Free Inside: Reclaiming Joy at Work -
A Memoir and Guide
This book started as a whisper I couldn't ignore — and turned into the thing I wish someone had handed me twenty years ago. It's for every leader, professional, and human being who's been performing, people-pleasing, and running on emotional overtime. It's time to stop getting through the day and start being free inside it.
Launching March 22, 2026.
The Liberation Framework
At the heart of this book is a four-stage path back to yourself.
Recognize — See the patterns, the masks, and the emotional overtime you've been carrying.
Release — Let go of what was never yours to hold — other people's expectations, old narratives, and the need to perform.
Reclaim — Take back your joy, your voice, and your right to show up as your full self.
Rise — Step into your most authentic, liberated life — at work, at home, and everywhere in between.
Who This Book Is For
This Book Is For You If...
You've ever smiled through a meeting while falling apart inside. You've code-switched so often you forgot which version of you is real. You've said "I'm fine" when you weren't even close. You've wondered if the career you've built is worth what it's cost you. This book is your permission slip to stop pretending and start living.
About the Author
I'm Dr. Laurie Vázquez Scolari — a college Vice President, keynote speaker, event emcee, and now, an author. I grew up in the lettuce fields of the Salinas Valley, raised by a single mother who immigrated from Mexico. I'm among fewer than 1% of Latinas in the U.S. with a doctoral degree. And I wrote this book because the version of success I was chasing almost cost me everything that mattered. Free Inside is the story of how I found my way back — and the framework I built so you can too.
