Samantha Holland
Person by Samantha Holland
I’m Samantha Holland, a cancer survivor and former Disney VIP Tour Guide sharing real, hopeful conversations about resilience, purpose, and finding meaning through life’s unknowns.
About
At 34, I was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer, a moment that shattered everything I thought I knew about myself, my future, and my strength. But what followed wasn’t just survival it was transformation. That diagnosis became the c...
At 34, I was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer, a moment that shattered everything I thought I knew about myself, my future, and my strength. But what followed wasn’t just survival it was transformation. That diagnosis became the catalyst for a journey through pain, perspective, and ultimately, purpose. Before cancer, I spent 13 years at The Walt Disney Company, where I designed and led leadership programs focused on teamwork, emotional intelligence, and building a lasting legacy. I facilitated workshops with everyone from elementary school students to college leaders, Disney executives, and even the National Honor Guard. My work centered around helping people understand what it means to lead with purpose, and that mission continues today. Outside of work, I found freedom and strength through aerial arts, a practice that taught me how to trust my body, hold tension with grace, and rise even when everything felt upside down. But life’s challenges didn’t stop with cancer. Like so many, I’ve faced grief, betrayal, trauma, and the quiet ache of rebuilding. That’s what led me to develop the Beyond Negative process — a framework for moving through the before, during, and after of life’s hardest moments. It’s not about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about choosing to rewrite the meaning, even when the story stays the same. Today, I speak, coach, and lead workshops that help people reclaim their voice, reframe their pain, and remember their power. Because you can’t always change the story — but you can change what it means.
What Matters
Samantha says resilience is a skill you build: "You are not defined by the things that happen to you, but by the actions that you take after."
Samantha says artificial intelligence matters: "It's a tool that could be super, super helpful...I have ADHD and it really helps with my executive functioning."
Samantha says Disney matters: "It gives a lot of people hope...it matters for the memory making of it."
Samantha says social media matters: "It provides access for people to share their experiences...it matters as a sense of community."
Samantha says storytelling matters: "Sharing what you've been through...opens up the avenue to speak and understand you are not alone...storytelling is a way to build connection."
Samantha says memes matter: "They're a form of communication...sending your friend a meme is like a love language...they are culturally significant too."
Samantha says journaling matters: "I do it every day...taking pen to paper is so important because it allows you to access a different part of your brain."
Samantha says grief matters: "It's something that everybody experiences...the thing that makes grief so difficult is how isolating it is...if we talked about it more, it would take away that scariness."
Samantha says journaling matters: "I do it every day...it helps me see where my head space is...taking pen to paper is so important."
Samantha says veganism does not matter to her: "I tried to be vegan for three months and I failed miserably...the way I craved a cheeseburger...was wild."
Whys (9)
Samantha says resilience is a skill you build: "You are not defined by the things that happen to you, but by the actions that you take after."
Does RESILIENCE matter to you?
Samantha says journaling matters: "I do it every day...it helps me see where my head space is...taking pen to paper is so important."
Does JOURNAL matter to you?
Samantha says grief matters: "It's something that everybody experiences...the thing that makes grief so difficult is how isolating it is...if we talked about it more, it would take away that scariness."
Does GRIEF matter to you?
Samantha says journaling matters: "I do it every day...taking pen to paper is so important because it allows you to access a different part of your brain."
Does JOURNALING matter to you?
Samantha says memes matter: "They're a form of communication...sending your friend a meme is like a love language...they are culturally significant too."
Does INTERNET MEMES matter to you?
Samantha says storytelling matters: "Sharing what you've been through...opens up the avenue to speak and understand you are not alone...storytelling is a way to build connection."
Does STORYTELLING matter to you?
Samantha says social media matters: "It provides access for people to share their experiences...it matters as a sense of community."
Does SOCIAL MEDIA matter to you?
Samantha says Disney matters: "It gives a lot of people hope...it matters for the memory making of it."
Does THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY matter to you?
Samantha says artificial intelligence matters: "It's a tool that could be super, super helpful...I have ADHD and it really helps with my executive functioning."
Does ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE matter to you?