Elona Lopari’s Journey to Building The Life School

Pamela Bardhi: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Underdog Podcast. Today I have an incredible guest here with me, a fellow Stipe, a fellow Albanian, and Lona, how are you?

Elona Lopari: Thank you so much, Pamela. This is such an honor to be here. And I’m also so glad that we have another, deeper connection with being naturally from Albania. So thank you. It’s an honor to be here, and I’m glad that we’re got connected and we’re having this conversation.

Pamela Bardhi: I’m so happy to connect with you. We literally were just talking about it right before we were jumping on. I’m like, it is so beautiful to see one of my people, like, elevating and rising. And living a life of purpose and dream fulfillment. Right, like, it’s so amazing because in the culture where we come from, we were literally just discussing this. It’s, you know, it was just different. It was different.

There were communist ties from way back when that really almost, like, suffocated a lot of our nation. Especially the women, for a very long time. So to see this is, like, so freeing and beautiful. Like, that’s why I can’t wait to get into your story. Hear about how you got to where you got to and what you’re building now. And, oh, man, it’s just so exciting. I’m just so excited, so, so excited.

Elona Lopari: Likewise, I think especially as women wanting to empower each other. And the more you understand that, I call it leadership, I call it personal development. The more you understand how unique our journey is, the more you’d want to help and support other people. So, likewise, congrats on your success and what you have built. People that are creating an impact in the world always got my hat off to them. Because I know how much hard work there is and energy being put behind everything. Anyone that’s building anything, kudos to everybody, including yourself.

What did you want to be when you grew up on Elona

So, yes, let’s dive into wherever you like to take the conversation.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely. And I always reel it all the way back to the very beginning as a kid. What did you want to be when you grew up on Ilona, what was, like, a dream?

Elona Lopari: I love your question. Because I want to be a singer, I was always inspired by, you know, media singing overall. And kind of, I guess, the channeling part of the message with singing. So I remember as a little girl, like, very often I would watch, you know, whatever was on tv. I would be like, well, one day I’m going to be a singer and sing. That was my first, you know, my first inclination to kind of what I wanted to do. It’s so funny how things that we do as little kids, kind of.

We’re just same, right, we’re all still little. We have the inner child inside of us, and everything that we’ve done and attracted us as a child also follows. Followed, us. Because I’ve also done my fair share of organizing neighborhood events. And kind of, you know, miss this or miss that and, like, whatever I would watch on media. I would sure try to replicate. I’ve always been somebody that liked to love to connect people together, which is now also the thing that follows me. So. Yeah, but to answer your question, straightforward, a singer.

Pamela Bardhi: Well, it was like, It was almost like entertaining, right. And like wanting to be a part, in like, community in a sense, right. Because it’s like singing is just like one of those things where it’s just like you’re giving your gifts to others. Right, and that’s exactly what you’re doing right now.

Elona Lopari: Yeah, I mean, I think that’s what attracted me initially to that. The fact that obviously I love music and I love to dance as well. That could be also, from our culture, I have a lot of that thing in me. But it’s also the inspirational part, right. You get to, like, you know, you have a gift. I would admire singers that I would watch at that age. And be like, whoa, like, they could actually gift, and they seem to be different from other people. Right. Because they had a gift and they could do that. So I think I was always attracted to how everybody’s so unique and different.

At that point, you know, I thought that was a really, you know, important gift that people had. And I wanted to do it right. So I think that’s kind of where I was coming from with that little girl mindset at that time. But that’s, yeah, and still today, I love music to heal, I also, you know, I love the speaking channel. Which I was given naturally by, you know, the creator, but I also love the speaking side. The singing side, because it’s really. Music helps us tap into our emotions and helps us heal. A lot of the times I’ve overcome a lot of my challenges through just listening to music. Putting me in a different state. It’s kind of. Yeah, that has followed me for sure.

Pamela Bardhi: I love that.

