Success and Happiness | Sonya Morton-Firth

Sonya Morton-Firth Hosts of her YouTube show and Podcast ‘The Sonya Morton Firth Show,’ entrepreneur, speaker, transformational coach, and physique athlete, Sonya Morton-Firth is the Queen of transformation! Working as a high-flying sales executive in the City for many years, Sonya’s passion and enthusiasm always drove her to be the best. At 40, tired of the corporate lifestyle, she decided to change her life to pursue health, wellbeing, and personal fulfillment. She qualified in fitness and nutrition, launched a brand of glamorous fitness wear for women, and even trained and competed on stage in various Physique competitions. By bringing her focus to healthy nutrition and disciplined training, Sonya went from Briefcase to Bikini, proving that it’s never too late to change the way you look and feel.

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YOUTUBE |  https://www.youtube.com/the sonyamortonfirthshow



https://linktr.ee/JRBolton

Transcript

Unknown: 0:01

Welcome to the Josh Bolton show where we dive interesting and inspiring conversations. And now your host, Josh Bolton. Welcome everybody to we have Sonia. I actually totally forgot to ask her what her last name is. We're gonna go into different stuff from job fulfillment, satisfaction, her own business, her awesome stuff she's done in between to where she is now. Here she is. Just thank you so much. One. My surname, which is unforgettable, is Morton third, which is a bit of a mouthful. double barreled. And it's all mine, baby. I do. I'm actually one of these people that love their name. So Sonia moves and what do I do? Well, you know, it depends on what part of life You asked me that. So I've reinvented myself several times. And I've just turned half a secretary, which I'm just getting used to say in God's hands all for half a century, 50 years old, Oh, my God. But for the majority of my life, I was classified as a very successful career woman working in the city in a very fast paced, highly driven sales environment. For most of my time, I was traveling around Europe, and around the US, I was responsible for setting up some of our business in the US. And I went to the top I you know, I climbed the Korea corporate ladder. And I burnt myself out and I got to this got to the the ripe age of 40 are like they say, life begins at 40. And I woke up one day and thought, wow, I, I should feel very successful on paper I am, well, I just don't feel fulfilled. And it was that moment, that was really the start of the rest of my life to date. And I and I, six months later, I quit my job. I've got a passion for health and fitness. So I retrained as a personal trainer, knowing that's not the way I wanted to go, I wanted to run my own business, or I launched my own gym where fashion were for women here in the UK, we didn't have the likes of Lulu lemon at the time, there wasn't much on the market. That was a while ago, we launched that I launched that brand, and sold my shares a few years later, when I reached another low point, and then decided to train as a bodybuilder. And I've competed on stage twice. retrained, again, as an executive coach, and health and fitness coach have also have a property portfolio. So I think that's a little bit about me that I just like to give you a bit of a taste. I think the main point is I think it's ever too late to reinvent yourself. So if people are out there listening to this and thinking, Well, I'd like to try that new venture. I'd like to try that new business. What I'd say to them is, why the hell not just go for it, you know, right? You are never too old. And if you've got an idea, if you've got a passion, if you've got a dream, and more importantly, if you have a vision, because all starts with a vision, then that's what you should be going for. It absolutely does. That is the key to a lot of the big businesses we see today is they had a vision back before it was even a thing that this was coming. So long as you keep at it, you're going to get there kind of thing. Absolutely. Well, it all starts with a thought, right? I don't know if you've heard of the book by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, it was one of the first personal development books back in 1938. And he, you know, he based his book on interviewing some of the great entrepreneurs and people out there at that time. And one of his fundamental things that he that Napoleon Hill talks about in his book is how everything is created by a thought. And that, that that's the basics of it. And basically, you can take that and you can look at the law of attraction, the secret? And yes, it does all start with the thought and that thought if you can really visualize that, or then you can really bring it to reality. And I am a great believer in that. Yes, that is that it's actually one of my first books that and the richest man in Babylon, which is what started me on this whole. It's funny. I'm aspiring to be like you when you left the financial person building up a portfolio and like managing money, but then I came to realize managing money is a terrible idea. So much liability. It is why and we thought Josh, why is that you want to manage Get that money. You know, it's not even the money or the compensation. It's like the it's like a video game, the more I see the numbers go up, it's like points, the more I'm succeeding. And then like as my with my small little like retirement account, it's nice kind of thing. But if you can literally see three zeros just click up suddenly, that's amazing, though it is like the I feel would be a rush. I think we based our success around money. But if you really think long and hard about what success actually is, I mean, money is not