Burnout is usually framed as a workload problem. Quit the job. Change the routine. Find better balance.

But what if burnout follows you wherever you go?

In this episode of Proof of Life, I’m joined by Django Degree II, author of They Lied to You and Burn Bright, Not Out, and founder of Focus on Words.

We talk about why changing your external circumstances often does nothing to fix burnout, how chasing money for its own sake quietly drains meaning, and why “work life balance” can be a warning sign rather than a solution.

We also explore a different way of thinking about AI, not as a shortcut or content machine, but as a tool for asking better questions, expanding ideas, and doing deeper thinking rather than compressing it.

This is a conversation about self trust, usefulness over being right, strong beliefs held loosely, and what it really means to build a life and body of work that does not burn you out from the inside.

You can find Django here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djangodegreeii/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djangodegree/
Publishing company: https://www.focusonwords.com

In this episode of Proof of Life, I sit down with Tom Bright, founder of Bright Evolve, to talk about something most founders get wrong. We treat purpose and profit like they’re opposing forces, when in reality you can’t grow without both.

Tom spent years as a sales director leading teams, scaling companies, and hitting the kind of numbers that look great on paper. Then he walked away from the traditional definition of success to build a business rooted in meaning, integrity, and connection.

We get into the real emotional journey of building something from scratch: the highs, the dips, the knee jerk reactions, the temptation to chase every shiny idea on LinkedIn, and the pressure to say yes when your gut knows you should say no.

Tom explains why purpose isn’t a branding exercise. It’s the thing that keeps you going when everything feels hard. It’s also the part founders overlook most when they panic about sales.

If you’ve ever felt torn between staying true to what matters and doing what you think you “should” do to grow, this conversation will feel grounding.

Connect with Tom Bright:
Instagram: @Bright_Evolve
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tombright
Website: https://brightevolve.net/about/

Most people don’t realise they’re burning out until they’re already deep in it. In this conversation, health psychologist Jo Rodriguez explains why slowing down feels impossible, what actually triggers the spiral, and the tiny signals your body gives you long before your mind catches up.

We talk about micro pauses, emotional overload, the pressure to keep pushing, and why so many of us only notice our limits once we’ve crashed. Jo’s approach is simple, human, and refreshingly honest.

If you’ve ever wondered why you keep running on empty or why rest feels harder than work, this episode will land.

Connect with Jo: @straightforwardpsychology
https://www.instagram.com/straightforwardpsychology/

Why do so many smart, capable people still feel unsafe with money?

In this episode of Proof of Life, I sit down with profit and wealth mentor Louisa Wilcox to talk about the emotional side of money that never makes it into the spreadsheets. Louisa shares her story of leaving a domestic abuse situation, becoming a single mum in a council house, raising a disabled child, fighting an 18 month court case, and rebuilding her life and businesses around one core idea. You do not need to be perfect with money. You need to feel safer with it.

We talk about why financial clarity is as much about your nervous system as it is about your budget, how ADHD and neurodivergent brains experience money differently, and why shame and avoidance keep so many people stuck staring at the banking app they refuse to open.

In this conversation we get into:

• The moment money panic hits and why avoidance makes it worse

• How Louisa moved from “feed my child, I eat the leftovers” to building multiple businesses

• Using credit cards as a tool rather than a trap, when they are the only realistic option

• The daily 5 minute money ritual that starts to calm your nervous system

• Emotional spending, 2 am Amazon orders and the 24 to 48 hour basket rule

• Why comparison online is so toxic when you do not know someone else’s debt or reality

• How to have honest, shame free money conversations with friends

• The slow, boring truth about paying off debt and building an emergency fund

• Designing your financial life from how you want to feel, not what Instagram tells you to want

If money is making you anxious, guilty, or constantly behind, this episode will not give you a magic fix. It will give you language, practical starting points, and a calmer way to look at where you actually are.

If this conversation helps, share it with a friend who is quietly stressing about money, or send it to the person you want to have braver money chats with.

Want to learn more about Louisa’s work and resources? Visit her website: https://www.louisawillcox.co.uk

This episode of Proof of Life explores what it really means to find your purpose in life, especially when you feel stuck or unsure about your direction. Laura Hoy speaks with writer and advocate Gillian Kirkwood about the moments that shift us, the fears we carry into new chapters, and the unexpected experiences that lead us toward a deeper sense of meaning.

