GRIT to GRATITUDE: Seeing Life Through a New Lens with Laura Bratton

What would you do if you started losing your sight in high school—and by graduation, the world had gone completely dark?

In this episode of Dancing in the Discomfort Zone, I sit down with Laura Bratton, (Www.laurabratton.com) speaker, author, and founder of Ubi Global, whose story proves that adversity doesn’t define you...your mindset does. Diagnosed with a rare eye disease at nine years old, Laura lost her vision completely as a teenager. But instead of getting stuck in grief, she built her life around two unshakable pillars: grit and gratitude.

Laura shares how she learned to transform obstacles into opportunities, from becoming the first blind student to earn a master’s degree in theology from Princeton to launching a global organization that helps others navigate change with courage. Her book, Harnessing Courage: Overcoming Adversity with Grit and Gratitude, dives into exactly how she did it, and in this conversation, she gives us a front-row seat to that journey.

Her approach is refreshingly real: she doesn’t sugarcoat struggle or preach toxic positivity. Instead, she shows how acknowledging hard emotions, setting long-term goals, and practicing daily gratitude can turn even the toughest transitions into growth.

What You’ll Hear About

• The real definition of grit (it’s not just pushing through)
• How daily gratitude rewires your mindset for resilience
• The difference between moving on and moving forward
• How clear communication creates connection and confidence
• Practical steps to thrive through any major life change

Laura’s story will make you rethink what’s possible—and remind you that thriving starts with how you choose to see the world.