Blogs by Charlie

  • Happy vibes

    I really need to step up my marketing, because work is pretty quiet currently (although I do have a couple of exciting keynotes this side of Christmas). I don’t like to bother anybody with emails, DMs or phone calls. I think I’ll crank up the happy vibes I’m sending out to potential customers instead. I Read more

  • Sticks and Stones

    Sticks and Stones

    First published by Mix Diversity for Anti-Bullying Week November 2024: Sticks and Stones | Blog | Mix Diversity Sticks and Stones ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’, says the old adage, but another says, ‘the tongue wounds more than a lance’. Although I have no experience of being Read more

  • Now I am officially Charlie

    Ask me to speak at your event outside of the UK, because, hurrah, after the challenging process of changing my name officially to Charlie, my passport renewal application with my name change has finally been approved! If any of my UK friends want to change their name, this is the process I went through: 1) Read more

  • My kids and their baffling names

    My kids and their baffling names

    Some people are understandably baffled by my kids’ names, so I thought I would explain. Ethan (Iggy) was my eldest son, who died in April 2019 aged 15. Iggy had two younger sisters: Isabel (Izzy) and Jessica (Jess) plus a step-sibling 2 months younger than him (Maddie). When my ex-husband Martin and I decided to Read more

  • Alexithymia, community, and ‘jelly buddies’

    I had an absolute blast at the Professional Speaking Association summit over the weekend, but I need to get real for a moment. Sometimes things can happen that make me feel incredibly disabled, and incompetent, and this can have a devastating effect on me, but not immediately, it is a delayed emotional response. I have Read more

  • Reflections on the PSA Speaking Business Summit

    I am enjoying seeing all the posts about the PSA Speaking Business Summit. I’m still processing, and I’m knackered, but wow, it was such an amazing experience! I’ve made so many new friends, and cemented existing friendships. I’ve learned from world renowned speakers, and put into practice what I observe about engagement, impact and working Read more