Meet Laura Waldrop | Yoga Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Waldrop and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I am a recovering perfectionist. I spent most of my life believing I was only allowed to achieve and accomplish. I was terribly afraid of failure and wouldn’t try anything I wasn’t 100% confident I’d be able to do immediately. The hardest, most important and most transformational part of starting my own business has been learning how to take risks. For me that means not only giving myself permission to, but also celebrating failure! Very gradually, over the last ~7 years, I’ve grown what I call my “risk muscle” by simply doing things scared. I’ve tried a lot of things that didn’t work. But I’ve also discovered things that do work and had more fun through it all!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Starting a business has been anything but easy! Honestly, the only thing I’ve done to overcome challenges is to just keep going. As an endurance runner, I understand that any given run doesn’t really matter. It’s consistent practice over years that makes the difference. I think the same thing applies to business. So, like I mentioned before, I try a lot of things and fail often. But then I remind myself that none of that really matters. I just have to keep showing up consistently.

One of the things that really sets me apart from other alternative healing practitioners is my background in engineering. I have a really solid foundation in science and logical problem solving. I also happen to be a deeply feeling, intuitive person. I work with clients in pain, who often feel like they have to choose between the Western medical model or alternative healing. They feel like Western medicine offers band-aid solutions that fail to recognize that they are a whole person. But they don’t always trust alternative healing modalities because they feel too “woo-woo.” I tell clients they don’t have to choose. I sit really beautifully in the middle.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re coming to Colorado you HAVE to get outside! I live in Arvada and tend to spend time in the Arvada/Golden area. The Ralston Creek Trail and Clear Creek Trail are great for road biking. The Colorado Tap House is right off The Ralston Creek Trail and makes a great stop.

There’s also a ton of great trail systems near Golden and Morrison for hiking. Lair O’ the Bear Park is a favorite because it offers more shade during the heat of summer, and Apex Park has a good-sized parking lot for weekends.

Another MUST when you’re visiting Colorado is a brewery! My favorite is The Golden City Brewery. The owner is a long-time family friend, and they make the best beer. Do not skip their seasonal cherry brew if it’s on tap!

I would take any visitors out to eat in Olde Town Arvada. Some of the streets are blocked off for pedestrian use, they sometimes have live music and there are tons of great dinner options. Every trip to Olde Town Arvada, must end with ice cream from Scrumptious!

Last but not least, I’d check out who’s playing at Red Rocks Amphitheater. The venue is an experience in and of itself! I like to park close to the exit because this is Colorado, where we ENJOY hiking! A few extra steps doesn’t hurt and then it’s quick to get out when the show’s over.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The person that deserves the most credit in my story is, honestly, my husband. He has been emotionally supportive and encouraging as I’ve tried to figure out “what I want to be when I grow up.” Every time I have a new idea, he’s the first person to say, “Go for it!” He’s also provided a ton of financial and logistical support.

Website: https://waldroplaura.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurawaldro/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurawaldropyoga

Image Credits
Katie Lehr