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Christine Burns is the CEO and co-founder of the Walt Institute in Melbourne Australia. Originally from New Zealand, she has always been an active individual living life as a hockey player representing her country around the world. She credits her many years in sports and overcoming adversities such as serious leg injuries and a cancer diagnosis for giving her an unstoppable mindset. As you will discover, Christine is an articulate speaker with one of the most positive and vibrant attitudes toward life, I have encountered. Christine will tell you that she works with people to help them develop strategies to “bust through the status quo, be seen, be heard, and be the best version of themselves every single day!”. Our conversation during this episode is far ranging and by all means quite enjoyable. I hope you enjoy what Christine has to say. Please let me know what you think. About the Guest: Christine Burns (BA Psych, PG Dip Sport Bus Mngt, MIPPA) is the CEO and Co-Founder of WALT Institute. She is a New Zealand born lecturer, author and performance coach. She inspires people to take action, stand up for what they believe in and not get stuck in the trivia of life. As a former elite athlete in hockey for New Zealand, she has over 20 years of coaching, sport psychology and performance expertise which she brings to the global arena of Authentic Leadership. Typically, she works with individuals and teams in STEM to provide the strategies to bust through the status quo, be seen, be heard and be the best version of themselves every single day! With a solid achievement in sport, Christine represented New Zealand in indoor hockey and graduated with expertise in psychology, sport psychology, exercise science and business management. Through sport she learned resilience and tenacity which helped her overcome a cancer diagnosis in 2016. She is a dynamic and engaging presenter who will have you experiencing moments of joy and enlightenment. As an author she has recently published her book ‘Igniting Resilience: overcoming the despair of receiving a death sentence’, articles in American Reporter, Yahoo finance, Medium, London Daily Post, California Herald and Thrive Global. She teaches people how to rise to any challenge, overcome the tough times and bounce forward with limitless possibilities. How to Connect with Christine: Book Landing Page: https://ignitingresilience.waltinstitute.com/igniting-resilience-book WALT Institute LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethchristinewaltinstitute Christine Burns LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christineburnsperformancecoach Christine Burns Twitter: https://twitter.com/Christine1Burns Christine Burns Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineInspires Christine Burns Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christineburns.nz/ Website: https://www.waltinstitute.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children’s Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association’s 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes
Michael Hingson 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson 01:21 Welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today, we get to interview Christine Burns. And of course, I'm your host, Mike Hingson. Glad to be here. And I want to thank you for being here with us. Hopefully you enjoy our episode today. And I want to hear about it afterward. But Christine is Gosh, what can I say about Christine burns, she is a lot of things. She's a New Zealand born lecturer. And I would say that the most important thing to say about Christine, she inspires people to take action stand up for what they believe in and not get stuck in the trivia of life. And just before we started recording, we were talking about all the stuff going on now because it's for all of us as we record this, it's getting close to the holidays, and all the things and all the drama of people dealing with the holidays, and so on. So Christine, love to hear your thoughts on that. But first, welcome to unstoppable mindset. Christine Burns 02:20 Thank you so much, Mike for having me on here. I feel privileged to be here with you. This is this is just awesome. This is amazing. Michael Hingson 02:27 So let's talk about the holidays and everybody preparing and all the crises that everybody is starting to have. Christine Burns 02:34 Yeah, it sounds nice. As we're talking before, I'm just writing a blog for our business world Institute. And just noticing the ramp in I say madness, and craziness of people when the end of year panic and got to have stuff done before the end of year. And then there's all the pressure for the people who you know, doing things around Christmas or holidays or taking breaks. And it's just rising the panic of madness. The craziness is just on the rise. Michael Hingson 03:04 And of course, part of the issue is, if people were more strategic, they might have gotten some of that stuff done earlier in the year. Christine Burns 03:13 Yeah, this and that is I love it. That's exactly one of the points that I brought up in there is that we, you know, we the general week, most people try and squeeze so much into the last two weeks or two months, they get to November, and it's like, oh my gosh, we have to have everything done. And so a whole lot of you know, what could be three or four months worth of work get squeezed into two months? Because haven't planted earlier. So if we'd looked at this before and planned it, it'd be fine. It'd be all sorted. Michael Hingson 03:43 Yeah, I've never been one for making lists. And I try to keep everything in my head. And I do that deliberately. I want to keep off Alzheimer's, you know, but I also, but I actually do Value Lists. And for me, lists now are putting reminders on to my Amazon Echo or things like that. And that way, I get reminded, and I deliberately tell it when I want to know about something. And so I guess I'm planning because what I do is I say remind me on such and such a day about this. And that way, the day does get really organized. So I don't write down list because writing it down is kind of out of sight out of mind if I put it even in Braille on something unless it comes up and I hear something or in your case, if you see something, what good is it so you can put a list on a wall and that's great. And that's important to do. So I guess my alternative to that is using electronic reminders or putting things in my calendar, even if it's just reminders and that works really well but it is important to plan and not get yourself trapped in the end of the year crisis. Christine Burns 04:54 And it is it's it's something that we notice with a lot of the people that we work with And I know that I used to, I used to always turn around and say, you know, golf settings overrated. Writing down lists is overrated and, and the more I've gone through things and realize how important it is to be organized and plan ahead. And that's something that I've really noticed is that the more I've looked at long term rather than short term all the time, then I have my I choose to do list each week. And I have it on a refill pad. And I have that with me all the time. So that it is it's, it's in front of my face whenever I'm sitting down anywhere, and I've got it with me right here right now next to me, so that it helps me do it. It's like planning is it makes life so much simpler and easier? It's just, yeah, I don't know why we don't do more of it. Michael Hingson 05:45 I know, I know, I have reminders in the system that will be brought up at the appropriate time by the echo. But also because I have it all programmed all hear it on my iPhone, if I'm not here or whatever. But I've got things that go out into the middle of next year, just that's the time I choose to deal with a particular thing. And it's all in the plan. Christine Burns 06:09 Yeah, and and it is it's, I mean, it's something I used to put, it's kind of weird, because I used to plan a lot for my hockey stuff. But I didn't plan in my own studies, or I didn't plan initially in our work stuff, because it was like, ah, in a workout, it'll be okay. And I used to just think I'd be able to fly by the seat of my pants. That was something that I'd say to myself a lot, even when I was teaching and lecturing, but I fly by the seat of my pants would be okay. And it never worked as well as when I planned it. Michael Hingson 06:38 Well, I'm used to organizing things in my brain. So the reality is most of those reminders, I'm going to remember anyway, but that's good. It is nice to have a fallback position on what technology does for us, right. Christine Burns 06:52 It's great when it works. And it's diabolical when