The Good Listening To Show with Christine Marsh

0:00Welcome to another episode of The Good Listening To Show, your life and times with me, Chris Grimes. The storytelling show that features the clearing, where all good questions come to get asked, and all good stories come to be told. And where all my guests have two things in common. They're all creative individuals, and all with an interesting story to tell. For some lovely storytelling metaphors, a clearing, a tree, a juicy storytelling exercise called five, four, three, two, one, some alchemy, some gold, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare, and a cake. So it's all to play for. So yes, welcome to The Good Listening To Show, your life and times with me, Chris Grimes. Are you sitting comfortably here? Then we shall begin. Good morning, good morning, a thrice good morning. Chris Grimes is me, but very, very importantly, this is the lovely Christine Marsh.

1:02I've been visited by Queen, I feel. She was delivered moments ago by a TJ, who is a Sierra Leonean Minder, stroke taxi driver, and you arrived wearing your resplendent sunflower yellow. I thought it was appropriate. It was. And it is a beautiful, glorious Mayday. It is the first of May, Mayday, Mayday, but we need no help, because this is going to be a glorious, glorious episode. I'm just going to blow some happy smoke at you. First of all, I'm going to reveal your slide. So if you're watching this, this is the beauty that is Christine Marsh. You've got a website, which is the Christine Marsh, and you really truly are a V, Christine Marsh. I've been noticing you on LinkedIn for quite some time, and I got back in touch with you a couple of weeks ago. I've prepared four superlatives. And while the irrepressible, incomparable, indomitable, and unstoppable, you are Christine Marsh. You became a model at 84, and you are on a mission, a couple out of this.

2:05By the time I'm 90, this is now me speaking in your words, and you can do this in a moment. I will let you in in a minute. I'm just really positioning how excited this is. No, I'm just saying it's very, you're flattering. So keep going. Well, I'll just go back a step. You're a business change facilitator from C-suite level only and below very rarely, international speaker and author. We're going to talk about your book as well, but you're on a trailblazing mission. By the time I'm 90, I want to be the key global influencer on living life to the full for the over 50s. Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome for a very special legacy life reflections episode of the Good Listening to Show Stories of Distinction and Genius, Christine Marsh. The sound of one-man trapping to bring you in. So how's Moral, how was your journey down with TJ? Talk about TJ if you'd like to too. Let's just get you into the show. Well, TJ knows that if we have to be somewhere at a certain time, I go a bit ballistic if he's late and he's only ever done that once and never ever do it again, he's never seen me angry.

3:09But it was for wonderful luncheon in parages and to go into a preset table setting as the later rival was most embarrassing thing. Well, there is currency in being enigmatically late, but obviously you're a stickler for timekeeping. I think it was Alice Gavinska who is a fifth generation healer. Her books are in, I don't know, how many languages. She actually sorted me out after a very nasty car accident. And she's taken care of me ever since, so, but she gives these luncheon enclarages. Their brunch is actually, and women are invited. There's guest speakers talking about, you know, basically your health and keeping things going, and she also has these books that I rely on about owning your own energy. Yes. So energy to me is crucial. You have so many beautiful quotes pertaining to energy, there's a lovely analogy about being a matchbox, and you can please do talk about the box of matches, the ignition

4:12of fire. And then one of your quotes that I loved was the idea that in order to shine, you need to burn. We'll get on to all of that, but first of all, just to go back a step, if people don't have a frame of reference for the beauty that is the Christine Marsh on your extraordinary mission to go way beyond 90 and beyond, there's nothing stopping you, you're totally unstoppable. But what got you on the trailblazing path that you now find yourself on? I think because my background had been corporate life, and I'd gone from an operational background, new product development right the way through, so I understood the supply chain, and then I got really annoyed that training did not appear to be matching what we needed. Now that's no reflection on the wonderful guy who was running it, Richard Chepard, who's been one of my dull, what supporters, and it's still their rooting for me anytime you can. But the key thing was that it had to be relevant, and I felt I could make a contribution. And you know, they told me I wasn't suitable.

5:13I couldn't do the transition from operational to learning and development. Now, you don't tell me what I can't do, Chris, you really don't. I think we know that. That's not the best way it is. Indomitable. You know, come on. I thought, well, anyway, they wouldn't listen. So I resigned, went off and got this glamorous job going to Geneva and working with Elfoyle and all sorts of stuff. Did I miss the people? The retail is a hard world. I felt there was so much we could do or I could help contribute to Richard in looking at 3,997 people and breaking it down into digestible chunks. And together, when I went back after 3 months, my chair was now in learning and development. And when Richard was talking about what it was like when he heard I was actually going to join him and oh my God. I thought with it. I told you so. There you are. You're back in exactly the chair. You've already decided you're going to sit down off.

6:15He's been a fantastic man. He came to my book launch. You know, you have someone who sees talent in other people and gives you the opportunity to shine. And your book, we're going to talk about, we're going to do a dedicated section about your good book, but Flashpoint Transformation, I know there's the story of the matchboxes in there. And it's about life's choices. It's a collective compendium of your wisdom over the eight decades you've been doing what you do beautifully. And what's really compelling is, are you ready to jump or waiting to be pushed? Yeah. And this is what we're also going to be talking about. I think the main quote with that is, change is inevitable. And the people who sit hoping that life's going to go on, especially where we are at the moment, it isn't. It's fast, it's vibrant, it's scary, and you know, that's not going to happen. So change is inevitable, stress is manageable, and a lot of people don't understand that. There's a lot of people saying, you know, stress is not good for you, I'm sorry, but that's our survival. Yes. You know, we need that adrenaline to get us out of trouble.

7:17Yeah. The problem is we used to be able to go and punch somebody. We're not supposed to do that anymore, we're upsetting us. So we repressed stress and we're in a stress state of adrenaline fix. But the key thing to me was life choices and the percentage of people if I could help them. Now that is just a taste. I don't go into my business, people, everyone thought I was going to write a business book and I thought, no, this is just me sharing some tips and techniques and provoking people to think, you know, what are their life choices? Are they ready to jump or they're going to wait? But stress is manageable, what I love is misres optional. I worked with one client in Birmingham, the company had been taken over by French company and that wasn't going down very well. And the problem was that the one guy was trying, you know, everyone's doom and gloom and down in the dark places and it was life dreadful. And he said he would go home, take it out on the wife, kids, get the dog, that kind

8:18of thing and come back in with a smile, say, well, I, you know, today's another day. And we went in smiling and everyone said, well, the brandy else, I'm married with you today. Don't you know how dreadful it is? You know, how can you possibly see positive in anything that we're doing? So misery is optional and we're beautiful quotes already. We're suffusing this with just delicious quotes. There is a favorite inspirational quote, invocation at the end, which we'll come on to. So if I may, I'm going to get you on the open road of the structure of the good listening to show and the invitation is to go where you like, when you like, as deep as you like, whenever it occurs, as I take you through the journey, if you've not seen the show before, where you've been, we're about 250 episodes in, but there's going to be a clearing, a tree, a lovely juicy storytelling exercise called five, four, three, two, one, there's going to be some alchemy, some gold, a couple of random squirrels, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare, a golden batten, and a cake. So it's all to play for, yes, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm glad you're looking forward to the cake. No breakfast.

