From Rock Bottom to Successful Magazine Founder:

How to Embrace Your Story and Thrive with Christine Innes, Founder of The Corporate Escapists|EP 58

LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE

Ever feel like you're just going through the motions, trapped in a job or life that doesn't light you up?

Stephen and Sharlene welcome Christine Innes, the visionary behind The Corporate Escapists magazine. Christine's remarkable transformation - from facing bankruptcy and battling an autoimmune disease to becoming a thriving entrepreneur - serves as a powerful testament to the incredible potential of human resilience and reinvention.

Christine shares her hard-won wisdom on embracing your entire story - the triumphs, the failures, and everything in between. She'll show you how to transform your past experiences and current emotions into catalysts for positive change. Discover how to craft a life that aligns with your authentic self, breaking free from societal expectations.

Key Takeaways:

  • How to own and leverage your full life story

  • Strategies for designing a life that aligns with your authentic self

  • The importance of self-compassion in personal growth

  • How to create your own definition of success

Chapters:

  • 05:29 - How I turned struggles into success

  • 12:37 - How removing "perfection" frees you

  • 16:45 - Unkind to myself, kind to everyone else.

  • 22:16 - Why you need to celebrate small milestones

  • 25:22 - Unlearn triggers to prevent business burnout

So I'm a big believer that if you want to change your life, own it, and it's your story, you don't need to go and share it with the world like I do or like other people do. The only person you need to do is own it to yourself and stand in front of the mirror and just go, this is what's happened. I take responsibility for it."

- Christine Innes

Learn Christine's actionable strategies for acknowledging small victories and using them as stepping stones towards your larger goals. She'll guide you in harnessing your unique life experiences to forge a career and lifestyle you're truly passionate about.

Christine explores the concept of "designing your own box" - creating a personalised framework for success that goes beyond traditional notions of work-life balance. She shares insights on how to identify and leverage your core values to make decisions that truly resonate with you.

Listen and take the first step towards a brighter, more fulfilling future.

Episode Resources

Help support the show by sharing it with a friend and give us a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Read the Transcript Below:

[00:00:00]

Sharlene Licciardello: Are you just over your corporate career?


[00:00:02]

Stephen Licciardello: Or do you have a story that needs to be told, but don't know where to start or put it together?


[00:00:07]

Sharlene Licciardello: In today's episode, we have a chat with Christine Innes, founder of the Corporate Escapist Magazine, where she brings you on a hero's journey from burnout to being the founder of a worldwide magazine.


[00:00:18]

Stephen Licciardello: Learn how you can own your story and walk the path of a hero.


[00:00:22]

Sharlene Licciardello: Stay to the end to learn about Inspire Awards and how you can nominate your hero. Let's dive in. Welcome to Rewrite Your Story, the podcast where change begins with you.


[00:00:32]

Stephen Licciardello: We're your hosts, Steven and Sharlene.


[00:00:34]

Sharlene Licciardello: As professional coaches and mentors trained in various modalities, we have helped hundreds of people.


[00:00:40]

Stephen Licciardello: Bridge the gap between the person they are.


[00:00:42]

Sharlene Licciardello: And the person they want to be.


[00:00:43]

Stephen Licciardello: We bring you conversations with real people who have overcome real setbacks.


[00:00:47]

Sharlene Licciardello: You will walk away with practical steps to find more clarity, alignment, and success in any area you want to improve.


[00:00:54]

Stephen Licciardello: So join us and discover how you have the power to overcome, to change, and to rewrite your story.


[00:01:00]

Sharlene Licciardello: So pick up the pen. Your new chapter starts now.


[00:01:05]

Stephen Licciardello: Well, today, we're super excited, Charlie. We've got Christine Innes on the call from sunny Queensland. I believe it's a bit hot up there.


[00:01:14]

Christine Innes: Just a little. Just a little. There's no more winter anymore.


[00:01:19]

Sharlene Licciardello: So, Christine, why are stories so important and why is your whole business around stories?


