On this episode of the JOY² – Live With Joy Podcast, host Greg De Koker sits down with Victoria Hirst for an inspiring conversation about self-awareness, self-compassion and the journey back to yourself. A certified DreamBuilder Coach, Life Mastery Consultant, speaker and retreat leader, Victoria shares how one defining moment in the Costa Rican rainforest completely transformed her perspective on life, purpose and joy.
After years of chasing achievement and external validation, Victoria realized that true fulfillment isn't found in doing more. It's found in becoming more present. Together, Greg and Victoria explore how greater awareness, keeping promises to yourself, and challenging limiting beliefs can create lasting transformation from the inside out.
Through heartfelt stories, practical insights and moments of laughter, they discuss the power of gratitude, intentional breathing, forest bathing, and reconnecting with nature to quiet the mind, restore inner peace, and rediscover what matters most. Along the way, they remind us that joy isn't something we stumble upon. It's something we intentionally create through the choices we make every day.
In this episode, we explore:
• Why awareness is the first step toward lasting change
• How keeping promises to yourself builds self-trust
• The connection between gratitude, self-compassion and joy
• How nature and stillness help us reconnect with ourselves
• Simple daily practices for living with greater presence and purpose
More than a conversation about personal growth, this episode is an invitation to slow down, become more present, and remember that you're already worthy of a joyful and meaningful life.
As Victoria beautifully reminds us, we don't have to believe every thought we think. With greater awareness comes the freedom to choose a better way forward.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Welcome to Joy² – Live With Joy
00:01:50 Meet Victoria Hirst & Her Journey to Purpose
00:08:27 The Moment That Changed Everything
00:12:12 Awareness, Self-Compassion & Keeping Promises to Yourself
00:17:03 Breaking Old Thought Patterns
00:30:03 The Gift of Presence in Relationships
00:37:04 Reframing Limiting Beliefs
00:41:29 Gratitude, Self-Worth & Emotional Awareness
00:48:34 Forest Bathing & Reconnecting with Nature
00:57:18 Final Reflections & Living with Joy
Connect with Greg De Koker
Website: www.joy2.ca
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gregdekoker/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/greg_de_koker/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greg.koker.5/
Connect with Victoria Hirst:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriahirstcoaching/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vhirst/
Listen and Subscribe to JOY²:
Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joy-live-with-joy-podcast/id1886910363
Spotify: creators.spotify.com/pod/show/joy-squared-podcast
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@JOY2LiveWithJoyPodcast
Stay Connected to JOY²:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/joysquaredofficial/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/joysquaredofficial/
Take Action
Take a quiet moment to check in with yourself.
Ask yourself:
• Am I living intentionally or simply reacting to life?
• What promise have I been avoiding that deserves to be honored?
• Which belief is quietly holding me back from experiencing more joy?
• Where could I slow down enough to become fully present today?
• What would change if I truly believed I was already enough?
Sometimes the greatest transformation begins with a single moment of awareness.
Action Tip:
This week, choose one simple way to reconnect with yourself.
• Pause and take three slow, intentional breaths before responding.
• Write down five things you're genuinely grateful for.
• Spend 20 minutes in nature without your phone or other distractions.
• Replace one self-critical thought with one rooted in self-compassion.
Joy isn't something we find someday. It's something we create, one intentional choice at a time.
