Fascinating Women
Here is where fascinating women get comfortable. Chatting with Mark they reveal their journey, both the highs and lows, the events that have shaped them. These women share their values, their insights, their dreams, and accomplishments.
Fascinating Women
Lara Jickles; Wild Child -Mom -Biz Owner -Fitness Trainer
In this captivating episode of *Fascinating Women*, Mark Laurie sits down with his long-time friend, Lara Jickles, for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation. Lara opens up about the profound experiences that have shaped her, including the tragic loss of her baby sister and how it fueled her rebellious spirit. From her adventures as an international nude model and high-wire suspension worker to her current role as a personal trainer and district manager for Arbonne, Lara's journey is anything but ordinary.
She shares her insights on the importance of self-acceptance, a positive mindset, and the power of vulnerability combined with fearlessness. Lara's ability to connect deeply with others shines through as she discusses the lessons she's learned and the resilience she's cultivated.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration from a woman who has truly lived life on her own terms.
It is a remarkable conversation.
Lara Bio
Hello, my name is Lara Jickels, a wild child who is trying to find the best version of herself while navigating being a wife, stepmom and new mom. I come from an adventurous past, which has made me the unique individual I am today! I am unfiltered, spicy, and definitely see the world differently than most.
Like what you hear?
Feel free to follow me on Instagram @theprettykittylife
You can DM on Instagram for information on Arbonne products or sales opportunities.
About Mark Laurie - Host.
Mark has been transforming how women see themselves, enlarging their sense of sexy, and expanding their confidence in an exciting adventure that is transformational photography.
http://innerspiritphotography.com
https://www.instagram.com/innerspiritphotography/
Sound Production by:
Lee Ellis - myofficemedia@gmail.com
Hello everyone, and welcome to fascinating women. I'm Mark Laurie, your host, and today, I have Lara chickals as our as our guest today. And she is amazing woman. I go way back with Lara. I think I was one of the first people that photographed her, and knew no less, actually, we photographed you with your clothes on, first when you were too young, and then later on, when you got bold and got married a lion. And got news. The lines, yep, oh yeah, those are fun creatures, right? So long ago. Yes, thank you. Thank you. So much older now. So you've had you're different than law my guess, because I'm able to watch you go through this wonderful, wonderful arc of the stuff you've done. Let's give me three highlights of your life from the time I've known you.
Lara Jickles:Oh, my goodness, three highlights of my life since you've known me. Well, obviously, the work I've done with you, I can say that I'm an internationally published model. I got to travel Europe with you. We went to Bahamas together. So traveling as a model, not many people can see that they've done that. Another highlight, kind of more recently, was working in the potash mine, in the trades underground, hanging on ropes, or just even working 400 feet in the air on ropes. That's been pretty cool. Another highlight. I don't know if it's a highlight, but it's definitely a moment I never I had a baby
Mark Laurie:that's a highlight. That's evolving bit. I love that! You got a very active child, don't you? As I recall so
Lara Jickles:I got some karma. Yeah, I have a little me, and I was very active. So yes, I do.
Mark Laurie:Now you've got into business, and you're an entrepreneur and so on. But your start, and I'll use the word rough, because you were a real rebel in when I in your teens. How did that shape you to what you're doing now?
Lara Jickles:It very much shaped me. Um, it actually started way before my teens. I had a I had a family tragedy happen when I was really young, and it just kind of changed my outlook on life. And I had a very, a lot of very questions of life, and I just didn't follow the norm. I just always questioned everything and danced to my own tune, and just felt like I was just kind of alone, because I just didn't feel like I fit in with anywhere. And that just when I when I grew up, I just learned to always just be me and just do whatever I wanted, and to, you know, question everything and if I and also, I have to say, my mom was a very strong lady, so if I ever got in trouble, or if something just wasn't right, I had a math teacher not treat me well, or I had just something, you know, go wrong, my mom was always there to fight and to bring that hammer down and make sure that I got justice in a way. So I've grown up to be like, no, no, I can. I have a big bark, and I've just learned to stand up for myself and no judgment. I don't like to judge anybody, because I've been through it all myself. So just keeps me very open minded. And, yeah, I'm kind of thankful for all this shit.
Mark Laurie:It's a wonderful life than most. And most highlight some of the jobs you've been because you've been I guess we can call you a model, a nude model, yeah. So
Lara Jickles:I've done the modeling thing that happened for many years, and that was great. I was an exotic dancer for 14 years. I've been a personal trainer for I was a personal trainer for about six or seven years. I was, at one point, we were just talking about this. I was a school counselor. I went to school for social work, and I did get hired as a social worker at a elementary school. How they let me through those doors I will never know I've been i milled doors at Star builders. I milled doors for almost a year there. I then got my rope access ticket, and I've worked all over Western Canada, doing anything from concrete repair to painting to whatever they need done on ropes. And then right now, I am a district manager for Arbonne, and I'm absolutely loving that, and I think that's what I'm going to continue doing until I go all the way to the top of that. It's the one serving me the best rate.