[00:01:27]

Christine Innes: Stories are made up into 2 different areas. First of all, you have to iron your story to be able to rewrite your story. And it's a hard lesson that I needed to learn. I lost I say I lost everything, but I was reminded today it wasn't everything. But in 2015, I was diagnosed with 2 life changing illnesses. I then left a toxic conflicts of a marriage, which is actually my second marriage. And then I also had to file for bankruptcy. And then the next couple of years, I sort of spent in what I call my pity party, which is the poor me the why me everything's happening to me.


[00:01:59]

Christine Innes: But then I sort of like got sick and tired of being sick and tired. And so I thought, okay, hang on, something's not happening here. And the way out of that was me owning everything. And that's the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between. And it wasn't until I owned it that I could actually rewrite my next chapter in my life. So I'm a big believer that if you want to change your life, own it, and it's your story, you don't need to go and share it with the world like I do or like other people do. The only person you need to do own it to yourself and stand in front of the mirror and just go, this is what's happened. I take responsibility for it.


[00:02:34]

Christine Innes: I own this, you know, and it's it's hard because you don't wanna own some of the bad things. You don't wanna own the things that you've played a party and happening. But when you do that, you let go of the shame and guilt. So then you can then start creating this new life that you want. And that new life allows you to literally have blank pages for you to rewrite your story. So I truly believe that if you want to be successful in life or business, own it, because then you can rewrite it, and then you can learn how to then share that story in a way that really draws in your clients because they you get to take most of the journey. It's like a fairy tale.


[00:03:13]

Stephen Licciardello: You know,


[00:03:14]

Christine Innes: you're showing them the bad stuff that happened, you know, and not that I ever believe now that there's somebody on a white horse that's gonna hold me, you know, and, you know, fix everything. But you're that person. You're the hero in the story. And so now I get to show people how to actually be the hero in their storytelling journey to attract their ideal clients.


[00:03:33]

Stephen Licciardello: Yeah. That is so perfect. And, you know, looking at the ownership of your story and how you owned it, You know, while you were speaking, I actually wrote the hero's journey and then you mentioned the hero. So it really is a hero's journey when we go through anything in life and and the building of resilience. But this has led you to 2 major successful areas in your life. 1 is the the corporate escapism magazine, which is a magazine that is just touching 1,000 and feature stories, but also the Inspire Awards, which is an awards that is popular in Australia and touches many lives in Australia and features many people. How did you do that all in the ideas?


[00:04:18]

Christine Innes: That's amazing. Well, it's been 5 years really since I started the business. So like the like I said, the first 4 years was that pity party. And I think everybody needs that moment. I think, you know, as human beings, we actually don't allow ourselves to feel and that's feeling good or feeling crappy too, because emotions, like we're human beings, we have to have emotions. So I think actually having that time was probably the first turning point with it. And then it all started. I was decided I was gonna be a life coach, and then I was going to networking meetings, you know, trying to establish myself and someone said, oh, I really love your story.


[00:04:56]

Christine Innes: Can I share it? And I must admit the first time I did it, you can go back and look at the video. I am, like, pale white. I am sweating from every orifice that you could ever think of because I'm so nervous. And here I am sharing about my, you know, my story, and then I had all these people reach out. And that's when I sort of knew, okay, there's something here. There's something that's, you know, attracting these people. And then I turned that into a podcast 2020. So in a meditation magazine, so I thought, oh, this is hilarious.


[00:05:29]

Christine Innes: Like, that's not gonna ever work. 4 years later, And now we're reaching 10 more people worldwide in the magazine, and we've done 4 number 1 Amazon best selling books, you know, in person events, and now the inspire words. And I think that the biggest thing is going, well, why not? Why not me? And I've lost everything. And I use actually now as an advantage going, well, I already know how to come back. So what really is the worst thing that can happen? And when you've been in a really vulnerable place, it's almost allowing yourself to go, okay, well, I'm not actually doing it for me anymore. I'm doing it for everybody else. So I actually removed myself from it all and going, well, how can I impact today? Who can I inspire today? What can I do to help somebody else? And when you remove yourself from it, it actually allows, I think, the more goodness one, like, I call it the universe, but whoever you believe in, like, to comes in and helps you spread that message.


