What Hiding a Weakness Actually Costs You - Lauren Pires

Lauren Pires was born with a rare neuromuscular condition that leaves her with roughly 33 percent of the physical strength of an average person. She hid it for more than 30 years, and during those years she built an 11-year career in event production at one of the largest music festivals in Canada, a job made of long days on your feet. At 32 she stood on a stage and spoke about it in public for the first time, at North America's largest inspirational speaking competition. She came second, then second again in the finals, and today she speaks to companies about invisible disability, resilience, and belonging. I live with an autoimmune condition, so this conversation got personal fast. We compare the excuses we both used to get out of a hike, how much of your day hiding something actually eats, and the question everyone with something to hide eventually faces: who do you tell first, and what happens after that. If you are living with something people cannot see, or you are ambitious and your body keeps saying no, this episode shows you what keeping it hidden is costing you and what she found on the other side. 🟪 Timestamps (00:00) When Ambition Meets a Body That Says No (04:42) The Secret She Kept for 30 Years (10:18) What Hiding Actually Costs You (14:15) The Energy You Get Back (17:04) A Tiny Ritual Called the Daily Yay (21:54) The Upside Nobody Talks About (26:59) Walking Away After 11 Years (30:56) Afraid of Being Seen Differently? (35:49) The Room She Loves to Speak In (41:53) The Line That Rewired Her Brain 🟪 About the Guest Lauren Pires is an invisible disability speaker from Canada who talks about resilience, joy, and belonging. Born with Central Core Disease, a rare neuromuscular condition, she concealed it for over 30 years while working in event production, public relations, and hiring at a nonprofit behind one of the largest South Asian festivals in Canada. She first spoke about her disability in public in 2022 and went on to become the runner-up inspirational speaker of the year at Speaker Slam. She now speaks to corporate disability employee resource groups and conferences, delivered a TEDxMississauga talk in 2026, and is the creator of the Daily Yay, a practice of noticing one good thing every day. 🟪 Connect with Lauren Pires Website: https://www.laurensaysyay.com Instagram:   / laurensaysyay   LinkedIn:   / laurensaysyay   YouTube:    / @laurensaysyay   TEDx talk:    • How can we fit in without losing who we ar...   🟪 Connect with Gabe Marusca Website: https://www.gabemarusca.com YouTube:    / @gabemarusca   LinkedIn:   / gabemarusca   Instagram:   / gabemarusca   X/Twitter: https://x.com/gabemarusca Facebook:   / gabemarusca   TikTok:   / gabemarusca