What if slowing down meant saying no to money?

In this episode, Maya and Malikiya sit down with Keocha (K) LaFleur-Anders, founder and CEO of Coffee Milk Media, curator of Reset With K, and executive producer of TEDx Round Rock Women, to talk about the hardest lesson in building sustainable success: changing your pace.

K breaks down what it actually takes to design your life instead of letting life run you, how to set boundaries without being the bad guy, and the question every community builder needs to ask themselves: "What do I really want?"

Here's what we talk about:

DESIGNING YOUR LIFE VS. LETTING LIFE RUN YOU
K shares how she shifted from fitting her life around business to fitting business around her life. The hardest part? Saying no to money. Turning down opportunities. Missing networking events. Making sacrifices (her hair was in a bun for months). But the result? Peace.

SURVIVAL MODE AFTER BEING LAID OFF
When Dell "broke up with her" (though she wanted to break up with them anyway), K went into full survival mode. She felt panic and urgency in her body. Started the publishing company and hit it hard, but nothing was landing. She was moving fast, but moving from anxiety, not intention.

HOW SURVIVAL MODE SHOWS UP IN YOUR BODY
Survival mode isn't just financial. It affected her mental health (anxiety, hard to think through things), emotional regulation (reacting instead of responding), and relationships. Everything was connected.

THE FORCED RESET
God had to force the reset. Losing their dog. A car accident. Her husband's health issues. When she wouldn't listen, God made her slow down.

WHO IS K WHEN SHE'S NOT WORKING?
Movie fanatic. Hiking. Fishing. Taking nature photos with her iPhone. Very introverted. She "sticks and moves", connects people, then backs away to preserve creative energy.

COMMUNITY BUILDERS ARE INTROVERTS
K believes most community builders are introverts. They're connectors by nature, but they need alone time to recharge. The key? Communicating that to people so they don't take it personally.

SETTING BOUNDARIES WITHOUT BEING THE BAD GUY
K learned to communicate boundaries after hurting someone's feelings. She went back and explained: "I get overwhelmed easily. I need to step back or I won't be a good friend to you." The lesson? Communicate. Don't over-explain. Don't ask permission. Just be clear.

HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO YOUR BOUNDARIES
People will say "choose yourself" and "prioritize your peace", until you actually do it. Some people will understand. Some will take it personally. K's approach? Trust that what's not for you will fall off. You can't control how people receive your boundaries.

THE JOURNAL QUESTION
"What do I REALLY want?"

Not what people expect. Not what someone else wants for you. Not the narrative placed on you. What do YOU want? What's sustainable? What gives you joy and peace?

K challenges: Is this what you really want, or is this what people told you you should want?

New episodes every Monday.

Follow K:
LinkedIn: Keocha LaFleur-Anders https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-lafleur-anders/
Coffee Milk Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-milk-media/

Follow us:
Instagram/TikTok: @thelonelinesscurepod
Texas Sistas Society: @txsistasociety

Shoutouts:
Zay D Productions - Camera, lighting, production https://www.instagram.com/zay_d_productions/
THe Concord - Austin, TX - Recording venue
https://www.instagram.com/ridetheconcord/

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