[00:06:29]

Sharlene Licciardello: Yeah. That's just amazing. You you mentioned before, Christine, that you had gotten sick and tired of getting sick and tired during this whole season of being having that pity party. What was that linker that that tipping point that turned from that self pity to a pattern of I wanna change something?


[00:06:50]

Christine Innes: I was actually very embarrassed because I was so attached to my corporate identity for such a long period of time that when people were asking me, what are you doing? I literally could not answer them. Like, I didn't have anything to say. And then I'm like going, well, actually don't want that. I actually wanna be really proud of where I am or you know what I'm doing. And that sort of was one of the the turning points. There was so many different things, but I'm never one for lost for words. But when somebody's asked me, you know, that I hadn't seen for a while, well, what are you doing? And I couldn't put ascensions together. That sort of triggered something inside me going, oh, hang on a second.


[00:07:28]

Christine Innes: Like, normally you're the laugh of the party. Like, you can talk to anybody and you can't put a sentence together. What's going on? And that was sort of like just a few things that started to happen. And then I remembered a couple of conversations from my corporate career and just started to apply some just some general things. And then YouTube became my best friend listening to stories. So stories changed my life, and that's why I love stories because I was listening to all these other stories on YouTube from people going, wow, they've gone through that. Like, oh my goodness. Well, maybe I just need a little bit of, you know, healthy dose of inspiration and then I can do it as well.


[00:08:04]

Christine Innes: And that's all it really was. And I don't think there's just one thing. I think sometimes you've gotta allow yourself to feel because if you don't allow yourself to feel, you can't heal. And that's my biggest thing too. You've gotta heal yourself ready for you to take that next step.


[00:08:19]

Sharlene Licciardello: It's so true. There's so many people out there that just trying to avoid those hard feelings out there and they're not willing to address it because it's too scary, but it can scary. And, like, how do I even deal with those emotions? Like, it'll poof.


[00:08:33]

Christine Innes: Yes. Yeah. And sometimes we're not even used to the emotions because we're on autopilot for so much of our time. Like, I remember in, like, the corporate days, I would be driving to work, and I could not even remember how I got there. Like, I don't remember the drive. And I sit there and I'm, like, going, wow. Like, I wasn't caught, like, I mean, you awake, like you're doing it, but you're just in the motion of it. So to actually go back, it was like being an infinite game, like learning the actual feelings, like, what was joy? What was happiness? What was sad? What was fear? Like, all those things.


[00:09:09]

Christine Innes: And once I started to learn to go, you know what? It's okay. And everyone says to me now, oh, you're a very emotional person. I'm like, oh, yes. That's my superpower now because I get to feel things on such a deeper level. So then I can really empathize and, you know, communicate with people on this huge deep level because I can feel those emotions now.


[00:09:33]

Stephen Licciardello: Christine, you mentioned before, I know how to come back and and that ownership, how what would you say to that person that wants to take ownership but doesn't know how to come back, doesn't know how to tell the story or worse off, doesn't wanna own the story.


[00:09:54]

Christine Innes: Yeah. I think if you're denying yourself the opportunities, then that's the first thing is sometimes we get so comfortable with where we're at. Like, it's the fear of the unknown. So what if I let go of shame and guilt? What if all of this? But the the words, what if are so powerful. So I change that to what is, what is right now? Like what is working right now and what isn't working right now? And if you can focus on what is working right now, keep doing more and more of that. And if something's not working, then what could you change or even let go of? And that's probably the first step. And then one of the practices that I do all the time is I sit down and I visualize what is my ideal day? How do I wanna wake up? Who do I wanna spend time with? What are the conversations I wanna have? Where do I wanna be working? You know, all those amazing things that, you know, aren't always in my life right now, but I can see that because that allows me to be the better version of that person aspiring to what I want. And having that, you know, just that visualization, that sort of connection to that, that was also one of the first steps that I did to be able to get out of my own way.


[00:11:10]

Christine Innes: Yeah.


[00:11:10]

Stephen Licciardello: The corporate escapism. Tell us about your magazine.


[00:11:15]

Christine Innes: Yeah. So the corporate escape is is all about, you know, people who a, looking to not just to escape corporate, but looking to design a life that they love. And we we can all use these fun little terms and stuff like that. But, you know, if you think about it, like, what's a day that you're gonna wake up and live on purpose? So we share articles around 5 key different areas. We talk about body and health. We talk about spirituality. We talk about money, career, finances, and we talk about business. So those 5 key pillars allow people to really design a life that they love.


[00:11:51]

Christine Innes: And I don't believe it's about work balance because there's not really a balance. It's about you having all the different aspects to actually have that life that you are just waking up going, I'm really excited for today. Like what what's what's gonna happen? And if you can do that, whether you're working on corporate, whether you're working for yourself or you're, you know, just pursuing your dreams, that's really designing a life you love.


[00:12:15]

Stephen Licciardello: You know, the reason why I smiled and we both smiled is because that is our whole thing. You know? There's no such thing as work life balance.


[00:12:24]

Christine Innes: No. No.


[00:12:25]

Stephen Licciardello: It's seasons. There's seasons of intensity. There's seasons of station, but don't try to squeeze it all into the 24 hour period. No. Because you only gotta cause yourself anxiety.


[00:12:37]

Christine Innes: Exactly. Exactly. I I mean, I removed the word perfection out of my vocabulary because it doesn't exist. I mean, everyone goes, oh, but it does. And I'm like going, well, does it really? I said, like, if you achieve a goal and you you do it, you're always gonna reflect back on there going, oh, maybe I could have done this differently. Or then you go, well, what's next? So if something was so perfect, you would be so content, but that's why, like, perfection doesn't exist. And I think if we can remove these sort of words that we're normalizing, you would literally feel so much more freer. I just go, oh my god, I can actually breathe.


[00:13:12]

Christine Innes: I don't need to live, you know, how everyone's telling me how to do it.


[00:13:16]

Stephen Licciardello: Absolutely. Absolutely. And we're and we're so here because, you know, in the last 2 weeks, we've had a few clients come in. I just want work life balance. I'm like, what is that? You know, like, you go through seasons in life, you know, like, everything's seasons. It's not a 24 hour, you know, and I think sometimes I think, well, coaching has put up these ideals that are so stupid.


[00:13:41]

Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah.


[00:13:42]

Stephen Licciardello: You know, like the wheel of the 24 hour wheel. I'm like, who invented that? Yeah. Though I'm not putting down the coaching profession, but I just think some of the concepts are a bit unrealistic and actually cause more anxiety.


[00:13:55]

Christine Innes: Yeah. Absolutely. And, you know, the fact is is that, like, every human being is so different. I mean, we all operate at our own optimal best, and that could be your could be a morning person, you could be a nighttime person. I mean, I need a nanny nap in the afternoons, and that's how I recharge myself, and that's okay. Like, nobody is ever gonna be able to work, like, in a box. You've actually got to design the box that works for you.


[00:14:20]

Stephen Licciardello: Oh, I love that. You've got to design the box that works for you. Yes. Like, people, audience, if you get anything, get that. That is so powerful.


[00:14:31]

Christine Innes: I have to write that down myself. Yeah.


[00:14:33]

Stephen Licciardello: That is so powerful. And you know that that just that one sentence has the ability to set so many people free because, you know, and that's what telling your story and rewriting your story is all about. Like you said, it's about owning the story, reflecting on the story. Now what do I do now? You know, and creating that hero's journey. Next steps. Next steps. Christine, looking back in the last 9 years, what are some of the non negotiables that have helped you transform your life today?


[00:15:08]

Christine Innes: Oh, I love this question. The first thing is core values. I lived and breathe core values in my corporate career and I was living their core values. So when someone said to me, well, what are your values? I'm like, oh, you know, this, this, and this. And they're like, are they really? Because you're not really living your life on purpose. So I think my nonnegotiable is a the values I see values as a two way street. So my own values, so my top one is authenticity. So I show up authentic.


[00:15:38]

Christine Innes: I will let people know when, like, I will show up still on on camera without makeup. Like, I will go to events, like, you know, just in jeans, like, all that sort of stuff. That's who I am. And I have that then as sort of like an expectation of how I work with people as well. I want you to show up authentic. And if you are showing up online one way and I meet you in person and you'll quote completely different, then we're not aligned in that aspect. So, yeah, definitely values. And the other one is that I give grace to myself.


