Your Happy Hour - Clarity Comes Quietly

Episode Date: February 13, 2026

In this episode, we chat to Gemma Louise ~ a coach and person-centred therapist who supports people in finding greater clarity, emotional steadiness and alignment in their lives so that they can turn away from self-doubt, inner conflict and old patterns and show up with more confidence and ease. We explored the pertinent themes of having courage to follow your heart, step into the unexpected, the unknown and amazing space of being you and what you are meant to be in this world. Gemma shared her experience in shifting the narrative, holding space for others to do the same and how the gift of being human is to tap into the alchemy of transforming pain into positive change.Guest offer: Gemma kindly has gifted us all 25% off a first session or package with her!The Feels is all about having those honest conversations, the power of community for personal growth and taking those actionable steps towards being our authentic selves.Thanks for tuning in! Keep it raw and real out there xYHH is produced by swartkat.co - captured via riverside.fm & shared via rss.com.

It's the Friday feels and we're back with your first sip of the weekend. You're now tuned in to this week's episode of your happy hour. I'm your host Nicole Carmine and it's amazing to have you here. Joining me this week as we uncover the truths about being a human and a working professional. What are you up to this Friday? Well, whatever it is, this moment is just for you. A big one. Welcome back to the field space and the Your Happy Hour podcast.

First and foremost, I'm so happy that I can have this conversation with you today because I lost my voice last week and here we are now. I'm really happy that you're all tuning in and we are still talking about the theme for this month called How to Honest It Up. And it's a really important one. It's one we all struggle with and I feel like more and more things in the universe are happening to kind of push us us to be more honest, to be more grounded, to own our worth. And I'm very excited today to welcome Jemma Louise. You're really, really welcome to the field space and the Your Happy Hour

podcast to keep talking to us about this theme. And yeah, it's just so wonderful to have you on here. Thank you. I'm so happy to be here and especially to talk about this theme, because as you said, this is something that's really coming to the surface right now. So yeah, thank you for having me. Yeah, of course. And I'm so happy that our fellow previous guest and fellow friend, Vincent, put us in touch. She's seen so many wonderful people to chat to us. So shout out to him as well.

But I thought it would be really nice just for you to share with the audience, kind of who you are, where you've come from. I know that you are doing coaching, and it's very kind of, person-centered coaching as you call that. What does that mean for you? And I'm sure in your journey with that and this theme, you have a lot that you've experienced. So maybe just take us on a little bit of a journey

of how you got to be where you are today. Thank you. Well, yes, it's definitely been a journey. So I think my whole life, I was always someone who had a capacity to be with others and to be with others wherever they were out. with whatever they were going through. So I do think that that was a gift I had.

However, life doing life, I went on a journey of being a teacher for many, many years. And the gift of COVID, I guess, was when COVID hit, it really shifted and started to bring up a lot of things within me when I realized that there was so much I had been repressing. So through COVID, I actually, the pain of COVID took me to Iwaska. And then when I was on ayahuasca, I really got the message of why aren't you doing what you were here to do, which is to be with people and help them to really understand their life purpose,

to understand what their gift is for the world. but also to be with people when they're going through some of the most painful things and to sit with them. So it's definitely been a journey and then through that I then began to train in person-centred therapy, which is all about allowing people to be their authentic self. When we're in a space where we're not judged, where we're accepted just as we are, then remarkable things can reveal themselves. So that's been my journey. Oh my goodness, I love that.

And I resonate so much with what you're saying. You know, I mean, yeah, you literally had to go into like an internal journey in yourself for that voice to speak to you. And I'm glad that you listened and that you're here today to share that with us. And I think it's always quite hard because it's almost like we walk journeys of wanting to do the things that feel right in the world and in society. But then you have to kind of get to that point where you're really honest with yourself about your purpose. And in January, you spoke about kind of repurposing purpose.

