In this episode, Shaun and I are joined by Kara Ladd. Kara is a business development brand consultant and journalist who has worked with many publications, including Cosmopolitan, Italian Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Forbes, and more. After six years of hustling in the New York City fashion industry, the material world was the focus and foundation of her life. She worked too long, stressed too much, and was mentally and physically burned to a crisp. In December 2016, her busy lifestyle came to an abrupt halt when she was diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue cancer known as synovial sarcoma. She was 24 years old at the time. During her battle with cancer, spirituality acted as her guiding light, a source of strength, and a powerful release. It comforted her through eight months filled with five lengthy chemotherapy sessions, two radical leg surgeries, and 35 exhausting radiation sessions. Having recovered from her cancer battle, she has a fresh focus on self-healing, mindfulness, and a new career path. She now represents and works with purpose-driven brands in wellness, sustainability and clean beauty through Boundless by Kara - a personal brand extension of her work where she and her contributors write about personal brand experiences, reviews and partnerships in the conscious lifestyle and wellness sector. To connect with Kara, see links below: Kara Ladd on Instagram https://boundlessbykara.com/ Boundless by Kara on Instagram https://www.boundlesscreatives.com/ Boundless Creatives on Instagram The Soulbound Self-Discovery Course The Soulbound Circle Monthly Membership The 2021 Boundless Intentions Journal Boundless Creatives Corporate Consulting Episode timestamps: 2:34 – Kara’s origins 6:26 – Background to Kara’s spirituality and upbringing 8:49 – What spirituality means to Kara 9:29 – The parallel of Kara’s spiritual and physical experiences 11:20 – The connectedness we feel through religion and spirituality 12:31 – Shaun’s relationship with religion 13:13 – Connection through religion 15:48 – We are all connected 17:21 – We’re all praying to the same force 18:33 – Detaching from religion and leaning into spirituality 19:40 – The shift towards looking inward across the world 20:28 – Removing the dogma of religion 23:17 – We all have the tools within 25:18 – Going inward is where the real work begins 26:42 – What you need is within you 29:32 – Do less, a little bit more 31:00 – The art of meditation and our boundlessness 32:36 – Life pre and post cancer 42:36 – Intellect and the senses 46:00 – The role of trauma in making us shift 46:47 – Using our experiences to shift 48:33 – Uncovering your soul wounds 50:42 – Difficulty makes you question everything 51:18 – What Les’ cancer did for Shaun 55:25 – If you knew how long it would take, you might not start 56:49 – Everything is hard work 1:00:05 – Mortality isn’t morbid at all 1:01:24 – The gift of life 1:04:17 – Where to find Kara Let us know your thoughts and if you have any questions or suggestions for us. As always, we ask that if you’ve found any value from this discussion, please share this with one friend, family member, or colleague so they, too, have the opportunity to derive some value. Listen to the episode below! Drop us a line at thehustleandflowpodcast@gmail.com or connect with us through the links below: Shaun Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaun_coop/ Subito Supplements: https://www.subitosupplements.com/ Mixing it Up: https://www.instagram.com/mixingitup.co/ Leslie Finding Space: https://www.findingspace.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingspace.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/findingspace.co/ Find out more about the True North Transformational Program: https://www.true-north.co/