[00:16:07]

Christine Innes: So to know that it's okay for me to make mistakes, I'm still a human being, and to really just reflect on that sort of journey and just go, okay. Well, what is the lesson that you've learned from it? Maybe it wasn't a lesson that you wanted right then, but they never are. But, yeah, it's, you know, what can I learn from it? And the other biggest thing is that the only thing that I can change in the world is how I react to a situation or how I show up.


[00:16:32]

Stephen Licciardello: I think Sharlene was telling me today about the whole thing about someone not showing enough grace to themselves.


[00:16:39]

Sharlene Licciardello: Yeah.


[00:16:39]

Stephen Licciardello: It's easier said than done for a lot of people. Yeah. Yeah. How did you learn that?


[00:16:45]

Christine Innes: I was talking so badly to myself. Like, I would stub my toe and I go, oh, you bloody idiot. You know, all this sort of stuff. And I'm like, hang on a second. I wouldn't I would go up to like, if my friend did it, I'd be like, oh my god. Are you okay? Like, do you need anything? Do you need some ice? Like, why am I not talking to myself like that? And I think that's the biggest lesson that I've learned is that I'm so kind to everybody else that I have been so unkind to myself. So when I even catch myself, I could and trust me, I will still be very unkind. I am the easiest to go down the rabbit hole and, you know, have the the negative voice sitting there and tell me all the things.


[00:17:29]

Christine Innes: But it's now just going, okay. Well, what have you learned from that? How can you get back on track? Like, these things happen. You know, it's okay. It's like I have to be my own cheerleader for myself, and it's not easy to do it. It's it's not a natural thing that we're ever taught to do at all.


[00:17:45]

Sharlene Licciardello: Yeah. So true.


[00:17:47]

Stephen Licciardello: It's so true because you told you're up yourself.


[00:17:49]

Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah. Promote yourself. Right? Yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. And here in Australia, like, we do not promote ourselves.


[00:17:56]

Christine Innes: Like, I have clients in the states, and they're like, oh my god. I did this, this, and this. Oh my god. Oh my god. I love that. Like, how amazing. And then they're like, oh, what have you done? And I just sit there and, you know, it's almost because it's so unnatural for us to, you know, sit there and promote ourselves. But if you're not your biggest cheerleader, then how are you going to allow others to cheer you on if you're not telling them what you've done?


[00:18:16]

Sharlene Licciardello: Yeah. Yeah. Do you do you think there's, like, a big discrepancy between, like, people's idea of self promotion and arrogance that kind of mix the 2 together or confuse the 2?


[00:18:28]

Christine Innes: Yeah. I think so. And I think that's also in the masculine type energy that, you know, a lot of people think, oh, well, look at her or especially when it comes from a a a girl as such, like, in that female sort of aspect. But the way I see it now is going, you know what? Like, I have worked goddamn hard for what I've done. Nothing has come not like, a, you know, easy or handed to me on a silver platter. I've done the work. So I am actually very proud of what I've done. And it's only been really in the last, say, 3 years that I've like felt really comfortable in sharing it.


[00:19:03]

Christine Innes: So it's still been a journey, but the biggest thing is I look back and I think when you start, everyone starts looking back of what they've achieved, then they can start realizing going, oh my goodness, I've done that. Yes. Like, go ahead and, you know, share it. And if people are not gonna be your champions and they're gonna think that you're arrogant or, you know, you're up yourself or it's the ego taking on, they're not your tribe that you want, and just thank them for showing their true colors.


[00:19:29]

Stephen Licciardello: Love that. Yeah. And I think you hit the nail on the head, you know, as Australians, you know, we do have that culture. Exactly. The tall poppy syndrome and, you know, whereas we, you know, feel, you know, like you see it a lot on social media where I'm gonna use, you know, people that go to the gym, you know, and and the selfies in the mirror and this and that and that. And and then you see other people, oh, he's just up themselves. He's on the steroids. He's, you know, and and that's one classic example of, you know, I call it the frog mentality.


