When Life Resets You with Liz Prochaska

What if the moment that looked like the end of everything was actually the moment your real life finally began? Not the life you planned, not the one that looked good on paper — but the one you were always meant to be living.

That's not inspiration. That's Liz Prochaska's actual story.

Liz spent 15 years climbing the corporate ladder in recruiting and HR leadership, quietly burning out while checking every box the world told her to check. Then on a snow day in January 2025, one accident changed everything — her job, her identity, her freedom, and her future. What she built from the rubble? A woman-owned landscaping company, a sober and present life, and a story she's finally ready to tell. This episode is raw, real, and the kind of conversation that reminds you that good people go through hard things — and that a moment in time does not have to define the rest of your life.

Inside the Episode:

• The Snow Day That Changed Everything: The golf cart accident that resulted in nine criminal charges, a hospital stay, and CPS at her door — and why Liz says it could have happened to literally anyone
• The Corporate Burnout Nobody Talks About: How 15 years of climbing, hustling, and people-pleasing left Liz hollowed out long before the accident ever happened
• Sink or Swim: What it actually looks like to wake up with no job, no income, pending criminal charges, two boys to feed, and a mortgage — and choose to keep going anyway
• The $30 Lawn: How a neighbor's overgrown grass, a borrowed truck, and a push mower became the unexpected foundation of Liz B Mowing — a thriving, woman-owned business
• Sobriety as a Superpower: What Liz discovered when she stopped drinking the day of the accident and never looked back — and why she says she's experiencing life for the very first time
• The Tattoo, The Bracelet, and The Legacy: The daily reminders Liz carries with her that say keep going — and what she hopes to pass on to her boys and the strangers who need to hear it most

Resources & Links:

• Liz B Mowing — Follow Liz on Instagram for the full journey
• Her Collective — DM Erica for a personal guest invite to a live session
• Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors (the book) — Erica's framework for breaking through what's keeping you stuck

The AI GAP: Women, AI and the Next Great Leap Forward -https://amzn.to/3OAXAdL 

Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors - The Book: https://amzn.to/3YDS10f

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericarooney/

Join our Facebook Group!: https://urlgeni.us/facebook/fromNOWtoNEXTtribe https://www.facebook.com/joinHERCollective.ER 

Find me on Instagram: https://urlgeni.us/instagram/EricaAndersonRooney

And YES — I’m on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@ericaandersonrooney

Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, the podcast where we stop playing small, start calling things out and actually do something about it. I'm your host, Erica Rooney, executive coach, speaker, and a little bit of a movement maker, and I'm on a mission to get more women into positions of power and keep them there because let's be honest, we've been told to lean in, but not too far to speak up, but not too loudly to be ambitious, but somehow.

Still likable and y'all we're done doing that. This is the space where we break it all down. The sticky floors, the ceilings, and the gaps that are shaping who gets ahead, especially in this next era of AI and leadership. Some of it's mindset, some of it's burnout, and. Some of it is the system working exactly as it was designed.

Either way, we're not staying stuck in it. Each episode is your nudge to move one decision, one shift, one bold [00:01:00] step forward. No overhauls y'all. No waiting until you feel ready. Just real momentum. So if you're ready to. Think bigger, move smarter, and build power on your own terms. You're in the right place.

Let's smash the ceilings and close the gaps. 

Today's conversation, y'all. It is with somebody who I am super pumped to have on the podcast. It is a woman that I deeply admire in one of my closest friends. I've got Liz Prochaska on the podcast, and she is someone who knows what it means to have your life change in an.

And what it takes to keep going, even when the path in front of you looks like nothing. You would've ever planned. Now, over the last year, Liz has walked through an incredibly difficult season, one that I think has asked more of her than it has asked of most people in the entire world. But what I admire the most about Liz is that she has not only made it through, but it's how she's continued to keep showing up as a [00:02:00] mother, as a woman, as a friend, as a human who is having to rebuild her life in real time.