9:18So that is essential. And I couldn't resist, but do a legacy life reflections show with you. It's so, so, so, so not over because you're trailblazing to 90 and beyond, but it's just really exciting to get someone that is all about zest and energy and how you apply that energy. Here you are at 84 and a model at 84, too. And Chris, can I just add the 50 was when in the boardroom where I was after a very hostile takeover, there was a stuffed eagle and one of the directors laughed and he said that's what happens to the women around here. They end up with stuffed birds. Oh. And when I was coming up to 50, I knew I was going to be made redundant. Wow. And sure enough. Wow. So you're past yourself by date and retail best before days, those kind of things. And that's why you specifically picked. Yeah. And there's almost like the next phase of life and 50 class. Yes. And what happened to that particular individual and when he said that to you at that time, I had been one of the survivors of a hostile takeover bid and there were only 30 of us.

10:21And I knew I had a shelf life of about 18 to 20 months. And then once they'd leached or you'd contributed, yes, you'd be offered a redundancy. So I was already planning my own business. Okay. Let's get you on the open road. The clearing, first of all, is your serious, happy place. So Christine Marsh, business change, the facilitator, world renowned international speaker and author. Where is what is a clearing for you? Where do you go in your life's rich tapestry to get clot of free, inspirational and able to think? Physically, I can't. I can't physically go somewhere because of the traveling that I've done. And I think the four years you mentioned the death of my husband. And basically that was survival. So I found it hard to have a happy place and having to move and everything that's gone on there. It's in my head. I know that sounds dreadful, but I have a place quietly in my head where I go. And if I may help you help us explore that, so how would you describe that special place in your head?

11:21It's quiet. I like music in the background and virtually concentrating on my breathing and just get some peace and stop the world and get off. I love that. And you travel to many, many places, but the place is self-containment. It's within your own head where you need to go there. And that's quite a zen of itself as a boring from that philosophy. But when was the last time you remember being in your clearing? I think when did I last go there? It was 18th of December, 2024. And I looked at the fact I'd moved everything, it settled. And I thought now what? And I had two options. I could mature and age gracefully, be disgraceful, guess which one I chose. I'm glad you did. So that basically was, okay, start a new life, blank sheet of paper. What are you going to do with the rest of your life? That was one of the first really compelling things in a very early part of our first conversation.

12:21When you talked about life presenting you after the death of your husband with a completely blank piece of paper. So rather than retracting within and just staying in your clearing, you've actually come out almost all guns blazing. I think the thing is that Colin, we met when we were 17, so we grew up together. He never particularly wanted to know what I did, but he supported me in my madness. The only time that it went a bit pear-shaped is we got involved in pyramid marketing. And that was another story and I started selling. I'd never saw it selling, I was just offering a service. I never thought sales was imposing on somebody. And I actually found that my area, my region had got top marks and the phone went and it was twisting. We want you in Geneva on Tuesday as one of our speakers. And he said no. Now that came as a shock. Your husband said no. No, you can't do it. You are a wife, you are a mother, we've got two young children and I'm very proud of him

13:23because having said no, I think that was his survival technique with three women in his life with our two daughters first and then think about it. He came and he said, you've worked really hard for this, what you need, how long will you be away, can we work together? And that was how we got through my mad crazy adventures afterwards. Just tell me where you're going. Let me know when you're back and if you can manage to send smoke signals up or something to say you're still breathing, he supported, but he never really wanted to know what I did. Yes. So he allowed you to weave your magic. Yes. And magic you have weaved and that's what the collective wisdom is all about here in the book that we'll talk about later on as well. So if I may, I'm now going to intrude slightly with in your clearing by arriving with a tree and I'm going to shake your tree and it's a bit deliberately existential, a bit waiting for God to ask. And this is where you've had five minutes at Christine Marsh or as long as you've needed since you very kindly agreed to be in the show. To have thought about four things that have shaped you, three things that inspire you, two things that never felt to grab your attention and borrow from the film up.

14:26That's a bit, well, squirrels, you know, what are your shiny objects in drones, your monsters of destruction and then the one is a quirky run usual fact about you. Okay. So over to you, it's not a memory test. I'll curate you through it, but four things that have shaped you, first of all. Being born in India, I think that was what I call my unorthodox beginning and introduction to life. Born in 1940, the war started and my father was posted. Well, he was in India with my mother and elder daughter, elder sister, Bikipad and get my relationships right here. All the families were actually moved up into Kashmir and we were there virtually for the duration of the war. So my poor sister, bless her rosemary and other dearly, she's in Canada. She was sent to boarding school and that was a bit tough because I was a little concerted brat that was left behind. I didn't get any education. Nobody got at me. So my brain was never formatted. I never had to comply, never had any tick boxes or exams or I think it's two or three

15:30now. They're testing these little mites. I think it's wicked. You know, the time when you should be having fun and creating and developing your imagination and all the gorgeous things about being a child. So basically, it turned out that the penalty for that freedom was when we returned in 1947, I think there was something that went on where the Brits were kicked out of India. They found it couldn't read. So this disruptive child actually was masking the fact that these Bucks, Quigals, didn't mean anything. And I wonder, I don't know if it's verging on Dixlettia. I don't know all the official terms, but basically artistically, I see shapes and I never related that shape to a word. You know, it was one teacher who tweaked that within this chitowee, what she did to me. She sat me down and she showed me and it was Bucks, Quigals, they didn't look many of them. And it's actually the famous saying, I think they use it to test typing things on keyboards. Do they was printing?

16:31Because Colin was a printer. So there's a lazy dog in there. Yeah. The red fox jumps over the brown lazy dog or the other way round. And I thought, oh, there's a dog here. And I thought, what's the dog? I can see black squiggles. And what she did, she got the picture of that squiggle to equal dog. Right. Clicked, got it. She taught me nouns. Buff just like that. I wonder what they're doing. Oh, jumping. Verb. Right. Adjectives. Colour. Brown. Red. I mean, isn't that brilliant? Where does this teaching spark of how that genius, she has been the foundation of why I felt that nobody should be judged unless they had the opportunity to learn. Yeah. And that's been my life mission. And seeing patterns in the squiggles, I don't doubt would have helped you later on as a facilitator because you were there looking at supply chains and just seeing patterns of behavior. Yeah. So actually, it's a very compelling way to learn rather than the obvious way to learn. Yeah. You'll see, you'll go. I did some work with Elizabeth Arden and again, the clients have all become dear friends.

