As a thriver, her inspirational stories support individuals who are facing a difficult life challenge to triumph over their trauma so they can find peace and emotional freedom. She does this by building their resilience and grit, developing a growth mindset, and energising their mojo, using her signature (and humorous) A-Z process via one-on-one or group coaching.
Lois helps you understand the power of forgiveness and teaches you how to forgive yourself and others. Lois is a South African businesswoman with extensive local and international speaking, human resource, training, business management, project management, marketing, consulting, and leadership coaching experience.
SMILE with Lois.
S – Speaking and Storytelling
M – Mentoring
I – Inspiring
L – Learning facilitator - individual and group interactions and immersion workshops
E – Empowering using coaching and consulting (Certified Conversational Intelligence® C-IQ coach)
Please tell us a little more about yourself and your journey thus far.
I have lived an exciting, adventurous, productive, and yet challenging life. From a dysfunctional early life filled with alcohol and abuse to an adult life of divorce and rape.
From a debilitating childhood illness to physical disabilities in adulthood.
From being overlooked for opportunities in my career to being fired, retrenched, and forced into retirement.
I’ve been financially poor and in debt.
I’ve gone bankrupt as an entrepreneur and started and closed another business.
And in between, I have experienced being the target of multiple robberies, the death of loved ones, and accidents both big and small.
I have fallen off bicycles, rolled snowmobiles, fallen off dogsleds, washed out to sea while scuba diving, and many other incidents.
(Extract from my chapter in the book – Voices of the 21st Century published by the Women Speakers Association).
On the career front, my first life was in marketing.
At Cadbury I was responsible for launching the exciting product Tempo which was an outstanding success.
In marketing I worked in retail, pharmaceuticals, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, and Fast Food Restaurants.
I became a management consultant and worked in almost every industry from coal mines to heavy engineering to hospitals and more.
I moved into training. I taught at Damelin and the AAA School of Advertising before starting my own training business – Training on Site which was business, leadership, and management training.
I then left South Africa and went to work in Oman in the Middle East as a leadership trainer, coach and public speaker.
I returned to South Africa as a coach, focusing more on personal development.
I have traveled extensively, mostly solo. I have visited countries such as Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Haiti. I like to discover the culture of a people and I travel very simply with limited plans.
My greatest achievement was forgiving the man who raped me and left me for dead. He was given a 25-year sentence. I forgave him at a parole hearing after he had served 14 years. I was the first person in South Africa to attend a parole hearing after the laws were changed allowing “victims” to attend. (I am a thriver not a victim).
Please tell us a little more about how your company came about.
Everything in my life has led me to this point where I can use my life experiences to give back and to support others. I returned to South Africa after I was forced into retirement in Oman and have focused on personal development, concentrating on building resilience and grit, developing a growth mindset, energising your mojo, and forgiveness.
Should you be busy with any interesting initiatives, please tell us a little more about it.
- In March I completed a five-day summit, Rape and Resilience. I had 43 speakers.
- In April I was a speaker on another summit, “Reclaiming our souls from sexual abuse”
- I have six articles in a book called “One hundred words of motivation” where each contribution is exactly 100 words. This book comes out at the end of April.
- In May, the book “Voices of the 21st Century” will be launched. My chapter is called “Growing Grit – the ABCs of dealing with Adversity”
- I have written the story of my rape as a one woman play. I will be recording this, and after lockdown is over, performing it.
- I will re-write my journal – Walking Without skin – From Fear to Forgiveness to Freedom, for publication towards the end of the year.
What is it that you are passionate about?
Travel, adventure, discovering and exploring new cultures and places, meeting people, and communicating. Helping others find their mojo.
Who or What has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
The experience of rape enabled me to find my true purpose and vision in life.
What is your personal “motto”?
Fly Free!
What advice would you give a woman wanting to follow her dreams?
- Gain clarity of your aspirations (which are different to dreams).
- Find someone to support you in this process.
- Start – imperfection is okay.
Who or what is your inspiration and why?
So many people have inspired me as I have journeyed on this path of life. I am open to learning and am motivated by so many sources and am inspired by those living through hardship and adversity with a positive spirit and attitude.
- My sister, Lizz – for her kindness and generosity, creativity, artistic ability, and healing powers.
- Nelson Mandela - for forgiveness.
- All survivors of rape and sexual abuse – for their ability to triumph over trauma.
- My family – for compassion and consideration.
What advice would you give your younger self?
- Stop procrastinating.
- Let your light shine.
- Break old negative patterns.
- The rules of your parents and ancestors are not your rules.