And she has done this with grit, with humility, with courage, and an incredible amount of heart. So y'all, Liz has built a career in recruiting, leadership and business, and now she is stepping into a completely different chapter, one that is rooted in resilience, resourcefulness, and doing what it takes to move forward.

Her story isn't just about hardship, but it is about identity rebuilding and what it takes to really begin again when. You never asked for the reset. So Liz, welcome to the podcast. I'm so pumped. 

Thank you. Thanks for having me. 

Oh my gosh. So Liz and I have known each other un unknowingly since 2020 when she was my son's.

One of his first baseball coaches, but we just realized that, and so gosh, we've known each other for now what, four, five years? 

Yeah. I feel like it's been forever though. 

It has been forever. So for people who [00:03:00] are just meeting you in real time today, what is this season of your life? 

Yeah, so I am a single mom of two boys.

Banks in Brooks, they're six and 10, and I am trying to build a business. I mean, I'm just recreating myself completely. I'll be 40 this year. 

Woo girl. 

Um, which is crazy to think about. And yeah, I, I left corporate and it's been about a year now in Lis b mowing, so, 

all right. So tell me real quick. Mm-hmm.

What is Liz b Moen? We're not gonna get into how it came to be yet. Yeah. But I just, I want to lay the groundwork of what we're doing today. 

Yeah. So Libe Mowing Simple is a woman owned and operated landscaping company, and so I do everything from basic lawn mowing and maintenance all the way up to full hardscape.

And soft skate ins installs. 

Yep. And you are leading the world on Instagram. I see it all over there, so follow her there. But, all right. We didn't [00:04:00] always start there and you and I connected because we were both in the HR world. Yes. And so we're obviously this is a complete left turn from hr. 

Yeah. 

When you think about the last year, what feels most true about what you've lived through?

Kind of talk about the last year, what's happened and you know, this is how Liz b Moen came to be. So. 

Yeah, so I started in obviously corporate. I was with the same company for 15 years, straight outta college. Um, and it, I started out as a recruiter, had no idea what I wanted to do after I graduated college with a business and HR degree.

Um, started out in recruiting. I worked my way. To leading teams, uh, across the country, recruiting and semiconductor. So high tech. And then I ha I, it went boom, life went boom, and it slapped me in the face very hard. Um, I mean, I'll share my story if that's okay. 

Yeah. 

Uh, so let's see. January [00:05:00] 22nd, 2020. Five.

Yep. So it's been a little over a year now. It was a snow day, um, a, a fake snow day, I call it in North Carolina. Just a little bit enough to cancel school. I was gonna 

say, which, which non snow day was this? 

I know. And, um, yeah, I remember it all too well. So I had just bought my boys a golf cart for the three of us for Christmas a couple weeks earlier.

So we had about three weeks. And um, we had been hanging out with their best friends in our neighborhood. I drove the golf cart down 'cause there was no ice or anything on the streets. And we spent the day sledding with them. And then, um, you know, I was working from home like moms do you know, multitasking?

Gotta check that email, gotta be on these zooms. So I was on it along with the other two moms. They're working, had my computer up and everything. Took a break after a call and the boys wanted to go get some toys and baseball cards from my house. So we all jumped on the, the golf cart. Now obviously there was.

There was [00:06:00] five kids, so. What do you do? You leave out the little siblings, you know, or, or you take 'em with 'em, you know? And so I had the consent of both the parents and we jumped on the golf cart and I buckled four in and I had one with me on my lap. And we just went like we do all the time down to my house.

Um, all through 

the neighborhood, 

all through the neighborhood. So we rode to the house, rode back. I, my favorite thing to do was teaching them how to properly drive. Mm-hmm. You know, and all the, the rules of the road. Um, and as we're coming back, uh, something tragic happened. We were coming around a roundabout and the, the child kind of jerked the wheel and, um, I tried to overcorrect and we went down.