it doesn't, and we can Michael Hingson 06:57 pick on it. So it's okay. Well tell us a little about you growing up and the early the early World of Christine. Christine Burns 07:06 Christine, I was funny. I was on a podcast the other day. And the lady said to me similar kind of question. And I was like, Oh my gosh, no, I had, I had a great childhood. I'm not one of these ones that can go oh, this happened. And that happened. And this was terrible. And things did I mean, you know, it wasn't all you know, rose tinted glasses. And it wasn't all hunky dory. But the thing was, it was kind of like my mum and dad, a brother both passed away now but they're both from Scotland. And you know, Dad's this six foot four big beast. And Mum was five foot half an inch. And the pair of them were just crazy fun. And it was it was awesome. And I just had a great time growing up, I learnt so many things from them. And I put so many of my learnings from them into everything that I did each day. I loved going to school, I enjoyed school, I was never top of the class I was you know, study hard and work hard and I'd get my 55 or 56%. And, you know, on a good day, I might use 70 something. But I just worked hard at it. And I chose I chose to make things work for me. And I think a lot of that was my learnings from Mum and Dad and and it was growing up in New Zealand was yeah, pretty free and easy. Really it was it was good times and in you know, play on the street and play with the neighbors and it was great fun. Yeah, it was good fun. Michael Hingson 08:31 And you know, that's that's kind of the way a childhood should be of course everybody has different experiences but what do you think you learn what's probably the most important thing or things that you learn from parents said as you said, had a lot of fun you had a lot of fun with them and so on What did you bring away from all that? Christine Burns 08:52 I think the and I've used it all the time is the one liner that my mum used to say often was these always away and and it wasn't you know, dad had his own business and mum did all the books and so it was you know, even when times were getting a little bit tougher, a little bit stretched and mum would be like there's always a way we can work this out. And so to have there's always a way and everything was just fun. It was like you know, it wasn't it wasn't a takeaway or minimize things it was to enjoy the moments. I think those were the definitely those were the key things really Michael Hingson 09:28 well, it's important to figure out a way and all too often we experience or find people who just can't move on or something happens and I don't know how to do with anything with that. I can't do that. I hear it all the time. You know one of my favorite examples of that is I use a guide dog and my eighth guide dog Alamo is down here being bored he's heard me talk on these podcasts before and he says where my bones but I hear so So many people say, Oh, my dog could never do that my dog would never be that well behaved. And I laugh when I hear that. I try not to do it out loud. But I laugh when I hear that to say, well, whose fault is that? Are you saying your dog is dumb? Or don't you understand that really, most dog training is really human training. And your dog could do that, if you would but take the time to teach your dog and to establish rules. Hmm. Christine Burns 10:29 So if I was talking with someone in the park the other day, and that was something you know, it's not about dog training, it's about training us as humans as training us as owners. And, and I and it is, it's all about our mindset. It's, it's what we choose, as our response or reactions to everything. I mean, I've been through similar situations to different people that I'm aware of, and that I know of, and we've had very different outcomes. And it's like, same thing Alamo can sit there and enjoy it and just go, You know what, this is kind of cool. And I'll listen to Mike and see whoever else is around and but you know, see, it's a choice. It's, and that's what I tend to do the same and mostly laugh on the inside when people go, I can't do this or never work out. That hurts me though. And when I hear people say, ouch, out, you poor thing. That is yeah, I almost feel sad in a way. Michael Hingson 11:22 Yeah. Because life is about choices. Christine Burns 11:27 Yes, it is. It's always about choices. And it's, it doesn't matter what happens. We can choose, you know, we always have a choice of and not to put a judgment on it. But it's that thing of what can go well, for us or what's right for us, and what can go against us or what isn't right for us in its itis Yeah, I think it's a tough thing when people allow external situations or allow other people to keep control of their life really, or they disempowered themselves and give it away. Yeah. Michael Hingson 12:02 You have clearly an extremely positive outlook about life and people and so on, which I love. But what is cause you to have such a positive outlook? Was it just your parents or what really brings that positive outlook out for you? Um, Christine Burns 12:19 I suppose it can't totally be my parents, because my sister doesn't have that same view. I think we like to Oregon cheese. I think it was, for me, it was the I played a lot of sport when I was young. And I think I learnt coming through the ranks that you know, like it was even sport, even school, I was like, if I'm going to get anywhere, I'm not going to have to work hard at it. It's that thing of like, when I put in the effort, I get good results, or I get good outcomes. And I noticed that I noticed the effort in the as the energy that I put into something. And then I saw what I got back from an hour I enjoyed it. I just now I don't know, I love learning. And it's like, why not learn more, you know, if I can learn a lesson from something, and then it allows me to move forward, friggin do it. Like it's, I don't know, it's easy to keep positive about it and have an optimistic perspective than get caught up in the BS? Michael Hingson 13:21 Well, I think you really just hit it. When you said you love learning you you worked at learning. And you recognized that there's value in learning and you can grow from it. And we, when we stop learning, then we really are shutting ourselves down because learning is part of everything we do. Christine Burns 13:41 Yeah, it is. It's and I mean, I, I think it's you know, I find it difficult when I'm not difficult or challenging, I suppose when people you know, haven't been involved in learning things or playing sport for me, you know, my first port of call talking about anything is to go back to sports situations and then put it into work situations, because it's my, it's my quickest way to transfer that learning for me. It's like, okay, what would I do on the hockey field? Or what would I've done on the softball, you know, diamond or whatever? And then go, Okay, here's how or here's what I can do now, to take that next level. And it's at the you're not learning, man, you're just I think you're missing out on life. Really. Michael Hingson 14:22 It's not just the learning. It's also putting the knowledge to use. Christine Burns 14:27 Yes, yeah, the implementation of it is is just that that's key to me is that you can have so much knowledge you can you know, I've got a bookcase here, behind me another one upstairs and chock full of books. Now those books don't get it done. Because they're pretty much they've all been written on or got post it notes inside them. And I so often go in and out looking at those and talk to people and ask questions so that I can I can keep implementing it because it's like, well, why have knowledge sitting on a shelf that's pointed Less why? Why just be an information seeker? You know? Michael Hingson 15:04 Yeah. And then hopefully you when you try to share it, find people who are of like mind and and they will absorb. Christine Burns 15:14 Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's like yourself, you know, I mean you you know, you know talking to people and in getting through things yourself and accomplishing a whole lot of things in life, it's, you've got to implement it, you've got to find the people around you that are that are like minded that keep you going as well and in challenging times. And I mean, you know, you're, you're well aware of that. Yeah, Michael Hingson 15:37 yeah. And it isn't necessarily at all just deliberately sharing knowledge, it's being yourself. And then when is when you can share and contribute. That's as good as it gets. And it isn't forcing someone to listen to what you have to say. But rather, it is being like minded and combining knowledges from more than one person, which is always great. Christine