Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Gallagher.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I had chronic anticipatory anxiety and panic attacks. I truly felt alone with what I was feeling. I had a great group of friends and felt loved, but I couldn’t shake this feeling of constant dread and uneasiness. I didn’t know what was going on with the anxiety attacks I would feel throughout the day. I was the hyperactive, goofy, social butterfly! It wasn’t until my Sophomore Year of High School that I wanted to seek extra help. I remember sitting my parents down and explaining to them what I was feeling. I could barely put into words the “episodes” I would feel through the school day. My dad chimed in and said, “Oh what you’re feeling is what I felt when I was your age. It’s called anticipatory anxiety and it runs in our family.” That made so much sense to me!
For as long as I remembered, I was always feeling nervous about long car rides, school, and flights. I never let it show though because I was embarrassed as to what other people would say. I used humor as a way to deflect my anxiety. Throughout my High School career, I went to multiple therapists, EFT specialists and journaled a lot. Journaling was something that was introduced to me by my mom. As young as nine years old, she would ask me questions and write down my answers. Most days, I would wake up and say, “Mom my arm hurts… I can’t go to school.” I think she knew it was just anticipatory anxiety, but I thought something was genuinely wrong.
As my time in High School, was coming to close, I had realized that I didn’t do well academically. I had so many panic attacks in every classroom, that I didn’t know how to pay attention and focus on the material being taught. Every day, my body would anticipate that I would feel the same way. I decided to attend Community College and move down to Los Angeles. It seemed like such a fun, new city compared to my tiny hometown. I really didn’t even know what I would do with my life, it just felt right. After graduating, I spent the summer saying goodbye to friends, doing road trips to my cabin in Lake Tahoe and pondering my future in Los Angeles.
I remember the long 7-hour drive from Lafayette to Los Angeles. With each mile that went by, I could feel this sense of wonder and excitement building. I moved to Westwood in an apartment with six other girls and attended Santa Monica City College. It was such a fun time in my life and living on my own for the first time was such a great learning experience. I feel like I was so caught up in the idea of going to a 4-year college and having the sorority experience, that I didn’t even realize that I wasn’t happy. It was around this time that I started having gut feelings to try something more creative.
Growing up, I was always the funny, storyteller with so much energy- so that was what had always come naturally to me. As the weeks went by, the gut feeling, epiphany moments got stronger. I was scared because how could community college not make me happy? What was I supposed to do if School wasn’t for me? I think so many people find themselves in situations where they don’t know what to do. They aren’t familiar with their intuition and get freaked out when they don’t know why they aren’t happy.
On January 16th, 2016- after months of pushing down these feelings and moments of dreaming, I got physically sick. It started with lower back and pelvic pain that would ache throughout the day. Being a female, I assumed it was just menstrual pain. I took Advil, but that only worked for a few hours. I started going to a CVS minute clinic and got treated for a UTI.
Being 19, I wasn’t thinking this was anything serious. After being on antibiotics for a few weeks, nothing was getting better. I could also feeling my anxiety creeping up. Not knowing what was wrong me, I started overthinking everything. Would if I went to school and passed out? Would if I took too many antibiotics? Would if everything in my life had to revolve around this mysterious pain. I soon decided that I needed extra help. I drove myself to the local UCLA hospital emergency room. It was there that I started down a cycle of doing urine samples, blood work, ultrasounds, having an MRI done and trying 18 different antibiotics.
It was genuinely the most terrifying part of my life. Constantly being in pain and not knowing what the source is. At the same time as all of this commotion, I was still trying to do well in school and transfer to a 4-year university. I felt so stuck and angry at the universe. Something was getting in the way of my “dreams” come true. I wanted to prove to myself that I was smart academically. Also, what else is a 19-year-old supposed to do? College was the only path I knew of (the path that leads to the successful job, marriage, etc). I was scared, confused and felt like “why me?”
After five months of being misdiagnosed by western medicine doctors, being put on 18 different antibiotics and crying myself to sleep every night- I kind of except that this was my new reality. I remember one day, making a “bucket list” of things I had always wanted to try when I was healthier. Things like acting classes, Toastmasters, write a book, make a blog and help teenagers with anxiety. I kept this list on my nightstand as motivation to not give up.
By the end of May, I had been driving back and forth from Los Angeles to Lafayette (seven hours by car) to be with my parents. I didn’t have many friends during this time and really needed a support system. My mom started telling me about this man, Anthony Williams. He is a Medical Medium that has intuitive abilities and can scan people’s bodies to know what foods they should avoid, illnesses they can be susceptible to and what is the underlying reason for their symptoms. He is truly a genius!
We started reading these books and really absorbed his knowledge. We soon started listening to his sessions on the radio station, Hay House radio. One day, my mom was driving around Lafayette and listening to his station. She heard him say, “I’m doing a giveaway, where one person will be selected, out of a drawing, for a free two-minute session.” She freaked out and knew we had to try! Well, three days later, she got an email notifying us that we had been picked. I will never forget the wave of pure joy and hope that came over me!
I was in Los Angeles and she was in Lafayette, but when she called to tell me the news- I could feel her excitement and joy as if she were standing next to me. Three days later, we had our phone session! It went very quickly and he diagnosed me with the strep virus and gave me a list of herbal drops to take- as well as cutting out alcohol, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and soy. My jaw was on the floor and for the first time, I felt hope. I knew in my body, this was it- he was going to cure me. I immediately bought all the herbal drops at Whole Foods, threw out the antibiotics and bought new food. With every passing day, I could feel myself getting stronger.
Within five days, I had enough energy to go on a run. I can confidently say I cried the entire time and did leaps down the sidewalk. After about a month of truly healing and getting myself together, I dove headfirst into that bucket list. I left community college to fully just live my life for ME. I had the honor of having this second chance at life, I was not going to let my dreams and this renewed sense of gratitude slip away. It was months of trying improv classes, going to networking events, motivational seminars, self-publishing my books, starting a youtube channel, being in commercials and going to meditation/wellness retreats. I just did whatever felt RIGHT to me.
It was the first time in my life that I let my intuition be the guide. Then in November of 2016, after meeting so many awesome people, finding my group of friends and being 100% healthy again- I wanted to pump the brakes. What did I want to do as a living? How was I going to make money yet still follow my heart? After meditating one day, I suddenly realized I should put all my passions together… I loved helping others, storytelling, health/wellness, being on stage and writing. I wanted to be a Self-Love Coach for Teenagers and Author.
I started making business cards online and just walking around to put them on the local community boards at Whole Foods grocery store, going to PTA meetings and reaching out to family members/parents who I had babysat for. I truly just let my gut feelings lead the way. Between November of 2016 and June of 2017, I coached 30 teenagers. I would drive to their house and basically be their therapist for an hour. Being only 21 at the time, I could relate so much and give them genuine advice about growing up in this generation. Soon though, I realized how much I wanted to speak in front of teenagers. I wanted my message to reach as many teenagers as possible.
I started speaking for free at local YMCA’s and Boys & Girls clubs. I got my speaking reel together and made new business cards (that introduced me as a Motivational speaker for teenagers and Author) that would appeal to Middle School and High School principals/counselors. For the next two and a half years, I spoke at Middle Schools and High Schools all over California, wrote two more books and started a blog. I truly learned how much consistent work and positive thinking goes into starting a successful business. Being a young entrepreneur in Los Angeles, I learned so much about myself and how important it is do what you love.
By the end of 2017, I started applying to speak at a TEDx Talk. It was such a dream of mine and for two years, I submitted six applications per week. There were many days of crying and just feeling so frustrated. But I would try to bring it back to feeling grateful for my health being at 100% again. Then, as 2019 started, I struck gold. I had been emailing back and forth with one of the organizers for TedxYouth at Colton High School in Southern California. I sent many emails going into detail about how much this would mean to me and that a TedxYouth would be perfect for my story.
