Global Business Executive Michelle Desreux: How Story and Moving From Retired to Re-Fired Shaped Her Life. Join Us for Part 2!

Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk. You’ll recognize yourself in these true-life stories of adversity, challenge, fear, discovery, adventure, expression, and more from women who are walking their lives while their lives walk them and the lasting difference their journeys have made. I’m your host, Diane Wyzga.

Welcome back to Part 2 of the podcast interview with my guest, Michelle Desreux, my long time dear friend, storyteller and international business executive. We were talking about helping someone develop their own story voice when I asked Michelle, What is your own story voice?  Let’s hear what she has to say about that, making life changes by smidgens, and the newest chapter in her life she calls “Not Retired But Re-Fired.”

Minutes 41:40

00 to 1:45    Intro

1:45 to 5:00     The Power of Story by Example and Story Voice

For those of us who are not going to become certified coaches this notion of finding the question that listens the story out of the teller, that’s the direction you want to go in.  In this way you are helping someone develop their own story voice. Q: What do you think is your own story voice?

• What I most love doing is sharing not just “what to” ideas but “how to”
• Advice books are off the mark with “how to”
• The question of “Where do I begin?” is not often well answered by a list of what to do, 3 steps, 4 things, 7 tips
• Yes, you can “begin anywhere” but that’s not very helpful either
• What people could use is an example of what X could look like, and this happens with a story
• The story could be your story, something you heard, an example of how it worked elsewhere
• The best TED speakers begin with a story that provides the how to the what
• Examples presented in story form (to gain something, do something, overcome something, etc.) are useful and practical
• People can see themselves in the story
• Whenever Michelle has coached/taught it was her practice to provide a story with enough detail that listeners could pick up on the steps, the “how-to’s” found an achievement story

5:00 to 8:15     Making Changes by Smidgens

• Rancho La Puerta (spa and fitness resort in Tecate, Mexico) is setting for Wednesday Night Wise Woman talks: life is managed by paying attention to the smidgens
• If we make change in smidgens it’s manageable
• Begin anywhere, little tiny steps, smidgens help people
• As we go we learn
• The path you think you will be on might change but you have the tiny steps
• Host: grandmothers used a smidge of this and a smidge of that for the cooking. Pinched fingers. Oftentimes giant leaps are not practical or possible but we can do the smidgen
• Operative word going forward is Smidgen!
• SMIDGEN! Profoundly and positively changed Michelle’s life; let’s see where it walks us

8:15 to 13:30     3 Fundamental Tips to Help Identify, Develop & Flourish One’s Story Voice

• Tip #1: Smidgen
• Tip #2: Gratitude Journaling: 15 years ago Michelle began gratitude journaling; a powerful way to keep mental health intact but also remarkable document which becomes lens back on life
• Life happens in the margins so gratitude journal shows the significant themes that adds perspective to life: health, family and friends, etc.
• Gratitude journal is also a counter-action to negativity
• While not a revolutionary idea is still a keeper
• Michelle suggests we journal when we feel at our lowest because provides lift by remembering the goodness in the past as well as the doing of today’s gratitude
• Tip #3: the opportunity to be with your own thoughts, unencumbered out in nature, no phone, no nothing
• Michelle finds issues and challenges are often calmed or solved this way
• Quietude is a step into the skill of purposefully hanging out with your own thoughts, mentally rehearse, think through, create, calm the chaos
• 3 solid tips to keep a story voice alive from a creations point of view

13:30 to 22:10     I’m Not Retired – I’m Refired

Host: I wrote to you that it can seem as if “ Middle age is like climbing to the top of the ladder and realizing it’s propped against the wrong wall”….And you said, “There are no wrong walls…just choices, consequences and the learning that comes with it. So, reposition the ladder or use it as a bridge to somewhere else.” Tell us more about that notion of yours: choices, consequences and the learning that comes with it, especially for those of us in MiddleEarth Age.

• This is Michelle’s Tween-ior Years Chapter (post-adult and pre-senior)
• Choices and consequences: the making of the choices is not the utmost concern
• We do the best we can at the time choosing this or that
• Financial independence (especially for women) is a key goal as we go forward
• Life in balance may not be possible; if one is devoted to working at something a disproportionate part of life may go to work and that may not be such a bad thing
• Evidence shows that being deeply involved in meaningful work can be healthy
• Over time things change and new opportunities arrive
• This newest chapter for Michelle is her opportunity to re-frame what life looks like
• Michelle traveled her whole life and can remain at home doing all the things she didn’t do when she was a professional
• To Michelle it’s a marvel to spend a lot more time engaged in playful, fun, learning activities
• The choices you make early on are functional and practical; later you might get to make different choices: more deeply connect with family, friends, engage in purposefully joyful activities
• Michelle devotes more time and attention to family so the consequence for smaller living is the opportunity to connect
• Host: The idea of finding a balanced life is a myth. Instead, we have places to strive for balance, places to drive and thrive, places to rest and dream. If the majority of our time is being devoted to one thing or another then create the opportunity to enjoy it if that’s where you are in the present moment
• Equilibrium is probably impossible
• If you are drinking your tea, drink your tea.
• Devote your time and attention to what’s in front of you right now
• If you are looking forward to next, next, next that leaves us longing for what was there that we didn’t relish, appreciate at the time

22:10 to 27:00     Repositioning the Ladder at  Re-Fired Mode

Now that you’ve repositioned your ladder at Re-Fired, tell us more about that, how are you finding the notion of play.