[00:20:07]

Stephen Licciardello: You know, when the frogs are in the basket and one frog's trying to get out of the basket and the others are pulling it back in, you know, And that is so ingrained in the Australian culture. I don't and you're so right. You know whereas Americans like we went to a a conference in America just last year. This time last year. And it totally changed our lives. And people were comfortable going on stage and telling their story and actually owning it and being proud. But sometimes when we tell our stories, we don't tell the full hero's journey. No.


[00:20:39]

Stephen Licciardello: We tell the suffering but we don't tell the victory.


[00:20:43]

Christine Innes: That's right. Yeah. Yeah.


[00:20:45]

Stephen Licciardello: So only telling half the story.


[00:20:47]

Christine Innes: Yeah. Absolutely. We're not and sometimes it could be that a, we haven't healed properly yet, and so you still be, but if you're not able to do the hero's journey, you're still sticking stuck in them victim mentality. Yeah. You're stuck in that, you know, call me, why me, you know, you know, in that area of that victim mentality, like, we all have it. But if you can't do the the hero's journey, you're still stuck there. And that there's no shame. There's no guilt around that.


[00:21:18]

Christine Innes: There's no, you know, no other reason that we've just gotta be able to get you across the line to actually get you to recognize with it. Because a lot of people go, well, I haven't fully done it. Well, I haven't fully done all of this. I'm like, I'm but who has fully done it?


[00:21:31]

Stephen Licciardello: It's a journey.


[00:21:32]

Christine Innes: It's a journey. Like, let's let's share what you have done with it because I think a lot of us go, oh, we have to have a complaint or it has to be perfect or, you know, everything needs to be working right with it before we actually fully show up, and that's not the case. Yeah.


[00:21:49]

Stephen Licciardello: I love that.


[00:21:50]

Sharlene Licciardello: It's almost like, you know, that that summer, it never really seems to exist because, like, the moment you kinda get there, it's like you're still looking for more. You're not really there yet. Like, you're still going. Like, how do we actually know when we've actually reached it? Because once you think you've reached it and you have really reached it. Right? So what can we do to stop ourselves from, like, getting to that point where we're constantly chasing that end, that summit? Oh, I love that.


[00:22:16]

Christine Innes: I think a lot of it is that we don't celebrate the small wins. Like, we're constantly waiting for the big project to be over. So if you think about, like, the summit, like, you're gonna celebrate once you get down. But what if this the part of the journey was that you got yourself healthier to be able to take the first 100 meters and then, oh my goodness, I'm halfway up, like, good job. Like, I'm at the top. Okay. Now we're gonna come back down. Like, you know, there's all these little milestones that we've actually got to learn to celebrate and not just wait for the big huge hurrah because once that happens, it's like, oh, is that it? Next project.


[00:22:54]

Christine Innes: Here we go. So let's start celebrating the small and little wins that, you know, even if it is you just getting out of bed today, If you just get out of bed today, that is a win, and we should celebrate that.


[00:23:07]

Sharlene Licciardello: Absolutely love that. It's like we we use so often take it for granted. Just a small little achievements that we make everything. I was just so mundane or just so ordinary. Anyone can do that, but we don't think yeah. Everyone's different. Like, everyone has a different story. Like, sometimes people have a lot of struggle just getting out of bed.


[00:23:26]

Christine Innes: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, there's days, like, I have, you know, a chronic illness and there's days where I'm like, oh my goodness. My body's screaming at me and I'm like, okay. That's right. Like, we're just gonna get out of bed today. We're gonna have a shower.


[00:23:40]

Christine Innes: We're gonna, you know, just see what needs to be done. And if that means I'm working from my laptop in bed, then that's okay. Like, I don't, you know, I just, it's learning, like you're saying, like giving grace to yourself.


[00:23:54]

Sharlene Licciardello: It's just


[00:23:55]

Christine Innes: going, okay, you did this today. Fantastic. You've shown up. You've done what you needed to do because we can't conquer the world in one day. It's like it's tiny little things that you've got to do to be able to get there.


[00:24:09]

Stephen Licciardello: Yeah. Yeah. And, totally understand because, you know, when I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, and I get it, like, there are days we had made plans and I couldn't get out of bed. I I couldn't I couldn't even walk because of the the pain and especially when you're going through a flare up. And so I had to learn the phrase for me, it just is. I couldn't attach meaning to the days I was experiencing. And I'm so grateful that Sharlene and still to this day, like, you know, there are days where I have to cancel plans and I have to do things because, you know, my hips won't move or things like that. And I just have to use the phrase, it just is.


