Why Not?

It’s been a while since I’ve done a solo episode – and even more mad that I’m recording this one from France 🇫🇷

In this episode, I’m giving a bit of a life update and chatting through everything from why I moved, to how I got here (with my guinea pig, Spud, in tow), and what I’ve learned along the way.

Here’s what I cover:

• Why I finally made the move to France – something I’d dreamed of for years but had nearly written off

• How a big breakup led me to therapy, which completely changed my life

• Wanting to run away at first… then realising I actually wanted to move for me

• Travelling the hard way (because of course I did), including a very unplanned “well-planned” journey

• Having just 10 days to rethink everything and settling on Perpignan

• The emotional toll of putting yourself first when you’re not used to doing it

• Bringing Spud across countries while my amazing parents carried the suitcase

• Learning to settle into a new place, without speaking the language

• The reality of social anxiety when you don’t have the words

• Choosing to have a beginner’s mindset when it comes to speaking French

• The joy of making your own schedule and not having to adjust for anyone else

• A little challenge for you to try putting yourself first — or spend some time alone and see how it feels

• And a reminder: just be yourself, and stop worrying about what anyone else thinks

Whether you’re thinking about a big change, working on yourself, or just curious about life abroad — this one’s a personal one, and I hope you enjoy it.

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today I’m chatting with Dillon Ryan, better known as @dillon_equi on Instagram. Dillon’s an equestrian influencer now, but he only started riding in 2020 — and what a journey it’s been since.

Growing up in a small village in North County Dublin, Dillon always felt drawn to horses trotting by, but it wasn’t until the world shut down during COVID and his work in the airline industry paused that he decided to finally give riding a go.

We talk about:

• The nerves of starting lessons as an adult

• Knowing instantly he was in the right place

• Discovering that horses all have their own personalities

• Leasing one horse… then another… until a friend suggested, “Why don’t you just get your own?”

• The process of finding his first horse, Duffy, with support from more experienced horsey friends

• The emotional moment of bringing Duffy home

• The heartbreaking decision to let Duffy go and thinking he might never own a horse again

• Meeting Elvis, his current horse — and realising the difference between owning a 14-year-old versus a 5-year-old!

• Going back to basics, building trust, and learning together

• The importance of setting your ego aside and getting help when you need it

• Celebrating the little wins that come with producing a young horse

• His plans for the year ahead with Elvis

• And some great advice for anyone starting out in the equestrian world

This is a brilliant, down-to-earth chat about coming into the equestrian world as an adult, building confidence, and embracing the ups and downs that come with horse ownership.

Where to find Dillon:
Instagram – @dillon_equi

Today, I’m chatting with Lorraine Cribben, better known as @edthedun on Instagram. Lorraine is a veterinary nurse, an equine photographer, and an equestrian influencer who has built a strong community around her journey with her horse, Ed.

We talk about:

• How she got into equine photography and how balancing two jobs doesn’t feel like work when you love what you do
• Setting up her Instagram page just after she got Ed and being surprised by how quickly it took off
• The surreal feeling of being recognised as “someone from Instagram”

Then, we dive into Ed—how Lorraine nearly missed out on him but, thanks to a bit of fate, he ended up being hers. She shares:

• What it was like bringing him home for the first time
• The different things they’ve tried together, including giving polo a go
• Why he’s currently on holidays and the challenges of winter riding
• The process of bringing a horse back to fitness after a break

We also chat about the importance of having a solid support system—whether you’re competing or just riding for fun.

Lorraine shares her plans for both Ed’s future and her Instagram page, including an exciting giveaway coming up soon!

To follow along with Lorraine and Ed, check out @edthedun on Instagram.

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you hate the gym? This might be diet cultures fault.

Today, I’m chatting with Maggie Lawlor, owner of Simple Strength Gym in Leixlip, who specialises in non-diet fitness for women.