Burns 15:59 Yeah, I mean, I love to just sitting down having really, a really solid, always have to be philosophical, but really solid, good, interesting conversations. I'd rather do that than then talk superficial BS and talk about the winner. You know, I love having cool conversations like these. It's it is just brilliant. Yeah. Michael Hingson 16:21 One of the things I think I'm I know, it's not just in this country, but one of the things that that I miss now, especially in later times, is the real art of conversation. I think it's fun to have political debates, for example, to talk about the issues. But so many people now don't want to do that, oh, you can't possibly be right. And they don't open up the opportunity to learn or to explore. And it's not about trying to make anyone change their opinion. For me, the discussions are about learning and understanding more of what what other people's views are. And talking about mine as well, which do we evolve? And, and I would hope that whenever I had, and now, we can't do it as much in the politics world. But when we have discussions, I would hope I learned and I know that over the years, I've changed my views on some things because of conversations that we've had it now we're losing that art of conversation across the board, because of what's going on with politics. And people don't want to think about options, alternatives, or anything else. I'm right, you're wrong. And that's all there is to it. Christine Burns 17:39 Yeah, I was I was laughing because it was, I remember our Christmases, we used to go up Christine Burns 17:46 to family, friends and dad and we used to call it anti knitter. And, and they'd always end up in arguments to do with politics. And it was it was good, though. It wasn't it wasn't like a negative battle. You know, I'm right, you're wrong. It was it was it was an opening of, of, you know, what sort of seemed like an argument, but they had always ended up discussing things really well. And and I think, you know, even today, people do, they're so scared, because it's that thing of going, Oh, what's that person gonna think of me if I say this, or they're not gonna like me, or they won't accept or approve of me? If I say or have this belief, and I just, I struggle with that. Because it's like, like you say, how else do you learn? How else do you have this ability to even be open to other people's ideas? It's just different. It's not right. It's not wrong. It's just different. And I think it's, I think that is one of the things that we are losing these days here. Michael Hingson 18:43 And it isn't even necessarily all that different. If we really communicate like religion. Everybody argues about what religions right or wrong, it seems to me that if you look at the, the major religions in the world saw the same God. Christine Burns 18:57 Exactly, yeah, I remember learning of some of my students, because they had, when I came over here to Australia, I had, it was, you know, for the one to Peter was it was like the League of Nations in my classes. And I was like, Oh my gosh, and so I would just ask them, you know, because I was really curious and interested to find out where these people were from and what their beliefs were, and to find out, and in the end, I was like, hang on a minute. That's pretty much all the same here. There's not a lot of differences. If you start to look at it, some of them were okay with that. And some of them being decided that that wasn't appropriate, but it was the thing, okay. It all comes back down to very similar beliefs. You know, there's, there's not this this big separation that that many people tend to identify. It's quite a narrow focus or a narrow belief really, of where it all comes from. Michael Hingson 19:47 It is indeed and that's what really makes it interesting when people come to that realization. Well, we talked about your Oh, go ahead. Christine Burns 19:59 I was gonna say So it's an interesting thing to have this ability to realize it to notice it to see it, I think it's the intersect, I think is quite cool to to be able to be in an environment where you can actually talk like this and have these conversations is Michael Hingson 20:14 brilliant. Yeah. Well, talking about your positive outlook and so on, or to put it in the parlance of the podcast being unstoppable. What are three things that that you find or that you believe, really helped to create an unstoppable mindset? Christine Burns 20:31 I mean, we've talked about before, I think the first one is to is to learn and learn about self, you know, to really get a self awareness and have this ability to tap insight so that we know, we know who we truly are, it's not this superficial BS or fitting into some box, it's, it's knowing who we truly are. The thing also is to, is to have the ability to, for me, it's kind of weird, because I say to be physically active as well. So I think, to be physically active, kind of helps our our ability to keep moving to keep that momentum going for us, and it helps us change our state. And then it means that, you know, obviously, our mindset flows from there. And I think the third one is to surround yourself with like minded, awesome, amazing people. Michael Hingson 21:22 Yeah, and the, and the and the existing in the in the reality of surrounding yourself with like minded people, doesn't mean that you don't want to have other views like minded people doesn't necessarily mean that they have the same opinions you do. But they have the same philosophies about learning and so on, and they can absolutely have different views. One of my favorite people is the founder of the National Federation of the Blind, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, who founded the National Federation of the Blind here in the United States in 1940. He and his wife were not of the same political party, they were one Democrat and one Republican. Oh, and I never knew him, he died of cancer before I got to meet him, but I knew his wife well. And one of the things that she said is we had very intense arguments and very intense times where we talked, but we talked, and it was fun, to be challenged by somebody else, who understood that it's all about the challenge and all about the discussion. And we both learn from each other. Christine Burns 22:39 Yeah, I just think it's the, it's where I think the self awareness comes in of going, I'm okay, and secure and myself to have a different opinion. And I'm okay. And I'm safe within myself to be able to say something and to also deal with someone having having a difference of opinion. I yeah, I think the privacy before the art of conversation is, is kind of like a dying breed, unfortunately. But it's, it's something that when people have it, it makes stronger relationships, too. It's it's stronger, create stronger connections and stronger relationships with people. Michael Hingson 23:16 Sure. And I think it's also appropriate to say that I'm okay with myself, to the point where if somebody says something that I find makes more sense than what I believe I'm willing to reevaluate and reassess. There's not an absolute. Christine Burns 23:35 Yeah, I love that. Yep, bingo. Yeah. It's, it's a biggie for, for people to admit that to, you know, for people to admit mistakes, or for people to even not even to go that far, but to be in that space to go. Sure. I didn't think of that. Oh, wow. Yeah, quite well. I'm gonna add that to my toolkit, or I'm gonna step into thinking about that now. Yeah, Michael Hingson 24:00 I thought is huge. There you go. Well, you're originally from New Zealand, but I know you're in Australia. Now. When did you move? Christine Burns 24:08 Um, I moved over here in 2011. So I'd always mum and dad had lived. They've come out from Scotland in New Zealand. They had lived here in Melbourne for three years. Man loved it. Dad hated it. So they went back to New Zealand. And then dad died. 2008 Mum died 2011 Then she died in the June and then it was like, what's left in New Zealand? Yeah, not much. And then I've always wanted to go live in Australia. I might do that. Mum loved it. Why does she love it? I'll go and find out. And so I came over here and my partner actually had shifted over here and it was like, Okay, enough of this long distance relationship. Let's sort this out. And over I came and it was just, it was just amazing to I'd always wanted to, to Go somewhere else and to live somewhere else. And so it was Melbourne, you know, why not? It's gonna do it. Yeah. Michael Hingson 25:07 And you must love it, you're still there. And it's now been about 11 years. Christine Burns 25:12 Originally, it was like, Oh, let's see what it's like for a couple of years. It see what a site for two or three years, and then it sort of