Rock the Damn Boat

You know I've been bravely using my voice, rocking the boat in my own life by leaving the corporate hustle and pursuing my passions. They say behind every great man is a great woman. What man is behind a great woman who is daring greatly?

In this case, a practical one. I've asked my husband, Ryan Hughes, to come on the show and share his side of the story. His resounding "no" when I suggested leaving corporate to pursue coaching and speaking had me thinking my dream was dead in the water.

Together, we sharing the intimate conversations we had about compromise and supporting each other. If you have an eternal pessimist (or at least, a staunch realist) who you think always crushes your dreams, this episode is for you! Maybe you'll be inspired to bravely speak up and pursue your passions, with or without the support you expected.

In this episode, I sit down with Angela Morgan, founder of the Baker Hotel Ghost Walk and Believe BOO-tique in Mineral Wells, Texas—and a woman who, like me, walked away from a comfortable six-figure corporate career to build a life that felt aligned, magical, and true.

Angela shares why she traded boardrooms for haunted hotels, how her business prioritizes family bonding, and how she found the courage to follow her intuition over traditional definitions of success.

We also dive into what it’s like to talk openly about spiritual messages, ghost encounters, and intuition in the Bible Belt, where skepticism runs deep and “sticking to the script” is the safer path. Angela’s story is a powerful reminder that trusting your inner voice—even when others question it—can lead you to your most authentic work.

If you love ghost stories, rich history, spiritual awakening, women’s empowerment, and stories about leaving corporate life for a purpose-driven path, this conversation will inspire you to follow your own inner calling.

Key Takeaways

• How Angela left a six-figure corporate job to build a business rooted in history, intuition, and the paranormal.

• What it’s like to talk about spiritual messages in the Bible Belt, where stigma and misunderstanding are common.
• Behind-the-scenes stories from her haunted walking tour at the iconic Baker Hotel.
• The power of trusting your gut—even when your path looks nothing like what others expect.
• How entrepreneurship and intuition intersect, especially for women reclaiming their voice and agency.

In my first full week of self-employment, I expected freedom… but instead I found myself wrestling with old habits: overworking, over-giving, and slipping right back into the hustle culture I thought I left behind. In this episode, I share the real, unpolished truth about resetting my relationship with time, learning to set boundaries without guilt, and figuring out what work looks like when I get to define it.

If you’re navigating a new chapter, letting go of burnout culture, or trying to unlearn years of “be productive at all costs” conditioning, this conversation will feel like a deep exhale.

We talk self-trust, slowing down, restructuring your days, and the messy middle of building a business without breaking yourself in the process.

In this episode of Rock the Damn Boat, Christy sits down with Kelsey Powell, founder of The Lace Cactus and Desert Bronze, for a raw conversation about chasing success at all costs—and what happens when the hustle takes everything from you.

Kelsey opens up about building a wildly successful boutique, sacrificing her health and her peace, and the moment she was life-flighted for what turned out to be a massive panic attack. That experience forced her to face the truth: perfectionism, pressure, and nonstop grinding were destroying the life she was trying to create.

Both Kelsey and Christy share how chasing perfection nearly broke them—and how “rocking the damn boat” means redefining success, choosing presence over pressure, and reclaiming their lives, even if the path ahead is unclear.

✨ In this episode, we cover:
• How Kelsey built The Lace Cactus from nothing to nationally recognized success• The mental, physical, and emotional toll of “doing it all”• Her life-flight experience—and the moment everything changed• The shared perfectionism that pushed both women to the edge• The courage it takes to slow down, step back, and reclaim your life• What redefining success actually looks like as a mom, leader, and human• How to recognize burnout before it hits

If you’ve ever felt burned out, stretched thin, or trapped by expectations, this episode will remind you that peace is worth fighting for.

Kelsey and Christy are soul sisters who share powerful conversations about trauma recovery and healing. They are scheming on a new spin-off podcast that will reignite your passion for soul-searching and growth-seeking.

🔗 Listen, subscribe, and join the movement to stop people-pleasing and start choosing yourself.
More resources + coaching: https://thrivewithchristy.com

In this honest mini-episode of Rock the Damn Boat, I’m sharing the raw inner dialogue I’ve had while trying to talk myself out of closing my yoga studio. For months, I kept defaulting to what felt safe—the familiar, the comfortable, the “don’t rock the boat” path. But deep down, I knew I was being called into a new chapter.

Today, I’m opening up about what it feels like to stand at the edge of a big decision, how fear disguises itself as practicality, and why staying in the comfort zone can sometimes keep us from our purpose. I’ll walk you through the exact moment I realized that closing the studio wasn’t failure— it was alignment. It was me choosing growth, expansion, and the next version of myself.

If you’re clinging to something because it feels safe, or you’re wrestling with a change your soul is begging for, this one’s for you.