Mark Laurie:Oh, that is that's amazing. Do you have any mantras, codes that you follow, like your
Lara Jickles:one when I was growing up, one thing was, if that's what they call normal, then I'd rather be insane. Right now, I keep repeating to me or keep repeating to myself, life isn't happening to me. It's happening for me. That's a powerful one, yeah. And also just I am enough. Yeah, sometimes you just need to remind yourself that
Mark Laurie:you're enough. We do every Monday, put out a affirmation on my on my one my feeds, social media feeds, and we get feedback that they're very powerful, that you can get them locked in your brain and some things like, I'm enough. You just it. You have to remind yourself that you just when the world start being down. No, I'm all that world needs right now.
Lara Jickles:I don't need to be or I'm not. I'm not going to water myself down. You can choke.
Mark Laurie:There we go. Who's a your hero, I guess, who would be a role model for you?
Lara Jickles:I've never really thought about that. I'm going to answer this in a really odd way, but music, music is my role model in here, not a specific artist, but um, music has always helped carry me through lyrics, the people that are vulnerable enough to write stories and compose these just, it's, it's, yeah, I know that's not a person, and that's really weird, but different artists and different people in the music industry, what they have, and I'm not even a huge like, I can't tell you all the members in the doors, or I can't tell you you know, like, you know, no, no. I just, I really appreciate music, and it's really helped me through some dark times. And sometimes you just need to lock yourself away with noise counseling headphones to get through the day, especially if you have a child. And so yeah, I know that's weird. It's a weird answer, but it's I don't, yeah,
Mark Laurie:what three traits do you treasure the most in yourself?
Lara Jickles:Three traits, honesty. I'm, yeah, pretty honest. I have no reason, no reason to, to lie. I'm an open book. A lot of people have an issue with this one, because I don't, I don't hide anything. And even if you follow my social media, I'm very open about my life completely. And even when I talk to people, I there's nothing like what do you want to know? It's you know? And yeah, no, no judging. I don't I've been through the thick of it. I've have friends from all walks of life. I'm not going to judge you. Tell me. Tell me what you want to talk about. I'm not going to look at you sideways,
Mark Laurie:you know. And the third one,
Lara Jickles:another one. I love being naked. I love my body. Well, of course, we all have insecurities and whatnot, but yeah, the fact that I'm yeah, just I like being nude, and that's really helped a lot in certain areas of life.
Mark Laurie:How's that helped you?
Lara Jickles:Well, the modeling and the dancing to be able to go in a room with, you know, like we have worked oilman gigs and stuff like that, and remember to in order to go into a room of a couple 100 men and to take off your clothes and put on a show, there is a sense of confidence that you gain from that, or just, you just learn that almost you can do anything, you know, or just even when I went with you to Europe, like I there was a room full of photographers learning how to pose a model. And here I'm sitting there. I think I was supposed to wear a G string, and one time I didn't remember.
Mark Laurie:Yeah, we're in, we're in Dublin. At the time I told you, we're doing nudes. I'm good news. I'm good news. And we got and it was a packed room. I think the dad had extra rose to it, so the front row, and you were so fearless, I used to mirror that. And so I'm up with the mic. And so take the robe off, and you start taking off. And go, you're naked. I'm trying to speak over microphone. Somebody hear me, right? Yeah, you said to me, dude, yeah. Well, not that nude. It was so comfortable, and so rapidly. Of course, the guys the front row, this should be really good. And now you're knocking at the show. You think show. You're thinking now, this is not,
Lara Jickles:I guess. Add that to one of my qualities I am I'm fearless. I guess if I can be naked in a room of men, or if I can climb over a building and do work hanging 400 feet, I don't know if I just think at one point in my life I maybe didn't have the most value for my life. And that's maybe what made me so fearless. And then I just grew to just kind of be more more feelers for more fearless for the right reasons. If that makes So
Mark Laurie:you're saying you didn't have much value for life. What would that was that like
Lara Jickles:I was so my little sister passed away in front of my eyes when I was two. And you don't think you remember a lot when you're two, but when something like that happens, you do and that really, I just didn't understand why she passed, where she passed. And also, I was just so angry at life of how this life could could destroy such a family, or, you know, take away somebody from you that you loved, and I really was angry at life, and I also just everyone was just disposable in my eyes. You know, like, why are you going through all these hardships, or why are you fighting about money, or why are you going through all this stuff at school and not having any friends when you could die tomorrow? You know, like, who cares this life means nothing. Like, look what happened to my messenger. She. Passed away a week before her first birthday. So what was your point of putting her on this earth? Like I was just so angry and so upset that I just, I didn't care about my own life, you know? I just wanted to be with her, and I didn't want to be on this world, in this world, and no one could give me a straight answer for what happened. So I just, I just thought life was just a big joke, you know, and I was just kind of more biding my time until it's my time, you know, so I can hang out with my little sister. Really morbid, but, and I lived like that for years, like I live like that, like I I remember I went, actually into the hospital for for depression and all that. And that was like when I was 18 or 20. So I had no really value for my life or care for life until, until, like, yeah, my mid 20s, I just didn't care super.