money, isn't it a paper that we bought that this man made, we given a value to it? It's all a game, really, I mean, this thing that we play with this paper, I mean, let's face it, in a few years time we'll be dealing with crypto and your face is non existent existence. But the fact is, it's a man made thing and we've late we've given money, such a value, we've attached our own success to the amount of this paper. I mean, it's absurd. If you think about can you imagine aliens coming down from space and saying, Well, how do you run society? Well, it's all based on this, like green moat, the most conducive green note. And the more these green notes you have, the more successful you are. I mean, it sounds absurd, right? It does. So I think what I really recently realized, and probably over the last 10 years, ever since I've left the city is what, what is the value of money? And why do we value money so much? And is it actually money? That means we're successful, the more money we have, because I really don't think that's true. I mean, certainly, Steve Jobs didn't think that's true when he was on his deathbed. So why is the society do we put so much a fixation on this thing that isn't tangible? And it's actually because I believe it's because we associate our success with this. And that's how we've always been brought up. Interesting. Yeah, that's the recent one. A lot of entrepreneurs told me they're like, money's nice, and it's great. If you need to, like, take a week or two off, you know, you have money in the bank kind of thing. But the like, money is not the end game at all. Definitely. Now, I'm not I'm not sitting here like saying don't earn money. And yeah, forget money. Money is important. Absolutely. It's important, but it's as important as you make it and you've got to decide what it is. It's not just money. It's what that money can bring for you. Why is it that you want the money? And if you're sitting there guards, because I want a nice car? I want a nice handbag? Probably not in your case. That's the wrong reasons. It's like we think about this, what is money gonna bring you so that for me, I guess money the importance I have on money is it's it buys me my freedom. Yes, I can do what I really love doing, which is a little bit like you Josh is running my own YouTube channel, and interviewing inspiring people that bring us like a completely different viewpoint to how I'm challenged society and the norms of society. So money for me has given me that freedom wealth building has certainly given me that freedom. Now, will you put it like that? Yes, I agree. That's, I think I want freedom. But I couldn't put in those words. Like if I can get so much. Yes. And I know I don't have to worry for like the next six months kind of thing. I think that's more what it was. Thank you. That was a good insight. I think if you really drill down and think well, why is it that I want the money, because materialistic things the pleasure you get from that? Yeah, it's like a drug right, you get a quick high and quick fix. But you know, in a week's time, you want a new car, a new handbag, a new toy, a new whatever it is, because the fix doesn't last long enough, but if you're using money in a different way, and if it's a way of you growing like you say, you know, you're into your personal growth books, and Napoleon Hill, if you're using it to grow and contribute and serve humanity, and not trying to sound too woowoo about it, but that's when you get to fulfillment and that's when when you can really help again, and it's like, in general, if you have a good cash flow, you don't have to, I mean, you always you should keep a thumb on the poles but you don't have to worry too much, or money get the big client this month and I think it's a I make an extra 10k a month off my like properties so I'm just referencing you. I don't know how much you actually make. Can I make enough to live so I it's bought me my freedom, right? So I think that I've got I'm so grateful for that. And that's something I built up over the years of being in the city, I developed a portfolio. That meant that I didn't have to go and work for the mom as I call it. And I didn't have to be enslaved to a nine to five corporate job, not that it was ever nine to five, because you give your life away. So I do I owe a lot to that. And I owe a lot to my to my property portfolio doesn't have to be a property portfolio. It can be anything. But it's a passive, its passive income, as I call it. And, and I am very grateful for that. Yeah, no, that's, I think, intrinsically what we we in general, see, kind of like me right now, where it's like, we want freedom. Well, we always see the rich with all this money. So that must be freedom kind of thing. Sometimes we don't even realize they're clearly locked in their office for days at a time trying to figure out the problem. You know, these people, they've got loads of money, never got any time to actually spend it and enjoy. The true success. To me the to success is freedom and time, because you can never buy time back. Well, as far as I know, they haven't invented a time machine yet. So they can't take those years back. You know, I've just turned half a century I can't get those 50 years back. So what I would say to all those people that are younger than me is bloody have a good time, enjoy yourself, you cannot take your money with you know, you can bury out but it's not going to get you very far. So just enjoy the time that you have. By enjoying it. I don't mean previously spending in going out and just doing you know, party things all the time is just make sure that every moment of your life, you're you're being grateful, and you're doing things that bring you joy. Yeah, well, I