How Layra Invested in Herself & Increased Her Income

Money Files

“I’ll invest in myself when I’m making more money.”

It’s all too common that my clients come to me after months of hesitation. They convince themselves that the investment won’t be worth it, that investing in themselves is a luxury they can’t afford. But as my client Layra learned, investing in yourself first is a form of self-care, and cultivating financial confidence is a key step in seeing and feeling your self-worth.

In this episode, Layra and I are chatting about her journey to discovering her self-worth, investing in herself, and valuing her business. 

She’s explaining why she finally invested in coaching and how she overcame the mindset blocks that were keeping her stuck. We’re also talking about investing in yourself as a form of self-care and a crucial step in scaling your business.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

  • How Layra admitted to herself that she needed support and finally reached out for help [1:31]
  • Why investing in yourself is an act of self-love and self-care [3:19]
  • How to make spending decisions based on the results you want in your life and business [10:46]
  • How to cultivate self-trust when making financial decisions and investments [15:56]
  • The mindset blocks that prevent you from growing your businesses and how to shift your thinking [17:35]
  • How financial confidence leads helps you see and feel your self-worth [19:38]
  • How to manage your money and set your prices like the high-powered business owner you are [27:02]
  • How Layra increased her business revenue by over 400% since we started working together [30:01]
  • How our thoughts allow us to create and attract money [31:59]
  • How money affects all areas of our lives, including how we see ourselves [40:42]

If you’re ready to gain confidence in your finances and invest in yourself, tune in for this week’s episode.

Want to shift the perspective you have of yourself and invest in yourself like Layra?  Apply to work with me and take the first step towards changing your relationship with money.

Do you love hearing about how my clients invest in themselves? Listen to another story from Damon here!

The Transcript for “How Layra Invested in Herself & Increased Her Income”

Keina Newell [00:00:00] Hi and welcome to Money Files, I’m Keina Newell from Wealth Over Now. I work every day with professional women and solopreneurs to help them get out of financial overwhelm and shame so they can experience more flexibility and ease with their finances. Are you ready to gain confidence and learn to manage your finances intentionally? Tune in and grab financial tips that will help you master the way you think about and manage your finances. Thank you for joining me for another episode of Money Files today. I am joined by my client, Laura. I feel like I’m not. I’m not sure if my Dominican accent is appropriate right now. But go ahead, I’ll allow you to introduce yourself. Yeah. So for the people who are you? 

Layra [00:00:48] Well, my name is Layra. Like I said, you’re almost there. You’ve got this Keina. You got this, it’s the roll R, Layra. And I got friends to actually call me Layrrrra just for fun, because anyway –

Keina Newell [00:01:02]  I’m going to go around and start practicing it that way. 

Layra [00:01:06]  Layra Marz, I’m a boudoir photographer based in New York City. I’m Dominican. Like, You represent and are excited to be here and talk about anything that Keina wants to talk about. I support her and I love her. So let’s get it. 

Keina Newell [00:01:24]  You’re too cute. I’m excited. I feel like there are so many ways that I can take our conversation, but let’s start. Well, yeah, what made you reach out for financial coaching?

Layra [00:01:35]  So the question was, I was ready. I can tell you that because I’ve been slow. So it’s about accepting. I feel like they either didn’t know anything about finances. You know, it’s hard to admit something like that, especially as an adult. If you’re running a business and try to figure things out, you think you could do it on your own. So I thought I could do it on my own, and I felt that I was achieving things, but I wasn’t achieving it at the pace that I knew I could be doing, especially with my potential right. I can see that like, I know what I want to do, but something was keeping me stuck and I bumped into one of your webinars or something. You were in a show and I’m part of that community and I’m like, Who is this woman who looks like me, who talks so beautifully and is so, so fit? Like the way you claim everything? Like I got out of the webinar with or like that workshop with a lot of nuggets and I was able to apply them right away. And so I started just bingeing on anything that you created and was fucking you on social media and join your Facebook group and everything came to signed up for our newsletter. And then I just like this is happening for a reason. Like, I just like, reach out. She’s asking, Hey, do you need support? Get on the phone with me. I’m like, This is the whole conversation investing. I know this is going to be an investment. I don’t know if I’m there. I’m afraid to spend this money on myself. I mean, I was connecting that that was there. I just I rather spend that on like what I usually do. I know what I’m doing. I’ll figure it out on my own. And I don’t know. There was a voice saying no, or maybe it was you. I don’t know, because I can’t. It’s like, you know what? I was thinking every email was like walking me through the steps. I don’t know how you did it, but I love you. Then I signed up, and then we got on the call and I’m like, Yes.

Keina Newell [00:03:19]  Tell me, because this is actually at the end of one of our coaching calls. You and I were talking about self-worth, and you’ve done a lot of work in the last year prior to even working with me. And we’ve had conversations about self love, especially because your boudoir photographer, right, like that’s what you do for women is allow them to like, love themselves. So you were talking about that work that you’ve done. But then we were also talking about how your finances are like being a part of self worth and being able to invest in yourself. So when you think about it, I feel like I said a lot and took the essence out of the question that 

Layra [00:03:58]  I want it to continue because I remember us talking about it and I don’t remember exactly what I said. Am I still talking? I’m try to remember.

Keina Newell [00:04:05]  We were just talking about the power of investing in yourself, right? Because I think that at the end of the day, like, it’s like, Do I want to make this investment in myself? And what does this actually mean? And you were talking, you started talking about like, I’m worthy of this because I think there’s a lot of fear. I know that there is a lot of fear when it comes to managing your finances and their thoughts about things like, OK, I’m ready to pay this woman who I don’t know. I found her on the internet, right? And I’m going to pay her money. But like, what if this doesn’t work for me? 

Layra [00:04:36]  Is that what if I start the work? But like, I stop it? And even though I have a coach, it’s like Abdullah, the regulator, which I’m not going to lie about if it happens. But the way you’re all me is like, No, she got a check on me to make sure I’m doing this like, I actually invest. What am I doing, you know? But that was a fear, like literally like not putting in the work and because of the most incredible. I mean, 2020 has been 20 20 for a minute, but it’s been a blessing in disguise for me because I’ve been able to sit still and I’ve been able to see my surroundings and like all the possibilities around me and because of me sitting still, I started and I’ve seen things and just things started coming to me in a way where, like people, in ways of like coaching like so I did a lot of coaching. I’ve been working with a coach since the pandemic started. And so it was all about self worth and self love. And twenty twenty one was like. A pivotal year for me, because that’s when I invested for the first time in a while on myself that way. I invest the money to work with a coach that’s going to guide me through finding my inner feminine and all these beautiful things with me. She’s amazing. Struggling to name drop may drop, but she is investing in that experience. And then I invest this or more, and every time I invest that it keeps getting bigger. But I didn’t even look at the number. I was looking at my worthiness in investing this money, like, why would I spend this? Like, I get to spend this, invest this money on myself. This experience, I wasn’t even looking at the money I was looking at, but there’s some who are calling me fun. You get to experience this, and right now is the perfect time because there’s no outside things that you have to do or like people are expecting you to do. And then that also me, like, I don’t have to do anything other people expect me to do. I gotta do what’s best for me and what helps me grow. And so listening to you felt even stronger, like a big like it got louder. Like, that voice was like, Oh my god, like, look at all the beautiful things you’re doing for later. Thank you for doing this for like, thank you later. Thank you for listening to me. You’re not me. My higher power was like, Oh my God, I’m going to happy days. You’re taking care of yourself. I’m always making sure everybody else is OK and I’m depleted. So it’s like now I’m feeling back up. I’ve been more coachable because of it because I’m like this, allowing for the blessings to come my way. But Stefani’s self worth conversation, not on money. Because let’s say this thing that I want like a Louis Vuitton bag, $2000 for the bag. I don’t have a problem with spending $2000 on that right? I actually do because I don’t care for it. But let’s say I do. I understand you’re like, what? It’s like, but I rather like this a I don’t know, does this investment here is like I really rather buy the bag. So it’s not a money problem. Even when a client is talking with me, I’m like, I know it’s not. The amount of money that is throwing you off is that you don’t see the worth of it or you don’t think you’re worthy to invest that much money on you you’d rather spend than what you already know is supposed to be that price. Mm hmm. So there you are. Of course, it’s $2000. Louis Vuitton. So, so, so like later and she’s not worth $2000, don’t you say? Like with the value ourselves when we choose that way, like sit down and what do you need? Why are you getting out of the bag? Mm hmm. You know, I don’t know. No, you do know people like with people who love to buy bags, go buy your bag or like, Flaunt. You got it. Well, you know what I mean? Like, it’s also fit with how I nourish myself, not just about showing off the bag. The world doesn’t care if you’ve got a really good time bag, have a habit because you are valuable like, what else are you doing? It feels.

Keina Newell [00:08:23]  You can also have both, and.

Layra [00:08:26]  Right, right, right. Exactly. So I like doing other things. 

Keina Newell [00:08:29]  What I wrote down was self-care, right? Because I think investing in yourself is a form of self-care. And typically, I think when we think of self-care, it can be like a manicure or pedicure massage. But we may not be thinking about like, how is investing in ourself in a way that’s going to be in our work? And so I think that’s where we come into the coaching realm or therapy and those spaces where like, you’re going to be shifting mindsets, you’re going to be shifting your view of self, your belief and self building trust, building awareness, creating safety, all of these different things that can be captured in our coaching container. But because like you were giving the example of a purse, right, like society around this is like, Oh, this is like really great quality for two thousand dollars or three thousand dollars, you should have this materialistic thing. And if this is not a debate on the materialistic thing or not, but it’s also being able to see the value in what are like intangibles, but they have compound results in your life. 

Layra [00:09:34]  And then also like setting that intention. So like, I go do my nails, but like, that’s a habit. It could become a very habitual thing, like I do when I go get a haircut, it’s like, OK, two weeks I have to go back to my barber. I like, make sure the physical looks are known, but it’s like, that’s not what it is. It’s like you’re taking time to take care of yourself to feel empowered because your hair looks really nice today after your nails look banging, you know, like you just took like 30 minutes for yourself or somebody else to do something for you. Like, that’s what that is. I don’t. I don’t know if I’m going to go off somewhere else, but it’s like. So the brands sell themselves very well. How are we selling ourselves to ourselves? Mm hmm. Yeah. Like, we don’t, we don’t sit down to write down what our thing is, the soft drink and valuable and amazing things that we eat. That is OK for me to spend forty dollars on this, a $50 on that just because I want someone else to pamper me real quick. Get that massage because my brand says so. It’s like my bank account gets it, too, and my business gets it too, and I work for it and I can do them. It’s back there. Like if it’s a factor of me to go and spend money on this flight or spend money at Macy’s or Bloomingdales. You know what I mean? Like that? Yeah.  

Keina Newell [00:10:46]  Now I recorded a podcast a couple episodes ago and was talking about choosing your thoughts about money. And I would say for anyone listening to an exercise for you, especially when you’re looking, maybe you’re looking to invest in financial coaching or even another type of coach. But I think the thing that’s coming up for me in this conversation is thinking about what results are going to create for you in your life, right? And being able to like what you were saying, like, sell yourself on those results, like, what’s the value of those results for you? And it’s really about this ownership. I’ve talked about it with clients. I’ve talked about it on the podcast as well. But like, I spend a lot of money on coaching, and it’s because I want access to my coaches’ thoughts. I know that access to my coaches’ thoughts is going to ultimately empower me in new ways and get me to show up not only in my business, but also in my personal life. Because there’s new things that I like believing about myself and outside of college. I don’t think we really invest in ourselves because college was like the last big ticket item. I guess you could say right now people are like, Oh yeah, by the way, there’s this thing. And then after college, it’s like, OK, well, now how are you like investing in yourself in a way that feels fulfilling and allows you to elevate in whatever season of life you’re in? 

Layra [00:12:04]  Yeah, we’re not. We’re also not taught to do that because there’s people that have been doing work and we have mentors and the way I used to see it before and working with a mentor. I have to be a millionaire, as I’m sure that mentors cost a lot of money as opposed to what I can. Just because I’ve been a mentor to a whole bunch of people. You can just all for one. And if they’re in a place where you want to learn something and they’re willing to support, like, don’t do it, or if you want to go deeper and really like dive in, then if they’re charging, you pay and then you work with a mentor and learn the thing that you want to learn. Mm hmm. I wasn’t exposed to that until I started my own business, and the way that I started it was through a network marketing company. And so they offer those things and that’s like, Oh, this is accessible to me, even though it’s that part too like not being aware. So awareness and like that there’s ways to shift your mindset, and I didn’t have access to it. I’m the same everybody. Right, right. I know I did give this a lot of myself out there. Oh, yeah, that is not that they’re not willing, it’s that they just don’t know what’s available to them. 

Keina Newell [00:13:07]  And if you yeah, if you think about the influence of circles, I know some of my girlfriends, they know how much I pay for coaching and they just look at me like, That’s good for you. That’s not my ministry, Keina, right?

Layra [00:13:18]  That’s my ministry I loved, I got to say, like, Oh, that’s normal. I’m like, Yeah, I’ve been working with her for a year. So you’re mostly doing well. That doesn’t mean that. It just means that I’m investing in myself. Money is energy. Hmm. When you want to invest in something, you figure it out. Mm hmm. Yeah. Let’s just say that.

Keina Newell [00:13:39]  It’s very true, right? Like I know, one of the coaches that I wanted to invest in was a business coach early on in my business. I went to my mom and I was like, Excuse me, can I have an interest free loan from you? Because I was sold, I was sold on the results that I knew I was going to get. My mom was a skeptic and she was like, So you think she’s going to help you in your business? I was like, Yeah, she is really low. Yes, I had to like, turn down my mom’s noise because I respect her opinion a lot right then and often times have leaned in to like, let me filter decisions through her because you know.

Layra [00:14:21]  Oh my god, you and I are the same.

Keina Newell [00:14:23]  But I had to break away from that right because I ultimately knew the results that I was going for. I was also willing to fail. And I knew that I could gain something out of that failure. But I also knew that I was going to get what I came for because I was determined and I knew exactly what I wanted, and I knew she was the person to help me along.  

Layra [00:14:44]  That’s how I started this whole journey. My mama, my mama, I was like, Can I get an interest free loan fee? But it was that far she didn’t even go to the she knew I was starting something and it wasn’t a huge loss. It was a very small amount because I was also afraid of asking for the actual amount, but I figured it out on my own. I came up with the rest and it was awesome. So I started with my mom, so I’m blessed with no shame in asking for support.  

Keina Newell [00:15:11]  Yeah, yeah, because it’s in service of those results that you want. And I think that what I’m talking about is like selling yourself on something that you want and not something that’s necessarily materialistic, like a purse or whatever that is right? But just like you were saying, like a mentor or a relationship with a coach and knowing like, No, I. I know that this person can help me get results like, yes, I’m doing things like you and talked about, right, you listen to the webinar that I did for show it and it’s like there’s nuggets there and I’ve applied some of them. But how much more could I get out of the application because I get to be a nurse and be helped and held accountable by this person that is the expert.

Layra [00:15:56]  And it’s tailored in that way too. Because then you get to know me, you know what I’m working on? It’s not like I’m looking for Youtube University, the best university out there. If you want to learn something, no excuses like you want to learn, go to you, right? But like, you have to put the pieces together when you are you. Two, When you’re working directly with the person, that person is putting the pieces together for you, and it’s like a whole timeline. This is what we’re going to. This is the goal. This is what we’re going to create. And here’s the finish line, and you don’t have to worry about finding what you need. It’s already created for you. I love investing. I’m learning a lot more now after working with you too, about how I invest when I’m working with a coach. But I feel like this past year I’ve been doing it. I’ve been very intuitive about how I invest and I’ve developed trust in myself that even when I invest wrong, it’s like, Oh, I see that. Oh right, that’s not now. I know I don’t need that. There’s no shame in shaming myself a lot through this journey. Like, Oh my god, all these fail, fail, fail, fail and is failing is what’s important in this whole thing, because that’s how you learn. Mm hmm. But I’ve been investing in myself and have allowed me to trust myself. You know, like my relationship with lighter has been great because before I was like that, I always ask my mom because she knows best, which she’s older than me. Of course, she’s got more life experience, but I wasn’t practicing that muscle myself, trusting my own decisions. And in just, I’m telling you, this past year has been great loving on myself and just trusting my decisions, trusting my finances like being able to make financial decisions that have been like mine. But like, it’s just stuff in every relationship around me because of how I’m carrying myself. 

Keina Newell [00:17:35]  Yeah, tell us. Like going back to why we were also on this podcast. Tell us where you are? Well, we first started working together. Like your thoughts about money? How did you feel like?

Layra [00:17:47]  What was the truth of it? I don’t know that I could open a whole can of worms. I was specifically content. No. 

Keina Newell [00:17:55]  Like what? What did you want to share when you reached out to me? Like what made you seek out a coach? 

Layra [00:18:01]  I want my business to grow. So photography is a luxury. Goods can be a luxury experience, and mine is. And so I wasn’t connecting to my worthiness on charging or like and requesting like, this is my pricing are a lot of conversations. It could be because I’m a brown latina asking for our pricing that I’ve seen a Caucasian person as in this like, it seems easy for them. I’ve been in conversations where they also feel just like me from this angle, but you could do it. I’m not supposed to. I get double the questioning. So just stepping out of that mindset and just understanding that I can totally create whatever I want to create and minimizing like that voice like you said and and then working, working towards this is, I guess, shaky because especially like, Oh, it’s a big conversation for me. I was so role in that conversation that I wasn’t paying attention to my business, basically. So I wanted to shift my mindset like I was intentionally looking to shift my mindset around how I look for me to grow my business this year and do it intentionally, like, what’s my goal this year in my business? This is how much my business can make. What are the steps I need to make outside of the hall? I want to, of course, I want to connect with all of my ladies that I work with and transform them through this experience. But I’m also running a business. How do I blend? The two feel like greedy because of this amount of money to work with me, but the whole experience is supposed to be spiritual and like connecting, there’s nothing wrong with one or the other. They both can live in the same universe, and that’s what I’ve learned with you.