You grew up in Albania until you were 15. So let me just figure out entrepreneurship

I don’t know, you mentioned so many things that I wanted so deep, dive into a little bit later. But that was really all about you. Now, as you were growing up. You grew up in Albania, you were saying, until you were 15.

Elona Lopari: Yes. I’ll tell you a little bit about my origin stories, from my origin. I’m from the north, which is Buchiza. That’s kind of where my family is from. But I was born in Tirana, and my parents migrated to Tirana. Obviously, when they’re also in their younger age to kind of look for better opportunities, just like anything, right? It’s like coming to New York, the capital. I grew up there in a small neighborhood in Tirana until I was 15. So my sec for, I finished my first year of college, went through the civil war. And then my dad always wanted to get us to America. Just like most people, you know, try to get more opportunities for us and his family.

So I’m. We came here when I was only 50 in Brooklyn, New York, actually. I’m still here, my base is still in the same place. You know, those early challenges of me, I was the oldest child, so I grew up very fast. I was very responsible because I had to be the third contributor in the family, my parents didn’t speak English. They invested in an English course, so I kind of knew a little bit of English. Which helped me kind of be the primary caretaker, I guess at that age, as much a caretaker I could have been. And I also did a lot of translating and enrolled my mother. My brother and sister in school and all of that. Then I started, pretty much, my career very early on.

The American dream was instilled in me, my dad’s like, it can be anything you want to be here. It was never limiting. My dad has been a very important role model for me, always empowering me. And telling me, you have a lot of great gifts and abilities, especially leadership. So you reminded me of that very early. But also you also instilled in me the achievement. Right? Because whatever I guess he hadn’t achieved, he wanted his kids to achieve. You know, I had to be successful, I had to achieve, I had to follow the American dream. All the blueprint that followed me. For 13 years, I worked for a corporation, got my bachelor’s in business management and finance. Then I just kept climbing, corporate ladder, chasing success, I had to. I was in a good company that was growing.

It was a Fortune 500 company, so I did many roles for them, luckily. Which gave me a lot of great insight and experience. I did marketing, sales, and HR for many years. Then I moved all the way to the C suite until everything. At that point I started to realize that I was not happy and I was achieving for the wrong reason. Because I was not feeling good enough, because that was kind of why I was here, to achieve. That’s how I was going to receive love. So that’s kind of where some of the personal development, inner work started to happen. Where the company was acquired by another company. It’s usually a natural process because now I help companies grow. And I understand the processes that companies go through the grow.

They were at that phase to acquire a new company. Leadership change, culture change, very profit driven. Everybody seems like a number, everybody was leaving, high turnover, and I kind of saw the silver lining. That was my conflict, my catalyst. I’m like, okay, now I have so much experience, what am I going to do? I don’t want to do another nine to five. So let me just figure out entrepreneurship, and I started learning through podcasting. I started opening up my little world from what I knew for 13 years in one company. And then I started exposed to the world of, you know, other people, entrepreneurship, business. There was so much out there. That’s kind of what I did, I started tiptoeing into that, I started my side hustle.

I helped women leaders in C suite level, women that wanted to balance a personal life. Because I knew how important that was and how much of a challenge. That was because I was that market, I was that avatar. Then I still felt like I was in the corporate space, I said, okay, I want to do something else. So, I started doing career coaching, focusing on my HR side. Helping still women kind of level up themselves into leadership careers or whatever industry they were in. And I still felt like that was not still with my thing. And then I obviously position myself in business and leadership because, out of everything that I’ve done. That’s kind of my strength and where I can create the most value and add the most results for people and entrepreneurs.

So that’s been my niche and now obviously my purpose. As clarified, I’ve evolved throughout, you know, my journey as an entrepreneur, which is really five years. But now I’m all about purpose and kind of helping people scale and align their purpose with profits. Put together all my experience, whether it’s my personal development experience. Inner work modalities that I use for inner soul work, because I’m very spiritual now. Which has been something that I’ve progressed into. And also obviously the traditional ways of growth in a company at every growth phase and stage. That’s, yeah, that’s a little bit around sort of some of the most meaningful moments in my journey. That got me where I am now.