17:36And Colin died. The number of people who turned up on my doorstep to see if I was okay. Yes. And still do. So the key thing really was I give you one and a half hour. We've just paid a fortune to one of the top people and what they do, they're sending graduates on £500 a day and they're charging £4,000 a day for the services. And he'd had these reports and all they'd done is ask the people what the problem was and then send it back as a report or no solutions to it. Yeah. So one and a half hours, he said, get down on my production line if you come back with anything that can be sorted and I thought, you're saying I can't know you and guess what the response was. So you go down, they have this expense of cellophane that they wrap, I think you pay that instead of what's the cosmetics in the jar and kind of thing. And there was wastage and I thought, well, how can you afford to waste that amount off a bail cellophane? Fortunately, there was a delivery just coming in. Went out and watched the Fort Lift Driver and no one had trained them.

18:36They were using agency staff. So the Fort Lift prongs instead of going into the pallet and lifting the pallet, we're going on the top of the pallet and scratching. Well, you know, you lost a good six inches, sorry, if you're into centimeters or something. I'm still in inches and pounds and shillings bear with me. And the other thing was they had five different titles and you thought, why do you need five managers here on a production unit and it had been the way of quelling the troublemakers if they moaned, give them a bit more money and give them another title and shut them up. But, you know, but how much a decision making over the fence, it's them, they decide, they decide. So that's very responsibility. Totally. They, you know, didn't have that clarity of who did what, actually. And again, coming for certainly, you noticing the squiggles of patterns of behavior and then changing and then presumably saving of an absolute fortune. Well, from that, I was then put into what supports sunlight is it? Unilever and that was on the negotiation skills workshop.

19:41Well, you can imagine this container coming across the oceans with it's got, say, let's SO7 in it. Well, the departments didn't collaborate. They were in competition to get the biggest supply at the best price with each others. And so what I did, I got them in in a workshop and this is where I don't get the size of text books. The only letters after my name, a CPT and that certified performance technologist and that has to be American. And what's so compelling, going back again, a full step is that most people will be reflecting back on their career at 84, but you're still out there wanting to speak, wanting to connect, wanting to help solve problems. I'm learning, you know, nothing, nothing is. Unsolvable. I know that sounds pretty dramatic, but you've sometimes have no option. We've got to solve all we're doing to this planet or we're going to be zotted, aren't we? Let's face it. Yes. So next shape, and I'm on as being born in India and then meeting your first key influence

20:43a teacher who saw how to help you. Yes. I think what happened then was basically coming back to the UK, this army brat, but because you moved around so much, Chris, I don't know if you've experienced that, but you've always a new kid on the block. Yeah. There were established friendships. So I became an observer and outlier and out again, it's very useful for the art of the sense of watching the connections who goes out with who, who's talking about who behind their backs, all this kind of quite difficult observation stuff going on. But do you realise how many people were army brats that had been in India, Joanna Lumley, the Goons, Peter Sellers, all those army brats, and our survival technique was humour. Yes. Yes. So that's why I have a laugh at life. A great lens indeed. So that's wonderful shape. Region number three, please. Or what did I do there? Well, obviously, family, I don't, they should have come first, but you have responsibility.

21:45We married very young, 21. We had two beautiful daughters, Alison and Rachel. And it was very different then because back in the sort of late seventies, women stayed at home, stereo types. And I think Alison was five, Rachel was three at the time, two years difference. You know, I had, when Colin was made redundant, redundant, sorry, to make some pennies to help. And the Avon round was going. So how many people are there started with an Avon round? Being born, Avon calling, I remember that from yet, but you know, it fitted in with women and family and you could do it in the evening. And so he bought me a little fear and I used to bomb round helping people. As I said, I didn't see selling imposing. It was providing service. And that's always been whatever I do. If I can't provide a bona fide service that gives you a result, then kick me out. Yes. So you're in vetrally always trying to help and shift things to make them more efficient. Detective work, I like to see it as it, do you know what that means?

22:45Detective work is finding information not readily available. So I'm being told one thing and the others. So when they were sort of competing for this thing, what I placed on the table was one orange and these people had to negotiate for the orange and they split into groups. So one were playing the provider of the orange and the other were the people who wanted to buy the orange. Chris, you won't believe what came out of that simple exercise. Oh, she was. It was unbelievable. They were really getting into it. And this young kid got it. A young gentleman there, rather. Sorry, kids of nanny goats offsprings, aren't they? Sorry, it's a horrible phrase. Sorry, kids. But basically no one and so we're going to use it for why have this possession of the orange? Why are you fighting over an orange? And what it was, one people on group needed the, that's the other people needed the juice for a drink. Yeah. The other people needed the pits because they were looking long term and planning an orange orchard. So they weren't looking in immediate return.

23:46They were looking at long term. Can you see how my brain? Yes, there's chooks over the acid collaboration. Yes, yes, that's a wonderful exercise. I've seen it described before. It's not just cutting it in half and giving them half each. That's the most obvious compromise. But then digging into who needs the zest, the pips, the rind, yes. We could be at shape pitch number four now, please. Right. So the family obviously got into work really because that was a necessity. I will tell you about pyramid selling at some time because that was absolutely the formation of my speaking and management career. But really the key thing is, is for is the whole thing of communication. Yeah, I'm going to ask you a question. Certainly. OK, I'm going to describe something that's really clear in my head. Yeah. What do you see? The animal has long nose big furry ears without thinking what pops into your head? Long nose big furry ears. I'm getting a donkey hybrid could be an anteater.

24:48Long nose dog. Yeah, OK, we're supposed to have one animal, not a zoo. I'll go for, I'll go for the zoo. I'll go for the donkey. Right. Do you know this is where we get on you? I think in the years I've been using this, I've only found 25 people who see a donkey the same as I do. Oh, you do too. Oh, that's a revelation. I want to go on. That's a source of great joy. Thank you. No, no, the donkey. So you get, I love it because you're doing watching. So you get the very quick, witter people who don't allow you to even finish in it. You know, they see an anteater and then you say, well, what happens to the big furry ears? There aren't any and what happens when his nose is in or it's not as noses as tongue. So you have this absolutely random conversation about anteaters and then somebody will see a nice bunny rabbit. Yeah, you go to the sofa for a bit, you know, and they forget all about the long nose and they have a big debate. Is it a skull or is it a nose? And you know, from that simple exercise, I've done it with groups all over the place and it just shows

25:49communication as an illusion. Who's it? Was it George Shaw? What's he called? George Bernard Shaw. Yeah, he said that to be a problem with communication as the illusion is taking place. Absolutely. And I think that's such a big, because we spout off. And it's not what you say, it's what people hear. I hope you hear what animal did you see? I wonder. Yes, you can actually comment and say what animals did you see? What animals did you see? I'm thrilled that I had the, we share a donkey. Hey, girl, that's why we connect. That's the first bit. That's four things that have shared you. Okay. And now three things that inspire you, Fat Christine Marshal. Okay, it really is, I think, because we came back from India, went out to Singapore, it was north, you were doing Cambridge, you then came down and you were doing Oxford, and then you went, oh, it was ridiculous. But I had five blissful years in Singapore and made, I think, a true friend lifelong. I've only got very few true friends that I, who know me to the depth,

