What happens when you've spent 20 years fighting for what's yours, and then realize that was never even the game? In this episode of GUTS, host Topaz Adizes sits down with Kristen V. Carter, fifth-generation creative, executive producer, TV show runner turned educator, who hit a moment of total honesty at 38 and said something she had never said before: I am not happy. What followed was a complete reorientation, guided by one rule: if the joy isn't on 10, it's out. In this episode, we explore: - Fifth generation roots and the ancestors she carried with her - A boarding school year that nearly broke her - Fighting for your seat vs. living from joy - The joy-on-10 litmus test - Generational healing before you pass anything down Since recording, Kristen has tripled enrollment at the Hofstra LA Semester Program, now bringing 35 students to Hollywood in 2027, and is launching The Activation Collective, her 8-week professional accelerator for creatives ready to level up. Follow Kristen: https://www.instagram.com/kristenvcarter/reels/ Follow her podcast 'Trust Your Magic': https://www.instagram.com/trustyourmagic/ www.kristenvcarter.com _____________________________________________________________________ Follow GUTS: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/guts.podcast/ LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/ Subscribe for updates: topazadizes.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices