The Light Watkins Show
Have you been dreaming of helping people in a meaningful way, but can’t get past your deepest insecurities or self doubt? The truth is: every change maker has to confront those same fears. The Light Watkins Show is a weekly interview podcast that unpacks the experiences of regular folks who have navigated dark and uncertain times in order to help improve the lives others. Light candidly shares these stories in the hopes of igniting your inspiration so you can start living your purpose!
Light Watkins is a best-selling author and keynote speaker. In 2014, Light started a non-profit variety show called The Shine Movement in Los Angeles, which grew into a global inspirational variety show! In 2020 he started an online personal development community called The Happiness Insiders. His most recent book, Travel Light, documents his one-bagger nomadic journey that he started in 2018.
The Light Watkins Show
296: How to Heal Your Nervous System and Finally Feel Like Yourself Again with Tom Cronin
What happens when success costs you your peace?
Tom Cronin spent 26 years in high-stakes finance — making millions, closing international deals, and living the kind of life most people dream about. But behind the high-performance exterior was a man quietly falling apart. Years of chronic stress, sleepless nights, and panic attacks eventually brought him to a breaking point. And that’s when everything changed.
In this episode, Tom shares the full arc of his transformation — from a nervous breakdown in his late 20s to discovering meditation as a lifeline, and eventually leaving finance to become a teacher, filmmaker, and mentor for conscious leaders.
You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of how he bet his savings (and his house) on a documentary project that didn’t go as planned, and how he rebuilt his life by learning to listen to his inner voice — even when it didn’t make logical sense.
This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck in a version of success that no longer fits, and wondering what it really takes to pivot toward purpose without losing everything in the process.
We talk about nervous system healing, the cost of ignoring your intuition, how to charge for spiritual work without guilt, and why some of the best decisions in life start from a breakdown.
Tom doesn’t just talk about peace — he lived the chaos that made it necessary.
Listen now and learn how to come back to yourself.