Mark Laurie:Evolved nicely. You
Lara Jickles:know, everything happens for a reason, and I wouldn't change it because, yeah, it shaped me to me, yeah,
Mark Laurie:that's interesting. People go back, what would you change? Nothing, because you don't know what lever moves, and then I can't imagine doing anything that would would where I'd lose life with Jan. So I just leave that alone. Just leave it alone. What's the best advice you've ever received
Lara Jickles:at the time? I hated it, but it was the everything happens for a reason. I didn't understand it. Everyone says it at the worst time, but once you go through life, and you go through, you know, if you're if you are living a rougher life and going choosing some of the past that I chose, there are a lot of negative things that are going to happen, and that all played out for a reason, and everything did work out. And, yeah, everything happens for it's so it's so true. And I used to get so mad, you know, it doesn't make it better, and it doesn't make it right, however, look past it. Because, yeah, everything does happen for a reason. Yeah,
Mark Laurie:it takes a long time sometimes to see it. Yeah,
Lara Jickles:people told me that they were right.
Mark Laurie:How'd you define success?
Lara Jickles:Oh, are you just, are you authentically happy with yourself? Yeah, full self acceptance and full self confidence is success, because it doesn't matter if you have, you know, we've seen rock stars with huge bank accounts commit suicide, you know. And then we've, you know, have you seen the willow Willy Wonka? Like, look at that little family living in a little shack, and look how happy and in love they are with each other. It's just about loving yourself and being so authentically true to yourself. That is, it's peace of mind with yourself is success. And then when you look at the world, and if you have such a positive mindset and you're okay with yourself, you will be able to find the beauty or the positive in everything happening around you, and you'll be a lot more content in this life. Yeah,
Mark Laurie:what's your biggest failure been? Oh, my Lord.
Lara Jickles:Well, I think I was in university for seven years, and I don't think I graduated with anything my parents might want to highlight that, considering they paid for that. So maybe it was my go at school, school, yeah, school in general. I think I just really failed that math course. I think it was just like the academic part of life, literally, was just a constant fail across the board. Let's be honest. Don't ask me to spell or add anything.
Mark Laurie:What would you say your most unique skill is
Lara Jickles:I can I can get along with almost anybody. I can talk to a lot of people. It's, it's kind of just being a universal jack of all trades, whether it's work or dealing with people I'm just able to mold. I'm still kind of working with myself to be like, is that because I don't have a proper identity or, you know, but I just, I just find myself that you can put me in any situation, and I'm just able to to to be there and to be present in it. I want
Mark Laurie:the same thing. I can fit almost everywhere. But I've discovered what it is. It's the it's the amount of shades of the gray you can tolerate in your life. So if you get people who are black and white, there's, they have a very narrow acceptance, and so they they like you, they don't, they work with you or not. There's, there's no, there's not a lot of move ability into them. The more you expand the gray and that, I think, that comes into watching other people from different perspectives you can preach other people, the more you can fit in anywhere, because you understand. Just because I'm talking to you and I don't agree with you doesn't mean that I can't talk to you. Yeah, you still have you still have value, still have interesting points. And so I think it's the amount of gray that you'll that you can maneuver in without being uncomfortable exactly other people call it moral flex. Possibility.
Lara Jickles:There we go. Although I find in my as I get older, I'm protecting more my peace, and I've really learned the value in what you surround yourself with. So before, I didn't care what I surrounded myself with. Everyone was my friend. I was so trusting, but now I will be cordial, and I have many acquaintances, but when I actually think of like, how many friends I have or my close circle, it's actually really small, and I'm super proud of that. Yeah, so as I've gotten older, yes, I'm I'm very friendly with everybody, but who I actually let into my day to day and who I keep around me has really, I don't deal with any bull crap anymore. Yeah,
Mark Laurie:wait to get my age. Yeah, you got a long ways to go, spicy, spicy senior coming up. Yep, I guess you're the wearing purple coats. And guy, I don't care. It doesn't matter. How do you want to change the world?