Pamela Bardhi: I absolutely love that, I don’t know, there’s a lot to unpack there, which I love so much.

As you were climbing that corporate ladder, what were some of the inner conflicts

Now, question for you. As you were climbing that corporate ladder, what were some of the. Was there a particular experience or experiences that forced you into realizing I’m not happy?

Elona Lopari: Yeah, inner conflicts came to me, but that was more for. Around some of the work that I need to do internally than really my outside circumstances. Of course I did all the blaming and all the like. You know, I wish I could change this and that, I want to change everybody. Until I realized that, wait, the only thing I can work on is me. So that’s why I talk about personal development a lot with business, because it’s really. I mean, business entrepreneurship is like the best personal development school because unless you understand how to make your decisions. From their right place or how to connect to your deeper purpose and meaning.

Then you’re just probably just growing a business for the wrong reasons, and this journey is hard anyway. To grow anything takes a lot of time and energy, so why not kind of do it the holistic way? So I started hearing in an inner voice, Pamela for many years, and I ignored it. Cuz I’m like, what is this? Which always told me that I was meant for something bigger, something else. I needed, transition at that time. Those were some of my early inclinations that I needed to take a look at some of my stuff. And of course with my first mentor, we took a look at kind of redefining my life that I wanted.

Not what other people wanted for me, what were my personal values. What was important to me, what did I want to do at this phase and stage of life. Then, freedom has always been an important value to me, which is why even within the company I was working under. I was very entrepreneurial, which is why I was getting promoted. Which I didn’t know that kind of, realigning a lot of my values. A lot of my things that were holding me back, the fear. You know, the clarity that I didn’t have at that time. And kind of healing some of my achievement wounds of why I needed to achieve.

To feel happy, fulfilled, successful and all those things and kind of just work on my ego. I think ego work is the most important one and inner child work is the most important one. Where you’re not doing it out of, you know, the external circumstances. But you are going within and figuring out your own things from the inside out. Which honestly have really given me the biggest transformations anyway. And now I believe in this work and I pair it with business. It seems to be wonderful for the transformation that she’s able to create for other people as well.

Pamela Bardhi: That’s amazing, Ilona, that’s amazing. I mean, because, you know, when it comes to certain moments in our lives that force us to really transition. Shift and really look inside and say, is this what I really want? Right? Like, I’ve had those moments in my business career, right? It’s like, you know, I had done crazy things like Forbes, Time magazine, all this stuff. Then like, I felt so empty and unfulfilled. And I was like, I’m not understanding why this is, why this is happening. That inner voice literally came back, was like, hey, Pam, you’re doing great things for yourself. What are you doing for the world, right? So like, it was moments like that that I was like, oh my gosh, that everything started shifting.

Elona Lopari: Yeah, it’s new dots connecting right now, I know obviously what it is because we have better language. I’ve kind of gone deeper, got my masters in behavior neuroscience because I’m like, wait, everything is a behavior. Like, why do people do what they do? Why do I do what I do? So I went deeper into some of this. These things. But I think that’s beautiful because it really makes us think, makes us kind of just ask those hard questions. Challenge a lot of things that we think is, kind of the norm or normal and kind of get those answers for ourselves. Even though it’s so uncomfortable. Once you go into getting this clarity, then it’s almost like you have to abate your intuition. And, you know, it’s hard sometimes I, sometimes feel like I wish I didn’t know what I know.

But once you know, you can’t go back. So it’s the process of growth and evolution. I’ve now become a life student in my company called The Lifestyle, because that was a meditative insight or the download. I call it that this would be the mission where I, through my people’s experiences. You kind of, can contribute towards other people and do more good in the world. Whether again, it’s entrepreneurship, because that’s the other model we know that gives us the freedom. And the main decision making power to be able to choose the work we do. To create the structures that we might not have within other structures. Which are more the traditional 9 to 5 entrepreneur type of thing.