agree. Like, like you said, if you go spending everything Do you can be debt, and then your other people money kind of thing. But yeah, that's not a great place to be tonight. So I actually had the legendary commodity trader and at least on my side of the pond, his name is Ken Roberts. You know the name? Yeah, he's an American. So essentially, he didn't just the most amount of people to the commodities market to make money successfully kind of thing. And that was the biggest thing he told me. He's like, he's like, yes, I'm worth hundreds of millions. He's like, it's nice. But he's like, you know what? He's like, I realize I'm going to die soon. He's like, I can't take all my properties with me when I die to heaven or hell, wherever the hell I go kind of thing. He's like, so I make sure now to give that money to other people who are up and coming. He's like, he's like, flashy in a sense, but he's like, these are people that, like, venture capitalists will never touch. He's like, because if they had that extra 100,000, their business is practically guaranteed to succeed. And he's like, that's worth more to me than just keeping the money. Because if he feels fulfilled, because he's contributing in other people's lives, he can't say you can only spend so much money, right? I mean, right. That's what I mean, money doesn't bring you happiness in the end of the day. It really doesn't. And I know people go, Oh, don't be so stupid. Of course, money can bring you happiness. Yeah, you know, what money can you pay for a nice holiday, you can pay for a nice home, you can pay for a nice car. But that's not happiness, right? How many who wouldn't rather fall in love, then have loads of money? I mean, the feeling you get from that is, you know, 10 times more, you can't borrow that. Equally, you can't borrow your health, you know, you can't borrow your time on this planet. So those are things that we should be really nourishing, caring about and looking after and wanting to duplicate. So for me, the important things are about being healthy, you have this number one your time, your time with loved ones. And if if you know the last year if that hasn't taught us one thing, it's taught us the you know, that connection is so important. You know, all the money in the world couldn't stop COVID know, the end of the day. Connection is important. And having having time and time with loved ones. You know, you can't take that back. Indeed, yeah, that's the you bring up a good point. I'm trying to remember the guest. But he essentially said he's like, I make fair amount of money. He's like, I'm not, you know, the Lamborghini rich kind of thing. But he's like, I get to choose if I want to go to work. He's like, if I'm not feeling it, I can stay home. Me and the family can go down to the beach. He's like, how brings me so much joy that's better than all the money I could earn that day. kind of thing. Now my freedom of time, right so that he's his freedom to be able to choose. The problem that we get is people that are chasing after what they think is success. And they see money as success and they see this hustle is constant rush around for results and achieving things as a way of becoming successful when actually just taking the time out to relax can actually bring success in its in itself. So I think as a as a, I'm gonna say again, as a society or as a as a nation, whatever we we assume that people with money that are hustling that are working constantly, constantly, constantly are successful. But that busy, busy, busy ness doesn't necessarily mean they're successful. We've just class from the successful. Now we used to say that somebody that hasn't got time just to sit and read a blog, have a nice cup of tea, I'm from England, so we have a nice cup of tea. Whatever we do, isn't that success? If you can have time to do that? Isn't that just taking some time out in the day? Isn't that true success rather than the person who's rushing around busy, busy, busy and trying to make $1 really, really quickly? You know, it's, it's how we define it, and how we've looked at it and how we judge other people. Yeah, that actually is a very good point. It's kind of what I've put, like two and two together after talking all these people is success in general is, do you feel comfortable and joyful? If yes, then you are successful kind of thing. And it's knowing and knowing yourself as well, right? Because I think certainly in me, not to say necessarily as a younger thing, but in my younger years, I didn't really know who I was. So for me successes, might have been getting up deal in it might have been, you know, landing that big, corporate, or whatever it was in my work. And I thought that was successful. But I didn't, I didn't really understand who I was and why I was here. I think every one of us has a gift inside us. And it just takes some time to unravel the layers of the onion to get to that gift. And true success, I believe is finding that gift, and helping others with that gift that we're given. Now that gift can be anything it can be be a mother, it could be being a mother, it could be being a cook, it could be doing whatever that you truly believe is your true purpose and your gift. And we we all have a true purpose as well. I believe I believe we all have an intrinsic thing within us that we're meant to be doing. And it gets squashed at an early age because at an early age, you're surrounded by your parents or your school teachers or your school kids and nowadays, it's social media. And that's shoulds and that's all twos. And then musts, you know, you should be a lawyer, you shouldn't be a doctor, you should be an accountant, you should get that nice job that's going to pay you a salary every single