103 - [INTERVIEW] From Homeless Shelter to QVC - The Reminder Your Past Does Not Define You with Lia Valencia Key

In this episode, we cover: 

• Meet Lia Valencia Key, founder of Valencia Key Jewelry and Speaker
• Lia Valencia Key shares her journey from living in a homeless shelter to being on QVC
• How to lead with joy and cultivate a life full of joy, gratitude, and letting your light shine

Remember that, you are worthy. You have value. You get to take up space in this world simply because you exist. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, convenience you otherwise. If that idea or vision for your life is in you, then it is for you.

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Transcript

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From Homelessness to Wearable Joy

Speaker 1 0:06

Hi and welcome to the have the Audacity podcast , where we are all about living our own version of our best life . My name is Jacey . I'm a multi-passionate human obsessed with personal growth , and I want you to come on this journey with me , where we share our stories and learn tools , tips and tricks to live the life we were always meant to live . So let's lean into the uncomfortable , celebrate our highs and embrace our lows , because all of it's important . It may get a little messy , but it's time to have the audacity . Hey , audacious Humans , I'm so glad that you're here for today's episode and today's guest that we have on . She's such a light and it was such a beautiful conversation and I am just so excited for you to hear her story and her wisdom . It was so beautiful .

Speaker 1 0:59

And so who am I talking about ? I am talking about Leah Valencia Key , and I heard her speak at a conference that I went to in Denver , colorado , and her energy and her light just shines through and is infectious and I knew I had to have her on to come speak . And we have this beautiful conversation and we talk about all the things of choosing . You know , your words are seeds and how your words , if you say them enough , you're planting seeds , and the seeds become belief , and that is how you follow your dreams and how your circumstances do not define who you are and how , even in the midst of struggle , you can find joy All the arrays of things , conversation and so I wanted to share a little bit about who Leah is before we get started , and so I asked Leah how she wanted to be introduced , and this is what she sent me , and so I'm just going to read it , exactly what she said , because it sums it up perfectly . So , from homeless to 100 million homes , leah Valencia Key strongly believes that your predicament does not determine your destiny Words her mother instilled in her from a young age .

Speaker 1 2:29

Despite being raised in homeless shelters , leah went ahead and received multiple college degrees , ultimately founding Valencia Key Jewelry . Valencia Key symbolizes that all things are possible and that if you can achieve it . By launching Valencia Key Jewelry on QVC , leah created her company in hopes of inspiring others to unlock the bravery and light within . Leah is a living example that all things are possible by rooting into the power of choosing joy , believing and radiating light In Leah's loving words . If I can , you definitely can , and that just exudes and the energy just comes through , and so I'm so excited to bring this to you . So , without further ado , let's dive into today's episode . Well , hey , audacious humans , I'm so excited for today's guest , and I got to hear her speak on a stage in Denver , colorado , and it was truly inspiring , and her energy is so infectious and I knew I had to ask her to come on , and I'm just so excited . So , without further ado , I'm going to let her , leah , introduce herself . So , leah , can you tell us a little bit about you ?

Speaker 2 3:50

There's a lot there , but yes , Hi , I'm so grateful and honored to be here . I am Leah Valencia Key . I've created a Valencia Key Jewelry that has truly expanded into a lifestyle of wearable joy , wearable light . At Valencia , it means courage and bravery in a Spanish slang dialect , and , as we know , a key unlocks . So the purpose and mission of Valencia Key is to be wearable reminders that you have the keys within sight of you . All you have to do is just be reminded to keep unlocking your light , keep unlocking your bravery , and that all things are possible . From super humble poverty beginnings and through these messages of intention that I pour into my pieces I create is how I am able to consistently let my light shine and see dreams become possible .

Speaker 1 4:51

And it's just so true . I remember , like I have told a lot of people about you , like from this , I was like , oh my gosh , let me tell you who this was and that I get to have this conversation with , because I was like your light just shines through and I was like you're definitely one of those people that I look up to , that I'm like I want people to see me and think , wow , your light is coming through , because I'm just like the joy you exude . And I know , because I got to hear like pieces of your story that hasn't always been that way .

Speaker 2 5:25

And it definitely isn't , and I love you know I talk about my past . Thank you so much for that . You have the light too . We all do . We all do . It's just like this intentional energy that we have to root into that we're going to shine it . And every time we are either by ourselves or in a room , we're going to decide to shine what is within us fully . And it's not like my journey of struggle is over , like I'm in a whole another struggle bus category as we very speak , starting a business . I'm so a small business owner , it's just me . So I'm trying to wear all the hats and I'm an expert at only to creativity and light , all the other business things like finances and books and marketing and sales , and it's a struggle for me consistently . But I decided that I'm going to show up as who I know and what I know .

Speaker 1 6:28

That is will be life changing and that's just radiating your courage , possibility and like so where did that start for you , like when you made the decision that you're just going to really step into your life and make that choice ?

