COURTESY OF TERRY SA�IA
SHE BE��ME STRO��ER BY �O�FRO�T��� HER FE�RS
When her husband got sick , Duffy suddenly had to do the things she relied on him for , like driving their sons to sporting events . She wasn ’ t always comfortable , but doing these things pushed her out of her comfort �one and gave her asense of accomplishment .“ When �evin died ,” she says , “ I actually asked all my friends and family to invite me to do something that scared me because Iwanted to start recogni�ing how I was holding myself back .”
Duffy says she recently drove into �ew York City — something she never would have done before . “ We are either pushed by pain or pulled by pleasure , and I was certainly pushed by pain ,” she says .
��H���E E��OU�TER �T ��OFFEE SHO� �R��E�THROU�H ��S��RE� HER
On �ew Year ’ s Eve of 2020 , Duffy was at a drive-through coffee shop with her friend on speaker phone in her car . “ I ordered my coffee ,” says Duffy ,“ and my girlfriend says , ‘ I think you should start a podcast in 2021 .’ With that , the guy at the coffee counter who took my order said ,‘ Excuse me for listening , but I couldn ’ t help but overhear . Are you trying to start apodcast� ’ Isaid , ‘ I don ’ t know , why� Can you help� ’ And he said ,‘ Yes !’ To me , that was a sign from the universe saying I needed to do this .”
SHE USES �ESSO�S �E�R�E� �� HER �O��H��� BUS��ESS �� HER �O���ST
Through her life coaching business , A Mindful Journey , Duffy created aFacebook page called “ �ise ,” which can be accessed through the link in Duffy ’ s Instagram bio ��amindfuljourney . ld� or through
�EGA�Y OF �O�E �uffy surrounded by her sons �from left� Aidan , 1� , and �elly , Tyler and �uinn , �0 .
Duffy ’ s personal Facebook account �Laurice Duffy� .
Duffy started a live interview series called “ Aligned �Awakened ” �which later became her podcast title� that is accessible from that Facebook page . She then uses these conversations as content for her podcast , and shares the lessons she ’ s learned from these inspiring women .
“ It ’ s taking all the things that I needed to understand , that I needed to learn , that I needed to build and to climb back up , and sharing them with the world ,” she says . “ There are a lot of pillars — forgiveness , self-love , boundaries , inner judging — that really help us to create a beautiful internal home that transforms your external world and doesn ’ t make you feel victim to it .”
HER �O���ST���ES ME����� TO HER HUSB��� ’ S B�TT�E
“ It makes me feel like his early passing has purpose , that all of the lessons I ’ ve learned — because death teaches us so much about life — can be passed along to help people rise ,” she says . “ It makes me feel like his death wasn ’ t for nothing , that it wasn ’ t just for the hurt and sadness .”
SHE ST�RTE� ������ESS M�TTERS S�HO��RSH�� �T ����E�O� H��H S�HOO�
The �indness Matters Scholarship is awarded to two students of the �innelon High School graduating class who exhibit kindness throughout their four years . These two students are nominated by teachers and are each given a $ �00 scholarship towards college — with the money coming straight from Duffy ’ s pocket .
Duffy says that after years of watching students win awards for academic and athletic achievements , she wanted to award students for sheer kindness as well . “ I thought it was important to send a message to our youth that kindness matters too ,” she says .
Duffy hopes to start this scholarship at five to 10 more local high schools this year . ■
@ waynemagazine WAYNE MAGAZINE BACK TO SCHOOL 2021
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