And what does that mean? Maybe it was December. And in January, we spoke about relieving achieving. And it's like a lot of these, I feel our topics are kind of moving us towards this theme, which is going, figure out what is your purpose, remember what is your purpose. And then like be honest enough with yourself about that to share that with the world and own that. that. But it's not easy to do that. And what was the journey like for you then stepping into that role? I mean, very terrifying, I would say, because at the time, my children, I have two

children and they were a bit younger, so they were how old, about a year and a half and maybe three and a half. And, you know, I had a lot of the financial pressure was on me at the time. So it really was, I was a hamster on a wheel and I had to get off the wheel but I didn't know how. So for me it really was an act of just stepping into the unknown. I quit my job pretty much on the spot and I just left it to the universe which I don't sounds crazy but we have to sometimes right and I left the universe and said right I can't do this anymore. I know what I want to do and I'm going to take a leap of faith because if I don't, I'm never going to get off this wheel. And yeah, it was definitely scary. But through that,

I then found the course in person-centred therapy with EVE therapy in London at the time. We're doing some fantastic courses. And then somebody offered me a scholarship in coaching. So I was doing my person-centred therapy, my coaching, and, you know, this course I wouldn't have been able to afford, and I just got offered this scholarship. So it's amazing when we can take a leap of faith, be with the uncertainty and the unknown, and the universe provided. I love that. I'm getting like goosebumps as you're talking. And you were saying earlier, you know, that you let the universe do its thing and it might sound crazy. But to me, it doesn't. To me it seems like it's the most logical thing that we actually can do as a human.

But we've forgotten that, I think. We've forgotten that that is actually the path is to surrender. And we're also scared to do that because we feel like we need to control everything. But once you get out of the way, it's like you're just rewarded for being the channel, I guess, for things to flow, you know. But it's still hard. I mean, I think as humans, we want to hold on, we want to be able to know what tomorrow's going to look like and are we going to make it and yeah but it's it's kind of just you have to like

take the wild ride and go I think and how did you find that journey like did you have people that were there for you along the way I mean you said you have a scholarship but that kind of guided you and gave you advice um luckily I did have a couple of people at the time who who stepped in and supported me. Like the scholarship, that was a huge support. And then just individuals who would come in and say, I think it was two individuals I can think of. One was a lady in the community, a bit older than me, who said, it's okay what you're doing. Because that was also actually, at that time, it was also the ending of my relationship with my children's father. So not only was I stepping into this new role, it was the ending of an 11 and a half year relationship. And everyone

thought, well, my family and everyone who knew me thought I'd gone crazy. So it's really great to be in that kind of situation, looking back, and now I can really handle those situations. But that was the first time I'd ever had so many people think that I was making the wrong decision. I think if you can be with that, when you can be with everyone around you thinking that you're making the wrong decision and questioning you, if you can handle that, it does bring a resilience and this trust in South that begins to become more and more unshakable. And luckily those two individuals that came into my life. they just said, it's okay. It's okay. Not everything has to last forever. It's allowed to fall apart. It's

okay if things fall apart. You are accepted as you are. We see you. And that really just gave me the strength. I think sometimes if one person can see you and if one person can say, I see where you're, I see who you are. it's like medicine it's just like medicine for the soul and I'll never forget those two people because although they live in other countries now I think when you go through something that's really shaking the foundations of your being

and those people come into your life they are angels they really are there's no other way to describe them I was actually getting a little teary when you were talking because, you know, I've been through a lot of similar things and life's taken me on some journey of a lot of changes and sometimes you're the only person that really understands

where you are in life and what you want to build and it's quite a lonely place, you know, but then you have those people, like you say, and they come into your life. And I do believe that, like, when you shift, then you will attract the people that need to be there for you, the tribe, you know, you find your people. And sometimes that isn't your feelings.

family, sometimes that isn't the friends that you had. And that's also okay to say, to be honest about that and be like, okay, maybe I'm changing. And these people will always love me. I will always love them. But I do need different support. I do need something else that can help me in this next phase of life. But that's so brave. And I'm so grateful for you that you could go through that and be here and speak about it so beautifully and honestly. Thank you for saying that. And as we're talking about it, what it's sorry it said the aircon so my eyes are watering a lot but this was emotional too um but as we're talking about it i'm actually realizing that a lot of my clients and the people i see are actually on that journey too where they're shifting and they're shifting and they're seeing that the

relationships that they had the friendships that they had um are needing to change and evolve in some way and it couldn't even involve the stepping back. And I do help a lot of my clients through that, through how to do that in a loving way, what does that mean, grief that might come up. So that is definitely something that I think because I've been through it, I've been then able to help others as they navigate that, because it's definitely not an easy thing to navigate. No, it isn't. And sometimes, yeah, I think the universe takes you through that journey first so that you can have empathy and understand, you know, and not come from a place of, yeah, non-understanding. Because I think often as a coach, you become a mirror to someone else and you facilitate, but you can hold that space so much nicer when you are, you come from a depth of, you know, going through that experience. So what have you found, like, is the most, you know, effective way with someone that's going through that transition like do you have certain practices and things that people can do you know for people listening that are going through that?