Speaker 2 6:44

I love that it started early beginnings . As I said , I was crazed in poverty , so I'll take you all the way back there . Born to a single mother , my mother was born in a generational curse of poverty . My grandmother was poverty , her mother on on , on all the down the back to slavery Right . So this is generational trauma . And now my generation from my mother was born . My mother broke her leg in multiple places so she at this point she couldn't afford to pay for this little basement , one room apartment that we all four of us were living in and that immediately took us to from poverty to destitute , where my mother couldn't manage that place anymore financially and it sent us to a woman's homeless shelter . There was a padlock on the door , she was getting us home from school and all of our belongings were locked inside and we had no place to go . Our mother with no place to take three children .

Speaker 2 7:46

So that's dark times Right , and this is what I was born into . We landed in this homeless shelter and I always love to explain the first day of the homeless shelter because it was one of the most beautiful light seats that was planted for me . Because the homeless shelters big as a gym size , Anybody know like a big room and it's filled with these metal cuts and a cut is this hard bed , small bed that's folded and it's uncomfortable and each mother gets one cut to the entire family . So the entire family is balling up on this cut and they're crying and sorrow and for vanity and hopelessness fill an entire room . But the beauty that I share of that moment is my mother looks down at her three children , myself being included in my sister and my brother and she says your predicament does not determine your destiny .

Speaker 2 8:46

That was the first seed of light that was planted in my life . I must admit I it was a seed because I was super young , about age eight , but I love staying there because look at the beauty of words , Look at the beauty of speaking life and light in the midst of darkness . So imagine if you're in life and in a good place , if you speak light into that , how much more light can you have ? So I love sharing that . Anyone who's listening like what ? What are you speaking into your life ? What are you speaking into others life ? Because it is a seed and it will land somewhere . Whatever you're planting vocally , it will land . And then do you what do you want to grow out of it ? It can be life changing if you speak the right things Now , but what happens is that was just the seed of

Inner Light, Choosing Your Destiny

Speaker 2 9:45

light .

Speaker 2 9:45

I'm still young . I didn't get it . To be honest , I'm thinking like this looks pretty much destiny to me and I started to soak up my environment . I started to become what I was around and becoming negative and feeling grieves and all the things . And I share the second moment in this homeless shelter . Years had went past and we're still in the homeless shelter and I feel like this was the true light that was immediately clicked on in my life . I'm coming back from school to the homeless shelter and I'm looking down the road and I see my mother standing at the door of the homeless shelter and I'm like doesn't look that happy .

Speaker 3 10:31

I'm trying to think what I did , trying to count out .

Speaker 2 10:34

What did she catch me in Right ? And so I get to write in front of her and she said Lee , I have a question for you . You want to be a follower or a leader ? I'm about 10 , max age 12 . I kind of black out the trauma times , but I'm still young and so I'm looking like what I don't understand . And so she continues and she says because right now you're following and guess what you follow , and you follow and become everything that you see around you . Or , Leah , you get to chance the choose . You get to choose and lead your life . There's an inner light , there's a divine destiny , a whisper inside of you , and you get to choose to lead it to that divine destiny . That's within Now . Leah , you choose .

Speaker 2 11:32

And she left me there by myself and I'm a young girl with this beautiful power and permission and acknowledgement of choice , and I remember it so clear . I feel like the lights were flicked on , because now I didn't like being negative , I didn't like any of that , but I just it was . I thought that's what we do , because this is where we live . And then I was now taught and educated that there was this inner light that I was pushing away truthfully and that I had permission to choose it and I have permission to follow it and lead it all the way to what was correct for my inner soul . And that's where I just really start to go within and find out what was true to me and that became light for me and start to become what my insights truly were , no matter what was going on around me .

Speaker 1 12:29

I just love everything about that , just that we all have this light , everybody has it and you can choose inward . And , honestly , I can see that in different people can relate to this in different times of their lives . We've all come across moments when we were shoving the light down in whatever way . We knew what was next for us and for whatever reason , we're like no , I don't want to do that . I don't especially like there's a job change or whatever it is . There's different ways this looks in our life at different times that you're like I don't , like , you're almost afraid of it . In a sense . You're like I don't know if anybody's gonna go with me .

Speaker 2 13:17

Yes , or you're like that's crazy . There's no proof of that . Your inner self whispers some wild , big , non-traditional , out-of-the-box dreams and thoughts . And because it's no proof , because it's for your journey .

Speaker 2 13:38

So we're always trying to cause . Your brain is the protector and your heart is the power center . Well , most of the times we're living in a protector life , and so your protector's like but there's no proof of that . What's that inside talking about ? Look around you , look what this person said , look what that , and you're looking for proof for this thing . And so when there's no proof of it , you ignore it , you push it away , you say it's not for me , that's just crazy , that's the , and you dismiss it . And it is your destiny , it is your whisper and the power is . That is your light , that is your energy , that is your calling , that is everything that you are supposed to be , and when you acknowledge your inner self , that's when your light can truly begin to shine .

