Become the Person You Turn to First with Hannah Holt

1:07 SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Red Room. It's a place where we support resilient, empowered, and driven women in one location. And today I have the beautiful Hannah Holt, who is the founder of High on Life. So welcome to the Red Room, Hannah. Thank you.

1:24 SPEAKER_01: It's um it's High On Love, but um High on Life as well. We'll go with all of those.

1:32 SPEAKER_00: High on life, high on love. I love it absolutely all.

1:36 SPEAKER_01: We'll do both.

1:39 SPEAKER_00: So what we do to the Red Room today?

1:43 SPEAKER_01: Well, I I um, you know, obviously if being in rooms with empowered women and helping empower other women with conversation is something that I'm a big advocate of. And you know, I came across your podcast and the work you were doing, so I was like, let me have a piece of that.

2:03 SPEAKER_00: And you know what I loved about your profile, Hannah, is the actual founder statement, High on Love. Where did that come about, and why did you decide to founder and navigate your career to bring you to this position?

2:19 SPEAKER_01: I yeah, that's a really great question because High on Love for me, it's it's kind of a destination, and it's also it's also not a permanent destination because we have these moments of love, we have these moments of magic and joy and fun and all of these moments that pass us by. And the work I do is about helping create awareness for the life that we're already living because we're so focused on the outcome, what we want, where we're going next. Um, we we are just disconnected from what's actually happening right now, and these high on love moments are as simple and as big as you want them to be.

2:58 SPEAKER_01: So it could just be lying on the sofa watching your favourite you know series on Netflix, it could be being at a festival and you're surrounded by your friends, like these so many high-on-love moments, and ultimately what helps you experience more of those is the awareness, and that's where the breath work piece comes in with the work that I do.

3:19 SPEAKER_00: And do you know what's really fascinating? This podcast room couldn't have come at a perfect time because one thing that I found running multiple businesses is actually using breath work to regulate your nervous system. Um, and when I looked into your work and what you did, I was like, Why did I not learn this any sooner? You know, and using breath work. How do you explain to anybody that's gonna listen to this podcast how um anyone in a founder position, business position, anyone that's not enjoying the life that they're on, how can they reconnect back with themselves on just breath work?

4:06 SPEAKER_01: It's it's really, really simple as um noticing the situation you're in and using your breath to change the environment that your body's experiencing. So, as an example, you just received an email and you've you've just gone, ah uh the quickest way out of that is to take a deep breath. Uh, you're in just that one cycle of breath, your body is calmed down a bit because you've gone for that email and we're we're being triggered all the time, and it could be anything from you know a notification, a traffic light, um, losing a deal or whatever.

4:42 SPEAKER_01: So we've got all of these micro doses of stress that we're experiencing. So the body then builds up, and then we have these explosions of you know emotion, fear, anger, sadness, whatever. So if you we are dysregulated, so in order to regulate yourself, you can do that with one breath. Even a big sigh is really powerful. Um, ah um, and you'll notice that your body will start to soften even with that one breath. Um, and you know, the more that you do it, the more aware that you become. But ultimately, our nervous system is responsible for whether we respond with calm or whether we respond in panic.

5:22 SPEAKER_01: Um, sorry, I lost my headphone there. Um and now I've got music playing in the background.

5:30 SPEAKER_00: I hope it's good music.

5:34 SPEAKER_01: Um, so the quickest way out of the panic uh is to take a breath. You can do a series of breath. The longer you breathe, the more that your body will move into calm. But you can, you know, you can do one, a couple of rounds of breath, and you you'll you'll find that you'll notice a difference.

5:52 SPEAKER_00: And so I've got I actually have a couple of questions that a few of my clients wanted to ask you. So I'm gonna go through one by one. But first of all, what made you get into this breath work? What was your point in life where you got to this stage to go, wow, I need this in my life, and I want to empower other women to learn this. What was your trigger to even go down this road?

6:20 SPEAKER_01: I um I had personally experienced breath work for a few years, uh, but not this type of breath work, which is with the breathwork that I'm now trained in, which is called conscious connected breath work, and it's a really quite a deep, powerful experience, and it puts your body into an altered state of consciousness, and that then allows the body to release any tension and emotion, things that we've buried underneath the surface. Uh, the body takes over and it releases, so that creates space. Um, the work that I was doing prior to sort of discovering this deeper work, um, you know, I've been a coach for almost coming up to five years now, and you know, we can we can talk about it and we can suggest new habits and new ways of reframing words and how you speak to yourself, but ultimately, if the body is still um living from a place of dysregulation or living from a place of stress and unease, then it's gonna go in one ear and out the other.