Yeah, that's a very, very good question. So just thinking about different clients and I just think about a practice that would be helpful. Sometimes I do kind of mirror back to them and say, well, if I, if I was in this situation, would you be talking to me like you're talking to yourself? because we can be so hard on ourselves and we can, you know, that inner critic can be so strong. But when you take away the attachment to what you think something means

and you relate it to someone else, that can really help. So I sometimes say to some of my clients, would you be speaking to me the way you're talking to yourself right now? And then we do some inner child work. Inner child work is something that I do a lot of. So we go back to different versions of ourselves and we hold compassion and empathy

and we even look at photos of younger versions of ourselves and just ask what did that girl need? What do you need now? Is it okay to need that? How can you have more compassion? What does compassion feel like in your body to have compassion for where you're at right now? and to just, yeah, to just literally, somatically, holding that in your body can really shift things because it's one thing having it in the mind, but another really feeling that compassion for yourself in your body.

Yeah, I think we don't really use our bodies as instruments of change in the way that we could, you know, and it is like we're so stuck in our minds, but when you drop down into it. to the heart and to the rest of all of that. It activates, I think, a channel, like an opening that we can really release things in a different way because otherwise we kind of just like ruminating and mulling through all the chaos in our minds. That's really beautiful, and thank you for sharing that.

I think a lot of people can really take that and make it their own, you know, because we do need to have more compassion with ourselves. And I mean, I know for myself, I'm often my worst critic, And I've really had to work on forgiving things, knowing that you were at a certain point in time in your life. And, you know, you made the decisions that you made. And then knowing that you can make different ones and change your course of direction. But you have to really be kind to yourself, which is often the hardest thing.

I don't know why we so hard on ourselves as humans, you know, but it is what it is. And, you know, it's really a collective experience because, you know, know, this is something we all do, isn't it? We all can be so hard on ourselves. And it's definitely, I think, one of our greatest works, our greatest journey in life is to have the compassion for ourselves that we have with others. Because then it really is, the level of compassion you can give to others

is a level that you've given to yourself. That is true. Yeah, yeah. Someone recently started talking to me about kind of alchemy, And I've always thought of alchemy more as like metals and transforming things that are more like material. But I've started realizing that alchemy is so much of changing pain into positivity or like alchemizing emotions. And we are like the power of vehicles of that, you know. And isn't that amazing that we can actually transform one thing to another and then let that change the world, like you say, through a

collective experience. Definitely. And I will say that, like, yeah, my greatest lessons or any time I was about to, I'm going to say quantumly, because that's what I feel it was and has been, it's always been the pain, huge discomfort has preceded that. So for anyone who's going through a really painful time or wondering, you know, what is this? What is the purpose of this? Every, I know it's hard to accept that every time that you're going through something that's incredibly tough,

this is the beginning of a transformation, even when it doesn't feel like it. Yeah, it's like you, the phoenix. is going to rise from the ashes after that. Yeah, I love that. Thank you for reminding us of that because I think we're very quick to think that when things are hard, they're negative. And it's not the case, you know.

It just means that we're riding the camel, you know, we're riding the dune and on the other side might be the ocean. So for you, like when you look ahead, what is the next year look like for you? What can we celebrate with you? Oh, that's, I love that question and I really, yeah, I appreciate that question too because it's a beautiful question. I see myself putting myself out there more and more over the next year because I think a lot of humans, but I'm going to say as well a lot of women, but this is definitely a universal thing.

I think when we step into our gift and we're living alive, we have our purpose, there are times when there's that next level for us. There are times that we have to, yeah, face challenge and discomfort. And it doesn't become about the ego, but it becomes about, as you said earlier, being a channel. So it's, you know, if I fully surrender and allowed myself to be a channel, what else is possible? And a lot of the time it really is getting out my own way. because beautiful, beautiful souls will come into my life. And they say, we have this vision.

