Wake Up with Chris Donnelly
16: Psychologist Reveals Mental Hacks That Will Unlock Your Dream Life In 3 Months - Maya Raichoora
Apr 10, 2025
01:22:22
This episode might change the way you think about mindset forever.
At just 17, Maya Raichoora was diagnosed with a chronic illness that left her unable to walk, eat, or even attend school. Doctors told her she’d never recover fully.
But what changed everything wasn’t just treatment — it was visualisation.
Maya shares the exact moment her healing journey began, how she used mental imagery to rewire her brain, and the powerful mindset tools she now teaches in her new book “Visualise.”
If you’ve ever felt stuck, burnt out, or like you’re living in survival mode
This conversation is a blueprint for getting back to yourself.
Chapter:
00:00 – Introduction
02:31 – Introducing Maya
03:24 – Maya’s Early Life as a High Performer
04:09 – Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis
05:19 – The Mental and Physical Struggle
06:39 – Isolation and Shame
08:39 – Searching for a Cure Worldwide
09:39 – The Question That Changed Everything
10:39 – Visualising a New Future
12:09 – The Obsession with the Mind-Body Connection
13:09 – Turning Pain into Purpose
14:09 – How to Start Visualising
15:09 – Building Your Future Self Through Reps
16:39 – The Power of Slowing Down
19:09 – Mind Like a Lake: A Visualisation for Calm
20:39 – The Energy Diet No One Talks About
22:39 – Recognising Your Seasons
26:09 – Hibernation Mode for High Performers
28:09 – Spring, Summer, and Harvest Cycles
30:39 – Following Your Own Race
33:39 – Building a Character-Driven Identity
36:09 – Taking Radical Responsibility
39:39 – The Real Role of Social Media
42:09 – Internal vs External Validation
45:39 – When You're Overwhelmed by Feedback
48:39 – Building Mental Fitness Habits
51:39 – Celebrating the Present Moment
54:39 – Letting Go of the Hustle Guilt
57:39 – Learning to Delete, Not Just Add
01:00:39 – Visualising Nike-Level Mindset
01:03:39 – Book Writing, Reading, and Rewriting Beliefs
01:06:39 – Building Accessible Tools for Young People
01:09:39 – Future Plans for Mental Fitness Education
01:12:39 – Why We Avoid Hard Conversations
01:15:39 – 6 Vulnerable Questions That Build Deep Connection
01:18:39 – Managing Stress Through Language and Awareness
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en
Follow Maya: https://www.instagram.com/maya.mental.fitness/?hl=en
Link to book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/465180/visualise-by-raichoora-maya/9781846048524
At just 17, Maya Raichoora was diagnosed with a chronic illness that left her unable to walk, eat, or even attend school. Doctors told her she’d never recover fully.
But what changed everything wasn’t just treatment — it was visualisation.
Maya shares the exact moment her healing journey began, how she used mental imagery to rewire her brain, and the powerful mindset tools she now teaches in her new book “Visualise.”
If you’ve ever felt stuck, burnt out, or like you’re living in survival mode
This conversation is a blueprint for getting back to yourself.
Chapter:
00:00 – Introduction
02:31 – Introducing Maya
03:24 – Maya’s Early Life as a High Performer
04:09 – Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis
05:19 – The Mental and Physical Struggle
06:39 – Isolation and Shame
08:39 – Searching for a Cure Worldwide
09:39 – The Question That Changed Everything
10:39 – Visualising a New Future
12:09 – The Obsession with the Mind-Body Connection
13:09 – Turning Pain into Purpose
14:09 – How to Start Visualising
15:09 – Building Your Future Self Through Reps
16:39 – The Power of Slowing Down
19:09 – Mind Like a Lake: A Visualisation for Calm
20:39 – The Energy Diet No One Talks About
22:39 – Recognising Your Seasons
26:09 – Hibernation Mode for High Performers
28:09 – Spring, Summer, and Harvest Cycles
30:39 – Following Your Own Race
33:39 – Building a Character-Driven Identity
36:09 – Taking Radical Responsibility
39:39 – The Real Role of Social Media
42:09 – Internal vs External Validation
45:39 – When You're Overwhelmed by Feedback
48:39 – Building Mental Fitness Habits
51:39 – Celebrating the Present Moment
54:39 – Letting Go of the Hustle Guilt
57:39 – Learning to Delete, Not Just Add
01:00:39 – Visualising Nike-Level Mindset
01:03:39 – Book Writing, Reading, and Rewriting Beliefs
01:06:39 – Building Accessible Tools for Young People
01:09:39 – Future Plans for Mental Fitness Education
01:12:39 – Why We Avoid Hard Conversations
01:15:39 – 6 Vulnerable Questions That Build Deep Connection
01:18:39 – Managing Stress Through Language and Awareness
Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en
Follow Maya: https://www.instagram.com/maya.mental.fitness/?hl=en
Link to book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/465180/visualise-by-raichoora-maya/9781846048524
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