Beyond Negative and Just Happy To Be Here

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Life doesn’t always go as planned and honestly, same. Just Happy To Be Here is where we talk about what happens after the plot twist: the diagnosis, the breakup, the burnout, the “wait, how did I end up here?” moments. I’m Sam Holland, cancer survivor, former Disney VIP Tour Guide, and founder of Beyond Negative, here to prove that healing can be messy, growth can be funny, and meaning can be found in the most unexpected places. Because sometimes, being here is the brave thing.

Episodes

  1. Jan 14

    EP 6 - Losing the Plot Is the Plot

    What happens when a story refuses to guide you? In this episode, I break down Die My Love, a film that polarized audiences, frustrated viewers, and quietly exposed how uncomfortable we are with stories that don’t offer resolution. Critics called it slow.Audiences said it had no plot.Some people walked out. But what if losing the plot is the point? We talk about mental health, identity loss, unreliable narrators, sensory overload, and why films that depict psychological unraveling aren’t meant to be universally understood. This episode explores how lived experience shapes interpretation and why discomfort, confusion, and frustration are sometimes the most honest storytelling tools we have. This isn’t just a movie review.It’s a conversation about empathy without orientation and what it means to sit inside someone else’s reality without a roadmap.

    18 min

  2. 12/10/2025

    EP 5 - The Middle Is Messy, But It's Where You Become Someone New

    This episode dives deep into one of the most overlooked parts of the healing journey: the middle. The phase where you feel stuck, confused, or disconnected not who you were before, and not yet the person you’re becoming. This is the heart of every identity shift, transformation process, and self-growth journey. We explore the neuroscience behind why the in-between feels overwhelming, how your nervous system responds during major life transitions, and why emotional healing often looks like confusion before clarity. You’ll learn how to recognize the signs that you’re in a transformation phase, even when nothing feels “right,” and why this messy middle is actually the foundation of becoming someone new. If you’re navigating an identity shift, rebuilding after trauma, healing post-cancer, or moving through a major life change, this episode will help you understand the psychology behind your growth and remind you that you’re not failing, you’re evolving.

    22 min

  3. 11/26/2025

    You'll Never Be Your Old Self Again (And That's The Point) - EP 4

    “You’ll Never Be Your Old Self Again (And That’s the Point)” There’s a moment in healing when you realize you’re not getting your old life back.And as terrifying as that feels… it’s also the moment everything starts to shift. In this episode, we talk about the grief, the fear, and the quiet liberation that comes with becoming someone new.I share the moment I realized I wasn’t going back, not because I didn’t want to, but because my old life didn’t fit anymore. If you’ve been feeling like you don’t recognize yourself lately…if you’re going through a breakup, illness, burnout, a major life change, or a version of you that no longer exists… You’re not alone.And you’re not broken, you’re rebuilding. We’ll explore: ✨ Why you can’t return to who you were✨ How pain reshapes values, identity, and perspective✨ The fear of losing “the best version” of yourself✨ What the new self actually looks like✨ Practical steps to accept who you are becoming You didn’t lose yourself.You’re evolving and your story is still moving forward. And wherever you are in that process…I’m just happy you’re here.

    13 min

  4. 11/10/2025

    EP 03 - Same Phrase, Different Lens - How trauma, perspective, and values shape what "just happy to be here" really means

    The same words can mean completely different things depending on the life you’ve lived. Matthew McConaughey once said that being “just happy to be here” can make you passive, like you’re coasting through life. But as a cancer survivor, I see it differently. To me, “just happy to be here” isn’t complacency, it’s presence. It’s gratitude. It’s a declaration that I fought for this moment. In this episode, we explore how trauma shapes the lens we see the world through, why comparing experiences never works, and how our values — not our pain — become the real benchmark for connection. Because trauma is universal… but the meaning we pull from it is deeply personal

    12 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    EP 02 - Just Happy To Be Here: The Story Behind the Show

    There was a moment when I realized I wasn’t getting my old life back… my right boob tried to kill me… and somehow, I’m just happy to be here. In this next episode, I share the story behind Just Happy To Be Here — how life after cancer forced me to rebuild from the inside out. From over a decade guiding VIPs through Disneyland to rediscovering myself when everything fell apart, this is a story about identity, purpose, and the messy middle between survival and healing. If you’ve ever felt like you’re piecing yourself back together — this one’s for you.

    15 min

  6. 10/13/2025

    This Wasn't the Plan (But I'm Glad You're Here) Ep: 1

    In this first episode, I'm Sharing what Just Happy To Be Here is all about, why it exists, who it's for, and how we're finding meaning, humor and hope in the middle of all life's plot twists.

    9 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Life doesn’t always go as planned and honestly, same. Just Happy To Be Here is where we talk about what happens after the plot twist: the diagnosis, the breakup, the burnout, the “wait, how did I end up here?” moments. I’m Sam Holland, cancer survivor, former Disney VIP Tour Guide, and founder of Beyond Negative, here to prove that healing can be messy, growth can be funny, and meaning can be found in the most unexpected places. Because sometimes, being here is the brave thing.

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