But that’s kind of what was some of the things that I have uncovered that. Yeah, those moments of insight and conflict are good because they make you take a look at. Maybe I’m going in the wrong direction. How important is this for me? Am I still supposed to do what I’m doing? I asked a lot of that, I asked those questions all the time. Because you kind of know, like, I feel like people. We know when I’m out of alignment, we have a new word now, alignment. So I kind of know when I’m out of alignment because obviously through experience, I can feel my body. You know, have symptoms and my energetically. I’m not okay or what other things that happen but it’s really important to be in alignment with.

I call it my soul’s path. We all have our own journeys, so which is why this is such an individual experience, because we are so one. But we’re also all together energetically connected as humans. It’s a beautiful thing to see, but everybody goes through their own journey. Obviously, our level of awareness is really different at different phases. And the goal of anything is to open up my awareness. That’s all I work on. Honestly, it’s like the more I can open up and be aware, around myself, and others. The more I can create, the more I can see what is unseen, hear what is not heard. This is where innovation really happens, but that comes through a lot of personal development work, 100%.

Was there a particular experience that triggered your personal development

Pamela Bardhi: And like, in your experience, was there, like a particular experience that triggered your personal development on all of this? Like, was there a particular day or moment or like that you were just like, you know what? That, like, prompted all this? Because this whole lot of growth, it’s a whole lot of beautiful growth. I love it.

Elona Lopari: Yeah, I think the main catalyst, Pamela, was the change of the company, I just felt really miserable. And I just had to figure out what else was happening and what I needed to do. Then it’s almost like thanks fed into one another, I had some personal challenges in my marriage. I was married, I had my kids and all of that, I really did. The American dream, I was just alongside building my career, I had created my family. I married my husband, for 20 years. We bought a home, we both had a dog. All this stuff.

A lot of personal issues started to happen also in my marriage, mostly. So I’m like, okay, there’s something here I got to look at inside of me. Obviously at that point, I always, was looking for answers on the outside. I’m like, well, blaming everything and everyone, which is where we all begin. But that was. Those two major events, I should say, were really the major catalyst to make me just shift my awareness. And just move me outside of my comfort zone. Let’s say that that’s kind of what it was.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely. Because you start to ask the questions, right? Like. Of, like, who gets the best version of me? That was something that I was talking to, with a friend of mine. It was like, you know, when I was talking about certain things and. She was like, well, Pam, like, who gets the best version of you? And I was like, and she’s like, and if it’s not the things that matter most to you, something’s off. I just stopped, and she’s like, that was the same question that made me stop and say, holy cow. Put everything into perspective.

Elona Lopari: I love that question, I never heard of that phrase that way. But it definitely makes you think, because as women, we put everybody else first, right? We do it some, so naturally. However, I’ve realized through my journey that I put me first. And then the more obviously I can do that intentionally, the more I can be of service towards others. So it’s almost like flipping the script completely 360, which is hard. Because obviously there’s a lot of unlearned, and to learn and heal. But I love that question that you asked because that’s kind of what it makes you think.

I didn’t always do that, I didn’t always know how to do that. I can be a good best friend for other people. But when I, you know, was going through my own stuff, I was my hardest critic. Because, again, to achieve, you gotta be perfectionist and you gotta, you know, there’s never good enough. Right. There’s always better, there’s always somebody higher, there’s always somebody doing it better, there’s always some money. More money, more looks, better looks, right, it never ends. The chasing never ends. So that’s, I think that question is really important.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely. Because it kind of puts everything into perspective of, like, what really actually matters, right? Then that’s like, well, what are we doing this for? And for what and why and who? Right? That one kind of got me big time. It sounds like you were at the same, kind of path as well, that it’s like, whoa, whoa, whoa. These are the things that are mattering to me. Why are there issues here? Like, I’m supposed to be, I’m doing everything. I’m following the script that everybody told me to do like why is this happening?