Maggie first got into gym-based training as a runner trying to avoid injuries, but over the years, her passion grew. She eventually became a coach, left her job as a nurse, and took the leap to open her own gym.

We talk about:

• Making the move from nursing to coaching and how she gradually built her client base before going all in
• Her first pregnancy and how it led her deep into research on strength training for women
• The pressure on women to “bounce back” after pregnancy and why that mindset needs to change
• The physical benefits of strength training before and after birth
• How experienced lifters sometimes struggle to adjust intensity during pregnancy
• Listening to your body and why rest is not a sign of weakness
• The grip of diet culture on women and the fear of losing fitness or gaining weight instead of focusing on growing a human
• Why every woman should see a pelvic floor physio postpartum
• Running a marathon while breastfeeding (!?)
• The dangers of comparing yourself to celebrities or athletes with completely different circumstances

We then dive into Maggie’s approach at Simple Strength Gym:

• Why so many people think they hate gyms when really, they just hate the association with punishment and guilt
• How she reassures new clients—no weigh-ins, no unrealistic expectations, just movement that feels good
• The health benefits of exercise we all take for granted until they’re gone
• Why smaller studio gyms can be a better fit for people nervous about starting
• The importance of paying attention to the content you consume and how it shapes your self-image
• The sneaky ways diet culture hides in fitness challenges—if it looks like a diet, it probably is
• Why true healthy habits aren’t flashy, but they actually work
• How fitness should be simple—if someone overcomplicates it, that’s a red flag
• Accepting that some days will be better than others and that doesn’t make you a failure

Maggie finishes with some brilliant advice to leave you thinking.

To find out more or work with Maggie, you can find her at:

@simple.strength.leixlip

https://www.simplestrengthleixlip.com/

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Are you living life on Default?

In today’s episode, I chat with Molly Smyth, the creator and host of The Healing Gals Podcast.

Molly also hosts women’s circles and workshops, where she brings women together to support each other and help them heal.

Molly’s own healing journey began when she discovered her long-term partner had been cheating on her, shattering her world.

This difficult experience led her to a path of healing, and now she’s passionate about helping other women on their own journeys.

We dive into topics like:

• Conditioning: How women are conditioned to feel “less than” so they can be sold more and more products to try to make them feel worthy.

• Compliments and Body Image: We discuss how well-intentioned compliments about someone's appearance may have a negative impact, and how it's important to be mindful of how we talk about others' bodies.

• Curating Your Environment: How carefully choosing your social media feed and the conversations you're a part of can affect your self-esteem and how you feel about yourself.

• Worthy Without Effort: Molly shares why you don’t have to change anything about yourself to be worthy. It's okay if others choose things like makeup, diets, or cosmetic surgery—just make sure it's something you truly want, not something you feel pressured into.

• Not a Trend: We talk about how our bodies are not trends, and how the pressure to keep changing them to fit ever-changing standards is damaging.

  
  

We also explore Molly’s previous relationship, how she was manipulated, and how she allowed it to happen because she was in such a vulnerable state.

• Boundaries: Molly talks about the importance of setting boundaries—not to change others, but to protect your own well-being and create space for relationships with people who respect you.

• Resentment and Relationships: We discuss how running yourself ragged in relationships can breed resentment, which can ultimately kill the connection.

• The Patriarchy: How hating the patriarchy doesn’t mean hating men and how both women and men are affected by it.

• Insidious Influence: We talk about how patriarchy sneaks into our lives, through advertising, and the ways we unknowingly act in our own homes.

  
  

Molly finishes with the best piece of advice on taking care of your inner child and why it’s so crucial for our well-being.

You can find Molly and the podcast on Instagram: @healinggalspodcast

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We know horses can cause anxiety but can they help you cure it too?

This week, I’m joined by Siobhan O’Gara, better known as @trottingawaymyanxiety_ on Instagram.

As much as she cringes at the term, she’s an equestrian influencer who has built a community by simply showing up and being herself.

