In this episode of The Beauty in the Mess, Michele talks with Alan Lazaros, speaker, coach, and co-host of the global top 100 podcast Next Level University. At 26, Alan survived a head-on collision that became the wake-up call he didn’t know he needed. It forced him to face the trauma, insecurity, and people-pleasing patterns that shaped his life and pushed him into a deeper, more meaningful kind of personal growth.

Alan breaks down his “four buckets of life,” how external success can hide deep internal emptiness, and why fulfillment requires honesty, consistency, and a willingness to look inward. He talks openly about trauma responses, the pressure to be “enough,” and the challenge of aligning your purpose with what the world actually pays for.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’ve outgrown the life you’re living, this conversation gives you clarity, courage, and practical insight on what real transformation looks like.

 00:02:20 – Alan’s early life, loss, and the roots of his trauma responses

 00:07:20 – The car accident that changed everything

 00:12:20 – From externally successful to internally empty

 00:16:20 – Discovering personal development and questioning everything

 00:20:20 – The four “buckets” of life and where people get stuck

 00:25:20 – Trauma, insecurity, and why people stay in the wrong identity

 00:30:20 – Aligning purpose with your real strengths

 00:35:20 – Building fulfillment: habits, metrics, and self-awareness

 00:40:20 – What real growth feels like over time

✨Connect with Alan Lazarus:

• Website: https://www.nextleveluniverse.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alazaros88
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/
• Podcast: Next Level University

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• LinkedIn: Michele Simms
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

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