Elona Lopari: Yeah, I felt like I was jinxed, a lie to that, all the things on the external. That I needed to achieve to be successful were all the things that honestly never fulfilled me internally. So obviously there’s a better way to do it. Which is what, kind of we were talking about but I didn’t know that at the time either. But yeah, you start to, you know for some people it needs to be external events unfortunately. I wish now with information we can be more proactive and always train ourselves to ask ourselves those questions. I talk about the deep purpose asking at least three times, why do I want to do it? Why it’s important to me, like keep digging deeper.

Because usually the first answers are superficial ego driven. Our stories in our head programming, but the deeper you go, the more you get to the truth. And truth will set you free for sure because it’s, you know. It’s at the end of the day you have to live with yourself and you have to be happy. How many people do we know that on the external they look amazing. But when you talk to them they’re really not happy. You know, that’s why I studied a lot of biographies myself. I like patterning other people’s journeys and looking at common things and you know, the deathbed test.

And if this was my last day, would I still be, you know, doing what I’m doing? Or what would I be doing? Because in life I don’t think you can actually kill all your regrets. But if you can minimize them because you’re listening to yourself, I think that’s kind of the thing we can do. Some days are better than others, I lose sense of my purpose on my hard days. We’re human, right? 50% of our experience is going to be negative anyway. So as long as I understand that’s how it is. The more patient, and grace I can give myself I would say I think has been the hardest lessons to learn.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely, absolutely. This is so beautiful and I love that I mean it took you down this journey. And what were some of, because you had mentioned that you were studying behavioral science so which is amazing. Because I, in the way that you’re speaking I can tell you’ve studied neuro linguistics programming pretty heavily. Which I love, which I love, love, love, love, love, because that’s so impactful and so profound. You learning to master influence, and how to really genuinely connect with other people which is absolutely incre.

So tell me a little bit about your journey from neuroscience to entrepreneurship

So tell me a little bit about your journey. And like you know when you did go go down this path for the very first time. Like, kind of like, what were some of the challenges and what were some of, like. How was that experience kind of navigating through in order to get to the purpose school. Which is where you are now?

Elona Lopari: Do you mean when I started entrepreneurship? Or when I discovered that I wanted to go deeper into the field of neuroscience?

Pamela Bardhi: When from the first point that you were like, okay, I want to dig deeper. I want to make a change and then shift into your business. Would love to hear, that journey.

Elona Lopari: Yeah, I think it’s just, again, I think it’s just my innate curiosity. Honestly, I never stop. Sometimes I’m like, can I just relax? But, no, just like anything, I’ve been a fundamental person all my life. To me, I don’t know, it’s like how my brain works, I’m just wired like this. I just always want to know the depth of stuff, I’m like, that’s why I asked a lot of questions. And I’m always going into like, well, why, like why, why is this important? Like, why do I have to do it? Or like, why do we do this or that? Right. So I think it’s just my curious personality always trying to figure out the fundamentals. Even in business, I work under pillars, I don’t work under just superficial, organic. You know, marketing, this, I mean, these are all the languages of business.

And that’s fine because obviously we have to meet the market where it is, and I get that. I know marketing very well. But at the end of the day, to me, it’s always been like, what are the fundamentals? What are the root causes of things? That if we were focused on that, we’re going to have a major transformation and we’re going to kill superficial problems, right? Those are never going to show up anymore. Which is why I started to work with individuals, right? Because at the end of the day, even in a company, I work strictly with the CEO. But that’s the main decision maker. However, that trickles down to everybody else. So I think it’s just my natural curiosity and just always understanding what is the core of things and going deep.

To me, I’ve always worked with quality and not quantity, even my business as my model. And everything I do because to me, the impact. Even if you help, you know, one person and really create impact and transformation for them. You don’t know who they’re going to touch in their journey. How many more people they can create an impact with. So I’ve always been like a quality depth kind of girl. Superficial stuff, like, just doesn’t resonate with me, and I understand how it all connects. But I need to know, which is why I’m so rooted in the purpose, because I feel very grounded into that. Like, I need to know, like, why am I doing what I’m doing and how is this contributing beyond myself. And is this something that’s aligned with my gifts and my experience?