7:20 SPEAKER_01: So the the breath work came in is a I experienced the power of it myself, and I had a big this big release moment. Um, and then I I wanted to then be able to go deeper with my work, so it's now we've got this mind and body connection in the ability to like an athlete would do, you know, they they they work on their self-talk so they can perform, but they also work on their breath so they can enhance their performance. So it's giving people two tangible ways that they can sort of step into their empowerment and live a life that's you know more aligned and feels good for them.

7:56 SPEAKER_00: Wow. So you you're you're helping the women identify firstly where the the trauma responses and their own personal triggers are, and helping them build some sort of resilient method in breath work to help them overcome stressful situations and be more connected to the body.

8:17 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, 100%.

8:18 SPEAKER_00: I absolutely love that. Um something one of my clients asked me to ask you because she said, Who's coming on your podcast this week? And I said, Oh Hannah, hold go and have a look at her Instagram profile, um, which I love Instagram for because you can actually find people that can help you develop these skills to get you through certain situations in life. Um, and I think that breath work is is absolutely incredible, and it's something that I'm gonna start doing, especially as I'm getting older and going through the mentholes and the smallest triggers now trigger me.

8:51 SPEAKER_00: Um, how do you learn to trust yourself? That was a question a client wanted me to ask you.

9:00 SPEAKER_01: Okay, a great question, and it's I it's actually the second time I've been asked that um on a podcast because I the I teach um this framework which is pause, ask, listen, and choose. And we're so quick to ask everyone around us what we should do. Um, we're so used to you know waiting on um advice from someone else. But if we we already know what to do, the body already knows before the mind's caught up, and it's the that immediate response that you get is is the way that you should go. So, as an example, I got invited onto another podcast a couple of weeks ago, and it's up in Leeds.

9:40 SPEAKER_01: I meet my body went, ah, and then my mind literally seconds later went, Don't be so ridiculous, you can't travel to Leeds for a podcast. That's mental, right? So the body was like, Yes, adventure, experience, connections, relationship. The mind was like, don't be so ridiculous. The mind that that talkback is going to always talk you out of something because it wants to keep you safe ultimately. So, how do we learn to trust what our body is telling us? What I always advise is for you to have a little bit of fun with it.

10:14 SPEAKER_01: So when you do that check-in, you take a breath, ask yourself a question that maybe you've been um in decision over. Should I go to that event, should I sign that client, whatever it is, and notice what happens in your body. You a yes will feel light, expansive, you might get a rush of energy, a no will feel heavy, you might feel restricted, you might feel tightness around your throat. So ask yourself a few questions, and the a really lovely way to start to notice what your body is telling you is ask it a simple yes-no question.

10:50 SPEAKER_01: A brilliant one for that is your name. So take a deep breath again, uh, and you just say, My name is Hannah, and you repeat your name, whatever your name is, obviously, and and notice when I say my name, I again I get this sort of tingles. When I say, if I were to say my name is Carla, I would, I would, it would you'd either not feel anything at all, it would feel heavy, it would feel like you'd a weight on you. So noticing that difference first and foremost, and then you can start to experiment with it.

11:18 SPEAKER_01: So, should I go to that event? Yes, but then your your mind will go, oh yeah, but I don't know anyone, and oh yeah, but I'm I'm I'm what what will I say? It's a networking thing, but your body said yes, so lead with that. What if it's the best event you've ever gone to? What if it works out? What if you meet someone? So it's um the trust is built over time by listening and then following through on the messages that maybe your body is sending you. But I think first and foremost, have some fun with it, be a bit light about it, um, because it is something that with that we build and build and build.

11:54 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's really funny that you said that because that triggered me a couple of things, because I look back now and I wish I was so much more kinder to myself because having the the the that that nervousness walking into networking events, I've had sleepless nights for the months preparing for walking into a room, and especially in a business network, you look at all these incredible women, and straight away you are in that anxiety state of mind and you don't enjoy the process at all, you know.

12:29 SPEAKER_00: And I look back and I think I've been doing that for 22 years, and I still get anxiety when I walk into the room. So, for me, now it's normalizing that body response and realizing where things are actually coming from, which is really powerful, and I love that you said that because learning to trust yourself to go into their rooms and own what you know confidently is really empowering rather than doing the whole comparison of um not good enough to be in their rooms, really.