26:50because I'm using quite private person, believe it or not. So Jill, who sadly gone on ahead of me, she really was a big influence in the maze. So a second name. Jill King at that stage. And then she became Jill Kemp and her daughter is my god daughter, Sarah, and she's got a lovely son, Simon, who is the chef, who cooks meals to die for. If you want to go to South Africa, or bring him over here, Quistamake and cook for us. Yes, please. Okay. The way to my heart is, way through food, no, no, no, no. Yeah, so, you know, that was really the travel factor of them. And that's why I went through this, an orthodox beginning. Yeah. And then from seven to all, 36 was orthodox. Yeah. Well, it wasn't actually because at 36, I decided to start my own business. Yeah. And that really was the biggest decision I've ever made. And here I am. And that was the prime objective, is that the... Yeah, yeah.

27:50It was, I'd had to sack somebody over a technicality and I felt pick-sick because I knew higher ups were getting away with it. Yeah. This kid was just being a scapegoat and I was driving back and I thought, that's, I can't work now. This is going to do me in. Yeah. I'm in the prime of life. Why don't I focus on companies' objectives? So what's your problem? Hence the prime objective. The prime objectives. Yes. And you say you're in the prime of life, you always are. You have a perpetual carpe diem. Still in, still in, still in the prime of life. Yeah. I mean, what is, again, I can't get over the fact that it's so not over because your mission is, you know, as going as long as you can because you're as inspirational as you can. So 50 is getting over this and the momentum is growing now. More and more groups are saying, look, this is ridiculous. Yes. The time of age, no longer is, you know, you're what they want you to work to or what's 70 before you get your pensions as one of the things they're muting. So, you know, this health, I don't know whether it's medicine or we're eating healthier or whatnot,

28:51but we don't pop off quite as early as we used to. I think women still outlast the men. Yes. But so. And I'm sorry that you're proof of that, because I know that obviously. Yeah, no. He was out mowing the lawn and didn't feel well. And the cruelest thing, Chris, was it was the beginning of COVID. And the ambulance came and I wasn't allowed to go with him. Children weren't allowed to visit him. And we were allowed to see his dead body. Yes. Now, you know, how families have coped with losing children. I just feel sick. Yes. You know, we'd had a good for life. He would not have wanted to be an invalid. Yeah. It doesn't sort of help that you're left muttering at him and giving a few swear words of, yeah, yeah, clearly leaving me in this master mopper. And may I ask, did he go very quickly? That was it. That was an aneurysm snap. Of course. There was an amuse. And yeah, bang. No, nothing you could do about it. But the problem was, I don't know what's worse, because my dear friend, Penny Reid,

29:51Leicester, Penny's been a good friend to me. I think it was about seven and a half years of losing somebody through. I don't know if it's dementia Alzheimer's. It's just basically a lingering part. Yes. Where is this, you know, you didn't have time to tell him that you loved him. And I think that's a fact, but it's not giving you that chance. And this was the genesis of your blank piece of paper to start again. Yeah. Leicester mortals would just sort of reflect stop, I suppose, deal with whatever inheritance you have and then get on with a happy retirement. But you've not done that. No, I go, I think, I don't know what would happen. I think if you've got something that you want to rekindle and with me, it was art, because my father only allowed me a one year in art college. And in my book, you can see what I did at 18. And then basically that died a death, you know, you did things for the school and whatnot. But I thought, what am I going to do now with this blank sheet of paper? So at 81, I went on a fabulous course of flavours, holidays,

30:57do art courses or cooking courses or whatever. And that was ideal. So I've been to Scotland. I've been to Tuscany. I've just got back from Southeast Sicily with a tutor. Yeah. And I've now gotten opportunity and stolen the world at one of the libraries to have an exhibition. They want me to sell my stuff. And stolen the world is where TJ has brought you down this very day. Yes, yes. That's where I decided that I wanted to be part of a community. And I have cultivated good friendships because it's independent living. But I deliberately went and found Stowe. And I think I bought in every shop to become a friend and a known. And I can walk in now. People say, Hi, Christine. How are you doing? But you have to contribute. You can't sit there and spend the world to come to you. That's such a trailblazing philosophy of itself. Yes, beautiful. We're still onto the other inspirations. So another sort of inspiration. And you are being truly inspirational. I think that the people, my eldest daughter, she, I worked with training people.

32:00She works with training dogs. She's just fantastic with other healing skills. She's got our youngest daughter, Rachel, is a fully qualified conservator. And she's managing one of the museums in working. And her artwork is out this world. I mean, I wish I could draw and paint like she does. But there you go. It's, what's your own medium of your own art? Is it watercolour? What do you like to do? Well, you're trying to put me in the box again. So you can imagine what I feel is like. What's your medium, Christine? I dabble, you know, I decided, right, I'm going to try everything. So if you look at my book, there's a, I think it's on page 80 or something. There's a beautiful turtle that I've done in oil pastels. Tuscany is watercolor. You couldn't do oils, but you could do acrylics, so you've got. So I dabble and I've just had so much fun. There isn't a style because I'm experimenting. Life is still an experiment for goodness' sake. You're still throwing art at the,

33:01throwing paint at the canvas of life. Yeah, because you don't know what you can do. Because now I think that, right? I don't know, it sounds very impressive. Yes, just hurling paint at the wall and seeing what flops out metaphorically. Then, then I will do a very, very detailed calligraphy. Okay. So I love calligraphy. I love the shape and the space. You know, you do an alphabet, or the letter i has a different space to the letter o, or the letter m, or the letter z. You've done a cheeky bit of a calligraphy in dedicating the box to me as well, which I loved as well. Thank you. But no, it's, I just love seeing that it's a space between things. That's what I see. Ah, yes. Does that make sense? It does, absolutely. To all of your philosophy, seeing black squiggly lines to sort of learn to read, it's the spaces in between. Yes. And also fixing stuff, curating stuff. And, you know, you're a people whisperer. Your daughter is a dog whisperer. One of your other daughters is an art whisperer. Wonderful stuff. Now, on to third inspiration, I think. Music.

34:01Okay. Music. I was very lucky. My sister being eight years older. What was she? Eighteen. Beautiful. Big taffer to ball gowns. And young handsome men collecting. I was a spotty 11-year-old. I was not fair. I mean, it really is grim. We've all been spotty 11-year-old. Oh, anyway. Sorry, that was a big sigh there. But she always had classical music playing. And I thank her very much because her exposure to, I can't even pronounce his name, it's Bruce or Bruce or something. But I will cry. If I want a good cry and I did Rhafter Collins died, I will put that music on. It's one of the most exquisite poignant pieces of music. It's just one of those things that it builds in Christenger and it gets to the point where you're at that point of agony. I can't describe it any other way and the only thing you can do is cry. And to sit in your clearing. Do you know that's where I go with that kind of music?