And so, um, there was a golf cart accident. So, I mean, I. I like to tell this story because it could happen to anyone. Um, now back up just a little bit. It was a work from home day, snow day. I'm not gonna hide the [00:07:00] fact I had one to two white claws, right? So, so did, did the other moms, no big deal was not impaired.

Um, but that's important to the story. Um, and so. Yeah, I went down. The children were, thank God, totally fine. Yeah, no scratches, nothing. No one had to go to the hospital, unfortunately. Um, I got pretty hurt with my arm, but my biggest concern when it happened was the kids. So got all the kids out other than being.

Obviously shaken up. They went to get help and every child was okay. And that's all I care about. Yeah. Um, I was not okay. I injured my arm pretty badly. My left arm, I had to get multiple surgeries and I don't have feeling in, in a lot of my hand, but that's okay. I'm here and I have an arm. Uh, the worst part about it though, and why?

Why Libe Moen came to happen. We're getting there, we're getting there. Sorry for the long story, but, um, obviously the police and ambulance came and that day [00:08:00] ended with me in the hospital room in triage my necks and a neck brace laying on a stretcher. And I am getting handed nine charges, nine criminal charges from a.

What I thought was a seamless golf cart accident or golf cart ride. Yeah. Turned accident. Um, the children were okay. I was thinking, you know, 

what's the problem? 

What's the problem here? Yeah. Let's you know, total the golf cart. Get me some medical help. Yeah. And we're gonna be okay. Um, their parents were supportive of me, worried about me, you know, everything was fine.

And, uh, yeah, they would have arrested me that day, um, for a suspected DUI. Um, so my charges were five counts of child abuse. Um, yeah. That, that one hits hard. I know. That's 

the one that's the hardest. 

That's the hardest for me. Uh, DUI, failure to register, registration, all those like little things. Yeah. But, um, yeah, nine criminal [00:09:00] charges.

So my parents are sitting there with me thinking the person who have never gotten in trouble my whole life, 

say what in the world 

haven't even had a speeding ticket, you know, going, what in the world? My mom actually thought the cops were outside, like checking on me. Bless her. Bless, bless. I love her to death.

Um, so yeah, I went through my surgeries and everything came out and I was still on pain meds and two days post-surgery meeting with a criminal lawyer in downtown Raleigh. Um, I was told not to tell my company what happened. Uh, which is so weird to me 'cause I'm somebody of honesty. Yeah. Uh, and I said, I'll just tell 'em the story, you know?

And, and my boss at the time was like, no, you can't, you can't 'cause hr. And I'm like, what? Like, what do you mean this is an accident? You know? Yeah. And lo and behold, I was told by the judge that there is no accidents in life. And so I think that's funny how you think about it. So that's what we're teaching our kids, that there's no accidents in life.

But [00:10:00] really, if you think about it the other way. Um, I think there isn't any accidents in life because what I came to find out is, you know, you go through everything for a reason. Uh, and that led to like my resiliency. So fast forward, um, I did end up losing my job, same company for 15 years. Um, I exited that and I was left with two little boys.

Um. With a single mom and a house and a mortgage and all these bills to pay. And no income. No income 

charges pending, 

no income, legal pen, uh, pending charges, no insurance for me or them. 

Yep. 

Um. Yeah. And I had no idea the fight that was about to start for the, for the next year of my life. So you were involved in that?

I mean, you came to see me? Yeah. Right when I got home. Oh. And, and to add on top of that, as if that's not enough, you know, with child abuse charges, obviously as they should. Um, CPS was at my door 30 minutes when I got home from the hospital, [00:11:00] so. It was a lot. It was a lot. And, um, all of that seems like a blur now.

And we're out of it and we're good and we're thriving, but at the time it was a lot. And so, um. So, 

yeah. Well, I just, I remember I was on a vacation. Mm-hmm. And I came home and I was laying in bed as I do scrolling doom, scrolling my Facebook and I see the news article. 

Yeah. 

And it didn't say your name in the headline.

Mm-hmm. But I saw the golf cart and you driven over to my house earlier to show me the golf cart. So I was like, oh my God. 