13:04 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you can also talk back to yourself, and you just asked yourself a brilliant question there. Where is this coming from? So that anxiety about going into that room, what will I say? Who's gonna be there? Am I good enough to be in that room? That whole imposter syndrome dialogue, right? Which we all are, you know, it's I wish they'd never called it syndrome because it's not a syndrome, it's something we all have. It's a human being natural response for being in rooms that aren't familiar.

13:33 SPEAKER_01: Um, so if you could, I'm going into that room, you start to feel that bubble of anxiety. What is it that you might need in that moment? Where is this coming from? Oh, well, I'm not quite sure whether I'm good enough to be in that room. It's and then it's kind of like, it's okay, I've got you. Like, how can you respond in a way that's nurturing and a bit kinder towards yourself? And I often talk to my clients about speaking to yourself like a small child. What do you need in those moments of anxiety before you walk into that room?

14:03 SPEAKER_01: You might need a hug, you might need a deep breath, you might need to go outside and say, you know what, you might need to visualize yourself going into the room, having the brilliant conversations and giving yourself that confidence of, oh, actually, you know what, I can go into these rooms. And I remember the last time I went into that room, oh yeah, I met that person and we had that great conversation. So it's using that vision of where you want to go, but also reflecting on, oh, I did that hard thing last time and it worked out okay.

14:32 SPEAKER_01: So we move forward. So we've got the ability to coach ourselves all the time and that self-check-in.

14:38 SPEAKER_00: Yeah.

14:38 SPEAKER_01: Okay, what do you need? Where's this coming from? Oh, I'm just really nervous, but it's okay, it's okay. Do you remember when we did it well last time?

14:46 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you know what? I'm you you come on this podcast at the right time because on Thursday I'm actually holding um a workshop on founder freedom on how to franchise in front of 60 women. And I agreed to do this three months ago, and I was like, I know my stuff, I've been doing this for 22 years, I've got the results, I know what I'm doing, but the anxiety of going into that room is still there. So I'm gonna have that little pet talk with myself on Thursday and have Hannah in my head.

15:22 SPEAKER_01: The other thing you can do as well is that anxiety is the same feeling in the body as excitement. So, how can you flip that on it? So I'm so excited to be in this room full of 60 women. I'm so excited to share my magic. I'm so excited to share my inspiration and empower all of these women with all of my you know knowledge. So, how can you flip it and get really excited? Imagine yourself there, everyone's smiling, everyone's clapping. Like, give yourself a standing ovation before you walk in the room and get your body into take be do that power pose because that works as well.

15:58 SPEAKER_00: I know, and do you know what? When someone first said that, and I I did hear this on a podcast, and they were like, take up space, because we shrink. Well, I've been shrinking for such a long time, not to offend people, people please, and and say yes to everything because of having such low self-esteem myself. There comes a point where you've got to own your story and take up space, even if people don't agree with it, or they've never heard of it, or the framework doesn't suit their lifestyle. It's knowing who you are as a person, isn't it?

16:34 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and also the things that you get to do and the and the lives that you get to impact by being in that room, and you know what if what you shared just just made a difference to one person, and then that's all that matters, and beyond that it's a ripple effect. So I think it's you know, we put so much pressure on ourselves. No one in that room knows what pressure you're putting on yourself, so actually, how can you turn that on its head and be like more like your comfort blanket rather than run the heaviness and the pressure?

17:05 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I absolutely love that. And there's another question that one of my clients asked, and she said, How do you how does your body read it before you do? She said, How how can you identify that?

17:24 SPEAKER_01: So we've all got these senses within us, like interception is how we interpret certain situations, so the that feeling of anxiety, the sweaty palms, the heat rising, the the dryness of throat before you're about to speak. The body is communicating with us all the time. So it's again, it's it's listening to those responses and how you feel in certain situations. Um, and even you know, I often have done a lot of work with women with women and men actually when it comes to meeting their you know new people on dates, and the body you can sense check how you feel with that person and how the body's feeling.

18:04 SPEAKER_01: Like, are you open? Are you able to talk freely, or do you feel like you're holding yourself back because you're not sure about whether they are judging you or whatever? So it's it's again like that take taking stock of what's going on internally, um, and even like the butterflies in our stomach, um, that's actually a little bit of anxiety as well. So it's also noticing different signs and you know, and really asking questions for the for that sign.

