Today we’d like to introduce you to Letty Cooper.
Hi Letty, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio to a loving family who celebrated my unique interests and eccentricities. Growing up, I’d be known to sing while climbing trees, feel comfortable both entertaining crowds and alone in nature, and put myself in “time out” just to get a few moments of silence to reset. I started playing the harp when I was six years old after pestering my mother for months. I was eternally curious and excelled in school, though even there, my teachers knew I “beat to my own drum.” Though I was different, I knew I was accepted by friends and family, and I was really happy.
Through the years, I began to really identify with the things I was known for and limit myself from the process of exploration. I think it’s really common for young people to start to think they are limited to being the “class clown,” the “bad child,” or whatever else they’ve shown tendencies for and forget they are still in the process of becoming. They reject that they are, in fact, limitless out of fear of the withdrawal of love. Instead of continuing to explore my inner and outer worlds, the thing that made me so happy as a young child, I limited myself to the behaviors of the “good student,” the “harpist,” and the “responsible sister.” As I pinched myself off from the exploration that brought me so much joy, I began to experience debilitating headaches that lasted through high school and beyond.
Though I didn’t know what I wanted to study in college, I knew I wanted to study abroad, so I moved down to North Carolina to go to Elon University, #1 in study abroad programs. During my semester abroad to Seville, Spain, I explored. I embraced the Spanish language and had the opportunity to act both within and outside of the identities I claimed in my American life. I came to know another way of thinking about life through a new language and culture. Interestingly, I don’t believe I had one headache while there.
When I returned, my headaches never returned, but what hit me instead was the beginning of four years of enervative chronic pain in my lower back that spread throughout my body. I traded in the title of “harpist” for “neuroscientist” (sitting to play the harp was too painful) and graduated early to get help for the pain while I started going the traditional, expected neuroscience route – lab work at UNC before entering grad school.
Doctors up and down the East Coast were stumped by this mysterious pain that returned after every type of treatment tried. Specialists eventually decided to call it fibromyalgia – basically, a diagnosis that effectively means undiagnosable chronic pain. After four years of desperation, I decided to quit my job and go the holistic route (you know, the route not covered by insurance). Within a year, I became pain-free and have been now since 2018.
I now understand that the messages my body sends to me are much more than just physical complications, but psychological and spiritual as well. I attribute most of my healing to coaching my mind to new ways of thinking and re-embracing the joy I receive through exploring. I’ve learned how to reparent myself and embrace empowerment. I’ve released clinging to strict titles to try and define myself to the world because what I do is no longer as important as how I feel.
I now explore every part of life. Since leaving the lab, I’ve explored all kinds of work from owning my own life-coaching and yoga businesses, independent contracting, and now am enjoying being a full-time employee for a local wellness company. I’ve led women’s groups, meditations and written a few books. I’m learning the intricacies of conscious relationships with my fiancé. The life of exploring through doing, rather than learning in school then replicating, is not often encouraged in America, but I’m happier than ever now and learning much faster! I’m excited to share that even if your story doesn’t feel complete, it can still be wildly beautiful and fun. And between complete or fun? I’d choose fun every time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not, but it’s getting much smoother. When you have a stressful relationship with someone else, it’s challenging. When you have one with your own body, it’s even harder. You take your body everywhere; there’s no slamming the door on it or moving across town. I call it “strengthening your trust muscle,” going through all the ups and downs associated with healing, whether physically or mentally. Just like growing muscle requires reps, so does growing trust in yourself and the universe. If you want a more fun way to think about low times, just say you’re building your “trust fund.” I went through some really low times of doubt, frustration, and discouragement, but looking back, the lowest lows were always springboards to the biggest of breakthroughs.
When I finally met the right physiotherapist in 2018 to help me with the physical healing I needed, he was in for a ride. I had to relearn everything, starting with breathing, laying, then sitting, crawling, and walking. Some days I came in feeling really confident, and others he’d have to listen while I cried and took it out on him. But he believed in my healing, and I was, some days, willing believe too. All it takes is a willingness. My life coach at the time introduced me to tools that would allow my mind to relax enough that my body could relax and integrate what I was learning. With a calmed mind, my supplements also began working.
More recently, my challenges have looked more like me being hard on myself and putting tough expectations on myself. I’m getting better and better at leaning on kindness towards myself instead of judgment.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Here’s where titles would make things easier and more simple, but I really have my hands in many parts of the businesses I’m with. While I do a lot of the technical spinning of all the plates in a business, from operations to marketing, what lights me up is my work with people. Internally, I’m a culture creator, always holding a company’s vision in the light and directing staff towards it. I love managing 1:1 meetings to bring a team closer and encourage individual high performance. When I was with Raleigh Raw, owner Sherif Fouad came to call me the Chief Heart Officer as I was a natural liaison between staff and management. I didn’t mean for that position to be created, it was just a natural thing that I did. I now lean into it professionally to create better systems for a business, creating win-wins for owners and employees alike.
Working with customers is probably my favorite part of business. I absolutely love connecting with new people. I’m often told I can make anyone feel seen, heard, and completely accepted in just one dialogue. I love leading a room with conversation and making memorable experiences that turn ideal clients into walking billboards for a business. Naturally, word-of-mouth-free marketing is what I’m known for harnessing through the relationships I develop. I’m proud to be a reliable and joyful visible community leader. Being a leader in a community group is probably the position I’m most proud of to this day, and I’m looking forward to doing that and leading more retreats again one day, this time on the global scale.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
You are so much more powerful than you realize, and I’m cheering each and every one of you on (even if I don’t know you). Also, I love coffee. Let’s connect!
Contact Info:
- Email: lettycooper4@gmail.com
- Website: www.lettycooper.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciouslyletty
Image Credits
Jamie Robbins Raleigh Raw Em Bateman