A few days later, he emailed me back saying that one of the speakers wouldn’t be ready in time and that the Tedx Talk would be on March 8th, 2019. I was emailing with him on February 13th. I took a deep breath and replied back yes. I knew this was happening for a reason and that I was ready. Most speakers get about three-four months to prepare, but I had been preparing for two years! I was so nervous leading up to it, but I knew how to get myself into the right headspace. I meditated, went hiking and rehearsed in front of the bathroom mirror about 200 times. Then, it was time.
On March 5th, I packed my bags and headed for the door. I looked back at my room and started crying tears of joy. All of this hard work had accumulated to this moment. I knew when I would come back in four days, I wouldn’t be the same person. This type of reflection moment is something I love to do. It started when I was 15 and going away on my first big trip to do community service in New Orleans. I would look back at my room right before embarking on the journey, and think “When I come back here, I will be a changed person.”
The dress rehearsal went great and it was so fun to meet the other speakers! We all had such unique and inspiring stories to tell. Soon enough, it was showtime! On March 8th, 2019 I gave my first TEDx Talk. My parents were right there sitting in front row and I absolutely crushed it! I don’t remember the actual talk, because whenever I speak I black out. I just channel and let it flow. I still feel like I’m living in a dream because, after that TEDx talk, it’s been non-stop speaking at High Schools, being featured in local newspapers and being a guest on inspirational podcasts.
Handwork DOES pay off and the universe is always working in your favor. I just know I was put on this earth to spread joy and help others. Life is such a gift and I’m just beyond grateful that I have the honor of sharing my story and helping teenagers. I worked so hard to create the space that I craved when I was growing up. I really believe that our pain is our purpose and if we just allow the universe to use us as an instrument for good- the possibilities are endless.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has yet it hasn’t. I think everything happens for a reason and every bump along the way and what I viewed as a “detour” was actually happening on purpose. Of course, starting a business by yourself can feel challenging, like; learning how to use social media to advertise, making your own website, writing your books, booking the speaking engagements, networking and teaching yourself how to be good at tech stuff. I just feel grateful that I have such an awesome family that supports me and my dreams.
I’m healthy, I’m happy, and I’m doing what I was put on earth to do. That’s all that really matters to me. I am very excited for what is to come through, being only 23- I have accomplished quite a lot, and all of it is genuinely from the heart. It’s been a fun and extremely rewarding journey to do it all myself and learn so much along the way!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Motivational Talks with Megan story. Tell us more about the business.
I am TEDx Speaker, Author, Mental Health Advocate for Teenagers and Blogger. I specialize in helping teenagers with anxiety. When I speak at a Middle School or High School, I like to cover topics like self-love, being your own advocate in life, mental health and finding your passions.
Basically, I’m teaching them all the things I wish were taught at my school. I want to be a role model for young adults that you can make a living do what you love and take care of yourself. I have personal experience with chronic anxiety and having graduated from High School in 2014- I know what it’s like to grow up in this tech/comparison/stress filled generation.
I feel like if we just practice more gratitude for the blessings in our lives, then we feel better. How does scrolling on Instagram for three hours make you feel better? I’m most proud of my determination, and there aren’t many female motivational speakers who are this young. Thanks to my parents, Courtney and Ted, who instilled so much confidence and strength in me- I’m a natural born trailblazer.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m a full believer in the universe, and I remember my parents showing me the movie, The Secret when I was 11 years old. It’s all about changing your thoughts and how you create your reality. I was so intrigued by this concept that every night before bed I would dance around my room and let my anxiety melt away.
I believe in the power of positive thinking, and that life happens FOR you, not to you. I have been through a lot in my life always come back to being in nature, dancing, laughing and talking to my parents. They are literally anchor for me! I’ve been working on my thoughts since I was 13, so I have been training my mind for a long time. I choose to think positively every day and dance down grocery store aisles.
Contact Info:
- Website: meganwgallagher.com
- Phone: 925-360-4551
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganwgallagher/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganwgallagher/
Image Credit:
Ted Gallagher, Courtney Gallagher, Julie Reichle
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