EP 16: Rebuilding My Life After Leaving Everything Behind: Tracey's Story

In this episode, Laura is joined by Tracey Vlahos a Certified Integrative Health Coach and Drugless Practitioner specializing in hormone health. She is also a fully recovered yo-yo dieter and former global executive & business coach for female business leaders. She suffered the consequences of an on-the-go, super-demanding career and finally walked away from all of it to focus on empowering women to be their best selves in their bodies & personal lives. After all, what are we without our health, vitality, and vibrance? She is a high-energy public speaker who empowers women with business, life and wellness skills. Tracey knows what it is like to be in a narcissistic, abusive relationship with two small kids. She details the emotional manipulation she endured, her struggles with emotional binge eating as a coping mechanism, and her eventual realization of the need for healthier means of dealing with the situation. Tracy underscores the vital role of surrounding oneself with positivity, such as uplifting music and empowering literature, in countering the negativity imposed by an abusive partner. She is here to share that you are NOT alone (nor crazy) and that there is life on the other side when you find the courage to create an exit strategy, as she likes to call it, to save yourself (and your family). You are worthy to take care of yourself and end the abusive manipulation!

Timestamps

[00:01:21] Tracy's experience with an abusive relationship

[00:03:38] Narcissism and abusive relationships

[00:04:06] How Tracy felt being silenced and not being able to share experiences

[00:05:43]  Walking on eggshells and the constant fear of triggering an outburst

[00:08:49] How financial challenges hindered Tracy from leaving the abusive relationship

[00:10:05] The importance of mental strength and self-care in an abusive relationship 

[00:11:03] The pattern of emotional manipulation

[00:12:53] The importance of feeding the mind with positivity and affirmations

[00:13:38] The manipulation tactics used by narcissists to control the narrative

[00:16:08] Coping mechanisms that Tracy employed

[00:18:03] The importance of feeding the mind with positive content

[00:21:20] The power of truth and the importance of standing in one's truth

[00:24:06] The importance of mental well-being and affirmations

[00:29:17] The impact of emotional eating and finding healthier coping mechanisms

[00:40:57] Taking responsibility in relationships

[00:45:35] Therapeutic benefits of making a list

[00:54:03] Personal growth and strength achieved by Tracy dealing with difficult situations

[01:03:21] Why it is essential to feed your mind

Notable Quotes

• Feeding what's on the end of your fork is essential, but what you're feeding your mind is so if someone gets you upset every day on social, It's okay.
• I would encourage everyone to speak the truth about yourself. Not when somebody is trying to feed you to believe. No. No, this is their illness, their sickness.
• I believe in and just become that well-being. Like I said, what's on the end of your fork but what you're feeding your mind and combining the two, right? Because we are so resilient. And I just want to be able to help so many women with that. So that is you, and you're listening, and you're hearing that please one, there's nothing wrong with you. Right? I want to say that. I understand, and there are ways you can reach me. I call them scooches.
•  I felt like I had this out-of-body experience where I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Like in this match that is so out of character for me, and if I had this out-of-body experience, and I could look down on this, and I was mirroring him and his behavior, everything that I disliked.
• Truth prevails. Truth prevails. Yeah. People are coming to me almost a year to the day. This is a bullshit saying, Oh my gosh, Tracy. Last year, we thought all this because he said, and I remember saying, you got to stand in your power. Wow. The truth will prevail. So I will say to anybody out there, it's harder than heck. What I just said, it is done. So please hear me.
• What is on the end of your fork is important to your health and well-being on a cellular level, but what you feed your mind is more important than what you're listening to, reading, and watching. And I, again, this was on TV. We didn't have laptops to watch or whatever.

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