Lara Jickles:How do I want to change world? You know what? That's so funny. You bring that up because Arbonne, wow. Arbonne has i? So I work for Arbonne now, and I the self development that has come with this business is insane. I don't, I don't care if you join this business to make money or no money, or if you succeeded or not, but the self development is, is what I've gotten most out of it. And that's what, that's kind of what I'm knocking on next is, what do I want to what brand like I look at? Because I say I'm a jack of all trades, and I've done so many things, but what do I want to focus on, and what do I want to expand in? And what do I want to help people with? What's going to be, not necessarily my niche but, and that's what I'm that's what I'm kind of at now, like the personal training and the health and nutrition side I'm very good at, and a lot of people come to help. But right now, with with how much I feel like I've I've worked on myself and some of the personal battles I've gone through, whether it's been depression or drugs or whatever, and just learning to pick yourself up and get a positive mindset. Like, I don't know if I want to help people with that. I'm still, I'm still trying to that's like, that's what I'm doing right now, is, what do I want to share with the world, and what do I want to help the world with that's that's like To be continued. If you look at my Instagram, everyone's like, it's all over the place. And I'm like, Well, so am I, but I just feel like I have so much to say on so many topics, but I'm still trying to pick, like, a main topic. Just
Mark Laurie:give me a second. It will come. Have you ever thought of becoming a speaker?
Lara Jickles:I i know that's in my I know that's in my future, when you become like higher in the ranks of Arbonne, public speaking becomes a big thing that you need to do. So I do know that that's knocking on my door, and I do know that is in my future. I just don't know on what topic,
Mark Laurie:the Renaissance now, you're a very I've watched you very focused or disciplined person. I think it was emerged. For example, I was watching you when you gave birth to your little daughter. Yep, you snapped back into good shape pretty quickly onto it. And that's that takes enormous amount of controls, you know, to all the chaos of a child and so on. Where'd you acquire that discipline?
Lara Jickles:So I actually think it's I've just always had an addictive mindset, which or addictive personality, which I always thought was a bad thing, because you put that into the wrong area, for example, drugs or alcohol, that takes off. But I'm either zero or 100 so you put that in something good, like fitness, or whatever job I'm doing that year, and I bury myself in it. And so, yeah, I think it's the the addictive mindset. And then fitness. I did have a bad time in drugs, and I actually had a sponsor who was just like, you're gonna start going to the gym. You're gonna get into the gym, be in the gym, get your you can't go to the gym every day if you're hungover. You can't go to the gym every day if you're partying. And also my parents, and this is one thing that I think is brilliant, is they always had me in sports, like I joined taekwondo when I was five, so I had been in taekwondo since I was five, so even if I strayed or got in some trouble, I still had those athletic roots in me that I always went back to. And yes, I snapped back super fast, but I had one hell of a body before I got pregnant. So it was, it was, it was already kind of there, and it was easy to go back, because I think I put so much time and effort into my body before I gave birth. But yeah, it was, it's the addictive. It's the addictive mindset, which I used to hate, but now I'm thankful for it.
Mark Laurie:How has your life changed with your daughter? You're juggling an extra thing.
Lara Jickles:So I never thought I was gonna have kids, and any time growing up, whether I had a little boyfriend going on and I. About having kids, it was definitely for the wrong reasons, right? And I actually even had an old family friend pass me in superstores. I'm sitting there with my husband pushing the cart with a baby, and we locked eyes and stared at each other, and I'm like, is that her and she's and the reason she never thought two seconds that it was me is because I had a kid in my cart. That's how, like, I feel even bad because I'm not even close with my nieces or nephews, because I don't like kids. I don't And then don't even ask me how I married a man with two kids like I don't I'm sorry I don't like kids. I'm not a kid person, and now I'm a mom of three, or a step mom of two, and a biological mom of one. So my daughter is teaching me to not be so selfish. Because I, and I've openly said the reason I didn't want kids is because I'm a very selfish person. I'm free spirited. I've always traveled for work. I didn't even realize that when I had her, you know, I worked away for months at a time in a potash mine, and then next, you know, I got pregnant and have a kid, and I was like, I'm going back to work. And my husband's like, you can't leave for three months, you know, then I'm like, Well, why not? So it's really learning to be selfless, but at the same time, I do think that parents are too selfless sometimes. So it's finding that line of being selfish in a way where I do mind my personal time and my self care and and my mindset, but the same time, there is a lot of things I need to change and be more selfless, to be more of a family person, because I've always been on my own. I've always it's always just been being the cat, and now it's me and the cat in a whole zoo. You know, sometimes we look at each other and we're like, what happened? But it's great.
Mark Laurie:You're you're a role model for your daughter, and she's watching what you do and how you behave. Does that shape some of your actions?