We'd like to do this with you or we'd like this. And sometimes, you know, I feel the discomfort in my body. And I think, oh, how about next year, two more years? And, you know, the excuses will come in. Oh, but, you know, I'm a mom. I really, you know, what if the kids get sick? And I take this on and they, you know, and you go into all of that. And I'm on.

stop for a moment, come back to the South, know that this person's come into your life if they presented something. And if you get out the way and you stop this dialogue and you sit with the silence, breathe and then just allow. And again, just because this is my life, it doesn't necessarily mean that I have to control the ship. you know so so i think it really is to um yeah put myself out there or allow myself i should say not even put in but allowing myself to to share whatever needs to be shared whatever needs to come through um and to keep being a service as much as i can um which i love but to what i'm doing right now i love so much and i i love my life right now it's it's everything i could could ask for oh i'm really happy to hear that you know i don't

think a lot of people get to say that sentence and it's it's so wonderful that that you've gotten to this point you know and i'm sure whatever the next year brings and travels and adventures and it sounds like really exciting things oh yes lots of travel yeah well let us know and and And we'll, you know, we can keep the audience posted on where you are. And I know you also shared very graciously a 25% distance. So thank you so much for that. I know that people will definitely be keen to engage with. You've got such a beautiful presence.

And, yeah, you know, I feel like I'm, like, going on the journey with you here, which is so wonderful. So thank you for everything that you do in the world. I think it's highly important, especially in the times that we are in now. having to be, you know, kind of just looping back to the theme, more and more honest with ourselves about where we are as humans, where we are as the environment, as a society. And we're going to have to be brave, I think, to stand up and say, hey, you know, this is the life we want to lead and this is the world we want to build.

And it takes courage and it takes knowing yourself. So it's really important work that you're doing. So thank you for that. Thank you for saying that. And just to say as well that although I would say that, you know, I'm me myself, I'm relatively, I am, well, very honest with myself, but there's always another layer of honesty to be unveiled. So although I feel in alignment, I know there's times that there's that slight misalignment and then there's action that has to be taken. So I see it as a bit of an

onion and every time you peel back a layer, there's another layer of honesty which cause you. Like an onion, you're right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At some point we'll get to the core. And I hope it tastes sweet and not sour. But it's, you know, you're just learning about yourself all the time. It's something you get to a point, you're like, hey, I've arrived. And then you're like, actually, let me just take a step back. There's a lot more there. But, yeah, no, that's beautiful. And, you know, it is true. Like, even when you're doing the work with people,

you're still on your own human journey. And so... Oh, yes. ...honour that, yeah. And I'm very honest about that. That's something that I'm always... I think the people who are attracted to me, I make it very, very clear that I am not this perfect coach

with this perfect lifestyle. You know, I really have to sit quite often, with my own discomfort, I have to keep reminding myself of regulatory tools. It's work, and I'm doing the work alongside my clients too. So, yeah, for me, this is a lifelong journey, and I think that's why I attract the clients I do. If that makes sense. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

I think there's that resonance, you know, and like you say, it's a collective experience. That's really amazing. And speaking of collective experiences, I want to take a quick moment to say thank you to our collection of people that are with us on the journey. And those are our partners and that is RSS.com. So they help us distribute this podcast into the platforms in the world. And then also Blender Bombs is a wonderful and nutritious snack. And they've partnered with us to give our audience a discount of 20%. So you're welcome to use that. And we've recently got a new partnership with BN-E-SIM, which is an incredible sim that I've been using as I've been traveling. And we've got some exciting discounts to share with you guys. So check out the socials.

And there's more to come as we're kind of building a life which we call the Fields Life, which is really what we believe in people having freedom, being able to experience life in a more affordable and accessible way. And thank you to them. And then also I want to do a quick shout out to what we call our PPS. It's our people, places and spaces in the world. And mine goes to a cafe, but it's actually more like a bookshop in Paris. And it's called Fafa, I'm going to mess this up now, Fafa, Buccaneh. But we did a little concert, actually, the last Monday,

and I was really privileged to be part of, like, the backup singing, for a good friend of mine, Will Fortune. Thanks for putting it together. and I got to read some of my poetry. And it was just such a beautiful moment. And having it in that bookshop, it was like a tiny desk concert vibe. Really, really wonderful space.