35:03Yes. It's quiet space and that quiet space inside your head does then center point. If you like, it's a bit like your own clearing metaphorically, which I so love having as this. And then the other music, obviously, with Colin, we both love cars and we both love jazz and big band. So we originally saw a camp Baysy, Duke Ellington at the Fitzgerald, all down in Bristol. They used to come to, you know, fantastic things here. My daughters were a little bit shocked when for the actual crematorium I wanted a camp Baysy tune, everyone said, listening to Colin coming in. It was him because it comes in. It's Linky and then he goes, the trumpets come out and it's... We'll find out the camp Baysy track as well. Yes, please, because that is my husband. Okay, now we're on to the squirrels. Can I, may I throw you a squirrel? Oh, yes, it doesn't matter if you don't catch it. Oh, no squirrels. So don't tell me I got a slide for the squirrels.

36:04Look at that. Oh, what a gorgeous. I'm just revealed a big slide of some squirrels. Apparently they look like that when they encounter a particularly spectacular nut. Oh, so there you go. So squirrels, borrow from the film, these are, what are your two squirrels? What in your life never failed to stop you in your track? It's sometimes called shiny objects in Rome. What never fails to stop you in your tracks, Chris? Sunset. Beautiful. A sunset. If you or Sunrise Sunset, that entry and departure of the warmth of the sun, I just find that's life, isn't it? We have sunrises and then we have Sunset. And here you are in your sunflower yellow. Garb today. Yeah, that's a great squirrel, a sunset. Yes. Wonderful. Any particular place on the planet, you remember a favorite sunset? Oh, I don't know. I mean, where I've traveled all around Europe, I think my most exciting adventure was going across Russia to Siberia and from Siberia out to the L time mountains by the Mongolian border.

37:05That first trip was organized as a 14 of us, which was historical Americans, you name it. Wanting showers and lifts and hotels. What not. But two years later, I thought, I haven't connected. I've been a tourist and I'm not a tourist. So I'm by myself. And what year was there? So I haven't done yet. 20-02. And the photos, honestly, Chris, you had someone on your podcasters a very famous photographer. And I've got photos there way out in the L time mountains. Yes. That you won't get again. I don't know who will be allowed to wander around with a camera like I did. And by all means send a photograph as well. And I'll, when I talk about your episode, I'll put this is your sunset. You're out of out of Mongolian sunset, which is beautiful. It'll be that or it might be the storm because we wanted to go to Mount Beluka as the mother mountain. She's the sacred mountain. People do pilgrimages. She's there with her two peaks of her daughters. And they actually had the research station there.

38:09We couldn't get there by horse, which is normally the way you go. So they designed it. I'm a helicopter. Chris, I got to send you a picture of this helicopter. You go to this disused airfield with this wreck of a helicopter sitting in a field. Good luck. Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good. No doors that shut. Two pilots. So you're sat there and this thing does take off. And then you're going and you hit this storm. I mean the black clouds. There was no way we could do that. So we had to divert across the border into the following country. But you know he landed in a meadow and no human had been there. Wow. There was no path to it. It was just a safe plan. The natural dreams, the flowers. And I thought this is heaven on earth. Look what we do to her. Yeah, flopped into a, in a rickety helicopter into a field that no man has ever landed in before. Yeah, I got a picture of me sitting there. In the meadow. Yes. In the helicopter. To in the back. Yeah. Yes, I'm glad it got you back. Yeah, I'm here. It's a bit hairy. So either it would take off again.

39:09That's a great squirrel wrapped in sunsets of glory. Yeah. And now you're allowed a second squirrel. So squirrel. Next one. Oh, I had a cataract. Oh, two cataracts done because you'd sort of do that. And I think you don't realize how your vision gets blurred and suddenly to look at a dandelion in all its glory. I would just sit and look at it. And you think we're surrounded by these things but life is such a place we do not stop and look. Who is it? We don't have time to wander and look at the daffodils or something. That's in winter, isn't it? That sounds a bit T.S. Eliot as well. It's something, you know. It's loaded lonely as a cloud. Yeah. Come across a bunch of daffodils. Is the main gist of it? Yeah. Yes. So that's what I do now. If I'm out for a walk, I'll suddenly see a flash of colour. It could be a bird. It could be a flower. It could be a tree. It could be a cloud. It could be anything. I love that. And it's just saying, we're surrounded like this. We're too busy. And it's greeners. Go, go, go, go, go. We do not replenish our batteries like we used to.

40:11We don't. That is such sage-like advice and a really happy, optimistic morning to us all. And just the comedian me is saying, I can see clearly now my cat tracks are gone. But then there's a dandelion there going in all its glory. Yeah, yeah. So that's... So sunsets and dandelions are wonderful squirrels. Thank you so much. That's just beautiful storytelling right there. Yellow jackets and friendly squirrels, yeah. And I'm very happy you're excited to be my squirrel. I say, my family think I'm a complete loony that I whip out with. And I love those. So they are. You are a spectacular nut is what the joker there as well. So back to your beautiful slide there. And now a quirky unusual fact about Kristi Marti, we couldn't possibly know about you until you tell us. Mm-hmm. Okay, my father as a military officer had ordered a son. Right? The certificates in India had to be filled out with Anthony's and signature very quickly to claim to claim British citizenship. Yeah. So he came and William Richard was already written in.

41:11I must have been in a rebel from conception. Nobody's going to tell me that I can't be a girl. Or whatever, I don't know. Yes. Uh, but... I'm just understood. He ordered a son and then out pops Kristi Marti. Sorry, I've got a bit lost there. Yeah. Without the necessary appendages. Of course. So you've got, you know, that was a big shock but no girls name at all. I mean, it just was not an issue. Do you know what he said? I don't care. Oh, sorry. I'm coming it up here because you've got a laugh or cry. I don't care what anyone else calls it. I'm going to call it Bill. It grieve. So the William became Bill. My mother concurred. My sister concurred. My sister's children. If you go onto Facebook, they'll be saying, aren't you Bill? My school, friends Jane, who I met at 15, I'm Bill to all her children. I'm a godmother to my lovely Adam. So I have Jill and their my dear friend Jane. And Jane Whitmore, who has stuck with me.

42:11And I'm Bill to her family. Colin refused to call me Bill, but you know what he called me? Well, you know, Christine. So I never had Christine used in my press. I was not, I set my uncle. I looked in my uncle Fred. He told my father off when I was, must have been about 12, something like that. I had, how dare you. Yes, I was going to say, how dare you call this beautiful young child. Growing into going to be a amazing woman, Bill. And he was the first one who called me Christine. And he would have gone quite well with Henry VIII. He was dead, I think. Well, it was a sad story. But have you ever made peace with that? I mean, I know that it's an affectionate moniker to call you Bill, which your friend, which your friend is. Oh, your friend, yes. But with your dad, that's deeply damaging and toxic. What he wanted, you know, you talk a lot about collaboration first? Well, he wanted competition. Right, he took me as a young girl as a mascot to boxing matches. And I would sit in the front row being splattered by blood

43:12as people smashed hell out of each other. And I thought, why has life got to have winners and losers? This is ridiculous. We can collaborate surely. So all the work that I do within, or I've done within organizations right up till very recently, well, before COVID, I was working over in Poland. Do a lot of work in Germany. All I had to stop, but people call me in my, what exactly do you do? You have not asked me. But basically, we don't know what she does, but she sorts things. Yes. You know, whatever it is. So the facilitation has been an integral part of what I've done is well-established, you know, standing up and spouting me stuff kind of thing. And is there forgiveness with your father as in how you think back on that? Because that's such an extraordinary, sort of ignorant. Yeah, but you see the points that, you know, you talk about kids with self-harm. I don't know if any parents are out there ever having to deal with that or anybody who wants the pain of self-harm

44:15or to get out of doing something you don't want to do. And I'd run in a relay race in Singapore and I was number three in what the circuit was. And our best goal was number four, you know. And all I had drummed and crissed in, oh, Bill, I was called, get the button to her. You must get to the button her. We've got to win this relay race. So I put Spurt on, gave her the button, and she became in second. I thought about that. But there was a talent scout. And he went up, because my father never watched me. But anyway, he went up to my man and said, do you realize a speed your daughter's just ran out? That's amateur athletic speed. She should be in Malaysia. We've got the things she should be on our relay team. And you know, what he did, he immediately bought me the best pair of spiked shoes in Singapore, Raffles Hotel. Have you been in that question? We know the cricket field is still there. Well, they used to have like a circuit. So next thing, I'm running with this guy. And he starts talking. And I thought, well, I'm not quite certain what I'm here for.

45:17And he speeded up, nice speeded up. Quite naturally. Anyway, he came back and dad had been timing me. So they then got this girl trying to think, Kim, something or other, who was their top person. And they said, Christine, oh, Bill, whatever, we want you to have a run round with her. And I thought, you're not being very friendly, because she was deliberately speeding up. And I thought, you know, don't tell me I can't keep up with you. You're not going to leave me behind. And I kept up with her. So the next thing I'm on the team to go to Kuala Lumpur to compare. Can you imagine what that relay team felt like? Yes, I love the idea. You're not going to leave me behind. You must have had such courage in that. I'm snorting. That's not my idea. I'm staggered and flawed by your father's outlook. That's extraordinary. And, you know, I hope you found some redress. Well, what I did, because I wasn't going to run, I was not going to go into competition. That wasn't what I wanted. There had to be a very collaborating. I knew that as a young child. Yeah. I thought, well, if I scratched the back of my leg,

46:19I won't be able to run. Well, in Singapore, we had, we were up on something called, as Pasaphanjang, they were hit. And they had shingle hills. Yeah. And I thought, if I scrape myself a little bit, then I can't run. Now, this is self-harm. I hadn't realised. But, Chris, you sit at the top, but you don't realise when you're on shingle, you keep going. I'm down there. I get to the bottom. I've taken the skin from the back of my knee, up to my butt off. I mean, I'd done serious damage. That was a bit dramatic, not to run in a relay. He never forgave me for that. Wow. As I say, I hope you've redressed it, because that's such an extraordinary revelation, as to, you know, the true nature of the man that was your father. So that's almost like, I'll just let that float out there. We have shaken your tree. Hurrah. And now, we stay in your clearing, which is that wonderful Zen place within your own head, escape. There's beautiful music playing as well. Next, we're going to talk about Alchemy and Gold. So when you're at Purpose and in Flow,

47:20Christine March, business change facilitator, international speaker for us, and what are you absolutely happiest doing in what you're here to reveal to the world? I think looking at someone and seeing potential. Beautiful. And thinking, oh, you could blossom. Do you know women say, oh, I'm only a, I just do this. And they demean what they do. And I think, don't do that. You project managed Christmas lunch for goodness sake. You know, you've done amazing things, but this, I'm only a, yes, just drives me scatty, because nobody's a only a. Everybody has got their own gifts and things that we've developed. So I've now got clients who are on LinkedIn, who were the young Sprogs, and they are now top notch, and we're still in contact. I get so much pleasure from seeing their, their capabilities they had. I didn't have the capabilities, but if you allow somebody the opportunity or the space

48:22or the encouragement. Yes. What comes out is magic. Yes. What's so wonderful is you haven't played it forward with your own conditioning. You are just a revelation in trying to nurture and help others despite your own background. Well, I can't do anything about it, sir. And seeing potential and redressing the idea of non-assertive language choices and self-limiting beliefs and just realising full potential in all that you come across. That sounds very impressive. I didn't know I did that. You are very impressive, and yes, you do do that. I'm wrong. I'm going to award you with a cake now. Oh, that's not something else I can give you. Have a cake. Oh. So, Q, let's talk about cake. So, do you like cake? Yes. Christine Mars. Yes. And what's your favourite type of cake? Dundee cake. I like that a bit. A Scottish Dundee cake. Oh, yeah. Lovely. So, the Dundee cake shall be yours. Right. At this moment, it's a metaphorical cake that I hope to build to send you an actual Dundee. Now, look, it's no good without a piece of cheese. Oh. Donkeys in common when we talk about animals with long noses and furries. And yes, I love cheese with either ginger cake

49:23or Dundee cake. Now, go together. They do. And it's quite an unusual thing. But yes, cheese with Dundee cake shall be yours. Now, you get to put a cherry on the cake with stuff like what's a favourite and you've given as many delicious quits already. But what's a favourite inspirational quote Christine Mars, that's always given you sucker and pulled you towards your future? Oh, dear, what is it? Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. And that's Anna Roosevelt, bless her. Lovely quote. To say it again, just to deliberately re-incorporate. Nobody. And I am meaning this. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. Just tell them to get lost. With the gift of hindsight, what notes help or advice might you prefer to a younger version of your self, Christine? Don't give in to other people's judgments. Don't try to conform to what their wishes are for yourself. Again, beautifully succinct

50:24and a perfect mantra to help pull us all towards our future. Lovely. I'll just ask another question. Now, what's the best piece of advice you've ever been given by somebody else that's helped you? Oh, gosh. Trust your intuition. Go with that inner voice. Even though the analogy of fire, people try and dampen you. They try and put it out. Never, ever let that spark go out. And we talked about spark and fire. And I said that at the beginning. Do you want to just tell us the quick story? Well, you don't get it quickly, but the idea of your lovely analogy or allegory of matches and about an order to try and you need to burn. You see, when in the book, I talk about the elements. Right, so you have wind, you have water, you have got the other one, wind, water and something. Anyway, fire. Fire. But there's four. Earth. Thank you. So I do cover that that is fundamental because we're part of it. You know, we're just, we're made up of the same component bits, to be honest. Anyway, fire then was in one of my presentations.