expanded to five years. And then yeah, 11 years later, I'm still here. And so we've got our business and things and, and it's, it's, I love the city. I love Melbourne as I really enjoy having the option, I live in a suburb, but I do love going into the CBD and just having the bigness and the, the, it's great. It's a great city, it's all like the big city kind of thing. I still miss New Zealand, you know, like New Zealand has always homeless, you know, always in the heart kind of thing. But a couple of times of going hard work being more than a couple few times of going home, it's like, it's almost like New Zealand seems to get smaller and smaller, and just being the difference. That is it. So people used to talk about busy time, it's like these six cars on the road. It's kind of it's become that kind of, you know, they're adopted into a big city person, but it's I love it. The people are different, you know, like there is a difference and how that goes down. I don't don't mind. Australians are different to New Zealanders. I thought they used to be very similar. They're quite different people. So at times, at times, I struggle sometimes with just the different thoughts or the different approaches to life. It is quite different to kiwis, but the city life is awesome. Love it. And it's it's good for our business being here in a bigger country as well. It's helping us to get our country to get our business going as well. Yeah. Michael Hingson 26:44 Does Australia have as many of the earthquakes that New Zealand experiences? Christine Burns 26:52 No, which is good. But we did have I think it was last year it was last year, we had a 6.6 point something and boy that rocks that. Yeah. Yeah, it was a holy crap. Thank goodness it had it was quite deep, because it would have been quite disastrous otherwise, because Australia is not used to that kind of stuff. You know, we had earthquakes all the time in New Zealand. And one of the places I used to live in APA hat, I was right, the back of the place that I lived in was right on the back of the hill. And that was a fault line. So that was very much shifting and moving. And that was that was okay. And then came here. And it was like yay, no earthquakes. And it was one not long after I arrived. And then there was another big one last year. So that was that was pretty freaky. Making you Michael Hingson 27:42 feel at home. I grew up on the San Andreas Fault. And a couple of weeks ago, I was actually up in the northern part of the state. And I was there for some speaking engagements. And I was sitting at a desk in a hotel room when suddenly I felt the ground start to move and it wasn't too bad. It was only a 5.4. So it was a baby. That's right. Yeah. But by the same token, I noticed it. And it was it was interesting. And I'm going oh, okay, an earthquake. The two, three years ago, we had one. But 100 miles from our home here in Victorville. And if I recall, right, that one was about 6.5, or 6.6. And that afternoon, or actually, the next day, I was traveling to Las Vegas for a convention. And I went in the hotel to a place to eat that night. And the ground started to move. So I immediately called my wife and it moved pretty significantly. So I called my wife. And she said, yeah, it just happened here. And it was like 6.9 on the same fault that we felt the other one from. So I'm very glad that our house is only six years old, and is kind of made to those standards to be able to cope with it. But we did and there wasn't damage in our home. And apparently there wasn't much damage to any of the homes around us. But they do happen in this part of the world. And I always laugh when the people in the eastern part of the country say Well, I wouldn't want to live out there with all the earthquakes. And as I point out to them, you guys are killing off a whole lot more people with hurricanes and tornadoes and explosions of frozen pipes in the winter than we ever do. Michael Hingson 29:34 Oh, you know, what do you do it? Nature is as it is and we go on? Well, I know in your in your life. Have you had much experience or much exposure to any kind of adversity? Because I would think that there have been some things that maybe happened that made you stronger. Just a couple of things. Oh, there you go. Christine Burns 29:58 Well, yeah, I mean, it's I think probably when I was growing up playing sports and stuff, I had injuries and things and, and that was that was okay. And I had one of the biggest ones that I had as I had both my Achilles debrided. So I had scar tissue on both my Achilles and they were really bumpy. And the surgeon said to me, Look, the only way that we're going to be able to sort this out is if we if you have surgery on both at the same time, and I was like, You're kidding me. And she was like, yeah, and then they're both going into plastic to make sure that you can't run around and move. And I was like, okay, because she knew me quite well. And so that was pretty tough. Like that was the surgery went well. And then I was on plaster casts on both legs. So that was full lower league plasters on both, I could put weight on one very slightly. And that was about eight weeks of not being able to do much and that really liked that test of me i that really got inside my head, and I am was definitely not the person I am now of course not. But I didn't even have anywhere near half the skills or abilities that I have now at back then I just like didn't cope well with it. And it tested me. And really, it really pushed me in the sense of working out what I wanted to do who I wanted to be. And the coolest thing was, is that six months later, I was in Canada playing indoor hockey representing New Zealand. So I again, I saw the thing of going through the tough time dealing with it and coping with it. It relatively okay, I wouldn't say I did it well, but I did it. Okay. And then I got myself back on deck. And the other thing more recently, I mean, it's been a few things. But you know, probably the biggest things is in 2016, I had a cancer diagnosis, which came out of the blue, I certainly didn't expect that at all. And so then I had to go through the whole treatment thing for for cancer diagnosis. And BF So then finally, I think was last year yeah, in the what was beginning of December last year, I got the all clear. So got picked out of the of the oncology unit, which was quite nice and kicked off the list. So that was all good and got the all clear. And that. I mean, that prompted me I wrote a book that came out of it as well. But that was that was a scary moment getting that phone call of going, hey, you know, we got the pathology results back and you've got endometrial cancer. And here's the deal. And I stood the if I remember standing in the kitchen of the place where I used to live, and I just stood there and I swore profusely for the first 30 seconds when I was on the phone with the surgeon. And then after that I just was like, right, and I made a decision right then and there. And when you guys do your thing medically, and I'll do my thing mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and it's, I practice what I preach, basically, and, and came through it pretty well. Yeah, came out the other end pretty well. Michael Hingson 32:59 And that's the real issue, isn't it that you decided to do what you need to do mentally to move on? And yeah, that helped, I would think prepare you for whatever happened medically. Christine Burns 33:11 Yeah, and it did. And it was it was really cool. Because they, you know, I had I had such an awesome team that my radiation oncologist she is I was still in touch with her yesterday, actually. She's She legendary. She's just the most amazing person. The people that I had my surgeons were amazing. Just everybody that I had around me was was just awesome, really cool people, you know, and that was, I mean, a lot of it obviously, is my attitude to them, and, you know, brought the best of myself out every single day it was they said, Look, you know, we want to do chemo, we want to do this, we want to do that. And I said, right, tell me what and why and how. And they will make a decision. And when I spoke with purely their radiation oncologist, she said, here's what we want to do it. Here's the protocol. I was like if we got anything else on offer, and she was like, well, we could do this and just have radiation. And here's what what the plan is because she had just been involved in our research project dealing with that particular protocol. And she said, here's the outcomes that we're getting. And here's the other stuff we've done alongside it. So I said hey, let's let's give that one a go. And so we went for it, and it was it. I committed to showing up every day as my best self and it really it was