Keina Newell [00:19:38]  Mm hmm. What would you say has been like the biggest shift that you’ve experienced since we’ve been working together? 

Layra [00:19:44]  That I belong in the room with everybody? Mm hmm. I remember in the beginning I used to be like, Oh my God, I can’t believe she sent me a message, or I can’t believe this was. And you’re like, I’m like, like, legally blond. Like, it’s hard. Like, it’s like your light. Of course, they want to work with you. Like, I get, you’re not the only one this. People are probably going to be listening to this that know me and the like. I don’t know. I still think you don’t belong in that you light up the room. Yeah. Understanding that I light up the room.  

Keina Newell [00:20:16]  How are you looking at your numbers supporting you with the thought of like, I belong? 

Layra [00:20:21]  I was going to say something I like. I don’t even think about that anymore because it’s just happening. But that’s a lie, because the first time is, no, I’m thinking I will come on. Like, really? Because now it’s normal for me to see the numbers I’m seeing, because quickly I got in my power and I now understand how my business works, that the numbers make sense for the amount of work I’m doing. But like really, when the first time I saw like, whoa, I was like, I want to be so special, I don’t want to come up with this bill. It just told me that I cared like I was. I was literally crying before this call because something that happened in my business, that this is happening right? And when I saw it on my computer, I just started crying. I broke down. I’m like, Oh my God, I’m creating this. This is happening for me. And then in the tears, it’s like, why not? I saw that I can be supportive this way by my clients. And if this conversation of I belong, that keeps coming up, I don’t know if I’m answering your question or it somewhere else. It is hard to answer. 

Keina Newell [00:21:25]  I can tell you what I see as your coach, OK? And I think like the two things that I’ve come to like back in every coaching conversation really does come back to this worthiness and low self love, which is like where we started and when I think about just maybe people’s concept of what a financial coach does. Yes, I present you with tools and we’re going to talk about numbers. But I think we’ve also just done a lot of what you would call life coaching as well just to be like, Hey, why? Why is it OK for you to charge this amount from a perspective of like, how is this actually loving? How are you worthy of this amount? What is the purpose of these numbers in your life and being able to sit with also what it is that you create for women? Right? Because we did so much work that I was like, Can you tell me, like how you support women and how you make women feel like I know I was telling you about a client. I know that it was like a boudoir photography session, and she was telling me about how liberating it is. And I’m like, Do you know what your women are talking about? Like that transformation of them paying you like? Yes, it’s an exchange of money, but they get to break down every belief that they’ve had about themselves and like, think about the things that they would tell their 20 year old self or their 30 year old self or whatever it was. And so like, yes, we were talking about numbers in the sense of like, here’s how much you want to pay yourself. And here’s the right now, like being able to support you and also saying, like, this is my price, and I don’t need to look at my price in a way that feels shameful or that I’m asking for someone for too much money. Because at the end of the day, I was also breaking things down like, listen, you tried. And for the studio you are charging for makeup, you can’t go for $5. Yeah. I think that  

Layra [00:23:25]  I was always coming home with five dollars my whole life, supporting myself with what was happening and then got four co-existing with my parents in the same house, you know? Here’s your experience. I mean, I was filling up everybody’s cup, but not mine. And now that money is what’s filling up my cup is just understanding that I’m providing an experience. And so I get to provide my own in creating this. And so it takes a lot of investment and time and effort and time and time again, because I do want to give my clients the most incredible experience from the beginning to the end. So that means I have to charge a little bit more because I’m only working with X amount of people a month and not like a hundred so that I can make my quota with you. Help me figure out how many people you’re working with, a lot of people. Maybe you get to do this and I’m like, I don’t want to, I’m gonna lose my people. I don’t want them to come and work with me. No, it’s not about just coming and working with like, it’s like, What are they getting out of this experience then? And I hear them and in the testimonials they write, I can see that they had a great time, but literally like me sitting down and understanding that I’m creating this for them now, they’re going to go to you and be like, Oh my God, I feel liberated. I felt great. Like all these things, I think I also shifted in the past two months, working for two to three months. We’ve been working together. I think just understanding what I’m doing is OK for me to say that, like, it’s not like I’m like, if somebody hired me and that’s my job. Of course, you’re having a great experience. Like, I’m creating that. No, it’s like I’m sitting with that. Mm hmm. And getting to know me in that and also seeing how it’s affecting me and how I can continue to grow in that and learn from their experience. Everybody’s stories, different learning their stories, connecting to their stories. And the reason why I chose football is because I have my own journey that I want to like. Learn about myself, too. And so I was starting to disconnect from why I was what Woodward photographer and I was like, Oh, wait, I want to learn from. Each of my clients. Mm hmm. And so that’s where I’m at right now in this moment, learning and tweaking and nourishing them with the experience and nourishing myself at the same time. And that’s what’s important to me right now. Like I feel so I have. I started when I started working with you. That’s when I decided to focus solely on what I was doing boudoir and street sessions and this and the other in a party at an event like doing –  

Keina Newell [00:25:56]  You were all in the street, all over. 