Speaker 1 14:33

And I just really feel like there's someone listening to this right now who can get this , and I have been in a similar place in my life . So I'm curious to see what you would , you know , say to someone who was like I don't really know who that inner self is anymore , because I've spent all this time shoving it down and I'm like there's , I can see the little glimmer , like I get what you're saying , leah . I'm like , yes , I have a light inside of me , but I don't really know what it says anymore , because I've spent all this time not listening to it .

Speaker 2 15:07

Yes , it's so . It's so clouded . So , that's when we really have to get to ourselves Like it's a power in removing yourself from things .

Speaker 2 15:21

And spending time with yourself and getting into a quiet place where there's no one else , there's no other distractions , and this is where the beauty of this is the beauty of dreams . It's very hard to feel who you are , see a vision and dream when it's clouded with the external things around you , cause you don't know if you're just following the external things around you , you don't know if you're just following someone else or you don't know what it is . But if you spend some alone time with yourself and you just close your eyes or keep them open and just kind of breathe in and breathe out and really get like clear out the stuff , and then you allow yourself to start dreaming , Like what if ?

Speaker 2 16:10

what if , like , take yourself out of reality . Reality will kill all of who you are , because there's a reality of what you gotta do in the world , and then there's your destiny and there are always kind of opposite of each other . And if you start looking at reality , you're like I can't , I got these bills , I can't I got the children . I can't , I got these obligations . And then all those things kill a vision , kill a dream .

Speaker 2 16:37

You can't even dream them anymore , cause it's just not possible . So many things to do . But if you take a moment to turn the TV off , get away from everybody around you and give yourself permission to just dream , what if I wasn't where I was today , or this situation today , what would I be doing , what would I be feeling , what would I be seeing ? And allow yourself to escape within yourself for a minute . And when you give yourself that escape permission , your true self starts to come alive . Your dreams start to happen , cause within dreams there's truth .

Speaker 2 17:17

And then when you start to see what those dreams look like . And it's gonna take a lot of time , cause there's breathing exercises so you gotta get your mind quiet down . There's moments where you've gotta find peace , cause your whole spirit's not in peace . You gotta get the checklist out of your brain , so you're gonna have to do this a couple of times before you can get out the weeds of things . But when you can really just have this empty mind and allow yourself to dream and , like , see who you are and who you wanna be and where you wanna be , and it doesn't even have to be a business , I mean , I talk about business cause I'm created Valencia Key and that journey .

Speaker 2 17:58

But this is not just for business owners . This is for you as a human . Like , how do we live the best life in all situations and all circumstances ? Cause just cause you have money doesn't mean you're light shining . It's the facts . You can have all the money that you could , be financially secure , you can have all the things a society checks off as well , and your light still doesn't shine . You've gotta get to yourself and breathe in , like , where does my light shine ? I had to do that to even get to my creating Valencia Key . I went in self , listened to my mother , start to follow myself and start to ask share my dreams that I wanted to get better grades and that I wanted to see beyond my environment . And one thing is really once you start to dream and see some things for yourself , share them out in the world , because they become seeds .

Speaker 2 18:53

Anything that you speak out of your mouth is a seed that you plant , and seeds will grow and it's a beautiful seed , and seeds will grow , and it's a beautiful thing that you just start speaking of as unrealistic as they are . I remember when I was on this journey , before even creating Valencia Key , I just followed my heart and I got a master's degree because no one in my environment , not even my family , had went to college . So I decided to defy those odds and that was challenging , and I got that . And then I decided that , oh , creativity . I got to myself . I was on a journey of master's degree , business undergrad degree , teaching , this journey of checking boxes , which was beautiful because of where I came from .

Speaker 2 19:44

But then I had to pause myself , as exactly what she said , and I'm like , oh , but is this where my light shines ? And then I allowed myself to dream . If I wasn't trying to check off a box , if I wasn't trying to run from poverty , if I wasn't trying to be fearful , to not go hungry again , if I didn't have those fears that I was running from every moment of my life , what would I be , what would I do , how would I live , how would I be ? And I start to see that creativity is where I start to come alive . That was my joy zone , but the truth is creativity from the outside world , didn't paint a picture of being able to make an income and I'm like , oh , don't do that . Gotta shine later , leah , I can't shine somewhere where the money works in . So but I was like , but I've gotta be true to myself .

Personal Growth and Finding Your Purpose

Speaker 2 20:41

And .

Speaker 2 20:41

I found that self was more important because my mother passed at such an early age . She was paralyzed by fear and all these society bonds , weight of the world , and she passed in early 40s , barely lived . And so I realized like , oh , living is the jewel , living is the gold , living is the success , living is the light . Finding who and what you wanna be is the light . And then that's when I found creativity . So I went all the way back with a master's degree to get my cosmetology license , to follow my heart , and that's not easy , but it's joy within that . So that's what I would really encourage us all to do throughout our lives .

