from the deep South. I absolutely love Aretha Franklin's respect.
Chris:R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Yes, we love it.
Laura:And the reason I say that it reminds us of joy, it reminds us of hope, but also to respect ourselves and to respect each other.
Chris:Yes, yes, so again it circles back to respect each other, yes, yes.
Laura:So again, it circles back to that courage, that resiliency, how we can do both at the same time Acknowledge that courage and that joy, while also remembering to respect ourselves, yes, and to give ourselves grace.
Chris:So, true, definitely, to give ourselves grace and true, definitely to give ourselves grace, and we definitely have to respect ourselves. Yes, definitely. Oh, I love that, I love that. If your younger self could see you now, what do you think you'd say to her?
Laura:If all right, say that again, If my younger self- could see you now, could see me now.
Chris:What would you turn and what would you say to her?
Laura:I'm proud of you. Oh, because, again, the reason I say that is for keep, for continuing to move forward. I didn't allow the blindness to stop me and be overwhelmed and completely shut down by the anxiety, by the depression. Because in those high school days and again, when you say younger self, that's exactly where my head goes, because those are the hardest days that's what I thought the future was going to be, because anxiety and depression was so deep and so overwhelming and I was in such survival mode I assumed that was going to be every day of the rest of my life. So that's the reason I say she would be deeply proud, because the anxiety and depression wasn't the future, wasn't every single day, all day.
Chris:I love it. Wow, so good, laura. So good, so good. I like to ask all my guests this final question Is your glass half empty or half full?
Laura:Definitely half full, definitely I love that.
Chris:I love it. Yeah, everybody always has a different answer on it and it's a great question to for people's their perception of it and their lives oh, I love that. I love that. I want to ask you do you have any final thoughts for our listeners?
Laura:You shared so many amazing and great points, but my final thought would be remember that gratitude does not mean being positive and happy all the time. Know that gratitude is being grateful for what helps us move through the difficulty, through the change. So when you feel anger, when you feel sadness, when you feel all those difficult emotions, nothing's wrong with you. That's not bad or wrong to feel those feelings. It's what we do with those feelings that matter. So I want to make it very, very clear Gratitude is not me just walking around thanking everyone all day, being super positive. It's being thankful that in the hard I can still walk outside and feel the sun. It's some days. My gratitude the whole entire day is thank goodness this day is over.
Chris:Yes. We have all said that one. Yes, so I just want to make it very, very clear Gratitude is not being positive and happy all the time. Thank you for that clarity, definitely. Oh, I love it. I love it. Please tell everyone how they can reach you if they want to find out more about you, also about your book, how they can get a hold of that as well.
Laura:The best place is my website. So Laura Bratton dot com has all the resources on the book, the speaking, the coaching. It's all there.
Chris:Excellent, and that, of course, will be underneath all of this when it's listed out so people can just click it. We know the writing days are over, right, writing things down with people with a pen and paper Some of us do, depending on the time period that we're from, but the rest of them are like everything is punching down on some electronics. But, laura, we thank you so much for sharing and just being open, sharing your testimony and your experience and your courage and your resilience, and we are grateful for your talk today. Thank you so much for being a guest here on Glass Half Full. Thank you for stopping by.
Laura:Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity and for creating this platform.
Chris:Oh, the pleasure is all mine. You take care. We'll be in touch real, real soon. Great, the pleasure is all mine. You take care. We'll be in touch real, real soon Great, thank you. Bye-bye.
Chris:Thank you for tuning in to another inspiring episode of our podcast. I'm your host, chris Levins, and I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for being a part of our supportive community. Remember, glass Half Full is not just a podcast. It's a safe platform for everyone to share their life experiences. Your stories and voice matter, and we appreciate you for being here with us. If you enjoyed today's episode and want to stay updated with our future content, please subscribe, follow and rate our podcast on Apple Music, spotify and YouTube. Your support means the world to us and it helps us reach even more listeners who can benefit from these valuable life experiences. As we wrap up this episode, always keep in mind you are blessed, no matter the challenges you face. There's a reservoir of strength within you. Until next time, stay positive and remember the glass is always half full, see ya.