Your favourite daily affirmation:
Walking Without Skin - Manifestations and Affirmations. I Give Thanks.
Wealth: I have enough money to support my every desire and every crazy dream.
Aspiration: I achieve my goal to travel the world freely and safely, to tell my stories and to help others live freely and safely. I have great success and great expectations and anticipations.
Learning/Love: I am a life-long learner and am continually learning and growing as a human being. I encourage others to learn also. I love and have passion for what I do.
Knowing: I am self-aware, and I know myself and am in control of my own mind. I have great wisdom. I use transformational and positive words and language.
Insight: My intuitive senses are well honed and used. I trust my gut feeling and inner guidance to achieve infinite possibilities.
Natural State: My code of belief is positive I am free of dogma and brules. I live in the present and appreciate every moment. I am free.
Gratitude: I am grateful for what I have and that I can help others. Others are grateful that I have shared my gifts with them. I give thanks every day, all day.
Wellness: I meditate and lead my life with mindfulness and blisscipline (bliss and discipline, diligence, patience and persistence).
Incidents: I seek so many new experiences. This adds flavour, variety and stimulation to my and to others’ lives.
Task: My mission involves growth and abundance for me and all others. I contribute to the growth and well-being of others and the return is abundance of creative ideas and money.
Health: I am physically healthy and take great care of my body. I am filled with abundant energy. I am harmonious and poised.
Optimism: I am happy, positive and in control of my emotions. I am enthusiastic about life and the infinite possibilities that the universe offers. I learn from mistakes.
Undertake: I undertake to contribute to the world and to give back. In return I receive unexpected surprises and rewards.
True: I am my authentic self. I live with justice, integrity, honesty and fairness. I am one with my higher power, my highest good, and with all possibilities.
Spirituality: I am connected to the universal energy and plugged into my higher self. I shine and express my unique and authentic self to all.
Kinship: I have rich relationships with lovers, family, friends, colleagues, and clients. I love freely.I love and am loved. The people in my life make me happy.
Innovation: I hack the most brilliant ideas that lead to awesome success. I am creative and I have fun experimenting and playing with thoughts and philosophies.
Nerve: I have the right amount of courage and heart to challenge my comfort zone.
Your favourite quotes:
Pick yourself up.
Learn from your mistakes.
Forgive yourself.
Laugh.
Carry on with renewed determination and vigour.
Quotes by Lois Wagner
I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I thank you. I love you. ~Ho’oponopono Prayer
Which book are you reading now (if any)?
Nothing right now – I have about a dozen books open at various places.
Which book can you read over and over again?
Blue Road to Atlantis by Jay Nussbaum. It is the story of Ernest Hemingway’s – The Old Man and the Sea - told from the fish’s perspective.
What are your top business tips?
- Even though your journey is unique, you are not alone – find that support, find an accountability partner.
- Learn from your mistakes – ensure that you create new positive patterns.
- Build your resilience and grit.
- Develop a growth mindset.
- Energise your Mojo.
- Forgive.
What would you say is your secret to success?
Resilience, Grit, A Growth Mindset, Mojo.
One piece of (general) advice that you’d like to share:
Forgive.
Free eBook
Raise your Vibration! Ignite, Build and Maintain Your Personal or Professional Mojo - Download here.
Contact Information:
Website: www.walkingwithoutskin.com | www.loiswagnercoaching.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/www.walkingwithoutskin | www.facebook.com/Coachingconversationsforchange
Twitter: @loiswag
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lois-wagner-coach/
Instagram: @lois_wagner_
Speakerhub: www.speakerhub.com/speaker/lois-wagner
Women Speakers Association: www.espeakers.com/s/wspa/profile/39257
Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCQvrQK5jVe2iSizfrfe6QgQ
Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/loiswagnercoach/boards/
Inspirational Talks By Lois
Develop a Growth Mindset and Build Resilience and Grit with Lois Wagner
In a world of unpredictable and chaotic change filled with challenges that make it difficult to achieve your goals, using real-life stories, Lois provides A-Z tips on how to build resilience and grit. She will have you laughing as she shares lessons based on her own life and career transitions.
Lois has been through many life and career challenges – from divorce to rape, to starting and losing a business, to starting another business, to forced retirement, to starting again, and again.
As a result, she has built the resilience and grit to manage these changes and develop her mojo with a sense of humour.
This talk covers:
* Lois shares her own inspirational journey on how she overcame obstacles in her life.
* A-Z tips on how to build resilience and grit.
Included:
Recording of Talk
Guest Speaker Presentation.