I think that’s kind of always been the common thread that’s always led me. And I’m naturally a dot connector, I don’t know how I do it, it’s an ability that was given to me. I’ve obviously honed into that for many years with my experience for over 20 years now in business. Leadership and personal development. But I always like to connect the most important dots obviously still for my awareness and experience. You can give me 20 million pieces of information and I’m going to come. Because my brain works very linear and I understand myself. So even for my clients, I will know, like, okay, here’s the steps to get to this specific result. Which is why I’m very process oriented too. I’m like, okay, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 will get you here.

That’s kind of how I look at things and how I make sense of the confusion. Sometimes that can happen. Or keep myself very focused when there’s so much distraction. Because I think focus is another important piece in anything we do. And in entrepreneurship, it’s so easy to get this focused and distracted because there’s always a new thing happening. Yeah, I would say, like, neuroscience came natural to me. I’m always addicted to learn how I can do things better, improve my services, and my transformation, I give people. So it’s kind of just, I just follow the breadcrumbs in my life. I just puzzle pieces all day, that’s all I do, I just put puzzle pieces together. The puzzle will never be complete because there’s always, you know, the next piece.

Pamela Bardhi: There’s always one.

Elona Lopari: I listen to my intuition a lot. Right, I mean, I get my inner voice. It comes to me through vision and it comes to me through hearing. So I know that, so I listen to a lot of those insights, just like you said back to that question. And, all this stuff shows up in my path and I just go take inspired action. That’s kind of how I operate nowadays and be very patient with the timing.

Pamela Bardhi: That’s so beautiful, that’s so beautiful, Ilona. And I would say too from, like, the entrepreneurial kind of perspective because you focus so much on the purpose side.

So I would be so curious to hear what advice would you give to an entrepreneur right now

So I would be so curious to hear, like what advice would you give to an entrepreneur right now. In who’s not feeling fulfilled in their business and who’s like looking to change. Or maybe somebody who’s also in the corporate world that is looking to make a shift. Anyone who’s listening, that’s looking to make some sort of shift in their life. Like what would be, like your biggest piece of advice? Or process or steps to go through that you think would be most helpful?

Elona Lopari: Yeah. It’s always again the fundamental questions, which is, you know, again, what is the value? What is the vision and the mission thereafter? Right, and they don’t have to have it all figured out, I didn’t. I just started with whatever was my first gut feeling and the next dot that I needed to connect. But I tell people all the time we have our intuition. And when it comes to purpose, we all have our unique path. So if something is attracting you, pay attention to that. Try it out, I mean, what’s the worst that’s going to happen? You just find out if it’s not something that you like, but if we’re getting attracted towards things, people, activities.

You know, things that are attractive to us, pay attention to that. Anytime that somebody needs more of, to discover their purpose, it’s more like personal work, inner work. And then we obviously do the business side second or the career. Because we all gotta live out our life’s purpose somehow and also be able to fit in this mould of this society. We all, you know, we need, we have bills, we got, you know, material stuff, we live in a material world. So it’s important to kind of pair the two together. But unless this first foundational work is done, then the other one, you know. It’s just going to be something you’re doing for the wrong reason and you can’t sustain that.

Everything starts with, you know, what is the vision

I’ve put together 50 question purposeful questions on my website, so I’ll probably lead your audience to that one. Since we’re having this conversation where I put together 50 of the most intentional questions I’ve used in my life. And asked my clients to get people to sort of think. To plant those seeds of sort of where they are and what they would like to do. Once we have some clarity on that, then we can, you know, do the process, the inner work. What are the things that hold people back. All of that to get them aligned with that purpose and authentic part. But yeah, I would say every.

