Comedian, author and social media star Laura Belbin has been prolific on the scene of comedy for quite some time now after she began posting funny posts on Facebook seven years ago and a fellow Mum told her she should monetise it through a blog.
Soon after, her Instagram handle @knee_deep_in_life was made a reality. One day, her ex-husband had gone to work, leaving her with the kids and this is where it truly took off. Nine months in to her social media presence, she had bought a pair of spanx for an event entirely unrelated to her comedy and quite humorously became stuck while trying to get them on – this is the video that sent her viral.
“The basis of every single step of my career so far – saying yes and putting myself out there”
In light of this, Laura was offered book deals despite claiming she was “absolutely not an author” and eventually said yes, clarifying that this was “the basis of every single step of my career so far – saying yes and putting myself out there.”
“So much of my show ends up being ad-lib that it’s an entirely different show from what I planned” but this makes her storytelling all the more comical and relatable.
On her success, Laura wants to spread the message of hope to people of all ages that even with “zero support from management backing, you can get where you want to be,” adding “a couple of years ago, a tour promoter wanted to give me the opportunity at Komedia Club in Brighton to get into stand up comedy.” Laura had five weeks to learn the process, get up on stage and perform. It was a huge success.
As students, we often feel trapped in our feelings of imposter syndrome, as if our success is undeserved and often, not enough. Laura recognises this: “Up until now, it’s felt like I don’t belong and it’s a fluke and pure luck. But for the first time in my life, I know the stage is where I belong – it feels like home.” She also speaks out on supporting the passions of those around us to help them get where they want in life because she is “a believer in following the dream and if you love it enough, you should never give up on it.”
“You’re the only person whose heart beats the way it does, so lean into that and begin to realise that you are special and worthy”
One thing that often goes unmentioned when talking to performers like Laura is the push-back that can come from undertaking something that doesn’t fit the status quo. “My friends are my lifeline,” she told me, “I’ve fallen on my arse a million times over and I didn’t have the luxury of a supportive family dynamic but you get back up and go for what you want because you’re worthy.”
Recently, Laura suffered a mental breakdown, causing her to cut last year’s tour short for her own personal wellbeing. Since then, she has bravely spoken out about her childhood trauma, the estrangement from her family and the therapy she has undergone to begin the healing process. “Everything embodies self love – you have to think about your personal safety and know your boundaries.”
“You’re the only person whose heart beats the way it does, so lean into that and begin to realise that you are special and worthy.”
Elsewhere, Laura has been a proud supporter of women’s rights and safety and the shame that she has had to endure because of what she survived when she was younger. “We as women need to demand better because we are worthy of better.”
“We need to learn to parent ourselves – create neurological pathways that weren’t developed in childhood to help to reduce depression and shame.”
For all of the abuse she has survived, comedy is “the gold pot at the end of the rainbow” for her: “You should take a minute to look back and see what you have crafted from negative experiences.” For all those dealing with complex trauma and PTSD, Laura recommends the book What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo.
In conversation about her future plans, Laura told me she loves fictional writing and has been making up her own stories for as long as she can remember. This is something she has an interest in pursuing as her career progresses.
Laura recommends the book What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
Above all, Laura wants to remind students at our University that you should never give up on your dreams, “setbacks still happen but you are worthy of success. It might not be today or tomorrow but it will happen. You are capable of anything you want.”