Layra [00:25:59]  I was all over the place. When you looked at my numbers you like, I guess it was his money from, I don’t know, girl. Like I said over there and I did a thing over there. But the money’s not the same because I charge this and I, you know, I don’t want them to think. And then the other is like, because the hair and makeup, and that’s what doesn’t happen here. I know it was a disaster. And so I really had to hone in what it is that I want to give the world in looks and be consistent and in the event of branding? Sounds like this is my brand. People will come into the studio. They know there is light on Mars. These are the services that come with everything you do when you work with me and I give you that care and that attention also to my business is not just a question to you. If I’m not pouring on me like it’s going to reflect, you’re going to come in and be like, What the hell is this like? Yeah. Not that anybody has had that experience because I work really hard at it. But then I feel raggedy inside because I don’t have consistency. So now I do everything in the world. I mean – 

Keina Newell [00:27:02]  I watched you, where you’re like, where you’re a business owner, right? I think I often work with people and it’s kind of like they have an expensive hobby. It’s like, No, I want you to really think about, how are you bringing money? How are you welcoming money into your business? What are you doing with that money? Consistently so you can pay yourself. Your business can feed itself, you can pay for taxes, you have money saved in your business, like being able to have a revenue goal. That makes sense because a dollar is not a dollar. When you’re in business for yourself, I will tell anyone who’s like, Tina, I’m going to. I’m like, All right, how much did you make it your job? You made ten thousand dollars at your job. You’re going to need to make at least twenty thousand dollars in your business. If you’re trying to pay yourself ten thousand dollars. And so many business owners aren’t looking at their numbers in that way and being able to recognize some of the shifts they need to have when it comes to managing their money, their mindset around money, their mindset around their pricing so that they can actually live with in a way that like is in alignment with where they desire to be, but also like the value that they bring to the world. 

Layra [00:28:10]  Agree. I learned a lot because I was treating my business like my bank account. That’s my bank account. So there’s $5000 in there. That means I can transfer all of the five thousand dollars to my personal account and thank you. Thank you, itemize. And then it’s like, What did you pay for the studio? Yeah, but you pay how I make it there, the transfer right back into the business account. I gotta pay, you know, it’s a learning experience to be in business, but I’ve learned tremendously how to and it’s felt so good to know like this is how much labor gets paid and also that Allah has allowed me to organize my personal life. Mm hmm. And now they get to coexist. Both of them are afloat because now I know what money’s coming in and he’s going out. Why is it going out the way? And then when I spend extra, which is going to happen? Are you OK with the fact that now you’re like using extra money that money is going to take? The feed was going to take me three months to pay off and all that that I had. And now that I’m rebuilding, that’s going to take me five because I decided I, you know, I forgot that I was traveling somewhere. I was not accounting for that boom. So like, even recognizing those things has been life-changing for me. Hmm. And mindset and trusting myself that I could do it. And when I can’t, then I start readjusting and learning how to adjust and not shame myself for the overspending or underspending or not paying me enough. Or I’m perfectly OK with what I’m getting paid right now. Like my business is paying me this amount and it’s fine. Mm hmm. I the goal is this and like just having that, the respect I give my clients, I’ve given it to myself and my business right now what I feel, and I’m loving it and I feel very empowered by it. And yeah, invest in yourself, people’s business yourself. 

Keina Newell [00:30:01]  Well, you said, what did you want? I always tell clients like, you’re going to make your money back and it’s like personal finances or business finances. But you shared with me in our coaching call this week what you’ve made like ten thousand dollars in the last two months and your averages before that were like – 

Layra [00:30:18]  A thousand, five hundred, maybe nothing. It was zero and it will fluctuate like this. I don’t get it, I don’t, I don’t need to. If you ask my friends, let’s do this. No, not this one. Not this month, and everybody thinks I’m rich. Like you are just being stingy, you don’t want to do anything. I’m like, no, is that I got to really watch my money. I can’t. I’m building something. I can’t figure this out. Yeah, like, it’s the beginning of a business. I am doing it by myself. I ask for a loan, all these things that traditional businesses do because I’m learning to see if I could do it all myself. But one, maybe I do get to use support, but let’s see. Right now, I don’t need to, which is great. So it was beautiful to see that in two months my business did and now I can. Now that made me smile like I can actually project like at the end of the year. This is what it looks like. Oh shit. Let’s go. You know, like the theory is, is that an expensive hobby? No more of the three years. Let’s go, you know, like, need 20 dances up here talking. I’m really proud of myself for doing the work.  