Speaker 1 21:28

There's so much like relatability in your story there and just even you just sharing , like I went and got a master's degree , I have this career and I realized like this is not my light shining and then you know , humbling yourself because you do in this and stuff like I'm gonna start all the way back over .

Speaker 2 21:48

All the way back sweeping floors back . When I got , when I went to Cosmology , I then had to work in a salon Sweeping floors with a master's degree and pulling lint out the dryer . But if I'm doing that it's for the what and it's like my light shine and creativity . But I've got to learn . I think a major key to Beaming your inner joy and your inner light is learning all of you can and putting yourself in places where you can learn , and sometimes there's a sacrifice . So this salon was a teaching salon . It was the highest center city area salon in Philadelphia and in order for this young African-American young lady With a master's degree but just graduated Cosmetology school to be there , it was the suite , the floors and I was like learning it's priceless . So I will sweep these floors to learn everything that I can , and it's the tradeoff . What are you willing to do to be who you want to be in the work ?

Speaker 1 22:58

I Love that because you know , I heard you share like this part of your story and I was like I see myself so much in your story in the sense it's so relatable . About checking boxes , yeah , like I am a first-generation college student . Nobody in my family went and and so I was like that's what you do , you go to college . And then I was like I'm gonna be a teacher because I have a , I have a job that you had to go to college to get . Yes , you know , it's like check , check , like that's the thing . And then I I started teaching at 21 and then , like two years in , at 23 , I looked around and was like wait , do I even want this ?

Speaker 2 23:42

Wow , that's probably around my same age journey with teaching things . That is so serendipity .

Speaker 1 23:53

I was just like that is , that is wild , that it was like the same age journey for you , because I did . I like I had a moment and I was like , wait , do I even want this ?

Speaker 1 24:03

Yeah , this even like what I want to do for the next 30 years , you know , and this is like this , what's bringing my light , yeah , and and in that moment I was like , okay , well , nobody in my family's gotten a master's degree , so I'm gonna go do that . Like that , that's clearly it . More education , I'll figure it out . And so like that's what I did , and it wasn't until I like got through that and was like wait , this isn't it either . And so like I share that , to be like the person listening , sometimes it takes a while to figure it out and you know , Keep playing like life .

Speaker 2 24:45

There are some serious things we have to do in life . We do have to pay bills . You , if you have children at the future children you may not have to eat , but your kids do have to eat right yet to pay your taxes . There are things that you have to do . That's not a game and but but within the rest of that , let life be a learning journey . Like it's all struggle , like I'm , I'm challenged every day with learning this business , and when I start feeling very weighted in my mind and I start feeling my peace being taken away , I first realized my why and like . What am I doing this for ? Like always go back to like what is it for what ? What is this doing , what is it for ? And then , if you can't really pinpoint it , then it's shift time .

Speaker 2 25:29

But every time , I start to think about my jewelry and the challenges and obstacles that I come against . I'm like what is this for ? Oh no , this is to be life changing for receivers like but I know that these pieces that I create are symbolic of , of everything that I live by . That is Literally life-changing . And if it can and when it can get in the hands and on the bodies and in the homes of people , and when that Message and that intention is connected to that piece , it will trigger this mindset that will literally change people's lives .

Speaker 2 26:10

Okay , I can keep doing this , I will not give up on that . That is worth it . That is worth the challenge and the struggle , because Someone was symbolic for me , things were symbolic for me , and I know that it's so needed in the world that I will keep going for it . And so that's the question like what it ? What are you doing it for , and what ? What is the reward ? Or for you or for your family , or for other people , because most of the times is not mostly just about us . It does have a component of others , when you really get down to the bottom , of being a light in the world .

Speaker 1 26:49

And I just love that . Like I appreciate your transparency in that I mean your several steps ahead of me in building a small business and like , just like that Reminder of your why and like choosing your struggle yeah , you're , you're not .

Speaker 2 27:05

We're gonna struggle , you're gonna struggle . I mean I want somebody please message me Someone who doesn't struggle , because that is wonderful and I want to just breathe in your life If you don't struggle . There is ups and downs in life , but you can find out , we're gonna struggle and you can choose how to struggle . You can choose what you're struggling for . You can choose how do you manage the struggle and what do you allow the struggle to become in your life . Do you allow the struggle to make more of a struggle in your life or do you allow the struggle to be learning ? Do you allow the struggle to harden you , make you an angry spirit and not approachable spirit , judgmental spirit , or do you allow the struggle to open you up and unlock you more , to have more empathy , to have more heart , to have more perseverance ? It's this mind shift and that's what I create these pieces for , like pick , the mind shift that is going to bring you the most peace and the lightest outcome for the journeys that we're moving on in life .

Speaker 1 28:15

And so like with this , because I want to talk about your pieces . They are beautiful and I love , like everything you know that Valenciac is and stands for . And so like we're at this point in your story where you're sweeping floors with your master's degree like you went to Cosmotology school , you're learning , but you're like you have a business that is jewelry .

Speaker 2 28:40

I don't have a business yet . You know I didn't have a business yet , so I am . Life unfolds . That's why you don't . Don't question the whisper . So , yes , the whisper , because the whisper is opening just enough doors for you to handle .

Speaker 2 29:01

So , you get what I mean like you want to know it all , and if you know it all then you may just back away from it . And I like , for me , just open unlocks , just just the door I need to unlock , and I just walk in and I learn and that door , and then then it unlocks another door and I walk through it .

Speaker 2 29:19

So it unlocks this creative door journey for me and it's like creativity is your light . I'm like , yes , I will do creativity . And I'm like , oh , but I don't want to be hungry again . I don't want to make this happen . Strategy , strategy , strategy .

Speaker 2 29:33

Okay , beauty industry is magical . Hair and makeup is all creativity . You can paint on faces and you can cut and create shapes and that is creativity . But there is a need for that's the journey I'm going to go on . So I go after that journey of creativity just to feed my soul .

Speaker 2 29:52

At the same time , my mom is passing away .

Speaker 2 29:55

She's lived a life of struggle and she her health is deteriorating and she gets to see me shining . She does get to see me get this towards my undergraduate degree and she gives me these little earrings right before she passed and she says , leah , I see you shining , I see you leading your life , I see you choosing all that God has for you and your destiny , and it's so beautiful . Now here's a little pair of earrings that I would love for you to wear your earrings every day and let them be symbolic of the light that's within , because life is going to get hard and sometimes you're not going to think you have light , but if you allow those earrings , when you click them on or when you see in the mirror , to be symbolic reminders that you always have the light within again , all you have to do is keep choosing it . And then she shortly passed . After that , I start personally hand sketching jewelry for therapy , for me to be what would symbolic pieces be if I will wear them to help me on this journey of life ?

Speaker 2 31:01

The way my mother showed me , but I didn't even know there was a business in it . And so now I'm in cosmetology school , I get through cosmetology school , I'm working at Mac Cosmetic and I'm bartending to support myself and a lady has a , I'm like oh , what do you do ? And I work for QDC and I'm like what ?

Speaker 2 31:23

is QDC . They didn't even know what it was . And she's like , oh , it's a 24 hour network station . That's like 40 minutes from us and I'm like 24 hour TV , meaning creativity and styling is happening 24 hours there . And she was like , absolutely . And I was like that's perfect for me , that's my dream . And she was like , oh well , let me try to connect you to a person in the you know , for hire . And so she connects

Belief and Positive Energy's Power

Speaker 2 31:52

me .

Speaker 2 31:52

I hadn't completely finished my cosmetology license . I was right almost at the cusp , so I got turned away because they said you need a cosmetology license . Now my heart is set on this place called QVC because I didn't want hair clients Like . I didn't want to stand in a salon chair and get clients . That wasn't the joy . The joy was to be able to create 24 seven . So five years go past , I get my cosmetology license . I lost the contact . I get five years and no from QVC to be in there . So I know you're not qualified and every no was was traumatic for me and crying . But in my know I knew that I was going to work there . I just knew it and so I just kept learning in the salon and every no allowed me to learn more .

Speaker 2 32:37

Five years later , I'm bartending and a gentleman is at the bar and my barometer . I share my dreams to the world . So I encourage people just share your dreams , no expectations . The most important part of this is no expectations . When you share dreams , you are not sharing them for someone to help you . I believe you share out and you ask up . I personally believe in God and I believe that you ask for all you need to your higher power . I ask God to guide me . God , this is what I want , this is what I need . And then the beauty is then God sends the connection to the earth angel that is aligned in your journey to take you one step further . And he's saying I'm in the bar and he's smiling me twice . I would share my dream .

Speaker 2 33:23

So this gentleman , he asked me for a ramen coke . He's smiling me twice because he wanted this ramen coke . He's smiling at you twice . He's smiling at me twice . He's only 50-meter . So I said I want to work at QVC , random . And he says wow , he's like I work for Concast . And I said good friend works , for his name was Fred and my good friend Stephanie . She works for QVC Amazing . So I said okay , and he said you know what I'm going to see , what I can do . I share . That is because who are you in your journey to be what you want to be or where you want to be ? How are you ? What spirit are you giving , what energy are you putting out ? The energy will shatter all glass ceilings .

Speaker 2 34:10

If someone says what is the one key that it can unlock all my dreams ? It's the energy that you put out in the world . It's been everything to me . I smile , I'm kind , I see people truly now for what they can do for me , but for who they are . I find the joy in every moment and I laugh . All of these good things is what I'm bringing to the world . And so this gentleman . The next day I get a text message from Stephanie Humphrey , his friend that I never met , and said oh , my friend said you were such light and had such good energy and let me for me to do whatever I could to help you with this QVC vision . She said here's the contact person's information and you can use me as a reference . Never met me Then . Her life that is the power of who you are . It's a testimony of don't .

Speaker 2 35:02

Sometimes we're worried so much about the dream that we become mean . Sometimes we were so much about the dream and the dream is not happening Five years ago that we become hard and we become this , this opposite side of what we should truly be . But that good side will have someone say use me as a reference and never met me . Now , these five years I've been sweeping floors and learning , so I'm ready now . That connection got me an interview QVC . That I got me a yes because I've been learning and training throughout all the nose and that opened the door for me to be styling dream makers of people , making business entrepreneurs . And I realized that there's no dreams come true , these hosts and dreamers , these business creators who are on QVC , and I'm getting to hear how businesses are created .

Speaker 2 35:53

And I realized and learned that if you have love and intention and like a true , valuable message from the core foundation and then you pour it into something tangible and the person receives , it becomes life changing to them . And every time I style someone , the last thing that they would say is what , what Grace will do I put on what necklace , what put on what earrings so I seal before they would go out and do something really brave and courageous to make these dreams . And I realized my whole journey have been this symbolic living of being light through all things and courage . And I have been hand sketching these pieces of jewelry . And if I could pour this message of light , possibility and courage into these hand sketches , like my mother told me , that could be symbolic for people . Then it could walk with you into big dreams . It could walk with you and challenging and celebrating times . And then that's when I knew to go , try and create something that I would pray will be life changing when people war receive it , which became the Lindsay a key .

Speaker 1 37:05

That is like thank you so much for just like sharing all that I mean the beauty in it and just seeing the string of it all and you know like you can move back even to five years of nose and you're like don't let it hard in you .

Speaker 2 37:21

That's the number one . Like stay light , stay malleable , stay possible . You know it's . This world is can harden you . Experiences can harden you . There's . You're not going to automatically get things .

Speaker 2 37:37

Some people will and that's beautiful . But some people will have a journey like mine's different but similar to where you have to work hard for it and you have to keep showing that this dream is yours and you have to keep showing up even when it doesn't look real . It's very similar to me being in poverty . Right . My surroundings said that education wasn't possible , that me getting into college wasn't possible , but I felt inside it was something bigger for me . So , no matter what around me said , I kept moving toward that star , towards that life . It's the same thing in life and in business . What do you say is true for your life , whatever ?

Speaker 2 38:22

it is maybe , as I'm a , travel the world , I'm going to all . Maybe it's just locally , maybe it's not even a career , maybe I'm going to all 50 states . That's gonna bring me joy , but your pocket says no and you're like but if you know that you're calling and you keep saying it and when you speak those seeds out , the seeds will start planting and it will start growing belief . And this is what I know about belief saying what you dream is not belief . Belief is an action word . So when you say it enough , you are planting enough seeds and you're watering that seed enough that you will grow belief in it , cause what's gonna happen is one or two things Either you're gonna stop saying it cause you don't believe it , or you're gonna believe it . You said enough that you believe it , enough that you allow it to grow into an action , and that's when you're clicking into belief . That's when you checked into belief , when you're doing actions towards whatever dreams and visions you have for your life .

Speaker 1 39:22

That is just so well said and I love this whole concept of planting seeds and the power of your words , and I can see just how important that is and I do believe there is power in words and what you look for you will find in the world .

Speaker 2 39:39

Oh , yes and so yes , and what you review , you will start to move away . What you counter against Like I am not this , the same thing with the words that you can say what you are and what you dream is also what you can say that you are not . Like I am not this circumstance , I am not this predicament , I am not , even if I'm acting a certain way , that I don't wanna act . I am not this , and then start speaking what you are , and then you can start to see a shift .

Speaker 1 40:12

I love that Like just to speak . The speaking comes first and even just being like you're not , you might not believe , you're not gonna believe it , you're like you just gotta keep saying it and the belief is going to come and the action is going to come from that .

Speaker 2 40:27

Yes , or you'll just stop saying it and then you know it wasn't something that you really believe Exactly .

Speaker 1 40:32

You're like that wasn't it . I thought that was it , but that's not it . Come over it . Exactly , but I love that . And just in that , it's a continuous journey . You never get , you never arrive .

Speaker 2 40:47

And I know so many beautiful people and so many wonderful places , and the journey still continues . That's why I love my jewelry that I create , because it's like every milestone in your life . There is a new need for a reminder that , okay , unlike your courage , unlike your bravery , yes , whatever it is is possible . What are you being in the world ? Be light , center yourself in joy , even when it doesn't feel joyful , and that's consistent in life . And if you can have this mindset to be reminded , then you can live on a more peaceful side of life .

