JUST DO YOU.

Eric Nicoll
  • 5.0 (30)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

The JUST DO YOU. podcast is a vibrant space for authentic conversations designed to connect, inspire, and empower us. Through these conversations, we explore the journey to finding confidence, discovering our unique voice, and embracing our truth. Along the way, we just might uncover new perspectives that help us step into what I call the JUST DO YOU. sweet spot — the space where you're fully, unapologetically yourself.Each week, I’m honored to sit down for unscripted conversations with friends, family, colleagues, community leaders, and influencers as they share their personal stories. Together, we’ll laugh, maybe shed a few tears, but most importantly, we’ll remind ourselves that no one journeys through life alone. I hope you enjoy these moments as much as I do. So, are you ready? WELCOME to the conversation!    

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 90 - Finding My People by Being Myself with Ryland Whittington

    Ryland Whittington has spent much of his life with people knowing his story before they ever knew him. At just five years old, Ryland transitioned, and a few years later his family's story reached millions through a viral video, the documentary Raising Ryland, and his mother Hillary Whittington's book by the same name. But as Ryland got older, he made a different choice: he stepped away from the public eye and gave himself the space to simply grow up. Now 18 and beginning college, Ryland was ready for a fresh start—a place where he could introduce himself simply as Ryland and let people get to know the person before the story. Then, just one week into college, an experience he never expected challenged that sense of belonging and sent him home questioning whether he even wanted to return. He did. On the drive back to school, Ryland listened to my story on JUST DO YOU. and, through tears and some deep emotion, experienced what he calls a “total moment of clarity.” Soon after, he reached out—ready to share his own story and use his voice again. In this deeply personal and surprisingly joyful conversation, Ryland and I talk about growing up with a public story, family and unconditional support, finding community, college and lacrosse, losing people in order to find yourself, and why Ryland is choosing to use his voice again—not to demand that people accept him, but to invite them to get to know him. Because being transgender is part of Ryland's story. It isn't the whole story. And at 18, he's just getting started. To learn more about Ryland's amazing story, watch the CNN feature:  https://youtu.be/DVFZlIkl_-U?si=0o6QvjJBO3a6cvpy Raising Ryland, written by his mom, Hillary Whittington, is available online at Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. Welcome to the conversation.  Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 90 - Finding My People by Being Myself with Ryland Whittington

  2. Oct 15

    Episode 89 - Love Isn't Enough with Andrew Betancourt

    We’ve been taught that when you meet the right person, you’ll just know. There will be chemistry, sparks, attraction—and if you fall in love, somehow the rest will work itself out. But what if love isn’t enough? Certified Relationship Coach and creator of The Boyfriend Formula™, Andrew Betancourt, returns to JUST DO YOU. for an honest conversation about what actually creates lasting relationships—and why some of what we’ve been taught about dating and love may be getting in our way. Drawing from more than 700 coaching sessions with gay men, Andrew explores the difference between chemistry and compatibility, why compatibility can only reveal itself over time, and how our own unconscious dating patterns can keep us stuck. We also dig into the emotional toll of online dating, how quickly a disappointing dating pool can become a question of self-worth, emotional availability, intimacy, filtering, and why getting clear about the life you want may be just as important as getting clear about the person you want to share it with. Because chemistry can be intoxicating. Attraction can be real. And love can be powerful. But building a relationship that lasts requires something more. This is a conversation about dating with intention, recognizing your patterns, trusting yourself, and staying open to love without losing yourself along the way. Maybe love isn’t all you need. And maybe understanding that changes everything. To learn more about Andrew and his coaching program, visit: https://go.andrewbetancourt.com/home Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 89 - Love Isn't Enough with Andrew Betancourt