Everything starts with, you know, what is the vision? What is the life that you want to create? You know, what do you feel connected to? I love to study people’s backgrounds because our backgrounds say a lot around sort of. How do we not never start from scratch? I always say we start from experience. But whatever you’ve invested so much time and energy into, not intentional. It’s there for a reason. So let’s meet you where you are and get you to where you want to go. And it’s all, a building process at that point, so that’s what I would tell someone.

Just spend some time with yourself, that’s the best thing we could do. Quiet your mind, whether it’s journaling, whether it’s meditation, whether it’s a walk in the park, whatever works for people. Start to spend some time with yourself. Because we have a lot of those answers inside of us. It’s going to be hard at the beginning once you have a lot of mumbo jumbo and stories. And things like that. But eventually your intuition will come through and they will. You know, tell you what is the next step and just take that, trust it. That’s what I would say.

Pamela Bardhi: I love that so much, I don’t know, I love that so much. Oh, my gosh. So much to impact there.

First step to awareness is actually being like, what am I doing

Well, you had mentioned, too, spending time with yourself. And really asking yourself these questions is, how often do we get to do that? Right. We get so caught up in routine and life and crazy and this and that. It’s like, if you stop and really think, like, what am I doing? What am I doing it for? Who or what am I doing this for? You know, what is the point of all this? Well, yeah, that’s the first step. First step to awareness is actually being like, what am I doing? Slowing down, right? Then, like, bringing yourself back and really backing up and saying, like, that was one of the first things.

Like, I had to do in certain points in my life where I, you know, where I was struggling. And really, I had to pull back and say, like, what is this for? What’s the mission behind this, what is the reason I’m pushing for this? Right? Understanding you kind of, you have to bring yourself way outside to be able to go in, right? It’s almost like you got to pull yourself back and open everything up here in order to see it. Full bird’s eye view, right? That’s a lot of time. Why coaches are so amazing, because they can pull you back and bring you there, right?

Elona Lopari: Yeah, and plus we don’t see our hidden, blind spots. Right? We don’t see what we don’t see because obviously we’re not on the other side. So I think looking at things macro level, not everyone can do it, especially if you’re more detailed. Because we all have different, you know, personalities and the way we learn and our brain work. And kind of how connected we are to everything else. For somebody else that’s been doing something for many years, I mean, it just is two seconds, right? Because just like any profession, when you dedicate yourself to it, it becomes intuitive at a certain point.

Right. It goes beyond knowledge and experience, so I think that’s the same with anything. Whether, you know, you’re getting somebody to hold the space or become a, your mirror on the other side or not. We definitely don’t see our stuff, which is why the personal development is done, yourself. But also with other people because they’re your mirrors. You don’t always see what you know, just everything on your own. So you do need both complementary things to be able to continue to grow.

What would your older self tell your younger self based on what you know now

Pamela Bardhi: I love this question. It’s my favorite one, to be honest, which is why we save the best for last. What would your older self tell your younger self based on what you know now?

Elona Lopari: I love that question, I get that question asked all the time. To me it’s always, I wish I could have trusted my intuition more years passed when I doubted myself. Or didn’t always have the self belief that I’ve built now, or as I was putting myself into new situations. I always have had an inner knowing. Always knew what was the right thing for me to do or the right action for me to take.

I haven’t always listened to it because obviously, you know, I never fully trusted it. So my advice to my inner child or my inner younger version of me is just, you always knew. Trust yourself and just, lean in and have faith. The things that you know, you know, are the right things for you are actually the right things for me. That would be the advice or what I would always tell myself.

Pamela Bardhi: I love that, I don’t love that. Thank you so much for that, I mean, it’s crazy. We are all, we all have this intuition and it’s a question of like, do we trust it or not?

Elona Lopari: We all do, I mean, it’s, we’re all equipped with so many amazing gifts and yeah. It’s like, every day there’s something new to explore. So we all have it. Some of us have it. Natural in other ways, it’s not special people. The people that you see, and they’re like, you know, making it or whatever. There’s no nothing special. It’s all about developing yourself. If you make that your personal value, which I’ve made that my personal value, my growth and contribution. You will always be, you know, discovering new things within yourself. You’ll be amazed at how many more things there are which you didn’t know there exists inside of you. And I almost became a full believer that we can develop anything. I mean, even if it’s not your natural, if you want to, it’s worth it to you.

