We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danielle Tabers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Danielle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
My hero is undoubtedly my mother. Her journey through life has been marked by hardship and challenges. She lost her parents at a young age, had me at 18, is a domestic violence survivor, and suffered the devastating loss of my brother in 2020. But, despite these heartbreaks she has remained steadfast and unwavering in her commitment and determination to support me and my siblings and guide us through life.
Growing up together, we experienced many difficult moments, yet through it all, my mother stood as my rock, my confidant, and my best friend. She showed me the power of resilience, teaching me to find humor even in the darkest of times and to never give up hope.
One of the most valuable lessons she imparted to us was the importance of continuous spiritual growth and learning. She instilled in us the belief that knowledge is power and that a commitment to lifelong learning can lead to endless possibilities.
My mother’s influence on my journey has been profound. She taught me to keep going, to keep striving for better, and to always seek opportunities for learning and growth. Her resilience, strength, and unwavering commitment to never giving up continue to inspire me every day.
Danielle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My journey this far has been quite a ride, let me tell you!
Growing up, I faced some tough times, dealing with domestic violence and constant change, I went to 14 different schools between multiple states, between the ages of 5 and 13. But I’ve always been a fighter, and I refused to let those challenges define me. Instead, I turned them into fuel for personal growth and resilience.
You know, I’ve been through my fair share of ups and downs. From battling bullying to struggling with self-esteem, I’ve faced it all. But through it all, I’ve learned the power of authenticity, empathy, and genuine connections.
That’s why I’m really big on volunteering for causes I’m passionate about, like Safe Connections and GaitWay, Inc. These organizations allow me to give back and support others, especially women and girls who may be going through similar struggles.
When it comes to what I do, it’s all about building relationships. I also love teaching, mentoring, and coaching, but that’s not necessarily my main gig. My passion lies in connecting with people on a deeper level, helping them find their footing, and supporting them along their journey.
What makes me different? Well, I think it’s my down-to-earth approach and genuine desire to help others succeed. I’m not about fancy titles or big sales pitches—I’m just here to lend a helping hand and cheer you on.
I gotta say, one of the things I’m most proud of is always striving to be my most authentic self. I believe that when we’re true to ourselves, it creates an environment where others feel comfortable doing the same. And that’s where the magic happens—real connections are formed, and genuine relationships are built.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Back in high school, I found myself heading down a dangerous path of drugs and alcohol. It wasn’t a healthy place to be, and it led me to drop out of high school. Soon after, at just 19 years old, I found out I was pregnant. At that point, I believed life was meant to be a series of hardships and struggles. Growing up the way I did skewed my perception of myself and of how life worked.
When my son was three years old, and I was stuck in yet another bad relationship and a job that didn’t fulfill me, I knew I needed a change. I made a bold decision—to go to truck driving school. Everyone around me thought I was insane. But despite the doubts and naysayers, including my own inner critic, I forged ahead. At 23, I hopped on a Greyhound bus from St. Louis to Salt Lake City and enrolled in truck driving school.
Those were some challenging times, let me tell you. But I didn’t let fear or uncertainty hold me back. I pushed myself way outside of my comfort zone, and I refused to let the voices of doubt drown out my determination. And you know what? I ended up doing pretty well. I drove an 18-wheeler all over this beautiful country for a whole year.
That experience taught me something invaluable—it showed me that I could do whatever I put my mind to. Despite the odds stacked against me, I persevered. I realized that experiencing trauma in my childhood actually helped me in some ways. Having that one positive influence in my life, my mother, made me resilient. It made me unafraid to take risks, to step outside of the box, and to pursue my dreams with everything I had.
Taking risks, getting out of our comfort zones, and not letting naysayers, including ourselves, hold us back—those are the things that allow us to grow, to learn, and ultimately, to succeed.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
You know, there’s a lesson I had to unlearn that really changed the trajectory of my life. For the longest time, I believed in the mantra of “fake it till you make it.” I was very uncomfortable in my own skin, constantly feeling like I wasn’t enough. I had this work version of myself and a real version, and the two rarely intersected. In professional settings, I’d put on a facade of quiet politeness, always speaking in my “business voice” and keeping people at arm’s length until I felt comfortable enough to open up. Unfortunately, this led some to perceive me as standoffish or aloof, when in reality, it was just my shyness and awkwardness shining through.
The root of this discomfort stemmed from a deep-seated belief that I was weird and somehow less than because of my background—a high school dropout, with multiple children from different fathers, and a financial mess to boot. I carried around this shame and guilt for years, believing that I needed to hide my true self to fit in.
But then, something shifted for me early in my respiratory care career. I found myself intimidated by doctors, putting them on pedestals and feeling like I could never measure up. However, as I got to know some of them on a personal level, I realized that they too had their own baggage—relationship issues, money problems, childhood traumas. It was a lightbulb moment for me. If these esteemed professionals could be flawed and still succeed, why couldn’t I?
So, I decided to take a leap of faith and embrace my true self, quirks and all. I let go of the “fake it till you make it” mentality and instead embraced authenticity with open arms. It wasn’t easy at first, but gradually, I started showing more of my hippie-esque, truck-driving, unicorn-loving, goofy, free-spirited self. And you know what? It felt liberating.
I had to unlearn the idea of faking it and instead embrace the notion of “embrace it till you become it.” Because in the end, it’s our authenticity that truly sets us apart and allows us to connect with others on a deeper level.