Speaker 2 41:34

One of the number one causes of challenge and health is stress and worry and lack of peace and trying to get to the dreams or the things that we want . And we're trying to get there in this very hard and negative way . And if we can shift our mind that you'll get there , I promise you you will . You got two options you either give up and you decide not to get there , or you keep going and slowly but surely , you'll get there . But how do you get there ? To me is the jewel , and I want you to get there in the most pleasant possible , light fill way that is possible for our journey in life .

Speaker 1 42:17

And to your point ultimately , in all of this , that peace , that light is in you . Yeah , it's in you . It's not something you arrive at , it's not . Oh , when I accomplish this dream , or when I achieve this X , y and Z , whatever it is for you , or I traveled off with these states I will have peace and joy , like I will arrive , but really you had it the whole time , even when circumstances don't look like from the outside , externally , that you should have it .

Speaker 2 42:49

Yes , you have it , it's you , it's yours , you are light . This is my biggest thing . You are light , you are everything , you are the gift , you are the prize , you are the key , you are the goodness , you are the magic , you are the dream that you dream . You are already that and if we can walk in that , then our being can be so beautiful as we move to actualize these things that we see . And that's to me what I'd love to inspire , like as we go on our quest of life . We're all going to have a life journey , whatever it looks like . In that process .

Living Fully and Embracing Life's Challenges

Speaker 2 43:37

It can be challenging , but then you can also have a beautiful component to it , and what I know to be true is we lean more toward allowing all of the hardships to encapsulate the journey . When we can have a two-sided journey , we can have a beautiful life journey . And sometimes those are a little hurdle that you got to lift up , jump over , fall down , scrape a new , get back up and keep going .

Speaker 1 44:07

Like , it's not always going to , it can not be easy or ideal , and it can still be beautiful .

Speaker 2 44:17

Yes , it can still be beautiful . You can be frustrated and then switch into all right , where's the beauty ? Where's the light ? Where is the learning ? I feel like light is learning . I feel like where is the learning of it ? How can I learn from it ? How can I release it ? This is what I think light also when you think about light , it beams out . It's a releasing of an energy . And when you think of holding something and experiencing something that doesn't always feel so good I do it every day . When I'm not beaming my light , that means I'm holding on to the things that are causing something . If we start to learn to release a lot of this , we can start to move out and forward into everything that we're called to be .

Speaker 1 45:13

I love that , just that whole , and that's something so tangible that anybody listening to this and even just a reminder , even for myself is like when you feel that tightness and you feel like you're holding on , like you have to move through it , you have to release and let it go to step forward .

Speaker 2 45:31

Yes , let it go Shine . I say shine meaning shine is like beam it out . Let release the locks off of you so that you can go where you're supposed to be . The reason why we don't move is that we're locked . Unlock it so that you can move and then , when things are great because light's not always there celebrate fully Like I . Celebrate fully , like I enjoy life .

Speaker 2 46:01

I saw my mother pass at an early age , my one knowing . I know Right now my numbers in my business , the orders . Sometimes I don't get any , sometimes I do , and it can be very challenging , but I know that this little Valentin Q will be a successful business . When Not sure , but I know that to be true , just like I knew I was going to walk in QDC doors one day , but I don't know that date .

Speaker 2 46:27

But what I do know for a fact is that I'm going to celebrate every moment , whether my business is doing well or not . I know that I'm going to find greatness , laughter , joy , excitement , adventure , all of the things that allow you to fully live now , because I don't know when that date's going to come . So I'm not going to wait to celebrate on that date , I'm going to celebrate right now , and maybe it'll take my time a little slower to get to that person , that dream date , but it's OK , because life should be lived fully . That's what living is . It's embracing it all . It's not waiting to take the trip , it's not waiting to hug the person or everybody you see , it's not waiting to fully love , it is doing it right now and then eventually , whatever else you know is to come to pass , it'll happen .

Speaker 1 47:35

And that's such a needed reminder that life is meant to be lived fully .

Speaker 2 47:40

It's not meant to be chased , it's not meant to be worried . You have a beating heart with whatever capacity you are in . When my mother started to get ill she could barely walk and things like that . So we can have different capacity , things that maybe limit us , but even in that you can choose to live and you don't have to wait for the thing to find joy . You don't have to wait for the thing to find laughter and to be loved , and to love and to show kindness and to receive kindness . None of those successful business things equate to any of that . The success to me is fully living right now .

Speaker 1 48:33

Yeah , I want to just thank you again so much for giving your time to just share your light and just pour in all of this .

Speaker 2 48:45

It's a joy . Thank you for listening , thank you for having me Every heart that just will take time to allow us to pour into your heart . I am honored , I'm excited . I wish you all the things that are possible for you . I wish you all the keys that are already within sight of you , that you just consistently and intentionally utilize them and unlock it . And I cannot wait to allow and hear maybe you'll message us and say I'm going from glory to glory . Within the struggle and the challenges , I'm still shining my light .

Speaker 1 49:27

Yes , because we know it's going to be there . And even if you're not in a struggle right now , this is your . You have this going into your next one .

Speaker 2 49:37

Yes , and if you're not in a struggle right now , oh , I celebrate you fully live , celebrate that you aren't , and then can start to seek out living moments and start to unlock light moments that are so precious to you and the people around you . That success and that's victory .

Speaker 1 50:00

Well , if the listener wants to purchase some of your amazing light giving jewelry connect with you , Can you tell us where they can find your things ?

Speaker 2 50:12

Yes , please , I'd love for you to go to Valencia . That's with a V V-A-L-E-N-C-I-A-K-E-Ycom . It's my website , the lot of things that I love , just for you to smile , to feel welcomed . Perfectly , that you immediately feel the light . Put your email address in and connect with me . I love sharing inspiration , making you smile with a fun picture , and I just received I have a give back mission , a fair trade mission , where Valencia Key is about us unlocking our light , but it's also about being blessed to be a blessing and utilizing the business to go and help others who need a helping hand in the world , like where I come from or like villages in Africa . So one is I go to home , the shelters and I help speak on the power of unlocking light , and then my new journey is so dear to me . I finally got to Africa and I finally .

Speaker 2 51:15

My father was from Africa and he would share . He was a challenging father because he didn't know how to be loved . He was moved from his family and put in a boarding home at a very young age , so he didn't know how to truly be a loving father . But when I saw him and I was in the homeless shelter , he told me that this wasn't poverty and one day I would need to see what poverty really looks like , like in the villages of Africa . And I was , I remember as a young child , like , oh , I got it . One day I'm gonna find some way to help , because if anything is worse than this I got to do and I didn't even know it was little .

Speaker 2 51:56

Two years ago I found it , I went to Africa and I did see what he was saying and there are very cats and limitations on employment and income possibilities when you live in a village . And so I start to think , well , how can I allow my blessings to be a blessing ? And I hand sketch a handbag . So in Africa the craft of culture is beadwork , it's beautiful hand-beating and I'm like , well , how do you meet where the culture and the creation already is ? Y'all know I'm a creator and I love it , and so how do we take that creation genius and marry it to support employment and income ?

Speaker 2 52:36

So I partner with artists in villages where there's no employment opportunities to help hand be they , hand be these beautiful handbags with love and dedication and just passion and pride for the culture and we bring them here . So , while you're wearing something super beautiful , you're blessing someone to have income to feed their families , get education , and I'm super excited about that mission , so connect with me on that and Instagram , valenciaqcom . You can see people wearing it in joy and if you want to know where I am , like I always say , wear the words . Carmen Sandiaga , I'm dating myself . That was a little TV show . I'm always traveling , so that's Leah ValenciaQ and I hope I can make you smile throughout your day .

Speaker 1 53:28

Thank you again so much . Thank you for sharing your heart . I will like everything . All the information will be in the show notes , easy to find . But thank you so much , truly , and thank you for shining your light in this world .

Speaker 2 53:46

Thank you for seeing my light , and I'm so honored . I love you so much .

Speaker 1 53:53

I truly hope that you vibrated the day's episode and that you are leaving filled , inspired in your spirit , lighter and energy moving through you , and that this was the joy you needed right now . I truly hope that for you , and I know Leah and I both would just love , as we talked about the end , to hear your take aways and hear your stories and how and what part of the stories you heard yourself and you saw yourself in that . Truly , this is the joy of getting to share this space with you . And since I have talked a lot lately about how I am in this season of unapologetically asking for what I want , having the audacity to ask for what I want , I am asking that if you vibed with today's episode , if you got anything from it , please take a few moments to leave a review sharing what you liked it , why somebody else would love to listen to it . We have a five star rating .

Speaker 1 55:05

It truly helps get this podcast out there to more people . And if you've already done that or you're feeling extra saucy and like you're listening to this and somebody comes to mind that they would really love this , send it to them . You know , if you're listening on Apple Playcast , when you're listening to an episode . You literally can click the circle with the three dots next to the episode title and literally it will come up a list of options and you can share episodes . You can click text messages and you can send them the direct link to that episode . It truly is like that simple and one . You're going to bless that person who's listening to this and leave them feeling the same high energy , joy , light that you experienced listening to this .

Speaker 1 55:58

But it also helps like helps get this message out , like I can't do this alone , and this podcast is growing because people are sharing it . So thank you so much for taking a moment to share this with somebody . It truly means the world to me and you know I can't let you go without reminding you that . I want you to remember that you are worthy , you have value , you get to take up space in this world simply because you exist . Don't let anyone , including yourself , convince you otherwise , and if that idea or vision for your life is in you , it is for you . I'm rooting for you and I can't wait to talk to you soon . Thank you so much for listening . If you love this episode , I would love to hear from you , so share it on Instagram and tag me so I can personally thank you for getting this message out . I'm so grateful to have you on this journey with me , so until next time , remember to have the audacity .