51:26I'm talking about sometimes the forest fire is needed and that destruction. When you sit there like after Colin died and you're just looking at this black land thinking what can possibly grow anywhere when I'm feeling like this. Some seeds will only germinate an intense heat. So those little seedlings that come up need that for your rebirth and your development. So fire is the transformational element. But a lot of people don't take it further to see it as a transformational factor. Yes. It's a destructive or whatever. And it isn't, it gives you warmth. But in Gloucester we had the St. Maulens match factory. Yep. So, you know, that was that, that lovely rasping noise. Yes, like, yeah. No, no, the youngsters don't do that now, do they? Yes. I don't, they don't strike matches. You even to light how many people have fires now? They have central heating to be out in the woods.

52:27Come on, Chris. Did you ever do that? Definitely. Go feral. Did you? A bit of chaffing wood and striking matches. Yes, absolutely. So, you know that that combustion is change. Yes. And you have to go through combustion sometimes. So glimmers of light even in the darkness and germination through adversity. Yes. Lovely stuff. We're wrapping up to Shakespeare in a moment to talk about legacy. But just before we get there, this is the past, the golden bat moment, please. So, who would you most like to pass the golden bat in a long two in order to keep the golden thread of the storytelling going now that you've experienced this from within? You see, I've got two contenders. They're one young woman who is in the book who has overcome adversity. But you want famous people who've made it or not. It's whoever you think would most like to be given or pass along because it's your golden thread of storytelling. I think the key thing is, she is the one who has told you'd never make your dream and she's done it despite people telling her what she couldn't do.

53:28But I don't think she'd come to be interviewed. I don't think she'd be comfortable doing that. She just gets on with it. The other person is Dr. Ingram and Jari Ingram who I think would be the one I'd nominated to. Sure. So, she has had a consultancy business. I met her at a conference in Warsaw. I just love the Polymath, is it of what she does? Yes, a Polymath. Someone who can't just do one thing has to do many, many things. She's a lot, ever one of those as well. You are a Polymath, absolutely. But where we got on so well was in addition to doing really serious consultancy work with big names. She had something called a NEM school and she goes out into deprived villages and ensures that youngsters get some education. She's an amazing woman and she's just retaking up painting herself now. But she came and visited me. Christo and the world is a magnet. People want to come. I'm sure to see Sto and the world and by the way, Christine lives there.

54:30No, it may mean not quite like that. But it's a beautiful social world. It is just a lovely part of the world. Yeah, where people can come. Yes. And it's all on your doorstep. So, if you can't be happy there, you won't be happy anywhere. Love that. That's a great advert for Sto on the world. But do you buy these to the world, too? Yeah, so I think she would be the one. And now, thank you so much for that. Inspired by Shakespeare and all the world to stage and all the men and women merely plays, this is boring from the Seven Ages of Man's Trope Woman. And we're way beyond where 84 on to 1990 and beyond. So, how when all is said and done, why'd you forward 30 years? Would you most like Christine Marsh to be remembered? She didn't know the meaning of can't. Boom. Am I? Yes, that'll do. And you might say you're a trailblazer in that regard. And, you know, by the time you're 90, you're going to be the key global influencer on living life to the fall for the over 50s. Nobody stuffs your ego. That's great.

55:32So, now we're going to do a very exciting thing, which is called Showers Your QR Code, please. Wow. Great, Simon. So, if you'd like to connect, obviously, with Christine Marsh online, your website is the ChristineMarsh.com. And I know exactly why you've called it that, because there is only one, The Christine Marsh from Compton. And then, Joe, my lovely studio, so soon it is now going to show you your QR code, please, which is, How do I use these things? Well, it's flashing up on screen now. So, if you're watching this online and you'd like to just scan the QR code, it'll take you straight not to your house instead of the world transformed. No, it'll take you there. So, just talk as to what people can find at ChristineMarsh.com. What you'll find there is, basically, the redefined services that I'm offering. Right, because I used to do a big project with big company players. And being to Moscow and Rome and Italy and you name it, they've sent me all over. I'm very fortunate to have had that trust, because I don't have all the letters after my name,

56:34just how I studied this, or been to that university. My experience is what learning comes from experience, and wisdom comes from... No, wisdom comes from experiences, isn't it? Yes, you've given the brilliant... Not knowledge comes from the... Chick Quote, you've been to the ring call. Yes, did you read it for like... Certainly can, if the book, which we're going to do, a special bit about in a section. But knowledge comes from learning, wisdom comes from experience. That's a Terry Pratchett quote. It's a brilliant one. And another epicentric quote, I loved when we first spoke, is your Leonardo da Vinci quote, which is blazing on your website. Just remind everybody what that is. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I will go in where you've had top companies employing high flyers, I go in and I think, but you've missed the fact you haven't fought the... The fault lift driver hasn't been trained. You've missed the fact that the person who's buying something on a heat sealer hasn't told the operators. So the banks are being sealed at too high temperature, and they split.

57:35You know, to me, it's detective work. Yes, things that can't be... It's not obvious. Readily be seen. But because my brain isn't cluttered with formats, or this is the way, and these are the questions you ask and everything, I cut through all that. And anywhere else on the internet, people can come and find you. So you can talk about your newsletter. I'm on YouTube as well. You come up as Christine Marsh, the Christine Marsh, Facebook, and you name it. So, but what I am in the midst of rebranding, because the project worked now. I leave to the youngsters coming in that they've got the energy. I now have streamlined it. And the thing that I think is the core to everything I do is facilitation. Now, facilitation is just making things easier. It doesn't mean you go in with the solution. You go in and you provide an environment where people actually work through with a little bit of nudge here and there. But most of the time, you allow them to do the exploration, rather.