month, hell or high water, you're going to get paid. Exactly. So I think we squash who we really want to be at a very early age because we listen to all the voices around us instead of listening to the voice inside us. And certainly the older I've got, I've reinvented myself several times. And I really understand that true alignment is getting to know who you truly are and why you truly are here and using that gift to then how and contribute to others and serve others interesting so um, while you're saying that I'm thinking Do you know the huge like influence or whatever you want to call it Gordon Peterson good guy should look him up. He essentially his definition he says when we're young like you said we get our our inner child he's like maybe we were bound to be a geologist because we just for some reason, really like rocks kind of thing. Yeah. And he's like, but through school, they grind you down they make by high school, like you've kind of put the little rock loving kid aside and like in within you, when you get to college, you actually put them aside because like that's not going to pay the bills kind of thing. And he's like indices like it's almost seems like when you hit about 35 you realize, Oh, I'm successful. Wait, but I'm not I'm not fulfilled. But he's like, the problem is we're never taught the steps after that is how to find the young self that we hit away. You're spot on Josh, that guy is actually completely spot on. He needs that little walk. The kid that loves drugs or whatever it was maybe it was the geologists like you said, That's that did you can go back to your childhood and you know people are listening well how I found mine. I mean, I did a lot of persons about I'm at work. And I really discovered what my true values. My true values are by doing some work with dr. john demartini. Nunes, who's big into personal development work, who helps you discover your purpose by your values. But also another way to look at it as well. Go go go back far enough. I'm trying and stripping away. All of those things you were told tells you should do. What did the little girl or what are the little boy really want to do? And it's sometimes it's quite difficult to find that. And sometimes you're like, what did I really want to do? But one day, when you find that it might make sense, you might see that button might be like, Oh, my God, that's it. That's what I really wanted. That's what I wanted to do back then. And that's why I love doing all these things right now. Why am I not following that passion with that? June? Exactly. Yeah. And that's actually, recently on my journey, I've come to realize that is, young little Josh, really like figuring out the meaning of the story. For anything, kind of thing. So like, when a teacher would tell something about World War Two, I'd be like, but that doesn't add up. Because this happened, what happened in between kind of thing, and they're just, like, don't ask questions, just put cogitating on the papers like, but I want to know what happened in between. That was, and I realized that it's why podcasts I want to figure out the story. Yeah, there's a natural curiosity that you have that your teachers are telling. You don't need to get curious. That's not the answer. That's not the answer to the question yet. Multiple choice A, B, or C right now you need to let your curiosity Yeah, be expand and go deeper. And yeah, like you say, that's your podcasting. Now, you're talking to different people and trying to understand what makes them tick. Yeah, and I've also come to realize the different walks of life, it doesn't matter what stage you're in, we all go through the same shit. We are not that special kind of thing. We can look at it another way. We're all very, very special. You need to I believe all special for all amazing human beings. Doesn't matter who you are, what walks of life, where you've come from, we all started as babies. We all started as babies. Yeah, and everything else after that was chucked in. And we became new, we are now today's adults, that we all start up all special. It's just what happened to us down the journey back back down the way that might have led us up to different paths. But in the end of the day, I think each what every single one of us has special. Interesting. Okay, I'd like to add special in the sense that for personality and who we are, but the journey, the path we take is very similar. Would you agree that what the path that we take as humans as well, or I believe we're all souls living a human experience. So and you can think about that, depending on how you believe and I'm not religious, I'd say I'm more spiritual than religious, but I do believe we're all here having a human experience. And, and yeah, I think our paths are all different. But we can choose to go down whatever path what we are the creators of our own reality. I don't think through everybody is in the position they're in because they've created that reality is what I'm trying to say. Interesting. Very interesting insights, that is, in large part for you, by the way on the mic just cut out. It's I'm trying to like, piece it together. Here, okay. It just was like it kind of thing. But um, either way. Um, so can you tell me about your journey from the the, quote unquote, successful banking, to reforming yourself to your bodybuilding time? So yeah, so I left. And to be honest, I didn't know who I was anymore. You know, I spent 15 years in this Betty, being at this label as a successful career woman. And suddenly I got up one day and I didn't have to go to work. And I didn't know who I was. And, you know, bear in mind, all my colleagues and the people that were around me, work was everything, everything to me. So I had to find