Siobhan rode as a child but took a break when she didn’t have her own horse.

Now, with adult money, she hasn’t just bought one—she’s got four!

We chat about how quickly she went from one to three horses in just a few months, how she balances them all, and the feeling of bringing home her first horse after literally writing down exactly what she wanted.

The universe definitely delivered!

We also talk about her unconventional approach—buying horses without ever riding them first—something that would make most equestrians break out in a sweat.

Then, we switch gears to her experience with anxiety and how it completely halted her life. Siobhan shares how, despite not having an obvious trigger, her anxiety became so severe she was convinced she had a physical illness.

She opens up about:

• The fight to get doctors to listen and not misdiagnose her with depression
• Taking a solo flight to Edinburgh after nearly 10 years of being unable to travel
• How content creation helped her feel real again
• Why social media actually helped both of us find answers for our own mental health struggles

We also chat about how animals can be a lifeline during tough times, the pressure to be a “proper equestrian”, and why it’s okay to just have fun with your horses instead of chasing competition goals.

Siobhan gives some great insight into the equestrian community, common misconceptions, and shares her advice for anyone wanting to grow online.

And of course, she wraps up with the final question in a way only she can.

Find Siobhan on Instagram: @trottingawaymyanxiety_

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week, I’m joined by Shane McCarthy, an AI aficionado and entrepreneur, back for another chat after his first appearance on Episode #107 .⁠

Following on from last week’s AI episode, we dive deeper into what AI can really do, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it brings.

💡 What We Chat About:

Plus, Shane has a new podcast launching this Thursday with Katie Sheehan – The Ripple Effect. Keep an eye out for that one!

Find Shane on all socials: ⁠@shanemcsocial⁠

Where you can find my new brand:

Instagram: ⁠⁠@creative_horizons_content⁠⁠

⁠⁠LinkedIn ⁠⁠

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

Equestrian Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @stronginthesaddle_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Equestrian Tiktok: @ stronginthesaddle

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Happy Hips for horseriding PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chrissyhawkins.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week, I’m joined by Shane McCarthy, an AI aficionado and entrepreneur, back for another chat after his first appearance on Episode #107 .

Following on from last week’s AI episode, we dive deeper into what AI can really do, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it brings.

💡 What We Chat About:

Plus, Shane has a new podcast launching this Thursday with Katie Sheehan – The Ripple Effect. Keep an eye out for that one!

Find Shane on all socials: @shanemcsocial

Where you can find my new brand:

Instagram: ⁠@creative_horizons_content⁠

⁠LinkedIn ⁠

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Time for me to be the one answering the question Why Not?

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how I’m fully living the why not philosophy by launching my new AI-powered brand, Creative Horizons Content Creation! This isn’t just a business; it’s my leap into the future of creativity, and I’m bringing you along for the ride.

Here’s What We’ll Explore:

Key Takeaway: AI isn’t here to take over; it’s here to help. Whether you’re ready to experiment or want someone to handle the complexities for you, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

So, why not give this episode a listen? Let’s explore the potential of AI and how it can transform creativity for the better.

Remember, in a world where people ask “why,” we’re here to ask why not?

Where you can find my new brand:

Instagram: @creative_horizons_content

LinkedIn

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you ever check in with your body? Sure there's apps for everthing but do you actually know how you FEEL?

In this episode, I sit down with Celine Nelli, a nutritional therapist who specialises in female health from puberty to menopause. Celine’s passion lies in helping women reconnect with their bodies, something many of us have lost touch with in today’s world.

💡 What We Talk About:

Celine wraps up the conversation with a piece of advice you won’t want to miss!

💻 Where to Find Celine:
You can connect with Celine and learn more about her work here:

Instagram: celinenelli_femalehealth

If you are interested in working with me you can find me :

⁠⁠⁠FREE Supple Shoulders for the Saddle PDF⁠⁠⁠