like they did to even even down to the mean i that the radiation therapists and things like that, that were in the receptionist, everybody, it was just every connection I had was was really awesome. Yeah. Michael Hingson 34:41 Who would you say are role models for you today are people who influenced you and kind of made you who you are. Because you you've got a lot of conviction. You've made a lot of very solid decisions. And although mental makeup is is a wonderful thing, I would think that You've had some people who influenced you to help you shape those positions. Christine Burns 35:05 Yeah. I mean, I'd say, you know, my mom sounds like a superhero, I think she has, I think my mom made a big impact on me the whole way through, and it was even things I fall off my bike, and I'd hear mom from somewhere down the street or somewhere, somehow, even if it was inside my head, going, can't get back up on you go get on with it. And I'd be like, Oh, shit, okay. And it was just that thing to get up and go again. And that really made an impression on me. So I think mom was a massive impact in there. And she, you know, she was she was a five foot half an inch Pocket Rocket, you know, it was like, if she can wear six, six inch heels and run across gravel, then, you know, it's pretty good to see. A she Yeah, she had a massive impact. And my coach as well that I've had for quite a few years now as Linda bellshill, Busan, and she, she lives in Norway. She's a French Canadian, and her her ability to call me on my BS. And, and she just taps in real fast, you know, like I, she's, she's the most amazing, wrong English. But question asker that I have ever come across? She just, yeah, taps inside, and it's like, wow, where the hell did that come from? And, and the challenge and growth that I've got from that experience with her is just amazing. And I think he is. I mean, there's, there's lots of people along the way that definitely the two that I could go background, you know, definitely those two people is, there's lots of people around the place that I've picked up things they've seen, or I've seen stuff. Yeah, I don't know, if I'd be able to specifically name a third, there's, there's many people here that I've seen heard read stuff, that kind of thing. Michael Hingson 36:57 You know, a lot of people, I suspect probably haven't been in some ways for both of us as fortunate as we were in that we had people who challenged us. For me, I agree with you, parents are more important than my, my parents were both very positive. And although not necessarily always, in visible ways, but mentally certainly pushed me. Because they said, you know, no matter what people tell you, you may be blind, you happen to be blind, but you can do whatever you choose to do. And we're gonna give you the opportunities. And I think the only way I could have disappointed them is if I didn't take advantage of the opportunities, because that's what it's really about. And so I hear exactly what you're saying. And there are so many people who say, well, but that's the way it is, you can't really go beyond it. That's just that's just life. And my reaction as I can tell yours already is well, it isn't just that's the way it is isn't. Christine Burns 38:04 Yeah, it's a thing of whatever you want it to be. I mean, and that's one of the things that I see here, those kinds of things that you're gonna have, you know, what do you mean, like, so if you want to, you know, whoever you want to be, friggin be it, that it's like, you can create whatever you want to create. And there's, you know, I often love the things when people say, you know, no one's coming to no one's coming to save you, and in, you know, whatever belief or thought people take out of that, and in a way, I totally believe it's true. It's like, you know, the person that's going to make the difference in this life as us individually, it's, it's, you know, we're the ones who can make our own life worth living, or we can make our life hell and it's our choice to do that. And I just think it's like, whatever you want, get on with it, man, and go and do it. Michael Hingson 38:54 All and the reality is, I think there are a lot of people who come can come along and save you in a lot of different ways. It depends on what you define as safe, because there's a lot of community around all of us if we would take advantage of that, and respected. It amazes me that people who always just go, why, and, you know, my response always to that is, why not 39:22 love it? It's Michael Hingson 39:25 so important, but you know, we, we really need to recognize that. opportunities are limitless if we choose. And you said it earlier. And I think it's a very important part of this. It's all about choice, isn't it? Christine Burns 39:41 Yeah, it is. It's it is always about choice. I mean, I look at the difference between myself and my sister and I mean, she's been on the wrong side of of the law and all these kinds of things and you know, that she's done it. And we grew up in the same same environment, you know, and we chose There's different pathways. I've got friends that I grew up with, and they've chose different ways of living chose, you know, they've chosen different pathways for them, their families, or whatever it is. And it's, we always have a choice. I think, you know, so many people wouldn't even our clients go, No, you don't, you know, sometimes we don't have a choice, right? Well, you actually do, it's always a choice, even though there's always that choice not to choose. So it's, it's still a choice. Yeah. Michael Hingson 40:30 One of, for me, the most significant examples of that, of course, is the World Trade Center and being in the World Trade Center on September 11. And escaping. And, you know, people said, Well, you didn't have a choice, you were there, you're just lucky you got out. And the response is, no, there are a lot of choices. And the fact is, I could have chosen different jobs and not been in the World Trade Center. But I chose the life path that I had. And I was in the World Trade Center. And I correct, I didn't have any choice about the terrorists attacking the buildings. And I didn't have any choice about what happened directly to the buildings, there is I can tell. But even though I couldn't control so many things, if nothing else, I can control my own mindset. And so I am a firm believer in Don't worry about the things that you can't control, focus on the things that you really can't control, and the rest will take care of itself. And the one thing we always have control over, no matter how bad circumstances become, we always have control over our mind and how we mentally deal with things, which is what you talked about with cancer. Christine Burns 41:44 Yeah, yeah, it is. I mean, and that's one of the things there that I always say is, you know, control the controllables. And, and exactly like you say, it's we've got control over our mindset, we can, we can choose how we show up, we can choose what our thoughts are going to be, we can choose our response, our reaction to things and it's, I think that's, that's, that's one of the key things is it makes the difference between the people that and carry on and can get through adversity or can get through even the most exciting and amazing times as well is to go and you know, what I choose to savor this moment I choose to, I choose to be present, and I choose to enjoy this moment, instead of running off worrying about what maybe kind of would, you know, could have happened. It's we choose to be in those moments. And it is it's, you know, control the controllables, which is for me, I always say it's your top six inches kind of thing. It's like you control your thoughts, which makes a massive difference. Michael Hingson 42:41 Well, you know, we may, for example, rent a home, and the landlord comes, says you got to be out by the end of the month, don't have any control over that, right. But we do have control over how we deal with it. And it's may be very frustrating. There may be so many things that happen. But by the same token, it's still a question of how we deal with it. My wife passed away this past Saturday, I didn't have any control over that. But I realized all the more and more since that happened, how much I have control over how I choose to deal with it. And I know, after almost 40 years of marriage, what it what it means to love someone that deeply and she's always going to be missed by me. And I will deliberately make sure that she's always missed by me. But still, it's time to move forward, in in whatever way is possible to move because I didn't have control over what happened to her directly. But I know what I can do. Christine Burns 43:45 Yeah, yeah. And like you say, it's the choice. And