In this deeply honest episode, I sit down with Laura Beddoe (Soul Speaks) to talk about what happens behind the “successful” exterior, the stories we run in our heads, the pain we hide, and the moment you decide: enough.
Laura shares her journey from a chaotic childhood, people-pleasing and toxic relationships, to homelessness and standing on the edge… and the tiny glimmers that helped her choose life, rebuild her identity, and create real freedom, not just money and “nice things,” but freedom of mind, presence, and self-worth.
This is a conversation about mental health, addiction, boundaries, self-love, emotional literacy, parenting, and hope, and why the most powerful success is the one you feel on the inside.
If you’re struggling right now, please hear this: nothing is permanent, and you don’t have to carry it alone.
00:00 – Introduction
02:16 – Check-in: Year of the Snake, shedding what no longer serves you
05:19 – Why we avoid silence (and how emotions move through the body)
07:40 – Therapy, stigma, and the generational shift around emotions
09:20 – School, control, and teaching kids emotional literacy
15:10 – Laura’s definition of success: freedom of mind & freedom of choice
19:30 – Choosing change (without needing to hit rock bottom)
28:50 – Laura’s childhood, adoption, “the naughty girl” identity & ADHD
34:57 – Breaking cycles: responsibility, boundaries, and saying “no”
39:08 – Presence, anxiety vs depression, and catching the old story returning
47:38 – Practical tools: mindfulness, journaling, EFT tapping
53:15 – Laura’s rock bottom: coercive control, debt, homelessness
01:01:07 – The moment that snapped: “This is your wake-up call”
01:05:52 – Hope, glimmers, and not knowing what beautiful future you might miss
01:15:43 – Patterns, addiction, compassion, and choosing better inputs
01:35:03 – Vulnerability vs oversharing (and asking permission)
01:41:23 – People-pleasing, self-abandonment, and new standards
01:44:10 – Storytelling card: staying emotionally present with loved ones
01:45:35 – Closing reflections + Laura’s free gift
“The 9 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Paid To Speak” (free download)
Laura references her work through Soul Speaks, and supports clients with visibility, public speaking, mindset and transformation.
➡️ Add links here:
👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast
💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment below. Your support helps us spread this important message and change the narrative around success and mental health.
This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation, domestic abuse, addiction, and mental health crises.
If you’re in the UK & Ireland and you need someone right now:
Rivervale – https://www.rivervale.co.uk
Brown Bear Studios – https://www.brownbearstudio.co.uk
Carpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com
🎬 PRODUCED BY:
H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk/
","author_name":"Sam Thomas"}