What happens when you spend years trying to make everyone else happy, only to realize you’ve been forgetting about yourself? And what changes when you stop worrying so much about what other people think and start allowing yourself to be who you are?

In this episode of Create Your Happy, I chat with my friend Nishma about her journey from people pleasing and seeking external validation to finding happiness through self acceptance, authenticity, and learning to let go of expectations. She shares how a health diagnosis prompted her to reconsider how she was living, and how learning to prioritize herself changed her relationships and the way she experienced happiness.

We talk about the pressure to meet other people’s expectations, the challenges of accepting people as they are, and what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan. Nishma also shares a very human story about a damaged computer, getting frustrated with her daughter, and the realization that helped her take responsibility and make things right.

This is a conversation about happiness, people pleasing, self trust, relationships, and learning to let go of the need to control everything.

Because sometimes, creating a life that feels like your own starts with allowing yourself to be exactly who you are.

In this episode, we explore:

00:00 — Rethinking Happiness and What It Means to Be Yourself

01:27 — What Happiness Means Beyond Material Things

03:03 — What Happiness Feels Like

04:13 — The Little Things That Make Us Feel Alive

05:18 — People Pleasing and the Need for Approval

06:53 — A Celiac Diagnosis That Changed Her Perspective

07:40 — Learning to Choose Yourself

10:16 — Why Old Patterns Keep Coming Back

11:19 — Letting Go of Expectations in Relationships

13:06 — The Laptop Spill: Frustration, Blame, and Taking Responsibility

16:45 — Surrender, Trust, and Unexpected Outcomes

🎶 Music Credit: “Big Adventure” by Paul Yudin | License Code: IFYBJMN4DCRTCSPO

Want more?

Find more episodes of Create Your Happy, along with my books, courses and other offerings, at coachchristyholt.com 🩷

What happens when the thing you thought you were meant to do turns out to be only part of your story? And how do you recognize when life is taking you somewhere you never expected?

In this episode of Create Your Happy, I chat with Brad about his journey from photography and corporate work to discovering a deeper sense of purpose through amplifying the voices of women. Brad shares how something he never saw coming changed his life, his work, and his understanding of what makes him feel truly alive.

We talk about purpose and happiness, the importance of human connection, learning to put yourself first without losing sight of the people you love, and why so many women end up putting everyone else’s needs ahead of their own.

This is a conversation about purpose, authenticity, relationships, self trust, and staying open to the possibility that a meaningful life might look nothing like you originally imagined.

In this episode, we explore:

00:00 — A Different Kind of Conversation About Happiness

01:09 — Getting to Know Brad and What Matters to Him

02:00 — Is Happiness About Finding Your Purpose?

03:42 — When the Path You Thought Was Yours Changes

06:32 — What It Feels Like to Be Truly Alive

09:48 — When Feeling Aligned Changes Everything

11:52 — Human Connection and Our Relationship With Ourselves

14:06 — The Crumbs Theory: Why We Put Ourselves Last

17:24 — Making Room for Your Own Happiness

🎶 Music Credit: “Big Adventure” by Paul Yudin | License Code: IFYBJMN4DCRTCSPO

Want more?

Find more episodes of Create Your Happy, along with my books, courses and other offerings, at coachchristyholt.com 🩷

What does happiness actually feel like? Is it excitement, a life full of amazing experiences, or something quieter, like peace?

In this episode of Create Your Happy, I chat with Corina about how her understanding of happiness has changed over time. From being a teenager who couldn’t understand why she didn’t feel happy like everyone around her, to discovering a deeper sense of peace, Corina shares her personal experience of finding happiness in a place she hadn’t expected.

We talk about feeling truly alive, being present for the experiences we’re having, the difference between chasing happiness and experiencing it, and what it means to choose our own direction instead of living by other people’s expectations.

This is a conversation about happiness, inner peace, self trust, and the sometimes surprising ways our understanding of a happy life can change.

In this episode, we explore:

00:00 — A different kind of conversation about happiness

01:40 — What does happiness actually feel like?

04:20 — Can you be unhappy and happy at the same time?

05:35 — The moments that make us feel truly alive

08:25 — Being present instead of collecting experiences

10:05 — Looking outside ourselves for happiness

12:15 — Heartbreak, travel, and the experience of being present

14:05 — People pleasing, expectations, and choosing what feels right

16:45 — The personal experiences that shape our understanding of happiness

17:30 — Depression, anxiety, and Corina’s journey toward inner peace

🎶 Music Credit: “Big Adventure” by Paul Yudin | License Code: IFYBJMN4DCRTCSPO

Want more?

Find more episodes of Create Your Happy, along with my books, courses and other offerings, at coachchristyholt.com⁠. 🩷