it's, I mean, the coolest thing that I remember talking about with my coach Flinders, you know, it's this thing of like, we feel grief, or we feel sadness, because we'd love so much. And I think that when you're when you're talking, it was like it to feel the feels, you know that that's what helps to make us human, that's what helps to allow us to grow and develop as when we feel all the fields and in to be self aware and choose to allow ourselves to do that. Because that that's what I mean, that's, that's what makes us well helps to have us being you know, such a well evolved being kind of thing and when we can feel the feels and talk about things and, you know, share that and talk about it. I think it's that's what allows us to be able to move forward as well. Because if we try and hold on to stuff and shove it down and and deny it or, you know, say that, you know, no, no, no, it's all okay. It's all okay, which is BS. When we share that that true feeling of who we are. That's That's what I think it really allows us to keep moving forward. Michael Hingson 44:50 Well, you went to school, went to college. Christine Burns 44:54 Yes, I did. Yep. Michael Hingson 44:56 Yeah. And then what did you do? So I went to Christine Burns 44:59 school. So I went to university. And then I Michael Hingson 45:05 did you get a degree in? Both Christine Burns 45:07 did psychology and I am laughing because I did psychology because I thought it would be easy. And that way I could still get my student allowance and I can keep playing hockey and I was like, Yeah, that was just what it was. And so I went there, and I ended up staying at University for about six years. So I did, I did psychology, and then I got a scholarship to go to another university still within Palmerston North, in New Zealand, and, and do exercise science. And then from there, I carried on doing sports psychology as well. And so I just sort of stayed at university because it allowed me to have money and play hockey, which was great. And I never thought anything of it, because I was like, I don't want to be a psychologist, I don't want to I remember talking to one of the girls in our team and the hockey team. And she was a psychologist, and she was like, ah, burnsy Because it was when that can get busy. I don't think you know, being a clinical psychologist is really for you. So she told me about some of the stuff she was doing. And I was like, yeah, now that's not made me I'm not doing it. And then I wish I went in got a job at one of the gyms in Palmerston North side. So I used my exercise science degree with that one. And then, because I was still playing so much hockey, I was playing for Wellington, which was a different province. So I was traveling two hours, you know, like four or five times a week, and it was just crazy. And they said, like, you know, burnsy Why don't you just get a job down here and shift and I was like, I here's a good idea as you're traveling, let's let's do that. Lift and Wellington got a job. They're teaching and Exercise Science. And then I'm already doing it, then I became program manager of the program. And yeah, it was just me. And so we incorporated positive psychology with exercise science. And it was just Yes, that's kind of evolved. Really? Michael Hingson 47:00 Yeah. playing hockey all the time. Christine Burns 47:04 Yes. And so I would often miss the beginning of the year with the students because I'd be away overseas for indoor hockey. So you know, when students would arrive, they'd do all the normal, you know, early stuff and getting to know everybody. And I totally would always miss that because I'd be away somewhere. And then I'd come back and then you know, go for it. But it kind of made it easier. Because I could say, you know where I've been and what I've been doing and Exercise Science students thought that was pretty awesome. So it kind of kind of made it easy to get back on track with being really clear. Michael Hingson 47:36 So you were doing hockey sort of professionally, while you were doing other things as well. Christine Burns 47:42 Well, I saw I was doing it nearly full time. It wasn't professionally because we didn't get paid for it back. Michael Hingson 47:48 So you paid hockey team. No, Christine Burns 47:51 I mean, we even the The tough thing was sometimes we would even pay it. I mean we'd pay for our flights, accommodation. A lot of the times we weren't even paying out for the shirt that we were playing. You know, New Zealand hockey would pay for some of our staff at subsidized bits and pieces, but definitely got nothing anywhere near the funding that people get nowadays. We were Yeah, that I mean, so we were raising money making pizzas and all sorts of stuff to be able to travel. Michael Hingson 48:23 So were there professional hockey teams, or were you kind of what would be today a professional hockey team and player. Christine Burns 48:31 I would probably the relative now would probably be be a professional player. Yeah. For who we were and what we were doing back then. Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 48:39 Cool. Well, you obviously enjoyed it and had a lot of fun with it, and so on. And what caused you finally to stop doing it? Or have you really stopped playing hockey? Christine Burns 48:51 Yeah, I have stopped. I was actually I was playing an outdoor game, actually one of the times back home and in Wellington, and I don't know, it was just weird. And it was an outdoor game. And I was hitting in to the turf to play and I was like, this might be my last game. And I was like, what Where did that come from? So we the royal we in my head had the conversation of like, oh my gosh, what where that come from? And I was like, I need to keep doing this. This is crazy. And I drove into. So it takes about 45 minutes to get to the turf and Wellington from where I was. And I drove in. We won our game. I never touched the ball because I played in goal and I never touched the ball at all that game and I was bored. And I came off the turf. I took my gear off and I zipped up my bag and I went that's it no more. I'm not playing outdoor. I'm not playing indoor and I was like, Whoa, that's pretty freaky. Because it was it was my whole identity of who I was. That was you know, that was that was the abre thing. And then came over here to Australia and I when I was teaching Monash University, I spoke to someone there and they were like oh I could come and coach him colleagues and I was like, Yeah, okay, that's easy. So I did that I did some coaching over here for a while but yeah, didn't didn't carry on playing and I, I kind of miss it but I also done it. Yeah. Michael Hingson 50:13 Kind of one of those kind of do kind of don't bittersweet things. Christine Burns 50:17 It's I love that I miss the bar kind of whatever word that is, you know the the aggression the competition the the challenge of it by I miss that. But I don't miss the the continual practices and trainings and sacrifice. I mean, I played I think there was a span of about I mean, I played longer than I only played 13 years because I only started playing hockey and my last year of school, but I I played a span of 10 years where I just went indoor outdoor hockey the whole time, and I didn't actually take to be honest, I didn't take time off. I was training and playing across those 10 years of just going indoor outdoor the full time and it was that I don't miss Yeah, that was that was the stuff I'm I'm okay to let that go. Michael Hingson 51:10 So it sounds like it was time now. Was your partner a hockey player? Christine Burns 51:14 Um, no, no, she was a musician and did a lot of singing as well. And but she wasn't really a sports person. But she's, yeah, she she enjoys workouts, and she enjoys doing things like that. But yeah, is definitely more of the musician and the singer kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 51:31 So did she play at the Games? Christine Burns 51:34 Um, no, no. Michael Hingson 51:39 Just checking. But still, that's that's cool that that Yeah. You. You you had a relationship. So was was your Was she an influence in any way of you deciding not to play hockey? So you could spend more time together? I mean, that Christine Burns 52:00 night? Yeah, totally. You just decide. Yeah, yeah, I just decided it was. It was weird. And I got, I must admit, I did get a fright because it was like the thought just was just random. Because I couldn't even think of you know exactly where I was standing. When I had that that thought it was it kind of shocked me that I was like, Oh my gosh, I never saw. I never saw that time ending. Like I never, I never thought I didn't even think about it, to be honest, of not being a hockey player. You know, which, even sharing the