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The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Growing up with a mother gripped by addiction meant learning to fend for yourself. For Kristen Holmes, the experience created deep independence but also difficulty forming emotional attachments later in life. Her mother had undiagnosed major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder, conditions that were normalized rather than treated. That personal history shaped Holmes's mission: to understand how we can improve our own biology and psychology to self-actualize and live our potential. As she puts it, "I never want to project my values onto other folks," but helping people realize their potential has always been at the core of why she does what she does.

The Principle of Non-Neutrality and Alcohol

Holmes introduces a framework she calls the "principle of non-neutrality." Every behavior either supports your values—growth, impact, presence, compassion—or it doesn't. There is no neutral ground. When you look at alcohol through this lens, the choice becomes clear. "If you need alcohol to bond or to form a connection," she says, "there's probably something else going on that is unaddressed."