Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Kristan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Nicole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I didn’t realize it until recently, but my mission started long before I had the words to name it. It began when I was a child—or maybe because of my childhood.

I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I tried so hard to belong. I played sports, joined friend groups, and did everything I could to mold myself into what I thought I should be. But no matter how hard I tried, I always felt like the square peg in a world of round holes.

Looking back, I carried a lot of frustration and sadness, though I kept it locked deep inside. I even took that frustration out on others at times, which I’m not proud of, but I’ve learned it was because I was hurting. And I was often pretending to be someone I wasn’t—a mask I wore for most of my life until just a few years ago.

Even with friends, even with a best friend, I didn’t feel deeply connected. It wasn’t complete isolation, but there was a kind of loneliness that stuck with me—a longing to feel fully seen and understood.

Then, at 14 years old, my world turned upside down.

On July 6, 2007, I was in a motorcycle accident. My dad was driving, and I was the passenger. As we rounded a curve, we hit loose gravel, and the bike slid out from under us. That moment left me with a C5/C6 spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the chest down.

It was sudden. There was no time to prepare, no gradual adjustment—just before and after.

I spent 81 days in the hospital after the accident. In those months, I don’t think I fully understood how much my life had changed. It wasn’t until I came home that the weight of it all hit me. That’s when the emotional and mental challenges began to sink in.

My family, friends, and community were incredibly supportive. They organized fundraisers to help with medical expenses and therapies, which I’ll always be grateful for. But going back to school was a different story. My friends didn’t know what to do with the “new” me—and honestly, neither did I. I don’t blame them for it, but it left me feeling even more isolated. I’d hear about them doing things together without me, and the sting of being left out, of not being invited, was unbearable.

Physically, I struggled with a body that no longer felt like mine. It was as if my own flesh had betrayed me, taking away the function and independence I’d once taken for granted.

Emotionally, I struggled to simply exist. There were countless days when I’d ask, “Why me?” Nights when I’d wish I hadn’t survived at all because it felt like that would have been easier.

I experienced anger, grief, self-doubt, and resentment—but I buried it all. I’d hear people say, “Just stay positive,” as if my pain wasn’t valid. So I forced myself to suppress anything that wasn’t happy or optimistic. Eventually, I felt next to nothing. Even smiling or laughing became a challenge.

The turning point came when I discovered the world of energetics, emotions, and healing. Learning how deeply energy and emotions are tied to our human experience changed everything for me. It opened my eyes to a broader perspective, a new way of understanding myself and my place in the world.

It wasn’t one moment but a slow realization over time that my story, my pain, and my experiences were meant to help others. Piece by piece, I began collecting the wisdom from my journey, and I knew I wanted to create something of my own—something that would offer the belonging and transformation I had craved for so long.

Now, my mission is to create spaces and experiences for women to heal, grow, and show up exactly as they are—knowing that it’s enough. I want them to embrace their differences, to see their challenges and uniqueness as art.

Because your differences don’t make you less worthy or less lovable. They make you you.

Your beauty lies in what makes you different. You’re not here to fit into a round hole. You’re here to create your own shape. And you’re worthy, exactly as you are.

Nicole, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For most of my life, I’ve wrestled with the feeling of not fitting in. As a child, I tried to force myself into spaces and roles that didn’t feel right—whether that was through sports, friend groups, or societal expectations. But nothing truly clicked. My spinal cord injury at age 14 added another layer to this struggle, leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. At such a pivotal age, I was faced with the challenge of navigating a body that no longer felt like mine, a world that wasn’t designed for me, and friendships that felt strained by my “new normal.”

For years, I hid my struggles behind a mask of positivity because that’s what people wanted to see. But deep down, I battled self-doubt, grief, and the weight of simply existing. It wasn’t until I began exploring emotional healing, energy work, and the power of self-expression that I found a way to rewrite my story. I stopped trying to fit in and started embracing my differences as my superpower.

Now, I’m on a mission to help other women do the same. Through my brand, Nicole Kristan, I offer transformative experiences that guide women back to their authentic selves. My work focuses on helping women who feel suppressed, stuck, or unseen step into their fullest expression with confidence and freedom.

I currently offer:

The Soul Studio Membership: A space for women to explore self-growth and healing through hypnosis, group coaching, and community support.

The perMISSION Experience: A three-month journey to help women break free from external expectations, embrace their uniqueness, and create a life rooted in authenticity.

(COMING SOON!) The Soul Studio Podcast: A space for deep, raw conversations about healing, growth, and living a life aligned with your truth.

What sets me apart is my ability to combine hypnosis with emotional healing, creating a unique space for women to reconnect with their power. I’m most proud of the community I’m building—a space where women feel seen, heard, and celebrated for exactly who they are.

I want potential clients and followers to know that their differences are their strength. My work is about helping women shed the layers of who they’ve been told to be and step boldly into who they’re meant to be. Whether it’s through my membership, my podcast, or my programs, my goal is to inspire women to embrace their uniqueness, trust their intuition, and create lives they’re wildly in love with.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Shortly after I came home from the hospital following my accident, I started physical therapy. One day, I showed up for my appointment, and my physical therapist told me we’d be working in the kitchen that day. I was so excited. I thought, “Finally, something normal in a life that felt anything but.”

We rolled into the kitchen, and she pulled out a paper bag. Then she said
“We’re going to be making puppy chow in a bag because you’ll probably never be using a stove again.” That was a punch to the gut.

I wasn’t as vocal or outspoken then as I am now. I bit my tongue through the entire appointment, but inside, her words shattered me. It felt like she’d taken my future—what I had left of my independence—and boxed it up in limitations I hadn’t even put on myself.

When I left that day, I knew I wasn’t going back. I wouldn’t let her—or anyone else—determine the rest of my life for me. She didn’t get to decide what I could or couldn’t do.

That moment taught me something profound about resilience: it’s not just about enduring hard times. It’s about refusing to let someone else’s expectations or beliefs define your life.

That day, I stopped traditional physical therapy, but I didn’t stop fighting for the life I wanted. I’ve learned to adapt, to challenge assumptions (even my own), and to embrace my power to define my path. And yes, I’ve used a stove since then—because no one gets to tell me what I can’t do.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

There was a time in my life when I was trying so hard to check all the boxes society hands us—the “shoulds” and “have-tos” of growing up and getting it together. I’d just quit my job at a spa where I worked as a hypnotherapist, and I felt completely lost. I had no idea what I was going to do next.

For some reason, going back to school seemed like the logical next step. It felt like the “right” thing to do—like something I should do to figure out my life. I enrolled in a graphic design program, thinking this might give me the direction I was craving.

But six months later, I found myself sitting in my vehicle in the school parking lot, bawling my eyes out. I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to be in school. I was trying to force myself down a path that didn’t feel aligned with me at all.

I messaged my friend Chelsea, pouring my heart out about how miserable I felt. She sent back a simple message:
“Then quit. If you don’t want to be there, go in there and quit.”

Her words were exactly what I needed to hear. That day, I rolled into the school and told them I was done. I quit. And while I had no game plan—no idea what was next—I knew I couldn’t keep forcing myself into a life that didn’t feel like mine.

For the next few years, I played life by ear. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I gave myself permission to pause, to explore, and to focus on my personal healing. I used that time to peel back the layers of who I thought I “should” be and rediscover who I really was.

That pivot changed everything for me. It wasn’t easy, but it gave me the clarity and freedom to rebuild my life on my terms. And now, here I am—living a life rooted in authenticity, purpose, and a mission to help other women do the same.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/xonicolekristan
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/xonicolekristan

Image Credits

Rebecca Plautz