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Pressure doesn’t just test us; it can transform us. My guest, Diana Esther Berschader, introduces us to her "Diamond Within" Spiritual Philosophy: A living source of inner guidance that many of us forget under layers of fear, fatigue, and old stories. Her path runs from a Soviet childhood where a ballerina’s dream was dismissed, through years of illness and an eventual cancer diagnosis, to a profound reconnection with the quiet voice that first said: Do not be scared.

We explore what it means to treat consciousness as practical—how you think, feel, and act today—not an abstract ideal. Diana draws a clean line between religion and a personal spiritual connection anchored in the heart. She frames midlife as a powerful crossing for women, a time to shift from pushing to flowing, from seeking external permission to trusting inner light. The conversation moves from philosophy to practice: a simple daily heart ritual, the subtle signals the body sends, and how small moments of presence can restore clarity, courage, and ease.

Diana shares the tools she built to make the path real: An online programme designed to peel back the layers that hide our inner brilliance, and two books—one a roadmap from rough to flawless, the other a collection of spiritual poems that cut through noise with feeling. We talk about community, mentorship across generations, and a belief that personal transformation scales to cultural change. When one diamond shines, the crown brightens.

Ready to meet your own guiding light? Listen now, visit thediamondwithin.co.uk to book a free Diamond Clarity Session, and if this conversation resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs a spark today.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

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What if your best leadership tools were already inside you—waiting for the right spark? Expert Coach & Advisor to Founders & Leaders, Rachel Shelmerdine, joins us for a 'Founder Story' that blends rebel grit, design-world savvy, and the gentle audacity to be yourself. Once one of the first specialist coaches in the UK design sector, Rachel stepped back to homeschool her son in Italy and is now stepping forward again, bringing a richer lens on creativity, courage, and clarity.

We talk about how “Alchemy Inside” turns survival mode into agency. Rachel unpacks the Coaching philosophy that helped major firms like Landor and Gensler, then dives into the work behind the scenes: shaping identity through story, protecting flow for deep work, and leading with humour and heart.

Her mental clearing—the Lido di Venezia—becomes a metaphor for stress slipping away so that better choices can appear. Along the way: Laurel and Hardy, the power of good design that marries beauty with function, and the surprising tale of reading castles and trees on beermats in a Belgian pub.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to perform someone else’s script, this conversation offers a reset. You’ll hear practical ways to reclaim your narrative, sleep on tough calls, and use language to make strategy sing. Rachel’s take on coaching isn’t a formula; it’s a catalyst—reflecting your strengths back to you until you can see them clearly enough to act. Leaders facing anxiety, phobias, or a crowded market will find grounded tactics for momentum without the burnout theatre.

Ready to rediscover your own gold and be known for the right reasons? Listen now, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help more creative leaders find their clearing. Subscribe for more founder stories, creative leadership insights, and warm, human conversations that move work—and lives—forward.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!

Send us a text

Alex Prince is a Bristol based Osteopath and Inventor of the Z Chair by Sit Straight, an ergonomic chair to promote better posture and better spinal health.

I'm sitting on mine now! You can get YOURS at https://www.sitstraight.co.uk or simply Google the Z Chair!

Alex and I have engaged in a perfect bit of reciprocity: We've exchanged a Show for a Z Chair!

Alex gets to tell you his Story and I'll be sitting very upright as he tells it!

Get you hands and your bottom on a Z Chair!

And Alex will tell you why and how! Your chair might be coaching your spine into pain. We sit down with osteopath and Z Chair inventor Alex Prince to unpack why most seats flatten the spine’s natural S curve, switch off your core, and quietly load your discs through the workday. Alex shares the story of turning years in clinic—treating the same avoidable injuries—into a simple, affordable design that makes good posture the default: a sloped seat that drops the knees below the hips, cues a gentle pelvic tilt, and helps you sit tall without trying.

We trace Alex’s path from rugby pitches and a near-miss with medicine to osteopathy’s more holistic lens. Mentors who shaped his practice, the clarity he finds in long runs and open landscapes, and a family thread that frames resilience all feed into a clear mission: prevention over firefighting. You’ll learn why “active sitting” matters, how microbreaks every 20 minutes protect tissues and sharpen focus, and the counterintuitive truth that backrests can become crutches. Alex’s favourite reminder—give the body a crutch and it will lean on it—lands with practical steps you can use today.

Expect grounded, useful ergonomics: raise the hips above the knees, keep screens at eye level, plant your feet, and let posture breathe. We also explore how a sloped seat can improve presence on video calls by naturally bringing you forward, and why graded movement beats total rest when pain flares. Whether you’re dealing with back pain, managing a team, or just trying to stay sharp at your desk, this conversation offers simple changes with outsized impact. Sit better, move more, and let your environment work for you.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow for more founder stories and practical wellbeing insights, share with a friend who slouches, and leave a quick review—your feedback helps others find the show.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

• Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com
• You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk
• Twitter thatchrisgrimes
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/
• FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening!