Lora McLaughlin Peterson reaches millions through her LORAfied social platforms, where she shares practical tips and life hacks in a relatable, big-sister-type style with a dash of humor. Her approach is simple: Respect people’s time and make it worthwhile. “If you’re going to give me 40 seconds or a minute of your life,” she says, “I want you to walk away and go, ‘That was worth it.'” Peterson calls her content “infotainment—information with entertainment” and proudly describes her corner of the internet as “the happy channel,” where followers can expect positivity, practical ideas and a lighter take on everyday life. Her debut book, The LORAfied Cookbook, shares easy, affordable, family-friendly mealtime solutions.
The First Thing I Do in the Morning Is...
remember to be grateful. Before I hop out of bed, I will have a real quick little conversation with God and thank him for another day. My default is, let’s get up and just assume that it’s going to be a good day.
The Most Surprising Thing About Me Is...
that I’m the baby of nine [siblings]. I think people are shocked when they hear that!
I Describe My Vibe As…
bubbly and positive.
To Avoid Distractions, I…
come up with a list: This must be done today. And I start with the easiest thing. I do the easiest thing so I can start checking stuff off and feel good immediately.... Just the easy wins, and then I save the hard stuff for later.
When I Hit a Setback, I...
remind myself that every setback is a setup for a comeback…. I read it probably 30 years ago. It has stuck with me to this day, and I’m just like, “All right, that wasn’t the right timing. Something else has got to be coming.”
The Best Advice I Ever Received Was...
be yourself. I know that sounds cheesy, and I didn’t want to hear it for the longest time until one of my doctors finally said, “Just get out there and start being you.” And I said, “What are you talking about?” He said, “How you are with people in private, just start putting that out there.” I’m paraphrasing, but he said, “Figure out what your life’s mission is. Just start being you. I think you could probably help a lot of people.”
I had to get to a certain age to do that. In fact, I was almost 51 when LORAfied started. I had to be that age to be comfortable enough with turning the camera on and just not caring what people thought. So the best advice is figure out a way sooner—it took me until I was much older. But if you can, figure out sooner to just be yourself…. It was a game-changer; it stuck with me.
I Recharge By…
doing something incredibly simple. It moves the needle for me personally. It does not have to be a big act. It just has to do something that breaks up my day and gives me a minute to go, “OK.” Also, I like to organize. I find it very therapeutic.
The Habit That Changed My Life Is…
Sleeping, making sure I get to bed…. Sleep is everything. If I don’t sleep, I can’t make it. So I have prioritized it to where it’s kind of annoying my entire family.... If I don’t get seven to eight hours of sleep at night, I’m already waking up at a deficit. So set yourself up for success.... Once you start getting the sleep you need, you just see the world differently. You really do. It’s a little brighter.
Images courtesy of LORAfied
This article was first published in the September/October 2026 issue of SUCCESS Magazine. Get your copy here.