  3. Oct 8

    Episode 88 - What Happens When There's No Room to Read with Eric Nicoll

    For the past decade, I’ve been carrying around a feeling I haven’t really talked about on this podcast. I’ve felt trapped. From the outside, my life doesn’t look particularly trapped. I have a career I built and still love, this podcast, coaching, writing, people I love, a home near the beach and a life I’m incredibly grateful for. But my world had gotten smaller. The noise got louder. And I became increasingly overwhelmed by everything happening in the world I couldn’t fix, control or make okay. Then I boarded a plane bound for Europe. What began as a work trip to London followed by a few weeks exploring Spain became something I never expected. Somewhere between London, Torremolinos, Málaga, Barcelona, Sitges and Madrid, I started breathing again ... and asking some serious questions.  And I began to understand something about myself: I read rooms.  And I am really good at it. I’ve spent much of my life anticipating what people need, figuring out what might go wrong and making things work. It’s made me damn good at my job, but what happens when the room becomes too big to read? And what happens when you finally stop trying? This episode is about feeling trapped inside a life that looks great from the outside. It’s about community, intimacy, love, the noise we sometimes create ourselves, the parts of ourselves we put away when they’ve been hurt—and what can happen when things finally get quiet enough to hear our own voice again. I didn’t find myself in Europe. I wasn’t missing. But I remembered some things. And now I’m taking them home and sharing them with you.   Stop living by default. Start living by design. Thanks for listening!  Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 88 - What Happens When There's No Room to Read with Eric Nicoll

  4. Oct 1

    Episode 87 - When the Quiet Reveals Your Truth with Geneva Lake

    What happens when life finally gets quiet enough for you to hear yourself? For decades, Geneva Lake was moving. Building an extraordinary career in technology. Raising a family. Traveling the world. Achieving. Succeeding. Doing so many of the things she had been taught a successful life was supposed to include. Then life got quieter. And in that quiet, Geneva began asking different questions. What do I actually want? Who am I when I stop doing what I think I’m supposed to do? What feels true to me now? The answers led somewhere she never expected — out of a 19-year marriage, into a relationship with a woman, into the LGBTQ+ community, and toward a life she describes as more authentic, connected and joyful than ever before. This conversation isn't simply about coming out. It's about listening. Paying attention. And having the courage to follow what you hear. Welcome to the Conversation.   Because you have a story. And someone needs to hear it. Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 87 - When the Quiet Reveals Your Truth with Geneva Lake

  5. Sep 24

    Episode 86 - You're Ready As You Are with Lani Gobaleza

    What if you stopped waiting until you felt completely ready? In Episode 86 of JUST DO YOU., I sit down with Filipino American artist, playwright, filmmaker and entrepreneur Lani Gobaleza for a beautiful conversation about creativity, identity, belonging, love—and letting go of perfection. A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Lani opens up about coming out, finding community, and her beautiful relationship with her spouse, Amy, whom she first met while studying abroad in Japan. We also explore how storytelling has helped Lani find her voice and create work that allows others to see themselves reflected in it. While studying Japanese tea ceremony, Lani once found herself frozen over what to do next. Her sensei simply told her: “You just need to move forward. It’s okay if it’s wrong.” And for anyone waiting to feel more prepared, confident or certain before taking that next step, Lani leaves us with this: You’re ready as you are. You can follow all of Lani's incredible work at: http://lanigobaleza.com Find out more about Lani & Amy's Tea Company at: https://paruteabar.com/pages/about?utm_source=chatgpt.com Welcome to the conversation.   Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 86 - You're Ready As You Are with Lani Gobaleza

  6. Sep 17

    Episode 85 - Rewriting His Hallmark Ending with Jonathan Bennett

    You may know Jonathan Bennett as Aaron Samuels from Mean Girls. But in this candid, funny and refreshingly personal conversation, I sit down with the actor, host, producer, creator, husband, and LGBTQ+ advocate to meet the man beyond the iconic role. Jonathan opens up about the extraordinary career he once dreamed about as a kid — from finally making his Broadway debut in Spamalot, to returning to daytime television on General Hospital, hosting Halloween Wars, and helping reshape what love and representation can look like on Hallmark. But behind the career is a much more personal journey. Jonathan reflects on growing up as the gay kid in Ohio who learned to chase perfection, the pressure of feeling like he had to be the best, and what changed when he stopped trying to fit the mold and began embracing the very things that made him different. He also shares the beautiful lesson his husband, James Vaughan, taught him about unconditional love — and how being truly loved by another person helped Jonathan finally learn to love himself. And yes… I finally get to confesses the decades-long crush that began the moment Aaron Samuels turned around in that math class. Jonathan’s behind-the-scenes story about filming that now-iconic Mean Girls moment makes the confession even better. At the heart of this conversation is a powerful reminder from Jonathan: the parts of ourselves we sometimes try hardest to quiet may actually be our greatest strengths. “Be unapologetically yourself because the things that make you different are your superpower.” This is Jonathan Bennett — beyond the character, beyond the résumé, and very much in his JUST DO YOU. sweet spot. Catch him back in daytime as Detective Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital and bringing the fun, chaos and seriously impressive cakes to Halloween Wars on Food Network. Check your local listings for airing details and spend a little time with the endlessly entertaining Jonathan Bennett.  Because sometimes the best ending is the one you finally get to write for yourself. Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 85 - Rewriting His Hallmark Ending with Jonathan Bennett