Lara Jickles:Yes, I had a fantastic upbringing. I really did. I'm not going to say anything about my parents. They did everything they could for us, and they were fantastic, but they every parent has their faults, and my huge thing right now is breaking generational cycles, and my daughter has made me want to be the best version of myself, so and then also not really again, because I'm a selfish person. I don't have time for like, a screaming baby all day long. Like, what is this? She's teething. I was that my problem? Like, you're ruining my vibe. Calm down. Like, why are you screaming all day? Like, go somewhere else. So, yeah, I'm just, I'm just learning to to just be a better person and and to and to deal with big feelings better, and to have more patience, and to, yeah, she's she every challenge is there to help you glow up or to help you get to the next level. And she is a challenge because I think I might have had her for the wrong reasons, but now that she's here, I absolutely love her, and I wouldn't change it, but it's a challenge. You know, everyone paints motherhood with such a gold brush. And I'm gonna tell you right now, it's not, you know, and, and, yeah, motherhood is making me be a better person if she listens to this in the future. I do love you Ophelia so much. Yeah. I
Mark Laurie:usually, often say that the you get, the get the chair, the children, the parents wish upon you, like you're such a brat. Your dog is gonna be a brat, and that will make things all right. Honestly,
Lara Jickles:I do have one of the she sleeps. I do have such an easy child, yeah, and I'm and, you know what? I think the universe gave me an easy child, because me just having a child in general is so difficult. So they were like, Let's give her one, but let's give her a very easy one, because she's already struggling. Maybe I should just talk about parenting in life. What's
Mark Laurie:been your biggest adrenaline rush? Something you've done that still goes, Wow, I can't believe I did that. That was amazing.
Lara Jickles:Yeah, I would think it's rope. Rope axis is, well, I don't have really that much of a fear of heights, but just dropping over a 400 foot building and hanging in a harness, and just some of the cool jobs are, like, we worked underground in a mine. So I think the Lanigan mine is like 1.3 kilometers underground. So you go in the elevator shaft, go underground, and then you're hanging in these bins and area. So it's just that's been, that's been super cool. And I think that's why I kind of struggled when she came along, leaving that job behind, because I just really found something that really puckered my butt hole. Yeah, and yeah, you think that, um, some of the, some of the dancing experiences I had. But no, it was the, like, the cool adrenaline of just, like, wow, if these ropes broke, I'd be splat.
Mark Laurie:I photographed the bears paw dam before they filled with water, so at one point I'm down there. It's got the sandy floor, and they got these incredible arches. Like, it's really exquisite. This. And this will leave you to do this now, yeah, so let me get up before I turn the water on now, but it was, yeah, so I appreciate you're down there all by yourself, and it's just this. It's, it's a rare feeling, like it is hard to express, but once you've been there, you know, it gets your
Lara Jickles:heart pumping. It's good. It is wild.
Mark Laurie:Would you see the results of nurture, or your environment that you sort of were born this way, or the environment shaped you?
Lara Jickles:Oh, I've been listening to some podcasts on this, and the jury is still out. I think it is a bit of both. Or you nurture your environment in a way, or your environment can also nurture you. You know, I really believe you are what you surround yourself with, but at the same time, like, yeah, because there are brilliant people like, look at Ed mylett, right? Like a successful, successful man, entrepreneur and such a he has these podcasts that, if you listen to consistently, will change your mindset however? He grew up with a really alcoholic, abusive father, you know. So I do not think that what you've grown up in, in any way is going to shape you however, you know. Yeah, I'm still, that's a deep, bloated question, and I'm, yeah, we don't have time for that one. Don't even get me started on that one. Now
Mark Laurie:I've seen you for so many years. I've watched you with great progress. I really we did some really neat bonding way back in the early days when I was also starting off my photography some degree, and to watch you grow. But you've always been, I guess, an entrepreneur to heart you. I The nine to five is not your passion, not your place. It's all for it. Did something check. When did that start? Because most people start off like their nuclear families, like, do what the boss says, That's pretty what parents are, okay? And then somewhere you get these slivers of people that go, you know, I just can't live that way. I got to have my freedom. When did that happen for you?
Lara Jickles:When did you Well, I don't know if it's like, you know, your mom laying out your clothes, and you choose, no, I'm gonna pick what I want, and you show up in, like, Pokemon poke it, hot stripes and a tutor. Or if it was just school, like, going to school wasn't my thing. And as much as I don't think I'm a dumb girl, I know I'm very bright, but just school wasn't and my thing, no. And then I just, and I don't have ADD, but I just couldn't sit still. And it's funny how you say the nine to five, because every job I've had, even dancing, I didn't dance in clubs. I didn't want to be stuck in a club, a dingy, dark club all day. Are you kidding me? And making random small talk with these men hoping that they'll buy a dance from me like no. Thank you. No. I traveled Western Canada, going to all these private events and parties and going to these, you know, sometimes these wives would put on these huge casino nights for their husbands, and then hire some topless entertainments and poker dealers and all that. So I got to see really cool mansions. I got to work on house boats. I got to, you know, some of the flames, or the sport teams would have events and we would be there. So it was just, yeah, I just never, there's so much in this world, and so many people and so many opportunities. Don't lock me up at nine five, please. Yeah. And also you just, you gotta keep moving. If you sit too long, you get, like, back issues, hip issues get large and in charge. No, not gonna happen.
