Laura Wilkerson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Laura, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Well coincidentally, I am currently working on writing my first book! The basis of it is all about burnout recovery and the ongoing process of maintaining that balance. This past year was undoubtedly a hot garbage dumpster fire of a year. I was met with some major stressors as a business owner, and my personal life took a hit with a new medical diagnosis.
By sharing my story, I quickly realized how exposed and vulnerable this would make me. Shredding any conjured-up image I had made of myself that “this woman’s got her stuff together!” When in reality, this woman, in fact, did absolutely not have it together, and even now, some days are questionable at best. Once you blow past that initial fear though, of completely exposing the real raw truth of it all, I also knew that if someone had told me the signs and phases of burnout, I could have been spared the drama of it all, or at least some.
Within the book, there will be some very real and honest stories of my juggling act I call life (entrepreneurship, medical diagnosis, etc), and a breakdown of how fear and control run the show and how to break out of that chaotic cycle. This book is for the overwhelmed, exhausted, weary, and worn-out reader. And you better believe we will use sarcasm and comic relief as our coping mechanism the whole way through.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Laura Wilkerson. I am the owner of LUNA Massage and Wellness. With a few other highly skilled therapists, we create a space for those looking to get on track with housing a healthier, balanced, and pain-free body. We specialize in Reiki energy healing and custom therapeutic massage, utilizing all tools from Graston to cupping therapy.
LUNA is a place not just for healing but a safe space for the tired. A sanctuary of safety for those who needed comfort. A place where the body can be heard and respected. A place for the burdened to drop the baggage. A soft place to land amid life’s continual unfolding. No matter how long you’ve been gone you always have a home in LUNA.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose was this looming timeline that I kept for myself. I think we all have that to some extent. Where we expect to be at certain places in life. What we expect to be, what we expect to have, where we expect to live, all those things. As I am in the middle of my 37th year of life, basically none of those timelines came to fruition when or how I expected them to and life is still pretty damn good. I have been learning that just living your life in the moment and receiving it as it comes to you gives me much more peace. Releasing this part of “control” is still a work in progress, and of course, some planning is good, but also allowing life to guide you on your path is something I am becoming more comfortable with.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I have had both and while success is a wonderful feeling in the moment, challenging periods in life can really bring about a truth in yourself. I look at hard times almost like a training or a lesson for something later in life. Success without going through hard times is lovely, but achieving success after being down, not only gives you back the win, but it builds a stronger foundation of who you are and what you’re made of. I trust myself more because of the things I endured and still made it out the other side.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Completing my book is probably the next big project I am committed to. The wellness world has always been in my wheelhouse, and this will be an addition to that. Burnout culture is so rampant right now, and if sharing my story and also shedding some light on my journey with Crohn’s Disease, being a business owner, and a recovering control freak helps someone, then it’s a big win for me.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am doing what I was born to do. I’ve always went with my heart when choosing what I wanted to do in life. Sure, I may have started out graduating with a degree in music and audio production, but somewhere along that journey it brought me where I am today. Despite my winding road to now, stability has always been crucial, and once I realized that I could create my own reliable career, I never looked back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lunamw.com
- Instagram: lunamassageandwellness