18:34 SPEAKER_00: Wow. So the body's quite powerful when you actually think with them.

18:38 SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the body's the body knows before the mind does. Um, so it's it's really um noticing on what that first response is before your mind has caught up. What do you get first? And the more that you ask, the more that you, you know, you will understand the messages that your body is sending you. Like that gut feeling, like that's you know, that's that's something that we always ignore because maybe it's scary, maybe um it's putting ourselves out of our comfort zone, and then we you know we go in that cycle of you know questioning our our decision, but ultimately that gut feeling that you get is never wrong.

19:58 SPEAKER_00: So because I'm still trying to follow my gut, because when you are in business, you've got to protect the people, you've got to make sure the clients are happy, and as a founder, I've always put myself last. So any founders that do listen to this podcast, if their gut feelings start changing about the business that they've created, what would you recommend that they do?

20:32 SPEAKER_01: I would really again sit on it for like we're so we're quite impulsive as well. Like sometimes we you know rip the thing up before I think it would I think it would be um just noticing again, like how do you feel in certain situations, how do you feel when you know you're in a meeting talking about your business? Or I think if you are getting a lot of resistance about um something that you might have created, there could be some signs and reasons for that. Um so I think it's again noticing where you're being guided, and if you could loosen the grip and just let go and have some fun, where do where do you think your path will go?

21:14 SPEAKER_01: Because if you have created something and you don't want to let it go because you don't want to disappoint someone, or maybe you don't want to let yourself down, ultimately the bravest thing that you could do is to listen to what you know what your body is telling you. Um because you're getting these you're getting this resistance for a reason. So I think it's it's sitting with it a bit, again, like getting a little bit inquisitive about what's coming up, and going a little bit deeper, and then I mean, and then letting go and seeing what happens.

21:44 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's really interesting that because um I've been in beauty, that's all I've ever known. And it's it's weird when when you you navigate your career because you can um what's the word architect where you want your career to go? But it's saying truth and values, isn't it? And one thing I've noticed in beauty is um holistic and natural beauty is totally my passion. But there's very much um a made-up version of beauty now on the aesthetic side of things. So as a business owner, naturally you you follow the patterns of what's um what's selling class in the industry, but then it doesn't align with your own values.

22:38 SPEAKER_00: So how do you make decisions as found as a founder which path to go down if that makes sense?

22:47 SPEAKER_01: I think again it's it's it's coming back to what feels good for you and what feels aligned for you, and you know, who do you want to stand for? What what what legacy do you want to create within your business and um who are you doing it for largely? Um, you know, what what is the the why behind um why you created the business in the first place? And I think if you're not if you're not aligning with something that's feels true to you, then again you're you're kind of living your life by other people's expectations and what you think you should be doing.

23:21 SPEAKER_01: Um and that's one of the biggest regrets of people dying is that we we're living a life that's not true to our own. And I wish I'd had the courage to you know to speak more freely, to do the thing, to to say no. Um, because every no is an opening up for something potentially even bigger and better.

23:41 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and and say no. It is probably one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself, isn't it? Really? Wow. So what does resilience look like to you when no one's watching?

23:59 SPEAKER_01: I would say that it's it's again coming back to that why and who are you doing it for, and um how you could also repackage resilience for um care and compassion. I think as business owners, there's so much to do, and there's so much to navigate, and there's so much um pressure that we are navigating. There is an element of resilience that comes with being an entrepreneur, being a founder. Um, but ultimately, if you can turn that inward and be your biggest cheerleader and your biggest comfort and your biggest source of kindness, then that then is kind of building your resilience in order to be able to keep showing up for yourself each day.

24:45 SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I often say, I've got you. Um, and I've even been using it a lot this morning, you know, my dog's not very well, I've got lots going on, and it's what do I need right now? I I I need a hug, I need to say, Hannah, it's okay, let's kick, let's how can we make it a bit easier today? How can we, you know, how can we take the pressure off ourselves? Be your own best coach and supporter and your own best friend, and that is going to build up your resilience.

25:11 SPEAKER_00: Oh, and I love that as well, Hannah, because obviously you just mentioned your dog there, and a lot of people don't see the behind scenes of what makes someone's accountable and success happen because they've still got to show up like you've shown up here today and been accountable for this meeting, despite what's going on behind the scenes emotionally for yourself as well, which I think's really powerful. Um, and a lot of people don't see that behind the success stories.