  7. Sep 10

    Episode 84 - You're One of Us with Sarah Sather

    What if the thing you didn’t realize you were missing was simply a place to belong? For Sarah Sather, that place was a swimming pool in Carlsbad, California.  After years of surgeries, setbacks and seasons when joy felt out of reach, she returned to the water searching for something that might help her feel like herself again. What she found was a community … and four simple words that changed everything: “You’re one of us.” Today, Sarah is the person creating that feeling for others. Through music, movement, laughter and an infectious energy that has to be experienced to be understood, she has built something far more powerful than an exercise class. She’s created a place where people feel seen, celebrated and connected. And I know — because I became one of them. In a world where loneliness and disconnection have become far too common, this conversation is a joyful reminder that finding your people can change everything. This week on JUST DO YOU., Sarah and I talk about resilience, friendship, laughter, love, finding your way back — and the extraordinary power of knowing: You belong here.  … and trust me, you are going to fall in love with Sarah, as so many of us have!   WELCOME TO THE CONVERSATION ... and if you live in North County, San Diego, come join us at Alga Norte Aquatics Center ... you'll be glad you did!   Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 84 - You're One of Us with Sarah Sather

  8. Sep 3

    Episode 83 - When The World Gets Too Loud with Eric Nicoll

    What happens when the world becomes so loud that you can no longer hear your own voice? Chaotic headlines. Intense division. Fear. Uncertainty. An endless stream of things demanding our attention, our outrage, our worry — and sometimes, our response. But what happens when caring about all of it becomes so overwhelming that you no longer know what is yours to carry? In this deeply personal episode of I explore what it means to lose your voice in the noise — and what it takes to find it again. Drawing on powerful research about stress, loneliness and our growing crisis of connection, I reflect on something I've come to understand: we can be strong and scared. Grateful and grieving. Hopeful and uncertain. Two things can be true at the same time. We don't have to solve everything, respond to everything or carry everything. Maybe our job is simply to find what is ours to do — to speak up, create, listen, reach out, choose joy without pretending pain doesn't exist, and sometimes get quiet enough to hear ourselves again. Because when the world seems determined to divide us, perhaps one of the most powerful things we can do is remember: We still belong to each other. Welcome to the conversation. To follow JUST DO YOU. on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ To learn more about my work, visit:  https://ericnicoll.com/ Send us Fan Mail Thank you for joining us and we can't wait to welcome you back again next week! New episodes drop every Thursday and can be found wherever you find your favorite podcasts!   Remember to like, rate, share and subscribe to the JUST DO YOU. podcast in order to receive our weekly episode updates!  If you like what you hear, please leave us a review at Apple Podcasts! To follow us on Instagram, visit: https://www.instagram.com/justdoyoupod/ Want to learn more about our host, Eric Nicoll?  Visit:  https://ericnicoll.com

    Episode 83 - When The World Gets Too Loud with Eric Nicoll
See All (111)

5
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

The JUST DO YOU. podcast is a vibrant space for authentic conversations designed to connect, inspire, and empower us. Through these conversations, we explore the journey to finding confidence, discovering our unique voice, and embracing our truth. Along the way, we just might uncover new perspectives that help us step into what I call the JUST DO YOU. sweet spot — the space where you're fully, unapologetically yourself.Each week, I’m honored to sit down for unscripted conversations with friends, family, colleagues, community leaders, and influencers as they share their personal stories. Together, we’ll laugh, maybe shed a few tears, but most importantly, we’ll remind ourselves that no one journeys through life alone. I hope you enjoy these moments as much as I do. So, are you ready? WELCOME to the conversation!    

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Nicoll
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 JUST DO YOU.
  • Show Website
    JUST DO YOU.

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