[00:24:59]

Christine Innes: Yep.


[00:24:59]

Stephen Licciardello: And and that allows the grace. So thank you for sharing that and and giving people permission. You know, I think, sometimes as life coaches and and as counselors and as business coaches, you know, we go down this rabbit hole that we're gonna try this diet, this supplement, and we're gonna get better, and we don't actually work with our body just to take the rest we need. Oh,


[00:25:22]

Christine Innes: so true. Yeah. I had this conversation a couple of weeks ago when we're talking about like, because I think a lot of what I went through was a type of burnout after I left corporate. And then you go and start a business. But if you don't, what caused the burnout and you gotta start a business, you're literally gonna have burnout in it because there's a lot more pressure with it. So if you're not unlearning those behaviors or unlearning the triggers, all of those different things, then you're actually still going to allow all of those things in it. So I know what my triggers are for my asthma, and I'm really conscious about that now. I have endometriosis and PCOS, so, you know, there's times where I'm like going, okay, I'm in pain, my body's, you know, like you, like I'm in a flare up, like, okay, what do I need to do? You know, what what can I do for my body to actually nourish it? Because if I don't nourish it now, it means especially with the asthma, I'll be in hospital for a week.


[00:26:22]

Christine Innes: And that's, you know, then there's 2 more weeks after that of even more healing. So I think sometimes, like, if you can really work out what your triggers are on sort of try and actually be in tune with it and listen to your body more and not downplay it. Like, if your body's telling you you're tired, you're tired, have a nap, take it easy today. It's okay. Your to do list is still gonna be there. It's not going anywhere.


[00:26:47]

Stephen Licciardello: You mentioned before you celebrate small wins and you know, I don't want to not give you the due time to explain to us the Inspire Awards and how not only do you celebrate your wins, but you celebrate greatness around Australia. What gave you the idea to find to be the found like, because you founded the Inspire Awards. Take us on that journey.


[00:27:14]

Christine Innes: So the inkling sort of came last year, and I said to people, oh, you know, there's a lot of awards out there, and a lot of them are talking about, you know, women in business, men in business, you've got a in this amount of money. You know, there was a whole heap of different things with them. Like, I know, why don't we just inspire each other? Like, why can't we just do that? And I sort of let it go because I thought, oh, I don't know if I can do this. So, you know, like, it still hits me. And then I think it was, end of July, June, my coach said to me, are you ready for a challenge? And I'm like, okay. No worries. And he didn't know that I'd started this, and he goes, are you ready to have an award? So I'm like, okay. So in the last 5 weeks, literally, I have created a landing page.


[00:27:53]

Christine Innes: We've gotten the judges on board. We've got an emcee for the event. We've got 17 nominations happened already. And just showing people that you like who inspires you? And it's just a simple question because there's so many people that inspire us along either our personal journey, our wellness journey, our business journey, and we don't give recognition to those people as well. So that's what these awards are all about is to recognize those who are change makers. They are literally changing lives by it could be a piece of advice. It could be, you know, just the work that they're doing within the community, and we want to recognize them. So we've got 8 amazing categories that people can go ahead and nominate, and we've done it in a way where it's not about race.


[00:28:42]

Christine Innes: It's not about a, I shouldn't say age because we do have a youth award, but it's not about gender. Like everyone's gonna be treated equally in that. But what we wanna hear is what is your why? Why are you doing it? And it comes back to the stories, you know, what's the passion? What's the purpose? What's the mission? And share that with us. And then we wanna be able to highlight them at the awards that's happening here on the Gold Coast in December.


[00:29:07]

Stephen Licciardello: If people want to nominate someone or they wanna find out more, can you give us a bit of a overview of what the 8 categories are? Do you do you have them all?


[00:29:19]

Christine Innes: Yeah, Absolutely. Yeah. So the first one is our community champions. So those ones there are basically for people, you know, working in the community tirelessly. You know? They're making great contributions. We then got the innovation leader. So there are people who are driving innovation and technological advancements. I should have really chosen some of these words that are really easier to say as well.