Keina Newell [00:31:25]  What would you say? Like thoughts have attributed to you increasing your income these last two months? 

Layra [00:31:33]  This a lot of a lot of a lot of everything. A lot of celebrating, but also a lot of was the typical thing that happens to people when they’re feeling fake imposter syndrome. Mm hmm. I don’t deserve it. I’m not supposed to be doing that. Yeah, but – 

Keina Newell [00:31:49]  See, we’re talking about what is allowed you, right?

Layra [00:31:54]  I’m going to that’s why I’m deflecting the question of whether we’re still doing the work.  

Keina Newell [00:31:59]  I know we were impressed by how long do you think? Just take 30 seconds and take a deep breath. Oh, and I want you to think about even just one end. You have to think. Is it there all the time? But what’s one thought that has allowed you even if it dissipates at times, so it’s allowed you to create money in the last 60 days?  

Layra [00:32:23]  Oh, I give it away, pretending not to know. I’m trusting that the work that I do is changing. So. I mean, that’s powerful. Mm hmm. The work that I do is changing someone and that drives me. And it’s like, I’m doing good work in the world, and get to experience my gift. Mm hmm. And that’s OK. Mm hmm. And the only person who can stop me is me. And so I’m not going to do that to myself. That just being kind to myself has helped a lot and gives me grace when I make a mistake in my business or if I don’t know what I’m doing. Request and support. So being OK, we requested support. Mm hmm. But definitely knowing being clear that what I do changes a person, it shifts them. It creates a new possibility for them, and I’m blessed to be able to do something like that through my photography. So, yeah. See, we had all of a sudden that’s why we do the work, that’s why we do the work all the time. We can get in our way. We always read aloud.  

Keina Newell [00:33:32]  Oh, the noise is always. I mean, and the noise is there all. I think that’s where I find the power and coaching, even having my own coach where it’s like, Oh, OK, I needed, I needed her to say that. So I know I’m not crazy, right? Oh, I needed to. I needed that person to hold the mirror up for me and just reaffirm a glimpse of possibility that I have seen. But like, she just helped me see it a little bit brighter because it’s hard and our brain practices failure. Guilt, shame. Thoughts about not being worthy like that. That’s the most practiced region. I feel like that we live in, especially when things are uncomfortable. And I think on a couple of podcasts, I’ve kind of talked about self concepts, and I know even for myself, I can share that. Last year, I made like. I don’t know, I have like three consecutive five figure months that were like twenty five thousand thirty thousand twenty five thousand whatever kind of months, and I could feel my entire body wanting to implode. And it was like, What’s crazy to me, though, is right. Like, it’s something that I had been journaling and doing that work on and writing like I knew exactly where I wanted to be financially. But the feeling of that success, like my body, hadn’t caught up to it entirely. And so I had to sit in the chair and it was like, it’s the hardest thing to explain, but I kind of felt like a snake. Even though I’ve never been a snake, I feel like a snake that was like shedding its skin right? Even as there was like I was actually really comfortable making like a month, twelve thousand a month like that felt very familiar. And a year prior to that, that was like the No. In terms of where I wanted to be. So I think for any business owners listening or not, even just business owners, but people looking to make more money like you’re going to do the work and you’re going to get there. And when you get there, it can be scary and allow yourself to just sit with having it and not going to sabotage yourself because I think it’s very easy to start sabotaging yourself when you start to think like it’s a fluke. I always equate it to walking on a tightrope. Never done that, either, but it was always right and you’re supposed to look to the other side. And so if you’re focused on and looking to the other side, you’re going to make it. But like when you feel yourself, start to question whether or not it’s true when you look down like that’s when things get wobbly. So for my clients as a coach, because I go through the same things that they’re going through, rain is like helping you like, how do I help you keep your head up and allow you to see that you’ve created the reality that you wanted, that’s in front of you and being able to support you through that work? 