Yeah. 

And I just had this immediate sinking feeling and sure enough, I scrolled, saw your name. 

Yeah. 

And I immediately ran out and told my husband, and I mean for me it was like, I've gotta do something.

Yeah. 

Because I know who you are at your core. Mm-hmm. And I knew that like, holy shit, like she needs more support than ever. Mm-hmm. So that's when I like immediately drove over to your house. Mm-hmm. And brought food, all the good things. And this is where we started talking about Liz b [00:12:00] Moen. 

We did. And you, I have to thank you because you seriously, I don't know if you know what you did to me, like from the minute I met you, but through that it was insane, the connection that you just, you were real you, you were like, listen.

This isn't gonna define you like you are. Good. Now we're gonna have our little moment. I think you told me that. Yeah. We can have our little pity moment, but we're gonna pick ourself up and we're gonna move forward because you're gonna do something out of this. And I don't know if you know what you're gonna be in a year, but this is gonna be a blip.

And there's a reason you went through this and you were the first person to say that to me. And so I thank you for that because you actually are the reason Libe mowing happened. So was Sby 

mowing a joke first and 

then I, it was a total joke. So literally I did not know where my money was gonna come from.

I didn't know what I was gonna do. I mean, we even talked about what I have to. Rent my house out mm-hmm. And move in with my parents. I mean, as an almost 40-year-old, I'm like, there's, that's not even an option. I [00:13:00] love you guys, but like, I'm supposed to be taking care of you, you know? And, um, and my friend, uh, I was at her house and her next door neighbor was moving to Wilmington and said, I don't know what I'm gonna do with my grass.

Like I'm gonna have to drive back up here every two weeks. And I was like, I'll cut your grass for you. Like, and he is like, you will? I said, yeah, like 30 bucks. Literally. He was my first client. Thank you Neil and Becky. So much first client and I realized how much I liked it. So 30 bucks. That was my first, first, uh, client for Libe Mowing.

And you, we were joking when I told you about that. And so you chat gtd me a logo right up, and I think it started with Les b Mowing and we said, let's soften it a little bit for clientele. But um, yeah, you're the reason that my company got built. So, 

and it is a thriving business today. I love it. I mean, y'all, I see her all over the gram.

She's everywhere. But I, I'm gonna take us back a little bit to being in the thick of it. Yeah. Right. Because I think this is the part that people don't talk [00:14:00] about, that other people don't wanna think about. Mm-hmm. Because it is really uncomfortable and I think the thing that is probably the hardest about.

Your situation is that it could have happened to anyone. 

Mm-hmm. 

And when I think about it, it's like, what are you even talking about? She's having CPS show up at her door, she's trying to protect her children and this is what's coming for her, like mm-hmm. So when you think about like your lowest point, trying to be in the middle of all of that, before Lisbon was really born, how did you find.

I guess just the ability to wake up every day and be a mom and get these kids dressed and ready for school and everything that had to happen. 

Yeah, so banks and Brooks are like my driving force. They're, they're the reason for everything. And so I just knew that it wasn't an option to give up. It just wasn't.

And um, my parents have, like, my parents and my brother are really like, critical of who I am and [00:15:00] like the reason. I am who I am and they're very positive people, you know? And of course, like growing up in the South, I listened to one of your other podcasts the other day and it was like, you know, don't share too much and don't share.

And so I had to warn my parents today like, this is the first time I'm sharing my story and I'm gonna go all in. Right? And you know, and so I think their fears, like they don't want people to judge you, but I have a different. I have a different view on that. And so, like my dad had always told me growing up, like, do your best in a little bit more.

That's what we said every day of my life, do your best in a little bit more. 

I like that. 

And so what does that even mean? You know, so you're told that, but you're not taught how to do it, right? Mm-hmm. And uh, in my lowest point, which was multiple points over that year, um, I would be crying in the bathroom floor by myself.