Gillian shares how her own journey into motherhood changed everything she thought she knew about purpose. A single recommendation from a friend led her to hypnobirthing, which transformed her birth experience and opened a path she never expected. That experience became the start of a mission to change how we talk about childbirth, women’s stories, and personal growth.

Together, Laura and Gillian talk about:

• What finding your purpose actually looks like when life does not go to plan
• How fear, uncertainty and major life events can spark long term change
• Why ordinary stories often carry the most truth
• What ikigai means and how it can help you understand your direction
• How creativity and storytelling help us make sense of our lives
• Why women often downplay their own experiences and how to break that pattern

If you have ever felt lost, unfulfilled, or unsure of your next step, this conversation will help you see your story with fresh eyes. Purpose does not always arrive in one big moment. Sometimes it appears in small decisions, quiet shifts, and the things you cannot stop thinking about.

Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who feels stuck. It might give them the proof they need that their story matters.

Forty percent of Alzheimer’s cases are preventable — but prevention starts long before symptoms appear. In this episode, Laura Hoy talks with Rachel Daugherty, founder of Booty and Brains, about how strength training, small daily movement, and self-respect can protect your brain for the future.

Longer show notes (for site or newsletter)
What if caring for your brain began with your muscles?

In this episode of Proof of Life, Laura Hoy sits down with Rachel Daugherty, founder of Booty and Brains, whose personal story began when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. That moment changed everything: movement stopped being about appearance and became a way to protect her mind.

Rachel shares how simple, consistent habits — ten minutes of movement after meals, a protein-rich breakfast, learning to soften instead of punish — can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce brain fog, and potentially lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Together, Laura and Rachel explore what happens when discipline turns into self-respect, and when movement becomes a way of remembering who you are.

What you’ll learn

• Why up to 40% of Alzheimer’s cases may be preventable

• The link between muscle health, glucose regulation, and brain function

• How gentle, consistent movement protects long-term cognitive health

• The emotional side of changing how we see discipline and self-care

Listen if you’re

• Curious about the mind–body connection

• Reframing your relationship with exercise

• Looking for motivation that comes from care, not control

Authenticity has become a performance. Leaders feel pressure to be transparent. Creators feel pressure to be vulnerable. Everyone is trying to sound real online, yet audiences trust people less than ever. This episode breaks down why.

In this conversation, Laura explores the psychology behind authentic communication and why so many leaders and creators accidentally erode trust when they try to share more. The episode explains the difference between real authenticity and the performance of authenticity, and why congruence is the quality people respond to most.

You will learn how the brain processes tone, language, and emotional cues, and why your audience can feel when your words and feelings do not line up. Laura also shares practical ways to communicate honestly without oversharing or turning your personal life into content.

• Why authenticity cannot be used as a content strategy
• How oversharing hurts trust in leadership and team culture
• What congruence means and why it matters more than transparency
• How to show up online without exposing your entire life
• The neuroscience behind emotional alignment and trust
• How your tone and message influence how people feel in their bodies
• Why curated vulnerability often feels false even when it is true
• How to check your alignment before you hit post
• Ways to share meaning without sharing the wound
• Why consistent messaging builds trust more than relatable posts

Authenticity is not about saying everything. It is about saying the things that match who you are. When your inner world and outer expression line up, people feel it. Their brains respond to it. Their trust grows.

• Leaders who want to communicate clearly without falling into performance
• Creators and founders who want to show up online without exhaustion
• Anyone who wants to build trust through steady, grounded communication
• People who want to understand why fake authenticity feels uncomfortable to watch

Search for topics like leadership authenticity, congruence psychology, how to be authentic online, and the neuroscience of trust. These themes come up throughout the show and will help you build a stronger and more honest presence both online and offline.

In this episode you will learn:Key ideaWho this episode is forIf you liked this episode

Joy is not a finish line. It is fuel.

In this episode, I sit down with Meg, The Joy Project Coach, to explore what it really means to build a life rooted in joy rather than chasing it as a reward. We talk about “comfortable misery,” the fear of starting without guarantees, and how to get out of your own way when life feels beige or heavy.

This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck between wanting more and fearing the unknown. If you have ever told yourself I don’t know where to start, Meg has a reframe that might change everything.

• Why “safe” is not the same as “happy”

• Comfortable misery and why we stay there

• The quiet cost of waiting for certainty

• Dropping the rope and letting go of old stories

• Micro joy and how to spot it in real time

• Joyful productivity versus punishment productivity

• One step to take today if life feels flat

Most people are not stuck. They are waiting for certainty.

Instagram: @thejoyprojectcoach
Courses and coaching: Here

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