• The transition was not simple or easy, not like flipping a switch
• No longer having the professional stage of executive management work as your identity creates a sense of loss and uncertainty about where you belong
• The first year of so Michelle was struggling to come up with a reply to “what do you do?”
• Michelle created Re-Fired: a way of looking at life’s opportunities as being chapters; now is discovering her Creative Chapter
• Sculpting is an unexpected delight
• Opportunity to re-discover joy and re-frame who you are takes time and craft a definition of who you are in the world now
• Drummer, sculptor, yogi, becoming a deeper part of her story
• Michelle does not know where all this will lead so just show up! Give it a go!
• Didn’t know where the (3) phone calls would lead
• Dabbling creates a sense of anything is possible; dabble and discover what’s possible
• What about a trip to Italy for a sculpting trip?
• Toes in many waters to see what will show up is now as rewarding as any of her professional opportunities

27:00 to 34:00     Financial Planning and Independence. Pipe Dream?

• Financial planning for financial independence is key to this Re-Fired chapter, especially for women, especially for single women
• When we walk our lives estoy solo financial independence is about thoughtful financial planning for the future
• A financial planner asks about your expectations and how long you might live
• Michelle might hit 100 years of age based on her family’s longevity
• When you invest suggest you make smidgen choices about putting money aside
• Michelle chose to gift financial planning to her loved ones on weddings to help them make good choices at a young age and have better consequences
• Michelle knows the dark side of loss, poor decisions and such
• Lesson: Don’t get into debt you can’t afford; choose wisely
• Message to young listeners: choose financial planning with the power of smidgens and set aside for the long-term
• Host: recalls first savings book and going to the bank with her grandmother which informed later decisions, choices
• You can add by smidgens and it will grow; start early with a savings account, an IRA, and keep going.
• Think twice: Do I need this or do I want this? If you want it what will you go without to have it?
• Michelle’s words are well spoken as helps the youngest listeners among us
• Michelle has been sharing thresholds for us. Threshold is such a delicious word; at so many stages in our life we stand on the threshold of next. It’s a place of beginning anew

34:00 to 41:40     Legacy

As we sit here today what would you like to leave behind, Michelle?

• Michelle recalls an interview with a First Nations gentleman who spoke about the difficulties in his life with the realization that to be a good ancestor is lasting
• Being a good ancestor feels like something larger and longer than being an Auntie
• With that notion Michelle created a foundation to leave behind funds and intentions, charities to support, generate income for the family
• The idea is to be of help
• Michelle’s foundation becomes a story for the family
• What else? Sharing values, sharing the family stories, a sense of history, purpose and momentum, a legacy of kindness and contribution
• Michelle continues to make choices to create all the ways in which she will be considered a good ancestor
• Michelle cites her mother as a generous giving soul
• As she continues to walk her life we recognize anew that Michelle’s is an interesting path; her life makes a good story
• We are excited about where we walk together in the future!
• Thank you very much, Michelle, for walking along together, sharing your ideas, lessons, experiences and tips to encourage us all to live our authentic story, no matter what. The world is waiting for us. Let’s go and get ReFired!
• Thank you for all the work you do with Stories From Women Who Walk, your daily 60 Seconds; let’s share that story!
• Re-Fired it is!

Here we are, at the end of the road but not the journey. Thank you for listening to Part 2 of this episode of Stories From Women Who Walk with your host Diane Wyzga and my guest Michelle Desreux. We hope you found delight, joy, humor, and practical tips in our conversation between Victoria, BC Canada and Whidbey Island, Washington.

You’re also invited to check out over 330 episodes of this podcast Stories From Women Who Walk found on Simplecast, your favorite podcast platform, and my website: Quarter Moon Story Arts. This is the place to thrive together. Come for the stories – stay for the magic. Speaking of magic, I hope you’ll subscribe, follow, share a nice shout out on your social media or podcast channel of choice, and join us next time! You will have wonderful company as we walk our lives together.

ABOUT and BIO for Michelle Desreux

Michelle Desreux has roots deep in the prairie soil of Alberta Canada and credits that, along with the story –telling branch of her Nova Scotia heritage with much of her life’s trajectory. A house in the country, a horse of her very own and a family summer cottage at Gull Lake Alberta provided a solid foundation for a life that started toward working with African elephants’ ala Jane Goodall and chimpanzees, but, instead, led to a career as a global business executive, public speaker and webinar leader.

Michelle has held senior executive positions in both a privately held global travel franchise company with over $5billion in sales, and a public national medical and surgical services company with sales over $40million, as well as serving as a recognized business strategist, speaker and educator. Michelle’s speaking and published topics have ranged from travel company management and development to franchising, sales and marketing, international business development and change management across a variety of industries. She is known for helping people at all levels of organizations build their knowledge, skill and capacity to grow their businesses and their careers. Michelle identifies story skills as being the linchpin that helped her help others discover and implement relevant, timely solutions to a variety of business challenges.

Now in her “tweenior” chapter, Michelle has moved to beautiful Victoria, BC and is enjoying the perfect imbalance between consulting projects, crafting webinars and enjoying ALL the hobbies that were sampled during her  working years but always given short shrift because of limited time and a lot of absence. Family is close, the lifestyle is heavily weighted toward play and Michelle is not retired…but refired.

Getting in touch with Michelle:  Email: michelle@michelledesreux.com

Production Team: Quarter Moon Story Arts

Music: Entering Erdenheim from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron Music

Sound Editing: Dawin Carlisle & First Class Reels

All content and image © 2019 – Present: for credit and attribution Quarter Moon Story Arts