And I never let my kids see that. Well. I just decided to be honest with them. And so they didn't understand. Their friends were on the golf cart, didn't understand why am I in trouble, like I didn't do anything wrong. The kids, if, if I could have sent the kids to court for me [00:16:00] to be my witnesses, I would've got out with nothing.

No, no convictions. Yeah, because they were like, miss Liz, it was just an accident. And I'm like, you're right. It was, you know, but. I take responsibility, could I go back in time? I wouldn't have had that many children on there that wasn't as safe as it should be, you know, and all these things. And I wouldn't have, you know, some alcohol in my system and things like that.

And so it was an accident, but, um, I've been. Honest with my kids about the entire time. Um, I think it's built resiliency in them and, uh, I, I just knew that it wasn't an option to give up. And so when I, I felt at my lowest, I tried to think there's a reason that I'm going through this. There is a reason. I don't know what it is now, but maybe my story can help someone else.

And so, and since I've gone through this, I've heard of three other accidents. Mm-hmm. Same situation. DUI, child [00:17:00] abuse. And so I've tried to reach out to those people because they're gonna need someone. I mean, I went from my lawyer in the court immediately said, you're going to 30 days of rehab. 

Mm-hmm. 

I don't care that you're not an alcoholic.

You're, you're gonna go to rehab, um, you're gonna go through child abuse classes. Um, I went through every Wednesday night from six to nine. I spent time with my 10 other child abuse. Charged people, individuals. Yeah. You know, and, um, met some wonderful people, some that were in the same boat as me, and some that should be in there, you know?

Um, I went through, uh, alcoholics Anonymous classes. I mean, I did the whole nine yards for all of the year, and I'm thankful for that. You know, I learned things that I didn't know, and some could have looked at it, you know, and, and thought. God, this is, why do I have to do this? This is, you know, I'm a victim, or God, [00:18:00] you know, I must be a really bad person to have to do this and stuff.

And instead I chose, I don't know how, but I chose to look at it as I get to do this. You know, this could be so much worse. And so I'm going through this. I'm gonna go all in. I'm gonna learn what I can to hopefully meet some amazing people who are also in probably worse seasons of life than I am. And maybe I can change their life while they change mine.

And, um, and I've, I, that's what I've done. And so I'm looking at it in the sense of I've reconnected with a ton of people who I went through these classes with. Um, my. Teachers have me come back and speak to them. And I just think that, you know, a moment in time shouldn't define the rest of your life. And I think that, you know, we can teach others that because mental health is a real thing right now and I'm no stranger to that.

I've struggled with depression, anxiety my whole life. Um. I am, I'm [00:19:00] gay. You know that So shocker, libe, Mo and Rainbow. Huh? That's what it's for. 

It's a full owned identity branding situation. It is. And we're all here for it. 

We're in it. So you 

know what you're getting. 

Yeah. I mean, I'm no stranger to that, you know?

Um, I came out at 14 and so no one. Um, I went to Leesville High School. No one was out at that time. You didn't talk about that. It's very taboo, which seems so crazy now 

that 

that was 

only 

that long ago. 

Yeah. But I'm no stranger to being the first to do things or, you know, walk my own path. But, um, I came out early, you know, I, I got married when it wasn't even legal in North Carolina, so it went rogue with that.

We had our children, banks and Brooks and my ex-wife and had to adopt our own children. 'cause in North Carolina, the non-bio parent has to adopt, which involves, you know, social services and investigating you. Why do you wanna adopt your own child? You know, things like that. So I'm not a [00:20:00] stranger to having to go through hard things and emotional tolls.

Um, but I will say I thought my divorce was the hardest thing that I'd ever been through. Uh, and no, that was like a cakewalk compared to what I've been through this last year. And I mean, I guess I should mention that they're not pending anymore, right? So we went through the whole trial and everything and, uh, and I'm past it.

Um, I, I ended up getting, uh, they would not let me off with the child abuse thing. So I, I got contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Um, obviously they proved that I was not impaired. Um. It was a 0.04, so half the legal limit. Um, 

but let's talk about that because I learned something in the state of North Carolina, if you even have anything mm-hmm.