Mark Laurie:When did you start? When did you realize your your own authority, that you that you set your own boundaries and you walked your own path?
Lara Jickles:I might have moved out when I was 16 and did it in a horrible way. I'm so sorry, Dad, so I don't that, you know, and I moved out when I was 16, and I still finished grade 12 and graduated and continued on to university. We all know who that went, but I tried, and, you know, I still found a way to pay my bills. I never like, Yeah, I think I when I was younger, just before 16, I really mapped it out, like I manifest. I never realized at the time, but I was manifesting. If you focus so hard in your mind, it's going to come true. And I just you can. I knew that the law said that when I was 16, I could go whether they wanted me to or not. My parents were very disappointed, and I yeah, I was like, No, I can do this. I can be my own person. I can make things work. And, yeah, moving out when I was 16 was and I didn't ask for anything from anybody, and my mom, I remember my mom saying, you know, you will not graduate. And I was like, watch me. Watch me. Yeah. And I'm glad she said that to me, because and we have a great, great relationship. And well, not at that time, we do, and I'm glad she kind of said that to me. I'm glad she lit that fire, because I was like, Oh no, no, you'll watch me walk the stage. Remember
Mark Laurie:one of the things that happened where it was so funny because you were so mad at the time, and yet you totally understood it wasn't anybody's fault. And we were going on the first leg of the Bahamas trip, and. And we're in Toronto, and we're about to try and get your ticket to go to Bahamas to do the test shooting for it. And your mom, late at night, had made book the tickets for you, and she had missed the button, so she actually had your flight going back to Calgary the next day, rather than four days later. And so you had to fly home. We were going up the Bahamas, you had to take your flight home, and she picked up the airport, and she was like, I'm sorry. You're like, it's not your fault. I understand, but right now I'll
Lara Jickles:be alone. Yeah, sometimes you just can't talk. I've learned that you just gotta and, yeah, that's some self awareness. I was surprised I had at
Mark Laurie:that time. You're evolving. I bet you.
Lara Jickles:My husband wish I had some of that self awareness with him.
Mark Laurie:How is marriage for you? Because that's, that's another big step for you.
Lara Jickles:Great. Actually, it's that just shows that when you meet the right person, and when you know you know I, there was never a man that could keep up to me. I chewed and spit them out. I would date someone, I called myself like an infatuated serial dater, like I would meet someone and just fall in love with them, and we'd be hanging out every day, and I'd introduce them to my parents. I'd take them everywhere with me, like they just they were so a part of my life. And then about, like, four or six months in, I was already had the next one lined up, and I I didn't hate breaking up with someone, because I didn't want to ever hurt anyone's feelings. So it was anyone's feelings. So it was just a matter of slowly moving away from one while getting into the other. And then I was just in love and infatuated with the next one, and I knew that would have its time stamp on it. And I just didn't think there was really a man that could hold me, hold me down. And then as I got older, I kind of wanted to settle down more. I knew I wanted to settle down, but I just I wasn't mature enough, or I just hadn't met the right person. And then I finally, like, met the one, and he just turned out to be the most toxic relationship ever. And it took me a couple years to get out of that. And then when I removed myself from that, I I learned a lot about myself and how I needed to love myself. That's when a lot of the self development started, because I realized a lot of people play the victim card when they're in a toxic relationship, but for you to stay that long, you clearly didn't love yourself at one point. You know you allowed yourself to be treated that way. You allowed yourself to stay and I finally was just like, No, and I left knewing, knowing exactly who I was, how I deserved to be treated, and what I needed in life. And after I left him, I said, I just gonna take some time to myself. I did not wanna meet anybody. And I think three or four months later, I just wanted to use the cable machine in the gym, and this other guy was using it, and the rest is history, and he just turned out to be my fellow weirdo who has been through such a similar, if not rougher, walk of life. So there is no judgment between us. There is he doesn't judge me. There's the communication. We can't tell each other anything that's going to shock it, you know, like the community. Communications open, he's literally my best friend, and watching him be a father to his two sons made me feel comfortable enough to open up to the idea of having children, because I knew he was going to help, because I knew something, it was going to be something was gonna be something I was gonna struggle with, so I knew he was gonna help me with it, and I knew he wouldn't judge me for playing catch up on the mom of the Year award, you know, like he, yeah, no, married life is is pretty is pretty good. Sometimes I I feel bad because I am a very used to being by it's just, you know, it's always just been me and the cat, and I remind him that he's like, it hasn't been you with a cat. Now for quite some time, he's got patience of a saint.