Layra [00:36:28]  And then like, that’s been the theme this week because I’ve had a lot of growth in my business and personality and all the way. And I think I told you on the last call, we have this in the call we have this week that we have access to everything that we want. We do. We have, we have access to it, right? So instead of requesting the specific thing it’s more like for me this week, what I learned is requesting the capacity to handle all the blessings or all the things around me, the capacity for them to be in my realm and and sit there while I, you know, take my time, they it or like figuring it out. If I don’t have the capacity to handle so many things coming my way, I’m going to feel overwhelmed. Mm hmm. My new thing is requesting space for making space, for the things that are coming my way, the new things I’m learning and also requesting space so that I can learn the new things. And because new things can also be overwhelming, that space is important. You’re sitting there, you’re like, OK, that’s me. Let me breathe. I have space for it. It can. It can be here with me, and I will learn something from it. But the capacity, the capacity to expand my contacts so that all the things coming my way can hang out now because there’s just –

Keina Newell [00:37:45]  I mean, I think what I would stand for people here is that there’s when you’re talking about capacity and an allowance, right? Like when you’re even in your money journey, it’s like when you’re going from the person who doesn’t know numbers and like now, you know, numbers and you’re questioning whether or not, if that’s true. And I think that actually learning to maintain your finances is the hardest part because it’s not the mastery of it. The maintenance part of it is like the part where you got to trust. And I think that’s connecting to just even time out this capacity and allowance, right? Like, no, I have space for this. Everything’s going to be OK, like, this is just who I am and welcoming in that new shift and not running away and hiding from it because it feels unfamiliar. I think the thing that we have to recognize is that this space is just unfamiliar and that we can get comfortable here before we go to that next level or something.  

Layra [00:38:42]  Yeah, and you can if you don’t. But what I learned from me is that if I don’t hang out in the present moment and enjoy what I’m learning, how am I supposed to understand what’s next is not going to come. And if it does, I’m going to be overwhelmed because my context is not either. And it’s like going from eighth grade school to high school, like you can go straight to ninth grade unless you’re a genius. And I don’t think they should do that for them either, because you’re still a child anyways, you know, like, let them go through such little stuff. I’m learning to love every single step before I was like, you know, millennial style microwave. If I want to, I want to be rich now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I want the house now, I want to travel everywhere now, as opposed to this is where I’m at today. This is beautiful. Like this comforting another? It’s like giving birth to a new you and as every day and also like I wanted to point out, we’ve been conditioned as a way all our life. I’m giving myself grace every day. Mm-Hmm. It’s not easy either, because I want to, like, be like I was just in the moment a moment ago, like really hard on myself. I just work really hard on myself every day, like I just cuddle or something myself and put myself in a cocoon. Giving yourself grace every step of the way and calling a friend when you feel like you want to go cruel and get into a cocoon. But you know, I look where you’re at, it’s OK where you’re at right now, exactly what this thing is supposed to be. Learn something from it, don’t let it pass you by because it’ll be a disservice if you don’t learn something from the present moment in your own self.  

Keina Newell [00:40:16]  Well, is there anything that I should have asked you? But I didn’t?  

Layra [00:40:20]  No. I think we went really deep. If we keep going, it’s going to turn into one of our coaching calls and you’re going to have to like a lot of mindset stuff. I’m really enjoying this year also, but I’m like, OK, guys, I’m still working on myself. And if you’re doing it, you’re doing a great job. 

Keina Newell [00:40:42]  And like, I think I’m just underscore, I think that there’s a lot of things we don’t recognize how many different areas like money really touches. And I think self-worth is definitely one of the biggest areas that it touches and so forth. Just being able to have the opportunity to work with someone that helps you untangle the stories and those beliefs that you have is a really great experience and just thinking about where you desire to be. What mark do you desire to leave in the world being able to see yourself in a new way, especially like I think one of the things I’m learning as I get older is like, there’s no end to learning and just wanting to continue to be in that space. And so how do I put myself with people or in environments where I continue to experience growth? 

Layra [00:41:31]  I just had an aha moment right now, as you said there, and if I was going to say, if it’s beautiful when you have somebody that’s on the other side looking at you and can see the things that you don’t see in yourself, and that’s the biggest thing in my life. The biggest mission in my business is that I tell your story like, I see who you are through my LABS. I’m on the other side telling you how beautiful you are because you don’t tell yourself every morning that you’re beautiful. I’m going to take a photo and tell you you’re taking my photo team every day. I promise to put those two things together. I’m so excited right about now. I think, Oh, great. It’s important to have someone that sees you for who you are and champions. You celebrate you. So look for those people. If you don’t have them in your life, make sure you always have someone who’s doing that because you know it’s dope. I love what’s happened these moments. I love you.  

Keina Newell [00:42:36] Well, thanks for tuning into another episode of Money Files. I make sure that we link your information. So here in New York City? Go get your photos taken. Well, thank you. And if you’re listening and want to apply to work with me, you can go to WealthOverNow.com/Appointment, and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much for listening to Money Files. If you’re ready to take the next step to reach your financial goals, head to www.WealthOverNow.com/Appointment and let’s get started.

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