Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence

In this episode of Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence, I sit down with Nina Aouilk, a life coach and survivor of profound trauma, to explore her remarkable journey from homelessness and adversity to self-love, faith and purpose.
Nina shares how childhood trauma, fear and painful experiences shaped her identity, and what it took to begin rebuilding her life. We explore the courage it takes to live authentically, the importance of boundaries and why learning to say no can be an act of self-respect.
We also discuss emotional regulation, spirituality, healing and the power of small, consistent steps. Finding yourself is less about becoming someone else and more about finding the courage to be who you really are.

Takeaways
👉 Facing your fears can open the door to change. Growth often begins when you stop allowing fear to make your decisions.
👉 Your past doesn't have to define your identity. Healing can help you separate who you are from what you've experienced.
👉 Authenticity requires courage. Being yourself can mean risking rejection, but it can also bring a deeper sense of fulfilment.
👉 Saying no is an act of self-respect. Healthy boundaries help you protect your values, energy and emotional wellbeing.
👉 Small steps can create lasting change. You don't need to transform your entire life overnight to begin moving in a new direction.

Nina’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/londonslifecoach/?hl=en 

JOIN THE BOOK WAITLIST
https://www.johnnylawrence.co.uk/book 

Website
www.johnnylawrence.co.uk

Johnny’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/johnnylawrenceuk/?hl=en 

Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/whydoidothisofficial/?hl=en 

The Slavey of Addiction Documentary
https://youtu.be/8j3Nq_lcFlY?si=6I0kXppX9prFFoin

In this episode of Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence, I explore one of the most misunderstood patterns in human behaviour: self-sabotage.
What if you're not actually trying to sabotage yourself? What if the behaviour you're calling self-sabotage is actually an attempt to self-soothe, pulling you back to something familiar and comfortable when fear or uncertainty feels uncomfortable?
I explore how behavioural loops, identity, familiarity, and fear can keep us repeating patterns we know aren't helping us, and why success can sometimes feel more threatening than failure. Most importantly, I look at how curiosity and self-awareness can help us interrupt those patterns and develop healthier responses to discomfort.

Takeaways
👉 Self-sabotage may actually be self-soothing. We often return to familiar behaviours because they help us regulate discomfort, even when they don't serve us.
👉 Familiar doesn't always mean healthy. We can become more comfortable with what we know than with what we actually want.
👉 Fear can sit underneath self-sabotaging behaviour. Change, success and uncertainty can all trigger protective responses.
👉 Your behaviour can become a loop. Triggers create familiar responses, which create familiar outcomes, until you notice the pattern.
👉 Curiosity creates choice. Instead of asking, “Why am I doing this to myself?”, ask, “What is this behaviour trying to do for me?”

JOIN THE BOOK WAITLIST
https://www.johnnylawrence.co.uk/book 

Website
www.johnnylawrence.co.uk

Johnny’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/johnnylawrenceuk/?hl=en 

Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/whydoidothisofficial/?hl=en 

The Slavey of Addiction Documentary
https://youtu.be/8j3Nq_lcFlY?si=6I0kXppX9prFFoin

In this episode of Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence, I explore one of the questions many of us secretly ask ourselves: “Am I actually lazy, or is something else going on?”
I look at the difference between burnout, exhaustion, avoidance and genuine unwillingness, and why calling ourselves “lazy” often stops us from understanding what’s really getting in the way. We explore how fear, overwhelm, depleted energy and lack of clarity can all look like procrastination.
I also share two practical tools, the Energy Avoidance Check and the Ten-Minute Rule, to help you understand your resistance, take action, and respond to yourself with more honesty and compassion.

Takeaways
👉 Burnout is depletion, not laziness. When your capacity is genuinely depleted, pushing harder isn't always the answer.
👉 “What’s getting in the way?” is a better question than “Why am I so lazy?” Understanding the cause gives you something you can actually work with.
👉 Avoidance can be driven by fear. Sometimes we aren't unwilling to act; we're afraid of what acting might mean.
👉 Small actions create momentum. You don't always need motivation before you begin; sometimes motivation follows action.
👉 Learn the difference between inability and unwillingness. Honest self-awareness helps you know when you need rest and when you need to take responsibility.

SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER HERE
https://www.johnnylawrence.co.uk/newsletter 

Website
www.johnnylawrence.co.uk

Johnny’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/johnnylawrenceuk/?hl=en 

Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/whydoidothisofficial/?hl=en 

The Slavey of Addiction Documentary
https://youtu.be/8j3Nq_lcFlY?si=6I0kXppX9prFFoin

Why do we get so disappointed when people don't behave the way we expected?
In this episode of Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence, I explore how expectations shape our relationships, emotions and experiences, and why we often treat our predictions about other people as if they were promises.
We look at the difference between preferences, expectations and boundaries, why unmet expectations can reveal deeper needs, and how communicating those needs can prevent unnecessary disappointment.
I also share a practical framework for examining your expectations and learning to respond to reality rather than constantly fighting it.
Because disappointment isn't always a problem to fix.
Sometimes it's information about what you need.

Takeaways
👉 Expectations are predictions, not promises.
👉 Disappointment can reveal an unmet need.
👉 Communicate your needs instead of expecting others to guess.
👉 Preferences, expectations and boundaries are different.
👉 Emotional flexibility means learning to accept reality.

SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER HERE
https://www.johnnylawrence.co.uk/newsletter 

Website
www.johnnylawrence.co.uk

Johnny’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/johnnylawrenceuk/?hl=en 

Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/whydoidothisofficial/?hl=en 

The Slavey of Addiction Documentary
https://youtu.be/8j3Nq_lcFlY?si=6I0kXppX9prFFoin

What actually makes a man strong?
In this episode of Why Do I Do This? with Johnny Lawrence, I sit down with coach, entrepreneur and father Lawrence Price to explore discipline, identity, resilience, fatherhood and what it really means to become a strong man.
We go beyond the gym and business to discuss why people struggle to change, how our identity can keep us trapped in old patterns, and why achievement doesn't always lead to fulfilment.
Lawrence also shares what fatherhood has taught him about leadership, responsibility and the example we set through our actions, not just our words.
This is a conversation about becoming stronger from the inside out.

Takeaways
👉 Strength isn't the absence of struggle.
👉 Your identity can either drive or limit your growth.
👉 Discipline is built through consistent action.
👉 Achievement doesn't automatically create fulfilment.
👉 The person you become matters more than what you achieve.

Lawrence’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/lawrenceprice_/?hl=en 

Lawrence’s Website
https://www.lawrenceprice.co.uk/ 

SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER HERE
https://www.johnnylawrence.co.uk/newsletter 

Website
www.johnnylawrence.co.uk

Johnny’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/johnnylawrenceuk/?hl=en 

Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/whydoidothisofficial/?hl=en 

The Slavey of Addiction Documentary
https://youtu.be/8j3Nq_lcFlY?si=6I0kXppX9prFFoin