You can. Obviously, we all lean on our natural because it’s more, it’s easier to be able to do that. And plus, it seems like that would be the biggest impact because we’re going also, with time. Right? I mean, we have to be strategic and intentional because time is the most important resource which we don’t get back. We do have a physical lifetime here, I think it would be smart to learn, you know. What are those natural things, so you can hone in on them. But it does not mean that you shouldn’t work on your opportunities if they relate to your purpose. It’s got to be worth it. Otherwise, you can’t work on a million things if they don’t make sense to you. Because it’s got to be connected to you, otherwise, you know, it wouldn’t matter.

Pamela Bardhi: Absolutely. Love that. I love that so much for so many different reasons.

Elona says she recently spiritually awoke

Oh, my goodness, oh, man. You’ve dropped so many gems throughout this entire interview, which I’m so grateful for and so magical. And for you, what’s up in your world in the next few months, like, what’s going on in Ilona’s world? I want to hear all about it.

Elona Lopari: Yeah. I think my latest one is, I recently spiritually awoke. So, I have created a community now which is inviting people that are in their spiritual awakening or already a walk. And we do inner soul work, so that’s my latest creation. Which I feel called to serve that way in the healing. Obviously, we’re still going to do business, leadership, all those things. But doing the inner soul work is the most important piece because it’s the highest level of anything. Right. If you want the highest level of results in any area of your life, wealth, money, business, leadership, health, relationships. That’s the work to do.

I’ve launched my awakened soul community recently. That is something that I’m working on and bringing in lots of groups of entrepreneurs. And CEOs to come together to do this work so they can be more innovative, authentic. Also have really great harmony and alignment between their personal lives and their careers or professional lives. So that would be the latest, I guess, service that I feel called to be able to be part of. And what I’m focusing on right now.

Pamela Bardhi: I absolutely love that, Ilona, I love that. And for everyone who wants to connect with you, reach out to you, have a chat with you. Where can they find you?

Elona Lopari: Yeah, so as I mentioned, the free resource, it’s a free book. 50 purposeful questions towards your transformation, or finding a purpose, and then align your purpose with profits. It’s on my website, it’s @alonalaparicoaching.com and it’s almost like my hub. They can find a lot of great resources, on there. But also, let’s further connect. I always say that I value human relationships. So at least let’s further connect beyond the podcast and then find, you know, ways to support one another. And you’re gonna come on my podcast.

I also have a podcast, which I love. It’s called the Life School Masterclass Show. The way that it’s evolved over the years, it’s almost like every conversation is like, it’s on Masterclass. Because everybody walks, great nuggets or inspired action, or they’ve connected a few dots. And that’s my purpose with each conversation, to be able to help people do that. So that’s also everywhere podcasts are available. Life School Masterclass Show.

Pamela Bardhi: I love that so much. Elona, thank you so much for your amazing time today and sharing your story. You are incredibly inspiring, and I’m just so, so, so, so grateful that our paths connected.

Elona Lopari: Likewise, thank you so much for the work you’re doing in the world to help shine light with your purpose and mission. I’m sure you have that clear and based on what you do and the spaces that you’re creating for other people. To be able to get access to this information. I think it’s really, you know, our responsibility to be able to give back everything we learn. So you’re doing the same. Thank you for having me and thank you for doing what you do out there as well. Amen, thank you so much, Elona.

Pamela Bardhi: So that’s it for today’s episode of Underdog. Catch us next week. Always dropping on Thursdays. And remember, if you’re interested in real estate or want to learn how to create more money and magic in your life. Check out meetwithpamela.com and let’s chat. Sending you so, so much love.

Elona Lopari: All the time Barking like I’m, underdog underdog, underdog, underdog, underdog.