Go check them out. So we love the feels. Thank you so much for allowing us in there to host that concert. And as we're kind of saying thank you's, I want to also say we have a section called The Jams, which is kind of the things that you've just been grateful for this week or that you're learning,

something that's been on your mind maybe. And for me, it's been last week we had a premiere party for one of my other ventures called Be Live, B-Live Studio, and we created a music show which is still kind of under the reps, but we did a little sneak-peak premiere party with quite a lot of people, and it was a lot of stress, but at the same time, the most wonderful experience, and just seeing people's reactions and the artists who were there

who were in the show, seeing themselves for the first time, and it was just a beautiful moment. I felt really grateful for all of that. So that's been my gym in this last week. And what about for you, Gemma? Oh, wow. Well, that just sounded like a beautiful gem. It really was, yeah.

Well, on Saturday, I did a fitness class, and afterwards I went and had a lime juice. And just before I went for a lime juice, I said to the security guard, And I spoke Cambodian. What time do we need to come back? I thought he said, I think it was 10 o'clock, I thought he said. And we got back a little bit later.

And he was still there. And I said, oh, I was so sorry. And he said, don't. And just the fact that he, like, waited next to our motorbikes for that, like, extra half an hour. I just really appreciated it and grateful for the kindness of others. So that's what comes to my mind. Oh, I love that. I love that. People are so compassionate and kind if you just give them the space to be, I think, you know.

There is so much of it in the world. There really is, even though it doesn't feel like it sometimes. There is. 100%. And wait, let's just stop there for a second. Are you in Cambodia? Yeah, so Cambodia. That's where I live. So I'm an expert here in Cambodia. I've been here for 15 years. And yeah, Cambodia really chose me. And I speak Cambodian as well. So I feel so grateful and I feel like this has definitely been somewhere that accelerated my spiritual journey, to be honest. That's incredible. I remember when I visited there quite a few years ago now, I felt like it was such a beautiful country with quite a hard history as well, which really touched me. And I can imagine then that you and what you do, you have a lot of lightness and positivity that you can bring to that space.

Definitely. Yeah, I'm glad that you've been here. Yeah, it's a great place. Yeah, and I want to visit again, but I do have one more question for you before we finish up, and that is what is on your stack? So stack is like your reading list. Maybe it's books that you've read, but you want to recommend, or maybe you still want to read them and just tell our audience about that. Yeah, it's one or a few. Yeah, yeah. I mean, there's a few, but there's one that I'm reading at the moment, and it's, and it's, it's a few. It's caused sacred, I'm just getting it up, it's called sacred contracts. And it's absolutely amazing. Yeah, Caroline Mize, sacred contracts. And it's all about the different soul contracts that we have.

And a lot of it's about surrender, but remembering that before you came, before you incarnated, that you agreed that there were certain lessons that you need to learn. And there were certain people on the way that you'd have to meet in order to learn. in order to learn those lessons. But it also talks about free will too. And that's what I love, the balance of the fact that there's things that are destined, but there's also the free will within that. So I'm really enjoying it at the moment because it's reminding me of surrender.

So thank you for asking that. Yeah. Yeah, and it's so on point with the topic. So, like, thank you for sharing that. And we'll definitely add that to the stack. And for anyone that's looking for books to read, can head over to the website and we add all the books that get recommended on there. And you can buy them from there as well.

That links to different platforms. So thank you for the recommendation. I feel like I definitely would love to read that one. And that's very much up my alley of belief in the world too. And this really beautiful balance between like free will accountability and like letting flow and surrender be in the world. And I hope for whoever's listening, wonder what you're feeling about, you know, know the topic of honesty about where you are in your journey and yeah taking on the next steps

for a chapter that gives you freedom that gives you the best life that you can possibly live that you are here to live and stepping into that so yeah please let us know on the socials we want to hear all the thoughts and feels and just a really big thank you to you Jima for coming on today and sharing and like you just have such a beautiful heart so I feel very privileged that I could have this conversation with you today. I feel the same. I can really feel your beautiful energy and I really love your mission, multiple missions, but your general mission of what you're offering to the world is beautiful. And I can see it and I can feel it. If you haven't just yet, follow Friday feels on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn, you can share with us all your feels this week by tagging us at

Friday feels.com and you can also find the website at that handle. And now, as you ease into this weekend, take a moment. Celebrate who you've become, what you've overcome

and what is yet to come as you do the crazy and cool things that you do as the authentic you. You know, the truth about life and work is that it's hard. But the beauty is this global working experience that you're in while we are not together. So keep connecting, empowering and inspiring this week.

And of course, keep it raw and real. Until next time.