25:42 SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, and and that's the thing, it's you know, we're all sort of presenting, you know, everything's all sunshine and rainbows, but yeah, we're all we're all human beings, and we've all got things happening and things that we have to navigate, and ultimately what you really need in those moments is to be able to comfort yourself, yeah. Um, and to know that you know, you've you're gonna have conversations with certain people that you're meant to have conversations with, but ultimately, if you can take the pressure off yourself and do what feels good, then you you're kind of you're setting yourself up in a much lovelier place to be.

26:22 SPEAKER_00: I absolutely love that. I'm still gonna try this breath work. Where do you want to take your career and and what's your bigger picture goal with what you're doing now for all these incredible ladies and gents?

26:36 SPEAKER_01: I have just written my keynote, uh, which is called Um Become the Person You Turn to First, and it's stories of how I ignored myself for many, many years. I ignored those those nudges, those uncomfortable moments because I was so desperate to be loved and to fit in and to be approved of. Um, but when I chose myself, that moment of okay, this is not this is not the life that I want to live, and I chose myself, and that's where I started to change the relationship I had with myself. We are never taught how to check in, we are never taught to ask ourselves what we need, we are never taught to build the most important relationship that navigates and changes every conversation that we have.

27:23 SPEAKER_01: And the keynote is all about how you can become that this person that you turn to, how you can involve yourself in the conversation and ask yourself what you need and and begin to choose you. Uh so I'm yeah, the the plan sort of over the next few years is to is to you know be on stages and and help impact bigger rooms full of men and women um about you know building this relationship that we have with ourselves.

27:51 SPEAKER_00: Oh wow, when are you gonna be doing that, Hannah? Because I am coming to that.

27:56 SPEAKER_01: Well, if you know anyone who wants any if you know anyone who wants any speakers, I've got um, but uh yeah, I mean it's gonna be um sort of having conversations with you know women's networks, um organisations, events, that sort of thing. And there's also breath work built into the keynote. So at the end it's helping people actually feel what it feels like in their body to be able to support themselves, to be able to turn inward, to be able to lead ourselves from within. Um, and if we're leading ourselves rather than being, you know, lost in expectation and the noise of everyone around us, then we're living a life that's that's more true to our own.

28:37 SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely. And have you got any keynotes lined up for that yet, Hannah? Because I can put you in touch with all. Oh yes, please.

28:47 SPEAKER_01: No, I it's it's I've only literally started having conversations about it. So um I I did apply for TEDx, which I didn't I wasn't successful this time, but I'm um applications are uh happening all the time.

29:00 SPEAKER_00: So oh my god, I cannot wait to introduce you to two incredible networking events which are amazing. They're they're female led and they're all about female empowerment and and trusting your own values and holistic vibes and things like that. So you would love that, and I'll definitely give you after this. Oh, great, thank you. You've been absolutely wonderful. I've actually got my notes here, and I've wrote loads of stuff down, so I'm gonna be in touch because I need this, and because you did trigger some things for me that I still need to work on.

29:38 SPEAKER_00: Um, and as as like you said, as as successful as people think we are, there is an underlying drive that makes us that way. Um for me personally, you know, it was living and growing up in a toxic environment and wanting a better life for myself, so backing yourself 100%, but building that resilience along the way. It's not an easy journey, but it's something that people have to go through before they see the shiny stuff. Um so I am definitely going to be booking on one of your sessions. Um, and I just want to say thank you for giving up your time to come on this podcast.

30:20 SPEAKER_00: Uh I know some of our ladies have been really looking forward to listening to your story. Um, so I am gonna list all your details in this podcast. So when people read, they know how to connect with you. But most importantly, please let me know when your keynote is ready because I would love to come to one of your Oh, it's ready.

30:38 SPEAKER_01: It's ready. Um, I will let you know, yeah, when I've um I've got I've got a few things booked up uh that I'll be announcing soon. But um, yeah, I mean, if if anyone is listening who wants someone in the room who's gonna change, you know, the way that people feel about themselves for the better, then you know that's kind of what the keynotes it's all about.

30:58 SPEAKER_00: Oh, I'm excited and thank you so much for your time, Hannah. Um so 30 minutes has been complete. We try to keep it to 30 minutes because we appreciate how busy people are and those that are out on a run, they can have a quick listen. But I will drop Hannah's details in this podcast and please give her a follow. So thank you very much, Hannah, and I will speak to you soon.

31:25 SPEAKER_01: Thank you.

31:26 SPEAKER_00: See you later.