#138 The Truth About Mental Strength Isn’t What You Think | Performance Psychologist

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, I sit down with Charlotte Ricca, performance psychologist, former journalist, sea swimmer, horse rider, and passionate advocate for emotional literacy, to explore what success really means when life feels overwhelming.

This episode goes far beyond high performance.

Charlotte shares candidly about:

• navigating burnout, anxiety, and periods of depression
• changing her relationship with alcohol
• learning to sit with discomfort rather than mask it
• balancing ambition, motherhood, identity, and self-worth
• and why choosing connection over being right can transform relationships

This is an honest conversation about:

✨ mental health

✨ parenting

✨ redefining success

✨ suicide prevention

✨ emotional resilience

✨ values, purpose, and presence

If you’ve ever felt pressure to “hold it together”, to perform, or to keep going when things feel heavy — this episode will land.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Introduction

02:30 – “Are you alright… really?” and showing up authentically

07:00 – Finding glimmers: joy, nature, sea swimming & presence

11:00 – Alcohol, identity & changing coping mechanisms

18:30 – Masking discomfort vs sitting with emotions

22:30 – Why confidence follows action (not the other way around)

27:00 – Anxiety, fear & reframing pressure as privilege

32:00 – Emotional literacy, parenting & allowing children to feel

39:00 – Guilt, self-care & choosing yourself without shame

45:00 – Identity beyond roles: parent, athlete, professional

52:00 – Success, money & redefining what “enough” really means

59:00 – Career pivots, purpose & living without regret

1:05:00 – Overwhelm, burnout & taking one small step at a time

1:12:00 – Depression, hope & why feelings always pass

1:18:00 – Suicide prevention: asking the hard questions

1:26:00 – Teaching kids emotional regulation & resilience

1:34:00 – Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

1:41:00 – Living in alignment with your values

1:56:00 – Advice to younger self

2:04:00 – Final question: choosing connection over being right

🎧 KEY TAKEAWAY

You don’t need to fix everything.

You don’t need to feel “on” all the time.

Sometimes, staying alive, staying present, and taking one small step is success.

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Charlotte Ricca

Website: https://kindabrilliant.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlottericca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-ricca/

💡 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.

SPONSORED BY:

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/

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