[00:29:45]

Christine Innes: Then we've got our youth inspiration. So these are young individuals under 25 that are really, you know, demonstrating great leadership and initiative as well. Healthcare heroes. So people out there doing epic things like our nurses, our doctors, you know, our volunteers at our hospitals. There's so many people there. We've got environmental advocate. So these are people who are really making that positive impact on the environment. There's educational excellence.


[00:30:11]

Christine Innes: So if we talk about our teachers, what about even the admin people who work in there? People who are tutors, you know, anybody there is really helping to make a difference, for people in that education space. We've got our arts and culture. And so people who are creating this, to me, like, arts and culture is amazing because it can really change somebody's life if you think of art therapy and stuff like that. And then you've got your influential business leaders as well. So they're the people that are really, you know, doing the entrepreneurial spirit, but they're doing it in a positive impact on society.


[00:30:49]

Stephen Licciardello: And do you have a website that our audience can go to?


[00:30:53]

Christine Innes: Yeah. So if you go to the corporate escapers.com and then you click on the Inspire Awards, it will have all the details there.


[00:30:59]

Stephen Licciardello: Awesome. Oh, yes. I can see. Now, Christine, as we close-up, what are some advice that you would give to someone that's like, Christine, you've done so much in the last 9 years, but it's not me. You don't know what I've gone through and that that's good for you, Christine, but you know, you don't know me. What would be your one piece of advice that you would give them?


[00:31:23]

Christine Innes: I'm not you. And that's the best piece of advice is that we're all human beings. We're all here on our very own personal journey, and you just gotta give that love and grace to yourself and find your own pathway. It might not be my pathway that you wanna follow. It could be somebody else's completely different, but it's what it is is you carve that own pathway out for yourself.


[00:31:44]

Stephen Licciardello: Christine.


[00:31:45]

Sharlene Licciardello: That's so awesome. Yeah. Christine, one of the things that, like, I usually like to ask at the end of a episode is if you were to go back and rewrite the way you lived your life, rewrite your life story, what would that look like now?


[00:31:58]

Christine Innes: I wouldn't change anything because everything that's happened to me has made me who I am today. I actually really like who I am. Like, I'm really learning to walk and actually fall in love with who I am. So I wouldn't change anything at all. It's got to me where I am today.


[00:32:13]

Sharlene Licciardello: So inspired. Thank you so much, Christine.


[00:32:15]

Stephen Licciardello: And if


[00:32:16]

Sharlene Licciardello: you wanna know


[00:32:16]

Stephen Licciardello: if you wanna know more about Christine, make sure you head to the corporate escapist.com where you can download, issue of the magazine as well as find out more about the awards and a little bit more about Christine. Christine, thank you so much.


[00:32:33]

Sharlene Licciardello: Thank you so much, Christine.


[00:32:34]

Christine Innes: Thank you. Thank you so much.


[00:32:36]

Stephen Licciardello: Awesome.


[00:32:37]

Christine Innes: Thank you so much for that.


[00:32:39]

Sharlene Licciardello: It's been great having Yvonne.


[00:32:41]

Christine Innes: Oh, no. Thank you. I appreciate it.


[00:32:43]

Stephen Licciardello: There's so much synergy.


[00:32:45]

Christine Innes: Thank you. Thank you so much.


[00:32:48]

Sharlene Licciardello: Thank you for joining us on the Rewrite Your Story podcast.


[00:32:51]

Stephen Licciardello: We hope you found this episode enlightening.


[00:32:53]

Sharlene Licciardello: For more information on the topics discussed, please visit our website at stevenandSharlene.com.


[00:32:58]

Podcast Announcer: Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Share with your friends and follow us on social media at Steven and Sharlene.


[00:33:05]

Sharlene Licciardello: Until next time, stay informed and inspired.


[00:33:08]

Stephen Licciardello: This is Steven and Sharlene signing off


[00:33:09]

Podcast Announcer: from the rewrite your story podcast. Thank you, and stay blessed.


Disclaimer: This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or a qualified mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or mental health concerns.

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