fear as their identity was quite strong as I just never saw myself as not doing it. Yeah. Michael Hingson 52:38 Sounds like God came along and said, Okay, other things to do now. Yeah, Christine Burns 52:43 I certainly got the right royal invisible kick in the pants. And we Whoa, that's that one God, like Shoosh Okay, cool. Now what? You survived? I did. And that's what I think is fun thing. It's like, you know, all these things happen. And I mean, you know, that yourself. It's like, we experience all these different things. And it's like, well, we're still here. We made it through so we survived that one too. So that's okay. Next, you know, it's yeah, there's always always new things to learn always new things to step into. Michael Hingson 53:13 Well, being a hockey player and active athlete and doing all of that for so many years, must have taught you things that you put into your life lessons today, what what probably is the most important or are the most important things that you learned that you took away from all of that Christine Burns 53:31 the first thing that pops in my head is never give up. And and for me, it was that thing of, you know, just, yeah, just to keep going. It's like tweaking change, keep going tweaking change, keep going, you know, it's it's, it's that there's, you can always make a difference, you can always make an impact and if you keep going with it and and tweak and change and learn on the way through your you'll get across you'll you'll get through it, there's literally there is always a way in that sense here. Michael Hingson 54:01 Well, you What do you do today? You've you've obviously moved on from hockey and you're surviving, you went to Australia? What do you do today? Christine Burns 54:10 Um, today, I am co founder and CEO of Walt Institute. So we've got our own business, which is woman Authentic Leadership Training Institute. And so we work with women in STEM, so science, technology, engineering, math and medicine. And we we do a lot of authentic leadership training with them. So our whole focus is on the person and their own leadership of themselves first. So it's not your traditional leadership. It's that kind of thing is to empower people so they can have more confidence, more self awareness, self regulation, and jump into that whole thing of being the best version of themselves every single day. So it's fun. I love it. It's yeah, it's not a job. It's, it's just what I do each day. Michael Hingson 54:56 Which which is always something that makes it a lot of fun. Isn't it? Christine Burns 55:00 Ah, it is. And it's, I mean, you know, even for now it's sight to be able to get up by 730 is not that early in the morning, but it's, you know, to get up and be on here with you at 7:30am, we had training that we took the other night with our inner circle, and that didn't finish till 7pm At night, and just, it doesn't matter. You know, it's these kinds of things as I don't care about the hours of those things, because I just love I love what I do so much. Michael Hingson 55:30 So what is your mission in life? What is it you want to accomplish? Christine Burns 55:33 By saying, I mean, the thing that I want to do is, which sounds a bit weird, but I want people to be able to experience no feel enjoy all those kind of things that that I've not specific, not the exact same things that I've experienced, but to experience that kind of level of, of fun and excitement and enjoyment in their own lives. And more. Just so that people can, can, you know, be present and enjoy life and have a good time doing it? Now. Michael Hingson 56:03 So you as a as a person who gets up in the morning, mostly, I would think get up and you're positive, you move on. I guess my question is, how do you set yourself up each day to do that and to thrive and go forward? Christine Burns 56:20 I smile is the first thing I do when I wake up is I smile every single morning. And when I first started doing it when I was going through treatment, and and it's just become an automatic thing. So as soon as I start waking up, and I realized that I'll start you know, put a big smile on my dial. Sometimes I can feel that that rush of all the happy chemicals flowed through me. Sometimes I don't, but I still smile anyway. And then I always ask myself of who I choose to be today. And that's, you know, who do I choose to be and that can be anything from curious, excited to, you know, to be focused and energized or whatever it is, whatever that stuff is that pops into my into my head and then each each day or five out of seven days, I will get up, do meditation go into a workout or exercise of some sort. And then more often than not, I'll have a green smoothie and then carry on my merry way. Yeah. Michael Hingson 57:16 When I get up in the morning, I have a cat who now homeless smashes right up next to me. And the dog is on the floor and the cat is right up against me probably trying to stay warm in part but when I say it's time to get up, she's up. And the first thing and it's so funny that I have to do is to go over and pet her while she eats breakfast. She will not eat unless I am petting her and giving her back rubs. What a crazy thing but if that doesn't start your day off in a fun way I don't know what does. Christine Burns 57:52 That was gorgeous to barely warm fuzzies and give you everything you need to kick off the day. That's brilliant. I love it. Michael Hingson 57:59 And the dog sits there and watches and Alamo the guide dog goes down well if you gotta but I always come back and talk to Christine Burns 58:07 you about Miko. You got to pet me as well. Michael Hingson 58:12 Yeah, exactly right. And he just suffers in silence until he gets petted to but stitch stitch the cat insists. And during the day when she decides she's hungry, she yells until I come in and pet her vocal about it. It's so funny. Christine Burns 58:30 Because it was a waste to have a Siamese cat when I was that with few that our first time is cat that I can remember we used to call it a minute or her name was midfield. Mandy, she had a big long family history. And she used to sit on the bench with mum. So when Mum was doing the veggies and things that care and mum would sit there and have a conversation and a cat would have all these different ranges of sheep now and all these different ways and, and mum and the cat will have this conversation. And I just love it. I think it was brilliant. It was Michael Hingson 59:00 so much fun. Tell us about your book. Christine Burns 59:03 So my book, it's called igniting resilience, overcoming the desperate despair or receiving a death sentence. And I I started writing it just in the sense of just minimize it by just in the beginning was this thing of like, I want people to kind of know that there's a different way that you could approach these kinds of things. And then it kind of turned into this whole thing of practicing what I preach. It's a yes, there's my story of going through the whole cancer journey. But what I've done is made it so that there's a lot of strategies and there's basically everything that we teach, that's what I practiced and there's a whole lot of those strategies within the book as well. And it's there's a lot of learnings and things that I took through so it's not just the which sounds really bad but while our why story of it all. It's it's a teaching memoir is what Xander vs that's it's pretty Yeah, it's pretty cool. I think it's pretty cool. Yeah. Michael Hingson 1:00:04 Did you have people who tried to bring you down naysayers who said, Oh, none of the strategies makes any sense or is any good? Christine Burns 1:00:13 Yeah, I had a lot of people like, Oh, why are you writing about that? No must know about that. I was like, oh, okay, thanks. For you know, people were like, those strategies just can't be like that all the time. That's just dumb, you know, and it was like, you can. And so I was like, the every now and again, little bits of it didn't get in when they when they kind of said, Oh, that just doesn't work. And there's just no way that's going to work for me. I was like, hang on a minute. That's the choice to choose that arco. That's why that's where they're at. Because I was practicing what I teach. And I was seeing other people who were doing different parts similar to that. And it was working for them, their their journeys, even getting through any type of adversity was different, because they were implementing the strategy. So I was like, You know what, you can take your BS, you can take your poor, what was me, you know, little comments and take them wherever you like. Michael Hingson 1:01:07 Or why don't you try it and just see how well it works for you. And then let's talk Christine Burns 1:01:12 exactly, yes, they were