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In this episode of Realistic Happiness, we’re joined by Darren Ryemill—award-winning entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and founder of Hapstar, a business dedicated to improving workplace well-being.

⚠️ This episode contains open discussion of mental health struggles, including suicidal thoughts. Listener discretion is advised.

Darren shares his deeply personal story of hitting rock bottom at the height of his professional success and the system he created to rebuild his life from the inside out.

We discuss:

- Redefining Success and Fulfillment: How chasing external milestones like money, awards, and career progression can still leave you feeling empty—and how to reconnect with what really matters.

- Burnout, Breakdown, and Breakthrough: Darren’s honest account of how burnout and divorce led him to a breaking point, and the steps he took to restore his mental health without medication.

- The Wheel of Life: Discover the method Darren used to evaluate and improve every area of his life: including fun, finances, relationships, and purpose—through incremental change.

- Happiness as a Leadership Tool: Why happy employees perform better, stay longer, and need fewer resources—and how leaders can use data to support mental well-being without big budgets.

- Why Your Happiness is Your Responsibility: The difference between what makes you appear successful and what actually makes you feel fulfilled—and why it’s up to you to define and protect your version of happiness.

If you’ve ever looked around and thought, “Is this it?”—even when everything should be going right—this episode offers refreshing honesty, actionable strategies, and real hope for rebuilding a life that feels meaningful.

Connect with Darren:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenryemill/

Hapstar: https://hapstar.app/

Connect with your Realistic Happiness Community:

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/realistichappiness⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/realistichappinesspodcast/⁠⁠

Connect with your host, Daisy:

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisy-ilaria/⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/daisy.ilaria⁠⁠

Threads: ⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@daisy.ilaria⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DaisyIlaria⁠⁠

Connect with our producer, Jamie:

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-everett1/⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jamie.everett1/