a new identity. And actually, that was the tough part. People don't tell you that people think, Oh, fantastic. You gave up your corporate job, you can just get up and do whatever you want. But actually, that's not what you that's not how you feel it I'm not one of these people just get up and put the TV on or does this you know, I felt like I needed to because what was my purpose? So I was always interested in how nutrition of the day I retrained as a personal trainer, but I always knew I wanted to set up some sort of business I started with my business partner a fashion brand that a virgin web for women. And that was, that was tough. That was 24, seven, a lot of stress. And anyone out there listening who runs their own business, not only running your own business, I've got to say the fashion industry is super, super hard. And I knew nothing about the fashion industry other than loving fashion. But that's pretty bad at that time thought of it. So it was a steep learning curve, running your own business, not to mention that we made a whole load of mistakes. I mean, all my savings went into that. And it cost me It cost me not only my my health, my relationship, I realized that it wasn't really something that was really on purpose, and maybe there so I left the city job, I thought I'd found something that I was should be doing, because I was still chasing this thing of I want to be successful. And I thought by being this huge, massive fashion company and CEO of this big brand would mean that I was successful. Again, I was chasing something that wasn't truly me. Yeah, and I'd say a lot of entrepreneurs out there, don't chase the money, cuz that's not gonna work. You've got to chase, you've got to understand what your why is, quote, Simon Sinek, you've got to understand what the business is about why you are doing this? Are you serving people? And is it linked to your own values, and it's at that stage up to as many sleepless nights, we had an investment on the table, as I say, my relationship has taken a toll. And I just can't i can't continue to do this. So I came out of out of the business, I sold my shares, I was very lucky in that my business partner bought me out. And I decided to do something completely different and, and the models that we were using for the gym clothes or bikini athletes, I thought they look great. So I started my my bodybuilding. I you know, at the age of 44, a lot of people would say that's a bell to be standing on stage and the bikini especially to be judged. I knew I had something to prove to myself that I thought I can do this. And so I spent the next few months or might one of my passions in the next few years, getting to stage ready and I've competed twice. I'm contemplating competing again in my 50th year. But I love that I love bodybuilding. I love the confidence it brings you and I love the discipline and what it does to your figure etc. But not only that, it taught me so much about how nutrition actually going for something and being determined in doing something despite the fact that everything may be against you. My genetics were against number is more difficult to put on muscle. All of those things my age. All of those things were against me and I had so many people saying this is impossible. You can't do that at all. You know what you're doing being a bodybuilder is ridiculous. And at the same light, I knew there was more in me. So I also started really going down the personal growth route. And I started doing some Tony Robbins work I'm sure you know Tony Robbins. Yes, I did some john demartini work and I also one of the largest personal growth communities here in the UK. And we used to have great speakers on stage and I shared it with the stage was amazing names, and I loved it. From there. I started my own YouTube channel podcast and today I've done over 100 interviews with some amazing people. Everyone from Aamir Khan might have heard of either Ben's boxer to john demartini, and everyone in between. So really, I think my journey has been one of reinvention but constantly learning more and more about myself. And understanding what brings me joy and what my two bands are and I've got dr. john demartini in his breakthrough experience to thank for that. Absolutely. I'm just curious, personal what's your show name? My show name I was my name Sonny will be Oh, my sir. Is that Sonia Morton third show. Okay. Um, while you continue that I'm gonna look that up. So what is the other things you went into with your the people? Sorry, the the people on my show. I'm rambling now continuing wherever you were saying before distracted, you know, well, so the show is called the Sunday morning bird show. It's on YouTube and all the major podcast, podcast platforms as well. And my show really shines the light on people that have led a life less ordinary that have gone beyond. So they have gone through adversities challenges. And they're serving and contributing still to others. So I interview a lot of endurance athletes, I interview people that a lot of veterans that have fought in wars and got amazing stories that have lost limbs, and they're still getting up today and doing a lot of charity work and helping others. But I've also interviewed a lot of coaches as well. Everyone really from inspiring entrepreneurs, to leaders, you name it, and annex, it's such inspiration, and a wealth of growth and learning in my own life as well. And I think that's, that's what I love about doing the podcast. And back to what you said, Josh, about being curious, when you're a kid, you know, your teacher saying stop, you know, asking these questions, why was a little bit the same, you know, I'm very interested. And I have very intrinsic level of human beings and what makes them tick. And as part of actually, being a coach and being a qualified coach is really delving down deep. Certainly not talking about the talk, I'm doing right. The person doing the job, but it's really going deep and understanding who that person is. And that's what interests me why people do what they do, and what makes them not ordinary. So I think, coming from that corporate life of leading that sort of nine to like, nine to five life, just following the rules doing what we were told, doing what we're expected to do, to interviewing these people that don't do what they're expected, you know, don't lead a life less ordinary, that have gone above and beyond that are really achieving that are really succeeding, but not in a materialistic way. But other forms of way. That to me is that shows true courage. These people are taking action, despite the fear despite of what society says. And that to me is true. I have to agree. Yeah. When I was a young kid, like I said, they were like, Oh, stop asking questions. But like, I always remember this, even as an adult, they would see color in the like coloring boxes, like stay within the lines. What a great podcast stay within the lines, rubbish. Who wants to live think outside the box? That's what I say. It's like right now what's going on around the world? People are sheep. What are people doing that? Think outside the box? What is going on is ridiculous. It's just crazy. If we need to really tap into what's going on tap into our inner strength to tap into what we intrinsically believe is right or wrong. Absolutely. And, like, the follow up, that is when they say stay within the box for me. I'm like, but it looks prettier when I add the colors outside kind of thing. Might Why should I stay in the box? And as a little kid, I never figured that out. Why? stay outside the box? Oh, I that is my piece of advice to you as an older lady. stay outside the bolts, keep thinking outside to brace because normality gets you nowhere. And you being somebody that that's a maverick is a free thinker that can think for themselves, I think is so much. Yeah, there's a lot to be said for that. Oh, that alone. Yeah. So the nachi I want to follow that up with. So Is that why you kind of were leaving your corporate job as you were within the box the whole time. And you're like, wait, there's more opportunities in? Yeah, I didn't fit in. I was as a woman, but I was very much in a man's world. I remember me I even used to wear the pinstripe suit. Like, people can't see me but I'm quite glamorous. You know, I love the I love the sexy clothes and all the rest of it and I just didn't fit. So I was this this and that just never I hated the rules. You know, rules are there to be broken as far as I'm concerned. And I was a rule breaker. And that probably was part of why I was so successful. But it was also why I was never ever going to retreat back. And I just didn't feel like what I was doing was truly contributing. But I think it's not as it's really. I didn't feel like I was mean I didn't feel like this was who I was and The real crux the real tipping point, was what I thought of myself, this might sound a bit weird lying on my deathbed, with regret. Each and every one of you just to think about whatever you doing in line, all you gonna be like, fast forward to your deathbed. It's horrible to think about how you don't want to think about that. But are you going to live with regret? Is that something you're itching to do? But this fear or your mind, your monkey mind is saying, No, you can't do that. Don't be stupid, you can't do that you need to do that is that little voice telling you something that you're going to wait, you're going to be on your deathbed regretting and wishing you ignored that? That little voice inside your head. And that's what really did it for me. It's like, I need to scratch the itch. I need to get out the city because I can't believe this is what it's all about is like, is this really what life isn't about? So I want to add something and I am gonna I think I've taken this from Gary Vaynerchuk, too. But it's the when you're dead? What are people gonna say at your booth out barrel? Good. Are you did you do good? Or you didn't do enough for the human to like, know this? About me? But let's hope it's not over. Yeah, but I'm gonna use another 50 years yet. You never know what technology we might live with 200. Now, exactly that case, let's bring it off. But bring it on in a healthy lifestyle guy. So you're out? That is the one thing they can't take it you know that money cannot buy your house? No, no. And most of it as weird as it is. And we're never taught this, at least in American schools, I don't know about your system, is that your mind is way more powerful than you give it credit for like your manifesting most most illnesses, stream from anxiety, which is stress, kind of thing. Oh, your minds can do anything you mind can heal itself. And they've proven that with in some studies and some k in some cancer patients, where they've actually been able to re heal the cells within that does, you know, people that are listening to this thinking that sounds like a load of bollocks to be honest. But it is. Honestly, the power of the mind is unbelievable. That logically, if you're and I always I use this as an example. So corporate life, listen, it might sound like old technology. But we were given some of these goggles that you put on. And it's like spatial awareness that makes you believe that you're in this, it was an elevator and you were going up the floors and you were literally stepping out. You could feel the adrenaline I was standing in a corporate room in a normal flow, but you put so what this guy was doing is they're tricking the mind. And this is how powerful the mind is. So your heartbeat can go up like that, you can feel like you're falling off a cliff and your body will go through every single reaction that it will do, even though it's not doing anything. That's the power of the mind. So you just you just take that into anything. If your mind believes something, it can make it happen. And it can change the physiology in your body. I remember a while ago and I think my mom might have showed me the article. It was like this one guy who was paraplegic from a car crash kind of thing. And essentially he the doctors like there's no chance there's no way you can recover kind of thing he was he's like your bed bound forever. And he pretty much said to the doctor, like give me one year and I'll be walking just find the doctors I will who we on you if you do no bills for you kind of thing. And they'll be old. He was actually two days early. He was Yeah, perfect. Oh, this story is about that. Lovely. Absolutely. If you don't listen to what people say, and your mind doesn't know, it's almost that well, you make your own reality. And that's just always stuck with me because literally it was one of those if you're looking at it medically. his spine was shattered, the nerves are gone kind of thing like, but in one year, or minus two days for him. Everything was perfectly back together. Obviously cartilage was a little off kind of thing. But he everything was reconnected because he he saw himself every day when he was sleeping that he was walking around the hospital. So his power of his visualization is incredible if you can see yourself and I think I know that that story. That one as you can see yourself doing something. It's like athletes that see themselves winning a race and put your body through that and you're training your body to see visualize it. And you couldn't you couldn't form you knew euro wrestler patterning in your brain with constant repetition, the patterns in your brain can be reprogrammed. So the brain and the body are amazing things they are. So I completely believe that the brain is so powerful. Now, that's if we use it to good use. We can also use it for bad too. Yeah. And we also use it to let us talk us out of all of these amazing things we could be doing in our life. Because we listen to the critic. It's deep down that's there with us every single day. And we've all got it. We've all got that little voice in our head that says, You can't do this, you can't do that you shouldn't do this, you must do this. You ought to do that. And whatever voice you want to give it is that and everyone's got it and it's learning. It's learning to listen. Just observe it and ignore it. Absolutely. So actually, I want to add something into that. So when I was in college before I dropped out, I took a swimming class, which is wonderful lady like she's done all her trading and all this. And she does therapy for people specifically for bet like paraplegics. And she's like, you know what the strangest thing is, when we put them in water, they can walk. She they but we put them on land. They fall over. She's a terrible analogy, but she's like, it's literally what happens. She's like, her thesis and she's trying to prove it through training and studies. She's like, I she's like, I think other than patently obvious. damage. paraplegic, it's actually paraplegia is in your mind, not your body. Yeah. Because she's like, how can a paraplegic walk in water but can't walk on land? Well, it's mind body connection, isn't it, there's a connection, right. And it was one of those, I followed up with her. And she's getting close to submitting your papers, but it was just one of them. This always stuck to him like, interesting. So we made the connection on land, we can't do anything. But because we never experienced water before. In that situation, the body just goes back to its old state. Because the brain doesn't but one is not associating one thing with the other maybe now I don't believe in this for she's like, I'm trying to figure out the in between part of that. Because she's like, if we can figure out that gap, we can actually help a lot of people completely. And I think I think the more we realize that out, we have such a mind body connection. And you realize, actually, what you put in your mind is also going to affect your body. And I'll say that I got what you put in your mind. And so you know, when you listen to mainstream media, and you're listening to all that negativity that's going into your line, it's going to take a toll on you. It's going to take a toll on you mentally and physically. I don't watch the news now. I do not watch the mainstream. No, I don't either. But it's funny because a lot my guests like Why aren't you on social media because it's all negative and fear mongering, I don't need that in my mind kind of thing. Exactly. thing in mind is positive stuff, we lose the things that are going to expand you funny little puppies like dancing around with like donkeys kind of thing. That'll fill it up with the whole, always adult Australia COVID like Black Caviar kind of thing. So I'm not worried. I'm like, I actually, part of the reason I started this whole podcast was my tipping point for me was back in December, I got COVID at work. And they all try to get me in trouble. Because they all knew the people had COVID. But because I got a and I kept working. They're like, Oh, you spread it to the store. I'm like, well, you told me nothing. kind of thing. You didn't tell me that was infected. You didn't tell me this. And so Mike, if I knew I would have taken proper things and gone home. And it was just literally I remember. Luckily the jerk got moved somewhere else. The district manager essentially came in, pulled me aside said you're expendable. I can get someone in by tomorrow. This is also back when everyone was making 600 a week on unemployment. For America. I say good. Like, you can get someone invites more I will gladly just walk away kind of thing. But I'm like you are not. I promise you. No one aspires to come and clean the floor and scrub it off the toilet for 1440 an hour. Well, we look at it back now and did you start the podcast back then? The point is once they've recovered from COVID I literally just like they don't care about me. They literally just said that. I'm starting Hey, I'm doing something I want to do. out of a adversity came a benefit. Yes, I need to frame it like that has to be the best thing that ever happened to you then your podcast will go world places because It's so much better look at it as a, actually, from this point. At this tea came something really good. And this is a now I am doing what I love doing. Exactly, no. And that's what I have. I don't usually try to bring that up because that was like a couple months ago with a guest, but it's still it's one of those I'm like, because of that one moment, I realized I'm truly a number in their system. Other than my manager, he cares about me as Josh, I am just a number to be ground. No, he doesn't. He just a number. And anyone that thinks differently, unfortunately, is insane. Yeah, yeah. And that's the biggest one. Now. I jokingly tell some of my guests. This is like I kind of started this podcast mainly to like, show young Josh The Curious shots that there is like, look at this person. We're looking at like Sonia now kind of thing. She had a similar path, do what she recommends. Now. It's just like, I get to talk to cool people like you and get your insights to. Well, Josh, my advice to you is continue doing what brings you joy. Let go of the past greatest thing that happened to you actually, greatest learning experience. And keep on your mission of, you know, interviewing people that you love talking to what great, and we can do that now? Absolutely. Honestly, like, look at this, like I'm clear on the other side of the world. And we're just talking like we're next to each other. Exactly, exactly. So I know you have a game. So can I got two questions going out? And then we'll just plug it fire a fire away. So other than work? What have you been doing during these lockdown times to keep yourself busy? Whoa, well, I can't say it's been the best of times. But I have been working out every day that's a big value of mine. And I was able to go to a brand is a personal trainer and we we had enough weights to train in her backyard and we weren't allowed to train indoors. Yes, we had some weights we trained outside that's kept me really busy. The show you said other than we're probably doesn't feel like work to me is kept me going and just being kept in. To be honest. I've done more walking than I ever have. I live in an absolutely beautiful part of England, just outside London for Richmond. I really discovered nature I've discovered not discovered but I've learned to really appreciate where I live and appreciate walks in greenery in the country. Just looking at the amazing abundance that we've got around us. The greenery, the trees, the wall, I live very close to water back, I can look at the water from where I'm sitting. So I it's actually just appreciate, appreciate everything that's around us. Our planet is a beautiful place. It really is. And I think with the lockdowns because essentially we were only allowed to camp and hike if there's a new renewal to appreciate nature and hope it goes. I mean, that is the one good thing I think we've all had more time about not necessarily been a good thing. If you've been having a hard time mentally. But certainly in terms of just reconnecting with nature really slowing down slowing the pace of life down. Not any new car, actually walking places hiking, I'd say just going back to basics. Yeah. Absolutely. So if someone aspiring to be like you a successful, truly successful, not business successful woman like you, what are some tips and tricks you would recommend to them is to never compare, I'd say never compare yourself to anybody else. Don't look at anyone else go I don't want to be like that. Find out who you are. So my first piece of advice is discover your true values. And when I say values, I don't mean social idealisms that we talk about, like integrity, true honesty, that's a whole load of bollocks. I mean, what are your values? What gets you up in the morning, and that is different for you, Josh, than different to me. It's different for everybody. We all have our priorities and our values that we don't even need to be externally motivated to do. Find out what those are. Make those your priority of the day, and live from that place every single day. Because when you are living from your highest value, then you will live in a place of joy. And then you will truly start discovering your purpose and what you're here to do. That's beautiful. That's truly beautiful. Where can people reach out to you and I will also email you for links later, too. Yeah, of course people can please go and subscribe. on my YouTube channel, which is the Sonia Morton show, it's spelt with the way so n y A Morton for the Sonia Morton bird show. Same on Instagram at the Sanyo Morton bird show Facebook and LinkedIn, or the Sony Morton bird show. Wonderful. Yeah. And I will, like I said, I'll reach out to you and we'll all be in the show description. So great job, but it's been a real pleasure. Very exciting speaking to you. And yeah, great problem able to do this. It really is. Thank you. Appreciate your time. Appreciate you. Thanks, Josh. Me too. Bye.