58:38And so, facilitation, I'm looking for anybody, either an individual who's hit a point in their life where they're not certain whether they're going to jump or they're waiting to be pushed or this path or that path. And I use something called self-model. And that's something I use, which is clarity on situation, acknowledging the emotions, looking at the logic and getting that separated from assumptions. And that's quite difficult. And then the future, you've got three options. Put up with it and shut up, right? See who will collaborate with you because you can't do it by yourself. And the third one really is spreading the word out there. And being prepared to ask for help people, you know, they moan and groan, but they don't come to any resolution. And I can't cope with that. There has to be a better way. Beautifully put. And very reminiscent of the quote I love about facilitation, which is the best resource a good facilitator can bring into the room

59:38is themselves, is the art of facilitation being enablement to get things working more smoothly and better. Well, Chris, that's your area of expertise. So you know, sometimes you would love to have your five banners and the hard thing is to let them work it through. Yes. As this has been your moment in the sunshine in the good listening to show, we are going to do a captain's locks, up to mental about your book in just a second. But in this part of the program, as this has been your moment in the sunshine of the good listening to show, stories of distinction and genius, is there anything else you'd like to say, Christy Marsh? I would like to say you only have the moment. You can't change the past. You can't determine the future. You can plan it, but you know what happens then. Please save it every single moment. It is the presence that's all you've got, mate, because one minute somebody you love is there and the next minute they're gone. Something you thought you could do. You've now become old and you can't. So grab and live the moment. So ladies and gentlemen, you've been listening to the queen of store in the world,

1:00:40who is Christy Marsh. Thank you so much for being here. There is the captain's locks, up to mental, as I'm describing coming up soon. If you'd like a conversation about being in the show too, there's another QR code coming up. Thank you, the lovely Joe, in the other room. This is to, well, the good listening to show.com is the main website. Legacy Life Reflections. It's far from over yet. There's no morbid intention with that, but LegacyLifereflections.com is a very particular special series strand of the show to record either your story or the story of somebody near dear or close to you for posterity. Again, no morbid intention, but let's be forget before it's too late. So two websites, legacylifereflections.com, which is a special series strand within the good listening to show anyway. But also if you'd like to talk about telling your story and amplifying your brand by being my guest here on LinkedIn, just get in touch and we'll have a conversation. Thank you so much. So yes, I've been Chris Grimes. This has been Christine Marsh. Hang on for a captain's log about your good book in just a second. Anything else else you'd like to say? I think you meet somebody along life's path

1:01:43that you instantly connect with. Chris has got the same donkey in his head that I have, which is delightful to know. There's other people that see that. But seriously, you're a very special question. You're offering a service that people should be grateful for. And if you get the opportunity to sit in this chair, you're mad if you don't take it. Oh, thank you. That's wonderfully generous of you. So thank you very much indeed. That's Christine Marsh. I'm Chris Grimes. Good night. You've been listening to the good listening to show with me, Chris Grimes. If you'd like to be in the show too, or indeed give to an episode to capture the story of someone else with me as your host, then you can find out how care of the series strands of the good listening to show.com website. And one of these series strands is called legacy lifereflections. If you've been thinking about how to go about recording your life story, or the life story of somebody close to you for posterity, but in a really interesting, effortless and creative way, then maybe the good listening to show can help.

1:02:43Using the unique structure of the show, I'll be your host as together we take a trip down memory lane to record the five, four, three, two, one of either you or their life story. And then you can decide whether you go public or private with your episode. Get in touch if you'd like to find out more. June in next week for more stories from the Tearing and don't forget to subscribe and review wherever you get your podcasts. So you're wonderful book, the wisdom of which you've been imparting all the way through. Flashpoint transformation, life's choices. Are you the big enigmatic question? Are you ready to jump or waiting to be pushed? Just tell us the story behind the story of your collective shared wisdom of this book. And then I'm going to invite you once you've spoken about it to read an extract of your choice from it, Ken. The key thing was that please remember having been core stupid because I couldn't read, I can talk, I think you've got the gist of that. So in addition to the consultancy,

1:03:44facilitation, public speaking, and it just gave me an audience and I'm in my element. And obviously then the writing of the book was my biggest fear because I can gauge when I'm with a human being, whether they're vibing positively or negatively or whatever's there. Once you put it in writing, you have no control of how people interpret it. And that scared me. And I knew the critic would come. Now my lovely Richard Shepard, yes, throw me up and he said, sack the editor, Christy. I said, we're talking to her because I had to control that. I designed it, I wrote it, I did it. That's my baby, right? I had the help of some graphic designs, putting colors and whatnot. But basically that is my lifeblood. I didn't want to write a business book on that one. It had to be very personal. It was my gift really just trying nudge people to look at themselves and what they really wanted. And did they have to rekindle a dream? And Richard phoned me up and he said, sack the editor

1:04:46and I said, oh, I'm delighted. He said, pardon, I said, it means you've got to page 80. And there was one error there. Can you find him, page 80? Page 80. It's is or in. It's one letter. OK. And he spotted, oh, will you use your energy in a positive and productive way? No, that is. Rather than energy is a positive and productive way. Now I pretended, sorry, Richard, that was a deliberate just for you, but actually it was a genuine error. That book did not exist. I had designed it, I wrote it, I got a lovely guy. And he who's known me for years, don't have Swansea doing it. And basically, I've got boxes to sell and people who've got it, I can't believe what they've taken from it. And that's what I wanted. I wanted to be the nudge and inspiration that there were things there that they're capable of doing. And if I may give the book a compliment, I think it's so, so, so accessible because it's serviced with beautiful storytelling. And it's accessible because it's only 90 pages long. And you can read it on a train journey.

1:05:47I did that yesterday. Really? Fantastic. And it is serviced with wisdom. Well, the attention span now is what is matter of minutes, isn't it, you know, the scrolling that we do in life now? It's sincere compliment because I'm terrible at business books. OK. But I loved this. So Flashpoint Transformation Life's choice is ready to jump or waiting to be pushed by Christy Marsh, who we know. And there's something slightly different here. A catalyst for change and an inspirational speaker. So would you like to read, and this is your moment to put it on a metaphorical plinth within the clearing as the captains lot sometimes at all? Yeah, this is up in India. And one of my memories was lying in the forest floor and the suns with beams were filtering and all those little moats or something that you see in sunlight. And I think our minds like that, if you've got this man that jumps all over the place, you know, how do you capture all those little spooks sparkly bits and turn them into something value that lasts in today night? Can you call these fireflies of your mind, Danny?

1:06:49Yeah, something like that. It's, I've tried to put that the beginning quotes have meant something to me. And I think the rekindling one is, I have to take a risk and jump. I have to take a chance. Otherwise, I will never know what I can achieve. Christy Marsh. Lovely. So that's mine. Yeah. This one in everyone's life. And this is very important because you've come into mine at everyone's life at some time. Your inner flame goes. It's then burst into flame by encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for the people who rekindled the inner spark. Beautiful. Wonderful. Thank you so much. Anything else you'd like to say about the box? Just if you want a copy, it's available on my website. I haven't put it on Amazon. I have the thing about Amazon. So you have to come to me. If you would like a copy, it's also an audio because some people are like to this one, they're driving, things like that.

1:07:49But it's tactile. It's a book to pick up and dip in an out of. Wonderful. So you can get that at thecristinemarsh.com. So again, thank you so much, listing. This has been a Captain's Locks up mental. Thank you very much indeed. Thank you for listening. We good night. Good night. Good night. Good night. Good night. Good night. Good night.