the odd ones of those. And some people were like, Ah, I okay. Yeah, yeah. Well, what are some of that works? I'm not so so tell me about that. But yeah, then there was many others that were like not nesters booklet. And I was like, okay, cool. So Michael Hingson 1:01:29 yeah, so many people just say, well, this won't work. This can't work. And it's like, people, people, so many people fear the whole concept of blindness. And what's amazing is how many people say they're experts on blindness, although they've never tried it. Yeah, exactly. This. Christine Burns 1:01:50 You experienced it. Let's just calm down. Yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson 1:01:54 Yeah, you never know. It's just one of those things. Well, over the years, you've evolved and so on, what what do you do differently? Or what? What would you do differently now? Or as you're moving forward than you used to do? How have you changed how you deal with people or teach people and so on? Yeah, Christine Burns 1:02:15 um, one big thing is I and I know, I definitely do more. So now, and it makes a massive difference is, I just I don't have I don't allow my ego to be around when I'm when I'm with people, or teaching people or just being in the space with other people. And I know, I used to do that, that used to help me a little bit. And when, you know, in my sporting days, it was sort of a good protector for me. But I just I don't have that ego around me. Now. When I'm with people. And in going through that whole cancer thing. It was kind of dilated, you know, I had, I sort of had, you know, no limits on things. I mean, I had people poking prodding me all over the place that, you know, it was like it was obviously with my best interests at heart. And so it kind of it bought out more of my vulnerability, which was, which was pretty cool. So, yeah, it's not I have that ego. And to be able to be more vulnerable, on a consistent basis, I think is definitely been a massive help for me for who I'm being now. And that's something I'll continue to practice as well. Michael Hingson 1:03:21 It's all about learning to move on and, and evolve, isn't it? Christine Burns 1:03:26 It is. Yeah, it is. And it's, I think the thing I love is, I mean, it's to you or to us is, you know, in similar senses is that thing of going when you learn about yourself when you're willing to put yourself out there when you're willing to? I don't know, admit all of who you be. It's like I can't hide anything else. So here it is. And then you don't have to show the world everything or tell them everything. But it just makes it so much easier to keep moving forward. Michael Hingson 1:03:54 Do you still discover new things about yourself? Christine Burns 1:03:57 Oh, my gosh, all the time. Yeah. All the time. Yeah, I surprise myself still. Oh my gosh, where did that come from? Or? Oh, shit. Did I really say that at that point in time? Or, you know, just Yeah, I mean, changing and learning and growing kind of keeps allowing me to see the next me I guess. How am I coaches actually will ask me questions or we'll talk about something. I'll be like, Oh my gosh, I didn't even think of that. Or it just Yeah, it's it's a never ending journey. Michael Hingson 1:04:30 Really? Isn't it fun? Christine Burns 1:04:33 That's the best. I think it's to tap into it. And to just kind of like, experience. My own life, I think is pretty friggin exciting. Michael Hingson 1:04:45 And you know, it doesn't get any better than that. Christine Burns 1:04:48 Exactly. Yeah. It's pretty special. It's pretty amazing. Michael Hingson 1:04:52 Well, this has been fun. We have been now going for definitely a little bit longer than an hour and it's now late enough for you to have breakfast. All right. Well, Christine, I want to thank you for being with us on unstoppable mindset. I want to do this again, we have, we have to find more things to talk about and do this again. But tell people how they can reach out to you well, and about the world Institute is it is a virtual is it? Is it physical place, or what Christine Burns 1:05:23 we have. So for Walt Institute, we have both online and in person events, we do a lot of group online training. So, I mean, any, we've got people from all around the world that that are part of our group programs that we coach one on one. And they're also attend things that we do free webinars and stuff like that, and people from all over the world, attend those. And we also coach people online, so we have our online basis. And then we also do face to face so we do workshops and events as well. So that's that's pretty, pretty easy to find us. Our handle pretty much on everything on all social media stuff is at Walt Institute. So W A L T Institute all one word. And you can also I mean, you can track me down Christine Burns, as well, through any of those. And if anyone wants to my book, which is pretty friggin amazing. It's called igniting resilience. And that's on Amazon, or if people live in Australia, New Zealand, it's also published in New Zealand. So you can get a special little copy from New Zealand that has this awesome little shield on the back. This is made in New Zealand, only only from from the publishers and in use in Nelson, New Zealand, the copy press, they, when you buy it through them, they put this coral shield on it. Michael Hingson 1:06:48 With it being on Amazon, and so on. Is there an audible or an audio version? Christine Burns 1:06:52 I haven't got to doing that one yet. I really want to do that myself. And I really want to do the audio version. I want to try and get it done ASAP. Yeah, the thing I love laughter is to be able to find someone or a place that would like to sponsor it, because I want to get it done with a high quality. And so that's the only thing I've got it in paperback. And it's also online as an ebook, as well, but not yet in the audible. That's my that's my next move. So I'm on the hunt to see if I can get some assistance on it on. Michael Hingson 1:07:28 Well, let us know we'll tell the world about it as well. When was the book originally published? Christine Burns 1:07:35 It was actually published in July this year, which is pretty new. Published 2022. So when was it? Was it July August? I think it was around my birthday. So it was July, July this year it was published. Yeah. Michael Hingson 1:07:51 Well, happy birthday. Thank you. It was a very happy one. I say, Oh my God. That's pretty amazing. Is there a website for the weld Institute or that we want to refer people to? Christine Burns 1:08:04 Yeah, so the website is www dot Walt institute.com. And so there's plenty of details in here. There's lots of information about us. There's lots of information about the programs that we run, and people can one of the things that we're on Twitter, we're on Facebook, that type of stuff, we're on LinkedIn, as well. And also within the is their ability to order the book as well. So my books in there that you can tap into as well. 1:08:31 Super. Well, thank you again, for being here. This has absolutely been fun. And I want to thank you for listening. Wherever you're listening to this podcast. I hope that you'll give us a five star rating and that you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought. I'd love to hear from you directly, of course, the five star rating but you're welcome to email me at Michaelhi at accessibe A C C E S S I B E.com. Or go to our podcast page www dot Michael hingson h i n g s o n.com/podcast. But please let us know what you think. Give us a rating. Invite others to listen as we continue unstoppable mindset. I think Christine has demonstrated why unstopability is a good thing and certainly taught us a lot about how to do it. And so I don't think you can do any better than that. And Christine, seriously. Thanks again for being here. And we need to do this some more. Christine Burns 1:09:33 Yeah, it's been a fantastic, thank you so much. It has been an absolute pleasure to be here with you, Mike. And I've loved every minute of it. And yeah, I would love to do it again. This will be exciting. Michael Hingson 1:09:44 Well, what are you going to do a podcast? Christine Burns 1:09:48 I've been thinking about it. And it's like, oh my gosh, where else can I fit this in? Yeah, I'm sure I could have quite quite fun doing podcasts. So at the moment I'm just jumping on other people's but I'm seriously thinking about running my own way. Michael Hingson 1:10:00 and let us know we'd love to come on Christine Burns 1:10:03 our show we'll have you on at a drop of a hat. That would be amazing. Michael Hingson 1:10:07 Well, thanks once more for being here with us. Christine Burns 1:10:10 Thanks so much. Michael Hingson 1:10:15 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
