May 8, 2019

Cultivate Your Life Podcast Episode 016: How To Let Go Of A Dream

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There’s something in your life you’re considering letting go of.

But something is holding you back from making a decision.
You want the perfect plan, outcome, or path before taking that leap.
You want assurance that you’re making the right decision—and that everything will work out well when you do.

I’m pulling back the curtain today on the story of letting go of Southern Weddings, about the day we were going to be at $0—and the surprising thing that happened next.

It’s okay to let go of a dream to make room for a new one! Listen in to learn how.

In this episode:

— I begin by telling you a story – the story of Southern Weddings Magazine. It’s a story that’s deeply entwined with the story of my life – my grandparents’ legacy in the South, my husband going to war, my marriage, and so much more.
— I tell you about the crossroads we came to in 2017 – with two growing, successful businesses, both doing good work that was changing people. I answer the question, “Why couldn’t you just do it all?”
— I walk you through the questions we asked to decide whether this was the right decision, the one God desired for us, and then, once the decision was made, how we prepared to tell our audience – and what the announcement day was like for our team.
— Then, I tell you about the season that followed – possibly the hardest one we’ve ever faced as a team. I tell you about the one bow I REALLY wanted to place on the top – and about the fruit we received instead.
— Are you walking through your own season of transition? I’m grateful to share with you seven simple steps that might help you move forward if you’re facing an important decision.
— I also pass along three tips that gave me the strength to keep going in our difficult season. I needed them all!
— By the end of the episode, I hope you’ll see that endings can be new beginnings, and that it’s okay to have more than one dream. You can do hard things, and you can write a new story!

Interested in some of the things I mentioned throughout this episode? Here you go!

Here’s the post I shared on the day we announced the new chapter for Southern Weddings.
— The Southern Weddings archives are still alive and well – visit them here!— I mention my books – Make It Happen and Cultivate (buy them both together!).
— I also mention PowerSheets – a crucial tool that helps me uncover my best decisions and then walk them out day by day.
— Here’s a peek at the “peach shoot” and the “strawberry shoot” – two of my favorites!
— The Sweet Tea Society manifesto.
— I share my love for Fearrington. Visit if you’re ever in North Carolina!
— Here’s where you can find more information about C12. Meeting with my group is a highlight every month!
— Many of you have asked about the beloved (and now sold-out) Southern Weddings Planner. I’m thrilled to say we are working on a solution to get it back in your hands. Sign up to be the first to hear more:

LOVE THE PODCAST? SHARE IT! Text, email, carrier pigeon—share this episode with friends however you like! This episode is really special, so I hope you’ll share it with someone you love! Feel free to grab one of these graphics to post about it, too!

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I’D LOVE TO MEET YOU! Come say hi on Instagram! I love sharing my life with you! And if you loved the outro, don’t miss the “Ari Raps” highlight on my Instagram!

SUBSCRIBE NOW to the Cultivate Your Life podcast on iTunes so you won’t miss an episode. If you love the podcast, please leave a quick review on iTunes—it helps other women find this free encouragement! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. I’ll be featuring some of your reviews in a future episode!

6 Comments

  1. Melissa K. Jones on May 8, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    Thank you for having the courage to share this part of your story, Lara! I appreciate the seeds you plant in so many of us including me.

    These are things that resonated most with me in your story today:
    If you’re not excited about it, no one else is going to be excited about it.
    Living on purpose means making decisions for the greater good.
    A decision made for the profit of people.
    She believed she could, so God did.
    Even in something that doesn’t go the way you want it to. You never know how those seeds will grow.
    Space for feelings/emotions without advice and padding of encouragement. Place to listen.
    Good things come out of hard things.

    Always cheering for you and your team!! Can’t wait to see your new spring products next week. Big hugs!!

    • Lara on May 13, 2019 at 4:02 pm

      I’m so grateful this episode encouraged you, my friend!

  2. Caroline Deucher on May 11, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    I’ve been listening to your podcast for a while now and one thing you always say baffles me. “Where do you see yourself when you’re 80?” I’m not sure how to answer that because I can’t see myself being 80, 40-50 maybe but not 80. Is that a problem?

    • Lara on May 13, 2019 at 4:03 pm

      I’m so glad you asked! Any time frame that helps you look at the big picture is perfect!

  3. Janice Leehan on May 17, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    Lara,

    This podcast couldn’t have come at a better time. I am at a crossroads right now and need to make some hard decisions. The steps you discussed are what I need to get where I want to be in my life. Thank you so much.

    • Lara on May 20, 2019 at 3:58 pm

      I’m so grateful this encouraged you, Janice!

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