Learn more about my new chapter at thrivewithchristy.com

Keywords: comfort zone, life transitions, personal growth, closing a business, listening to intuition, courage, new chapter, midlife reinvention, overcoming fear, alignment, Rock the Damn Boat podcast

Every ending has its wisdom. As we prepare to close the studio, I’m reflecting on the three gifts this chapter gave me—the lessons that rooted me, stretched me, and ultimately guided me back to myself.

In this episode, I share the three truths that carried me through the highs and lows:
✨ We can do hard things
✨ Nothing is wasted in God’s economy
✨ Don’t dim to fit in

These are the lessons that reshaped my confidence, deepened my faith, and reminded me that even the chapters that don’t go as planned are still purposeful.

This episode is for anyone walking through a bittersweet ending, questioning their path, or learning to trust that every experience—especially the hard ones—can grow you in ways you never expected.

If you’ve ever wondered whether something you poured your heart into “counted,” this conversation will remind you: it absolutely did.

Today’s episode is raw, real, and a little bit fiery.
I'm stripped bare and a little naked and afraid, but optimistic! I closed my computer for the last time at my 9 to 5, so I’m talking about what it really feels like to walk out of corporate America for the very last time. Unexpectedly, I have also made the heartbreaking decision to close my yoga studio.

This is the behind-the-scenes story of burning down the parts of my life that were no longer aligned—and what it means to trust yourself enough to start again. I've stripped everything away to start on a blank canvas.

If you’re facing a big transition, feeling pulled toward something new, or wondering whether you’re allowed to burn it all down and rebuild… this episode is for you.

We’ll cover:

• Why I finally chose to leave my corporate career after decades
• The emotional and financial reality of closing The Rooted Soul
• How burnout, intuition, and self-trust collided
• What happens when you let go of an identity you’ve carried for years
• What is on the horizon for me
• How I’m rebuilding from a place of truth, purpose, and radical courage

Keywords: quitting corporate job, closing yoga studio, burnout recovery, major life transitions, personal reinvention, women in midlife, starting over, self-trust, healing journey, entrepreneur burnout.

This is the story behind the fire—and the rise that comes after.

---> Learn more about coaching at thrivewithchristy.com

The holidays are supposed to be merry and bright… so why can they feel so heavy for those of us choosing sobriety or simply drinking less? In this episode of Rock the Damn Boat, I’m breaking down what it’s really like to walk into holiday parties sober—while fielding side-eyes, unsolicited comments, and people’s judgment about practices they don’t understand.

I share my own experiences with staying grounded around alcohol, navigating social pressure, and holding your boundaries with grace (and sometimes grit). We’ll talk about:

✨ Why sobriety makes people uncomfortable
✨ How to respond when others question your choices
✨ Ways to stay connected, confident, and in your power at gatherings
✨ What to do when you feel triggered or out of place
✨ How to reclaim holiday joy without numbing yourself

And because I don’t shy away from rocking the damn boat… I’m also diving into the frustration of being judged for the very practices that have helped me heal—like sound healing, yoga, and other wellness tools that some folks love to label as “weird” or “woo.” We’ll unpack why people feel threatened by what they don’t understand, how to stand firm in your truth, and why your healing isn’t up for debate at anyone’s dinner party.

If you’ve ever worried about being “the odd one out” at a party—or felt judged for the things you do to protect your peace—this episode is here to remind you: you’re not alone, you’re not wrong, and you’re absolutely allowed to rock the boat.

Tune in and let’s navigate this season with intention, humor, and a whole lot of self-trust.

In this episode of Rock the Damn Boat, I’m opening up about my sobriety story — not from a place of perfection, but from honesty, growth, and self-discovery. This isn’t just about alcohol; it’s about the ways we all cope, distract, and numb ourselves from what’s really going on inside.

I share what led me to reevaluate my relationship with drinking, what sobriety has taught me about control and connection, and how learning to feel instead of flee changed everything.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your habits are helping you heal or keeping you stuck, this episode will invite you to look deeper — with compassion, not judgment.

✨ Listen in for a real conversation about letting go of old coping mechanisms, finding peace in presence, and learning to thrive without the crutch of escape.

🔗 Learn more at thrivewithchristy.com

Keywords: sobriety journey, recovery podcast, mindful living, personal growth, emotional healing, self-awareness, coping mechanisms, midlife awakening, Rock the Damn Boat podcast

Want to leave the corporate grind but terrified of living without a paycheck? I get it! Sacrifices must be made, financial belts tightened. And with finances being one of the top stressors in any marriage, it seems smarter to stay in the rat race.

But at what cost? If you are passionately pursuing a side hustle or ready to leave the 9-5 behind, what smart money moves can you make now to set you up for success?

I'll share my own financial journey and the stepping stones that led me to six figures in the bank to support self-employment (for at least 3 years). From real estate to index funds, you do NOT have to be an expert to make smart choices and start socking away Benjamins today.

Let me help you build the confidence and leader mindset to make your next move at thrivewithchristy.com

#savingmoney #smartmoneymoves #investing #careerpivot