Post by Sharon Kennedy

My mystery train man, START-UP Day 2025 at the iconic institute that is the British Library and sorry to Joe Wicks What a full day that flew by. Which always happens when you're having fun right! Aside of meeting so many amazing energetic, giving and passionate entrepreneurs, and also doing my 60 second pitch to the Doorbell Of Dreams, in the evening, I got to listen to Joe Wicks and his brilliant brother Nikki share their significant and inspiring journey of The Body Coach. I came away having learnt loads, chuckled a bit, and with a smile and a full heart, I'm so glad to hear such humble and grateful individuals share honest and sincere experiences and feelings, without any real signs of raging egos (I'm sure they had their moments! they are only human) but with impact and value at the heart of the motivation and mission. Which felt like that with many people I met yesterday. Poor old Joe had a proper niggling cough, and I so wanted to share my throat lozenges with him but didn't want to interrupt their talk. I tried twice to get my lozenges with good will and hopefully confident lozenge carriers, to make their way to him, and twice again with people that might see him before he went, but it wasn't to be. Should I have catapulted my lozenges at him whilst he was on stage, and risked being a nuisance? I now think I should have just gone to the stage and passed them to him, I was close enough! Why didn't I, respect, not wanting to make a fuss, it wasn't a hacking cough after all unlike mine (couldn't shut me up and almost lost my voice) and so I didn't want him or others to think I was making it a big deal about it or making it about me. Funny how us humans work isn't it. I often say I don't care what people think, I'm over 50 and comfortable with who I am. Though I guess we always care, just sometimes it's just about specific people. Those that mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind. Try it - works always, its perfect! 😆 The real lesson yesterday came when a young man just 21 sat opposite me on my train home. I learnt that he was lucky to still be here after a horrific motorbike accident which he died in, though was fortunately resuscitated at the scene, he broke many bones including his pelvis. He suffered bleeds to the brain and was in intensive care for a long time. He had to learn to talk and walk again, dependent on professionals for every part of living and being whilst he recovered. To look at him, you would never know. In his words he is a different man than before the accident. Better in many ways. Kinder, wiser, more caring, more considerate of others and more aware of those that aren't. Life is precious. He plans to make it count. I was so heartened by this young man, his courage, insights, resilience and honesty. I wish I'd got his details as would love to keep in contact and see how life goes for him, maybe help in future if he needs it. Were you on the 9.05pm train St Pancras to Nottingham? Say hi!