What Happens When You Choose Happiness & Start Prioritising Joy? | Sapna Pieroux | Diva Delves Ep 10

What happens when you've spent much of your life trying not to stand out, only to discover that being visible might be the very thing that sets you free? In Episode 10 of Diva Delves, I'm joined by Sapna Pieroux, brand strategist, author of *Let's Get Visible*, personal brand coach and founder of NotWorkers karaoke networking and Make the Space. *CONTENT NOTE:* This episode includes discussion of racism, childhood punishment, breast cancer, bereavement, suicide and emotional distress. Growing up in 1970s Britain as the daughter of immigrant parents, Sapna learnt early to keep her head down, work hard, be a good girl and avoid drawing attention to herself. But beneath that quiet, studious exterior was a wonderfully creative girl who wanted to do things her own way. We delve into cultural expectations, racism, family pressures, changing your accent to fit in, hiding behind big corporate brands and the terrifying moment Sapna nearly published her own book under a white man's name rather than her own. We also talk about breast cancer, grief, losing your sense of joy and what happens when life makes you question everything you've been working towards. And there's a particularly powerful shift when Sapna realises that instead of constantly pushing herself to achieve more, she can deliberately build a life around the things that make her happy. From embracing colour and becoming visible on stage to starting karaoke networking, reconnecting with her creativity and finding a new sense of belonging, Sapna's story is about much more than confidence. Because sometimes breaking free from the Sausage Machine isn't about becoming louder or more successful. It's about finally giving yourself permission to choose what makes you feel alive. *ABOUT DIVA DELVES* I'm Lisa Newport, creator of Funky Diva Vibes®, and I believe we're all squished by what I call the Sausage Machine of Conformity — those invisible rules, expectations and 'shoulds' that shape who we think we're supposed to be. Diva Delves is where I explore those Squishes through real conversations with fascinating people about their lives, choices and the moments that have shaped them. My Spot, Split, Sizzle framework helps us: 👀 *Spot the Squish* — notice what's influencing you. ✂️ *Split from the Shoulds* — question whether those rules are actually right for you. ✨ *Sizzle as Yourself* — choose what you want to keep, change or chuck out. That's what I call Unsausaging! *CONNECT WITH SAPNA PIEROUX* Discover Sapna's brand consultancy, NotWorkers karaoke networking and Make the Space. All Sapna's links: https://linktr.ee/sapnapieroux *CONNECT WITH ME* Website: https://lisanewport.com Discover Funky Diva Vibes®, take the Spot the Squish quiz and explore ways to start your own Unsausaging journey. If something in this conversation resonates with you, tell me in the comments. I'd love to know what Squishes you've spotted in your own life. And don't forget to subscribe for more Diva Delves conversations! #DivaDelves #FunkyDivaVibes #SapnaPieroux #Unsausaging #SpotTheSquish #SelfExpression #Confidence #PersonalBranding