As a 31-year-old wellness practitioner and single mother of two, Lori Painter is one of the most respected and inspirational people in her field. She has achieved great personal success at a young age. But her journey to achieve success was far from easy.
Growing up as the middle child in a family of eight, Painter found it difficult to fit in with her siblings. In the small town of Bloomington, Calif., Lori grew up in poverty. Her father was abusive, her mother was disconnected, she left home when she was 17, and had her first child shortly after.
Many of her dreams were put on hold, and the people around her assumed she was destined to live the same hard life as the parents who raised her: Selling herself short, and becoming a disappointment to her children. As it turned out, they severely underestimated her.
"Lori is one of the strongest, most motivated people I know," said close friend and associate, Lee Carroll. "She lives her life to the fullest, and is a great mother to her children."
Lori Painter lives her life by believing in herself. Believing in herself helps her to find courage even in the most frightening of times. One of those frightening times was when she made the decision to leave an abusive marriage at the age of 21. By then, she had two children under the age of 4, Alex her son, and her daughter, Megan.
She had no job, no car, and no place to live. She had only $200 to her name. She left everything she knew behind and started over.
To make ends meet, Lori did everything from exotic dancing, to waiting tables. She could have stayed in her marriage and had all her financial needs met, but she decided to take the road less traveled and make a life for herself on her own terms.
So, for four years, she worked 40 hours a week at a minimum wage job, bumming rides to work, and sleeping on a friend's couch.
"I can still remember the nights of tears and loneliness while lying on the couch with my kids in my arms," said Lori.
With the money she saved from working, she put herself through massage therapy school and began her career.
It has been nine years since that fateful day that changed her life forever. The day she left her marriage and decided to make it on her own. She now owns her own home, works for herself, and educates herself as well as her kids through homeschooling.
With an informal educational background in nutrition, detoxification, business, marketing, advertising, management, health, group fitness, and personal training, Lori is extremely versatile. She teaches her clients about gaining and maintaining overall health and wellness in their lives.
"She makes my live easier," said client Loretta Proctor. "Her positive energy, unwavering faith, and tireless devotion is awe inspiring."
Lori Painter's unique struggle through adversity has given her a strength that sets her apart from others. She lives by what she knows to be true, she leads by example rather than a good speech, and she improves the quality of other people's lives. And as a mother, she does all that she can to support and nurture her children.
In the future, Lori hopes to build a wellness center, retreat, community, educational system, and empire based on health, wellness, sustained living and self reliance...with Universal Laws and truths.
According to Lori, she has no regrets. Her past has prepared her for her future. The poverty taught her how not to live. The beatings as a child taught her how not to raise her kids, they gave her contrast which helps her appreciate what she has now.
A typical day for Lori consists of working with clients who adore her, homeschooling her kids, and maybe a little gardening in the backyard to relax.
"I am grateful for the diverse experiences and the ability to bounce back from the knocks of life," said Lori. "Bring it on baby!"