In your system and you have a child in the car, it is the worst level. DUI in the state. The worst. Of North Carolina. And what I find fascinating about that [00:21:00] is like go to any restaurant on a Friday or Saturday or go to brunch on a Sunday. And how many families do you see out where somebody has one mimosa?

Oh, absolutely. I mean, let's be real. The, the. The world now is, I mean, we, you know, we have baseball get togethers at breweries. That's where we go. Yeah. For end of year celebrations. Right. And I mean, that's what, that's this culture we live in after 2020. That's what it was built. These breweries pop up. It's like they have, you know, family fields, 

friendly breweries, 

family friendly, they have fields for kids to run in.

The parents are having a beer or two and they, they're talking or whatever. Yeah. One or two might turn into three and you leave to go, go home. Yeah. And you, you feel fine. And literally, and what I tell people now is it's not even you. You may right, you may feel okay, but what if somebody taps you? What if you hit a deer on the way home?

I mean, something crazy, right? Please come. 

Somebody could rear-end you. Yeah. And then you blow anything over in your, and that's why I say like, this could happen to anyone. It 

could. 

And 

you know, you were talking [00:22:00] about people judging you and I think when you look at everything on paper, right? Oh, it looks horrible.

Nine charges, horrible. Five kids in a golf cart. Like she absolutely is someone we should shun and shame and shouldn't be in this society. And I mean, that's why, like again, I saw the Facebook. Post and like people mm-hmm. Who don't even know you are ripping you apart, dropping all sorts of things. And I just wanted to be like, um, excuse me.

Like have you ever had a drop of alcohol and gotten in a car? Mm-hmm. I'm sure you have. Most people have and it's. It's so easy to judge, I think. Yeah. And we do that as a society, but I think your, your story especially is one to just highlight to people that good people get in these situations mm-hmm.

All of the time. 

Oh yeah. 

And it, there's more context and there's more nuance than anyone could ever understand and you know, you're talking about. Being in these classes with these people and I mean the, sometimes those people are really struggling. Yeah. And it does give you that ability to switch the [00:23:00] perspective.

Yeah. And I mean, what I learned too is yeah, I, I mean, I take full responsibility. I, if I could go back to that day. I would change how I did things right. Oh, 

a hundred percent. 

Um, but I think that's being real, you know? And, and a lot of people feel that way. They just don't say it, you know? And, but yeah, that news article came out and it made me look like a horrible person.

It was like, wake Forest mom drunk crashes with five children on golf cart and none of the oh, and injures all five. Two of those things were. Inaccurate. Um, but that's the news for you, right? That's 

the news. Sensational. 

That's that's how it is. They gotta bring people in. And so, but that alone, along with my, my charges, even though not convictions have absolutely, they had the ability to ruin my life.

Mm-hmm. I mean, my, my life and my reputation, um, I no longer can. Can volunteer at my kids' school. I can no longer coach my kids' teams, which I loved as I [00:24:00] was your son's coach. I mean, you know, I have a 6-year-old, he's still young. Yeah. To be able to do that, and that honestly crushed me because I love kids.

I love everything about kids and volunteering with them. So honestly, that charge and conviction hurt me worse than anything. Um, but the alternative was they wanted me to go to jail. Yeah. For multiple years. With this conviction. It that's crazy to me. You know? And so I was thinking maybe, you know, just a little bit of time, but no years until my kids were teenagers and I can't even fathom that.

And so I think it's important. This is the first time I've told my story, but I think it's important. I think it's time. I've healed so much in the last year. I, the biggest one is I quit drinking from the day of the accident. Yeah. So from January 22nd, I have not had anything to drink and I'm gonna continue that because.

It's, and it's not a [00:25:00] judgment thing, like you said, like I don't judge anyone. Most of my friends do. It's, but sobriety has been wild to me. It's, and you know, this, like we've talked, it has made me open my eyes to be able to see and feel everything in life. Mm-hmm. And I experience life almost like for the first time this last year.

