Choose Empowering Language Over Apologies: What Meeting Jess Ekstrom Taught Me About Taking Up Space

Removing the Subconscious Beliefs That Prevent Growth: Nicole Beaudin, pt. 2

The second half of Christy's conversation with Nicole Beaudin picks up right where things get real — shadow work. If Part 1 was about recognizing you want something different, Part 2 is about doing the deeper work to actually get there. Nicole walks through the coaching method she uses to help high performers uncover the subconscious beliefs quietly running the show — the ones formed at age seven that are still blocking you at forty. From denied personas to underlying commitments, this conversation gets specific about what the inner work actually looks like in practice. In this episode of RTDB, you'll hear: * What shadow work is and why the person who triggers you most is a mirror worth looking into * How subconscious beliefs form in childhood and show up as self-sabotage in adulthood * Nicole's concept of a "spiritual board of directors" — and why she recently fired hers and started over * What to do when your tools stop working (and how to build a regulation toolkit that evolves with you) * Why the aftermath of a big life change can feel harder than the change itself — and what that means for your nervous system Learn more and work with Nicole at nicolebeaudin.com [http://nicolebeaudin.com] Follow her Substack: https://substack.com/@nicolebeaudin [https://substack.com/@nicolebeaudin] Learn more about The Thrive Collective and work with christy at thrivewithchristy.com [http://thrivewithchristy.com]

Who Will You Inspire? Celebrating the Wins That Make Waves, Even if it's a Tiny Ripple Effect

In this Sunday Shortie episode of Rock the Damn Boat (RTDB), Christy slows down. Before she heads back to corporate life and a lot more screen time, she's spending the week outside — trading notifications for fresh air and reconnecting with nature. Benefits of nature include: • Pattern Recognition and Nervous System: Pattern recognition can create nervous system regulation. • Bird Song and Safety: Bird song can create a sense of safety. • Trees and Calming Effect: Trees releasing phytocides can have a calming effect. This one's a gentle nudge to celebrate your milestones, even when it feels like bragging. If you were taught to shrink as a kid, or you've spent years as a people-pleaser, owning your wins can feel uncomfortable. But Christy makes the case that celebrating your achievements isn't ego — it's a ripple effect. When you honor how far you've come, you give someone else permission to chase their own passions too. Tune in for a grounded reminder to rest, unplug, and take real pride in what you've built.

I Don't Want That Life: Moving from Corporate Retail to Spiritual Coaching with Nicole Beaudin, pt 1

What happens when you're succeeding on paper but falling apart on the inside? In Part 1 of this RTDB conversation, Christy sits down with Nicole Beaudin — alignment leadership coach, Reiki-trained facilitator, and author of the This Way to Lightness Substack — to talk about the corporate career that looked impressive from the outside and felt hollow from within. Nicole shares her path from Williams-Sonoma and West Elm to Tory Burch, and the moment a psychic in Wisconsin handed her a piece of black tourmaline and changed everything. She opens up about discovering she's an empath, learning Reiki as an act of self-preservation, and what it felt like to look up at the women ahead of her in corporate and think: I don't want that life. In this episode of RTDB, you'll hear: * How Nicole's reference to an archaelogical dig reminded Christy of a transformative book * Why high-achieving people pleasers are often the most disconnected from their own needs * What empaths are (and the neuroscience behind why they experience the world differently) * How Reiki became Nicole's entry point into intuitive healing * The moment Nicole knew corporate retail wasn't her final chapter — and how she leaned into spiritual practice instead of pushing through Learn more and work with Nicole at nicolebeaudin.com [http://nicolebeaudin.com] Follow her Substack here: https://substack.com/@nicolebeaudin [https://substack.com/@nicolebeaudin] Order your copy of Something More [https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/something-more-excavating-your-authentic-self_sarah-ban-breathnach/255009/?resultid=74dca32a-2e7c-469b-a83a-3cf1620eec6f#edition=2393849&idiq=3272951] by Sarah Ban Breathnach from Thrift Books

When Manifesting Isn't Enough: Why I'm Going Back to Corporate After 7 Months

Seven months into building a business from scratch, Christy Hughes gets honest about what entrepreneurship in this economy actually looks like — and why the disappointment so many women feel isn't a sign they didn't believe hard enough. In this Sunday Shortie, she shares how a new corporate opportunity found her when she stopped forcing it, what it sounds like when intuition speaks up, and why The THRIVE Collective isn't going anywhere. If you're building something while wondering if you're doing it wrong, this one's for you. ---------------------------------------- What You'll Hear: * Why business disappointment in this economy is normal — not a personal failing * The manifesting myth: why you didn't think your way into struggle * How Christy's new role landed when she listened to her gut instead of pushing harder * What intuition actually sounds like in a job search * Why The THRIVE Collective continues — and why going back to corporate makes it stronger * The case for a life that holds both professional success and personal wholeness Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a woman who's building something and wondering if she's failing. Learn more about The Thrive Collective at thrivewithchristy.com [http://thrivewithchristy.com]

When Pets Come First: Lori Wahl on Reinvention, Animal Advocacy, and Pursuing Nonprofit Passions

In this episode of RTDB, Christy sits down with Lori Wahl — a pet industry veteran with 15+ years in rescue and pet sales — to talk about the unexpected ways those two worlds overlap. Lori went from the corporate pet industry to serving as Development Director for Heidi's Village in Phoenix, one of the most meaningful pivots she's made. Now, after relocating to Charlotte for her husband's career, Lori is navigating yet another reinvention — and she's honest about how hard it is to leave something you love. This one is for anyone who's ever had to close a chapter they weren't ready to close. What You'll Hear: * How Lori and Christy connected through the pet industry (shoutout to the Pet Firm in Phoenix) * The surprising synergies between corporate pet work and animal rescue * What led Lori to leave corporate for nonprofit — and what that transition actually looked like * Her role as Development Director at Heidi's Village and what that work meant to her * Relocating to Charlotte and stepping away from nonprofit life * Why it's okay to change your mind — and how to stop apologizing for it * Starting a new chapter even when the previous one wasn't "finished" * How to find and get involved with your own local rescue — and why it matters more than you think Resources/Links: * Heidi's Village: heidisvillage.org [http://heidisvillage.org] * National Rescue: aspca.org [http://aspca.org] or bestfriends.org [http://bestfriends.org] * Connect with Lori: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-wahl/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-wahl/] ---------------------------------------- Feeling inspired? Find your local rescue and show up — even in a small way. It adds up.