Mark Laurie:How did you know was there a moment that you simply go, oh, shiny light, that's the person, or is it just sort of something evolved, and you woke up one day going, oh, man, look where I am.
Lara Jickles:Yeah, I knew I just got out of a toxic relationship, and I knew I was doing a lot of self development, and it's not good to like, jump. I just knew I was a little broken, and I told them, like, listen. And I was very honest with them, like, This is who I was dating. This is what happened. This is how broken I am. I'm not ready to be in a relationship. So. And then also, he was in recovery. He had just finished his first year, and me, I did. I had been sober in the past for just over two years, and then I just kind of realized I have a control that two years really made me grow up when it came to drugs and alcohol. So I'm now okay to have a glass of wine, or I'm okay to, you know, I don't touch drugs at all, but, um, yeah. And so when I met him, I didn't also and I knew how much unstable I was when I came to men, and I knew how I wasn't looking for anything, and I knew he liked me way more than I was capable of liking him, so I told him we're always gonna be friends. I told him I was his iceberg. It's a titanic like iceberg. Straight ahead, I'm gonna sink your shit. And also, I valued his recovery so much I didn't want to get involved with him when I knew I was still recovering from my past relationship, so I just pushed him off and. Yeah, but we talked every day, and he also went and worked out of town. We FaceTimed every single day when he was working out of town. I was working out of town in the potash mines. You know, we were gone for like, months at a time still, and this was just some random guy I'm at the gym. We talked or FaceTimed every single day and and I would tell him things where there was things going on in my life, or like the dancing, where other men would, you know, sneer or have their judgments or be insecure, and this nothing scared this guy off, whether I was trying to or not. And you know, it just time. And then we also met during covid, and we're both not vaccinated, so a lot of people didn't allow us at their house. We didn't get to spend Christmas with our families. My birthday is December 21 his is December 22 so around that time, we spent our birthdays together, and the next thing we're spending Christmas together, and the next thing we're spending New Year's together. The next thing, he's driving out to Saskatchewan to meet me for Easter. And it was like, and I refused to say I was dating this guy. One of my girlfriends asked if we were dating, and I actually said he was my cousin. I don't mean to get into that, but I was so against admitting I was with this guy, because I just, in my head, wasn't ready to be with anyone. And then we just and then he had some family issues, and he went through some tragedy, and I was, I dropped everything I was doing in Saskatchewan. I was right there from I was in, BC, within a second I didn't care about my job. I will be there. And I just realized this is my best friend, and I would I would call P I would call him my best friend before I would ever call him my boyfriend at the time. And then I was like, wait a minute, isn't this what a relationship is? I haven't fought with this guy once. He's never made me feel uncomfortable. And I just realized I this is so easy, it's so easy, it's so natural. We're so good for each other. Okay, okay, let's do this. Yeah, and he's still here
Mark Laurie:about it. You are too. So if you go back to give yourself advice, your 20 year old self, 25 year old self, what would you say to yourself?
Lara Jickles:Um, my 25 year old self, yeah, let's, let's do 20, yeah, 20 or something, yeah, yeah, no, um, I would tell myself, it's, it's, it's just, it's gonna be because I was still really depressed and struggling. And I would say, um, it's like, you're okay. It's gonna be okay. And, yeah, everything does happen for a reason, and and great things are coming. Keep your head up like I would just reassure myself, because I was just so confused at the time. And I just, I really was just confused what this game is of life, and I was just so over it. And even though my biggest, I don't know if I'd call it a strength, but I there was so many issues, so many incidents in life, where people just thought I was the happiest, most go lucky, nicest girl ever, when inside I was honestly just the most depressed, sad, hurt individual who was just so lost. And I just wore this mask for so long, and I just would tell myself, like you are one day gonna authentically be happy like you will. You know you're not gonna, you're not gonna fool the world forever. I forever.
Mark Laurie:When you see people that seem overtly happy or too happy, does that stuff bells?
Lara Jickles:It used to because I was so unhappy that when someone was super happy, I'm like, Are you kidding me? Like, come on now. But now, especially being in the Arbonne world, some of some of the ladies that have really done some self development. And right now, the the awakened by what's that guy's name, who's putting it on anyway, like a lot of them, they just, self development is huge. Is huge in Arbonne. And they really, they don't push it, but it's just, it's a big norm. And everyone you become friends with all these ladies, and they're all going to all these these retreats and these conventions for self help that you just start doing it too, and it's fantastic, and sorry.