And it's like I'm present. I. Truly listen to people. I, you know, and I, I think not only sobriety and going through what I've gone through, but I think I got, you know, all, all too well, I got so burn out in corporate that it's almost like this, this life change was something that I didn't need it the way it happened, but I needed it.

Yeah, 

because you and I talked for probably two or three years of knowing each other about. Me finding something else, finding my joy, leaving my job, and how could I do that exit strategy? And you [00:26:00] helped walk me through it. And I just, you knew I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready. I didn't know what was be next.

And then life said, well, we got other plans for you. You know, boom, this is gonna happen to you, and then you're gonna sink or swim, you're gonna figure it out. And I. Grabbed it by the bootstraps and knew that I had to do anything I could to make money and make my boys proud. And failure was not an option.

Mm. 

So, um, I, yeah, I, I mean, I literally borrowed my dad's truck, took a push mower that I had residential, a blower, and a weed eater, and I started going around mowing lawns. For $30. But 

now what kinda lawnmower we got 

now we got us a John Deere. It's not, it's not new, but it's new to me. 

Hey girl 

and girl.

That thing, I can't imagine pushing lawns every day now. I mean, it's wild. I don't know what, where that willpower came from, but boy, it was strong. And now I'm almost. 40 and I'm feeling it. But I got my first trailer, [00:27:00] I got my storage unit, a whole shop. Um, 

I mean, we've upgraded, 

we're doing it now. 

We're a real company.

Yeah. A we've got a strong social media presence. We're on our first podcast media. I mean, whoa. 

Well, I have you to thank for a lot of that, and I appreciate you so 

much. But Oprah says. Life speaks to you and whispers, and if you don't hear it 

mm-hmm. 

Then it kind of becomes, you know, a little heavier, a little hand, a little push, a little shove into the brick wall.

Yeah. 

And I just think that that is so true. And when I think about the Liz that I knew who was stuck in corporate, who was miserable, who was, you know, responsible for having to do X, Y, and Z, like. I don't wanna say that life was hard. 

Mm-hmm. 

But you could definitely feel that there was just struggle. Yeah.

You know? And then when I see the Liz that I have now in front of me, I mean, you look good, you're healthy, you are doing a job that lets you be around your boys whenever you want to. You get to schedule your own, you know, days. Mm-hmm. And [00:28:00] you are showing them that like it does not matter how hard life gets you down.

Yeah. You can always get back up and make something of it. And like when I look at your life pre-accident, like, and now I'm like, well damn, she upgraded. Yeah. Like she is living. And like you said, sometimes you have to go through it because I don't know where you would be 

today. I'd be in the same place.

Yeah. I would, Erica, I would be in the same place and I would be miserable. Literally like just that rat race of Yep. You know. I'm checking your email and you gotta call somebody just to do it, you know? And I, I just, I would be miserable. And you're not the first person to say that as far as like, my energy is lighter.

Mm-hmm. I have more energy. I'm excited about life and I am like, I, I think life, everybody's taught that life's supposed to look perfect. 

Yeah. 

Life's supposed to be perfect. And when you go through hard things, you don't talk about it, you know, and it's not, it's not supposed to be perfect. It's life is supposed to be lived.

Yeah. And. 

You're gonna go through hard stuff, but it's the story that you end up writing [00:29:00] and that's the story that you can live and tell. And that story will impact people in a way of negative or positive. And so why not try to make a positive impact on someone else? Because I feel like that's my way to give back.

I've had so many people make a positive impact on me. 

Mm-hmm. 

Um, that. You know, maybe somebody hears my story and it can hundred 

percent 

change their life too. And yeah, I don't know. I feel good and. I'm thriving. 

I love it. Before we wrap up, tell me about your tattoo. 

Oh, yeah. Okay. So funny story. Um, I had never got a tattoo before, so I just went all in and, and decided I needed, I wanted a tattoo after what I went through, um, and I designed it.

With chat, GPT, like my logo and my boys. So this is a tree root. The the roots, um, represent, you know, the hard parts, the [00:30:00] fractures, all these fractures of, of what happened after my accident. So. They're deeply rooted. They changed me however, they grew into beautiful flowers, and these are my boys' birth flowers.

Um, they picked them and then the open delta right here just signifies that, um, it's open, it's not closed. And so whatever you go through, you just keep moving forward in life. And that's why the arrow points up. 

I 

love it. So it's really important to me and I love it. It's just a, it's a daily reminder. And then I wear this also.

Um, it says, never look back, and I got this. A week after my accident in one of my son's baseball training things, I said, I'm gonna steal this. And I haven't taken it off at all. And it was just my daily reminder when I didn't feel like I could get up again. You know, it's not, it's not what's happened to you, it's where are you gonna go now?

So live a good life and now I'm ready to move on and I'm ready to find someone to give this to. So I hope that [00:31:00] like. I can pass that on to someone who, who needs that reminder. I 

love that. And Liz is a girl's girl. That's why she also has her, her say bracelet on which me too, 

girl. Yeah, I know. I wear this every day since I got it too.

That's 

right's. Right? And if you don't know what her say is about, you better check out my LinkedIn. But Liz, last question, best question. 

Yeah. 

If you could go back in time and give the corporate Liz, right, and the Liz who's waking up in a hospital with cops surrounding her, here's nine charges, ma'am.

Mm-hmm. 

What one piece of advice would you give her now, now that you're on the other side of this? 

Yeah. Wow. That's tough. I, it's tough and easy at the same time, I would say to the corporate, Liz, like, life's too short and you need to wake up. In the rat race of life, this doesn't matter. You're not fighting joy.

You know, take some time, figure out what do you wanna do next, and, and just pull yourself out of it and go live a life [00:32:00] instead of letting life live You. Um, and the Liz that was laying there, tears streaming down my face thinking I have ruined my life forever. Um. That this one moment in time, this one lapse in judgment, is not gonna ruin your life.

You know, don't let people ruin your life for you. It's the same thing, kind of connects. Um, and you're gonna come out of this and you're gonna come out stronger. You're gonna come out happier. You're gonna come out as showing your boys that no matter what happens in your life, you're gonna be okay. And you determine.

Your destiny and now you're gonna come out with a new job that maybe I can leave to them, leave them a legacy one day. Hey girl. And so I'm excited for school to get out 'cause I, I'm gonna put them to work. 

Hey, and then you got a plus one, a little Bennett catchy who'd be ready to get his lawn mowing services going.

That's right. All right, Liz, well thank you so much [00:33:00] for being on the podcast. Your story. It's one of the most clearest. Clearest as day examples of what it looks like. You actually have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, not knowing where that's even leading. And I just think that it is so commendable how you picked yourself up and how you refuse to let something like this get you down, and you have literally just adjusted you.

You know, found your tribe, you found your happiness. You've gained relationships, you've lost relationships. But I think it makes you a stronger woman, a better mother, and just an all around better human. So thanks for being here. 

Thank you, Erica, for more than, than just this. Thank you for being there.

You're welcome. You, you changed lives and you need to know that too. So thank you. Well, thanks 

girl. Thank you. If this episode resonated with you, don't let it stop here. Send it to a woman you care about, a colleague, a friend, someone who's been on your mind while you were listening. These conversations are meant to be shared and you never know what one small shift can [00:34:00] unlock for someone else.

And if you haven't already, make sure that you're following the podcast. Leave a rating and write a quick review. It helps more women find. Space, and it keeps these conversations going. If you're ready to go deeper, come a little closer. Send me a dm. I'll invite you to sit in on a live her collective session as my personal guest.

No pressure, no strings attached, but you get to experience it. Feel the room and see what happens when women start moving together. Until next time, y'all keep going, keep choosing differently and let's smash the ceilings and close the gaps.