Rising Stars: Meet Lacy Lovell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lacy Lovell.

Hi Lacy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Let’s dig in, shall we? I bought my house in 2015 with my husband. I had so many dreams of the life that would be lived in our home – I envisioned our future children playing in the backyard. I knew exactly which room I was going to turn into the nursery. I had it all planned out… and then the carpet was ripped out from underneath me.

My world crumbled the day that my husband told me he didn’t love me anymore. The future that I had so meticulously planned was shattered. When the divorce was finalized, I was left in this home that was supposed to hold a totally different life than the one I was about to embark on. I would look out at my backyard and mourn the fact that I may never be a mom.

I would stand in the room that was supposed to be a nursery and my heart would break. I would look into the bedroom that I once shared with someone who was supposed to be my life partner and I would be filled with anger for his abandonment. It was like I was being haunted by these ghosts of what was “supposed” to have been.

The memories of my past life and of my past future were constantly tapping me on the shoulder, reminding me of their existence… or rather their inexistence. I just couldn’t keep living in the same house anymore. But instead of moving, I picked up a drill and a paintbrush and I started renovating. And the coolest thing happened.

As I was painting walls and hanging shelves and window treatments, I was coming back to life. I was reclaiming my house and my life at the same time. It was wildly empowering. I began really truly loving my home and you know what, I began really truly loving myself too. And one day it dawned on me, I’m really stinking happy.

As the years have passed and as I’ve turned the house I once shared with someone else into a home of my own, I found myself falling in love again. I now get to create a home that holds and supports a new partnership and a new budding future – one of love trust mutual respect and kindness. In fact, just last fall he and I said “I do” in an intimate ceremony in the backyard of this poignant and poetic home of ours.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Absolutely not. The road toward divorce recovery can feel grueling. I spent a lot of time learning how to forgive myself love myself and trust myself. It was a long road of allowing myself to feel all of my feelings – as intense as they were – without judgment and without suppressing or numbing. The healing journey (no matter what your story or situation) can be deeply uncomfortable but it’s so important and so valuable.

If I’m being honest, as hard as it was to find my way back to myself, I’d take that journey over and over again over staying in a lonely and hurtful marriage. The struggles along the way were worth it for the life I get to live now. You know, nothing goes through a fire and comes out the same on the other side – an egg, a potato, gold.

This experience was the fire that changed me, it refined me. It ripped away all of the things that were keeping me comfortable and it forced me to get really really honest. It made me a truer version of myself. My ex-husband’s abandonment is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
After years of sharing my journey on social media – the creativity, the renovations, and the interior design but also the journey of healing and recovering, I’ve discovered the most amazing community of growth-minded, intelligent, open-hearted, and creative women in the world. My platform started as a DIY account. I was renovating my home after all, but let’s be honest, that was never the point.

The point of my page, Reclaiming Lacy, was always about healing. It was always about growing. I still love making my home functional and comforting but I’ve decided that I am much more interested in talking about matters of the heart. My page has transformed into a safe space to explore yourself deeper.

It’s a page that offers permission for your true self to flourish. A space where authenticity is king and, day by day, we learn how to turn our hardships into healing. Along with my social media presence, I’m now a motivational speaker spreading the message that we all have the power to turn the sh*t life hands us into fertilizer for growth.

Every single one of us is so much more capable than we realize. All I want to do with this life I’ve been given is to scream this message from the rooftops. You are so freaking capable and just because the healing work is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it. I also facilitate yoga, guided meditation, and breathwork. I care deeply about creating a safe container for students to freely drop into self-study and self-expression.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Where do I even begin? The restaurants and the bars in East Nashville cannot be beaten in my opinion. There is so much personality on this side of the river. I swear, I’m evangelical about the East Side! I also love Nashville for its green spaces. Warner Parks, Radner Lake, Shelby Park, the miles and miles of greenway that weave throughout our entire city.

Living in a city that so readily allows me to step into nature has helped my mental health more than I think I can express. As far as the parts of Nashville that I’m less thrilled about? If I’m being totally honest, the latest legislative decisions made by our representatives have made me feel defeated and less safe. As long as I live here, I will continue to work toward a better Nashville.

Contact Info:

• Website: reclaiminglacy.com
• Instagram: @reclaiming_lacy
• Facebook: @Reclaiming Lacy

Image Credits
Khaki Bedford Photography and Katie Johnson