Mark Laurie:It was just how you if you spot people who are too happy, if you get concerned about them being our
Lara Jickles:bond, chicks are that happy? Yeah, you know? Like, I say, like, Oh, I'm having a bad month. Or I said I really wanted to go to event, but I didn't know if I can afford it. And they're like, Oh, you can. Don't think that way. Money is infinite. It flows. It's in circulation. And I'm just like, have you looked up my bank account? Like, are you, you know, so I just, but now that I've actually started doing the work and reading the books, I'm becoming one of those happy people, or, like, you know, if someone's really having a bad day, I just want to be like, say five things you're thankful for right now, stop and tell me out loud and back in the day. If I was really venting on someone and they're like, Name five things your grad, you know, grateful for, I'd tell you to go pick rocks and thank you for pushing my feelings aside, you know. But no, it's true, like, mindset is everything, and those happy go lucky people, if they are authentically like, if you put the work in, you can be that. And I do have a lot of friends in the Arbonne community who have achieved that, or who are knocking on that door stop. And yes, sometimes they can be a little annoying, but that's because I also haven't achieved that, right? I'm struggling. And I'm still working through some mindset, and they've, they've gotten past that struggle. So that can be annoying, but no, I do believe that there are truly happy go lucky people out there and good for you, that that, again, is successful. You've successfully helped your mindset. And yeah, everyone has issues, and everyone has a little dark and twisty in them, yeah, but yeah, what have
Mark Laurie:you had to give up to give up to be where you are? What's it cost you
Lara Jickles:my apartment and me and my cat, my little downtown living in bang view, and just me and my cat, that life, that's about. It just, just the self, the self, the selfish behavior, yeah, which isn't, which isn't a bad thing, yeah, it hasn't. It's just I've my it costed me, my old self. There you go. Yeah, no, that's kind of cool to say no, she No, because the good parts of her are still in me. So I've really just evolved and grown out of some of the negativity that I just at that point couldn't shake or see through.
Mark Laurie:So you look back at all that, how does that make you
Lara Jickles:feel? I think I'm getting my period soon. So like I want to cry, but, yeah, it makes me feel super proud. And there was just a lot of people that called me weird or didn't understand me, to the point where sometimes then I wouldn't understand myself because I just second guessed it. And it almost makes me feel like, hell, yeah, you know what? Like Hell yeah, I did. I did have a poop, my poop in a group a little bit more than I thought I did. Or, or it also makes me feel like there's hope. Or even looking at my daughter, I'm like, she's gonna go through every child goes through so much child and tribulations. It doesn't mean they're a bad kid. It doesn't mean they're gonna end up in jail. Doesn't mean they're gonna, you know, like she's they're gonna be okay. You know, I'm living proof of that.
Mark Laurie:That's amazing. That was really cool. You're with Auburn now, and is that your yep, I mispronounced that, aren't I Arbonne? Yeah, you said perfectly. Arbonne. In the BIOS and stuff we'll have where people can reach out to you and connect and either get stuff or even come part of your crew, I guess is a phrase for it,
Lara Jickles:yeah. So you can either purchase through my website and anything you purchase through the website. The Commission goes directly to me, which in turn goes to my family. And just my dream of leaving a nine to five behind. Not that I've ever really worked a nine to five, but keeping myself out of the nine to five life. And then also, like my husband, is a tile setter, so he works on the tools. He's very talented, but I want it. My ultimate dream is to retire him off the tools I want because, you know, that's hard on his knees. It's hard on his back. I want him to be the best father he can be, and he is slowly crippling himself to pay for our family. And no, no, I want to step up. I want to retire him. And then I want to be able to work this business from my phone while we enjoy our life together and our retirement in the end, so you can purchase anything you want through the link. Or as I grow in this business, I would like to build a team of consultants help them not only build their online business and get away from the nine to five norm, but also with growing your own business. And because you're not in the nine to five, I want to help with your mindset. I want you to be a hustler. I want to I want to help your grit. I want to help you create vision and goals and challenge yourself in the way that a lot of people don't get to, because the nine to five we're still used to just sitting there getting handed what we're supposed to do. You know, you do that, you get your paycheck right, and it's we don't, we don't evolve. And we look at kids, and every six months, every year, they're constantly changing and growing and learning new things. And why do we stop that as adults? So I want, I want to really, yeah, I want to create that. So if you can always follow me on Instagram, my Instagram, if it offends you, I'm sorry, but, you know, I'm very open. I don't sugar coat things. I literally post and say what is on my mind. But I also think that if I'm triggering you, you're welcome, because that's just highlighting an unhealed part in you of some trauma. So I'm just, you know, pointing out maybe something you need to work on, or maybe I need to also get back in my cage. But you can follow me on Instagram, or, yes, if you want to purchase purchase through the link, or you can work for Arbonne directly under me as well. And you just need to reach out and let me know that well. Thank
Mark Laurie:you so much for your time today. It's been enjoyable. It hasn't been too long. It has been Thank you. Welcome you.