184: Outspoken and aligned, ft. Mandy Kelly

Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Can You Crystals, the podcast, your go-to space for all things manifestation, mindset, and spirituality. I'm your host, Mart Tweedy, and today I'm really excited to bring you a truly heartwarming and powerful episode that's all about connection, intuition, and living a life aligned with your higher self. So I'm joined by the incredible Mandy Kelly. She's host of the Outspoken with Mandy and Katie podcast, and together we're going to be diving into both of their spiritual journeys. Even though Katie's not here, we're going to be talking mindset shifts and the magic of manifesting your dream life. Now, Mandy is a soul-led home stylist, and she's going to share how the energy of your space can shape your mindset and your manifestation. So this conversation is full of gold nuggets. There's going to be lots of giggles, lots of real talk. So whether you're deep into your spiritual journey or you're just starting to explore it, I know that you're going to leave this episode feeling seen, inspired, and uplifted. So grab yourself a brew, get comfy, and let's get into it. Mandy, how are you? Welcome to the podcast.

Oh, I'm brilliant, thank you. I'm so excited to be here. I've been so like, you know, like this morning I've been like proper planning everything. I've been in the zone. I've I've been listening to my podcast. I've really like, you know, when you feel that buzz of excitement because I'm ready to be ready. And that's one of my favorite things from Esther Hicks, who obviously channels Abraham. One of my favorite things, I'm ready to be ready.

Oh, I love that. Now I was just gonna say, do you wanna introduce yourself? Because to me, you're Mandy from the Beauty Growth Academy. Like that's where I first met you. And I can just remember I was so nervous. I got myself up on that stage. Alicia introduced us. And I turned around and there you were just flinging yourself around dancing all over, and I was like, who is this crazy lady? Who let her in? So do you want to kind of introduce yourself and just let all the listeners know what you do first and foremost?

Yeah, so basically, um, I do have a beauty business. I know you introduced me as having a home styling and interiors business. I have got that as well. I have two businesses. So I do have a beauty business, which is how I've come to be friends and be in the membership with Alicia. And through her events, which I now help out because I do have a group support role within that now. So that's absolutely amazing, and I know I definitely manifested that. But also, yes, I have a beauty business, so I work alongside my two daughters, one of them being Katie, my other one, my eldest one, Gemma. And me and Gemma share a room, Katie has the other room, which is like literally just a few steps away. And we, we are best friends as mother and daughters. We just have the best times and we just support each other. So we all kind of do different things, so all our clients come to us for different things. And I teach, uh, brows and lashes, and Katie also teaches. So that's the business side, the beauty business side of it, which I love. But it was only up until about, probably about 18 months ago that I— and I actually stumbled into the beauty industry. It wasn't something that was ever on my radar. I just not really into that side of beauty, makeup and all that lot. But I am— the reason I end up with that was because I left a full-time job from 10 years. It was like business receptionist, business admin kind of thing, and I loved it up until the last 18 months, but I was bored because everything had changed. There was nobody about, and I want to be doing— I want to be busy, I want to be creative, I want to be doing all the time, chatting, and I'm very sociable. Anyway, that went down the drain. Ended up working for this guy as a PA. That lasted a week and a half. So my daughter Katie was working in the same company but in a different role, and they had a team meeting, and he was a bit of a knob.

I love that you couldn't even spell that there.

I'm used to saying it, not spelling it. Anyway, he just did not align, you know, when you have these gut feelings. I kind of knew a little bit about him, but not in the sense of when you work with someone. And I was working very close to him and I just did not like that feeling. It was just so, you know, the gut feeling, it's not nice, didn't align with anything. And not because they were being judgy or like, it's something off about this guy. And he didn't speak to people nice, he didn't speak to me not nice because he wouldn't have dared, but he didn't speak— I just didn't like his— the way he were. Nothing was— it was sold to me like, really missold to me, the job role. And I thought, oh God. Anyway, Katie messaged me on this day. They had had a team meeting and she said, "Mum, I've walked out. I've just like given what for." I went, "Oh well, I'm coming then as well." So we both ended up with no job, no money. We both lived together at the time, sat in my mum's garden thinking, "It's fine, it'll all work out. We'll get a job, we'll just do anything, it don't matter." And then that led me to go to uni for the very first time at the age of 52, which was bizarre. That weren't on my radar. But I love learning. That's how I did like a business and management 2-year degree. And then in the first year, that was how I got in the beauty industry, because Katie said— she was already in the beauty industry— she said, Mum, why don't you do something? She said, I was thinking of doing henna brows. I said, oh, I'm not doing anything beauty, it's just not me. She said, no, but you could because you're dead creative, you're good with people, you know, I'm sure you could do it. And I thought, oh God, it's like my comfort zone. I was so nervous because as much as I seem confident When it's something I don't know, I'm like, oh, it's like I just don't know. And I like really thinking, and you'll have to go all the way to Manchester. And I mean, I live like really about 20 minutes away from Manchester, but it's like, but it's not where I live. Anyway, I did that and I loved it. And when I do something, I'm invested. I'm gonna research it to the right up there. I'm gonna study it. I'm gonna be on it like a carb on it. I'm literally on it. So that's how that come about. Then I did facials, then I did brow lamination, all that, and now I teach it, which is bizarre. So that's the beauty side.

I was going to say, but your law of attraction journey, that started watching The Secret, wasn't it? And listening to Abraham Hicks.

That was when I was a— it was in about, um, I think about 18 years ago when I very first watched The Secret. And that was one of Katie's friends that introduced us to that. She said, you need to watch this movie. So we watched it, was intrigued. It was like, whoa, this is really different. And it takes a bit to get your head around it, don't it? Yeah. And I'd never been a really positive person. I'd say quite— not negative, negative, but like, you know, just your typical moan about this, that, and the other. And I'll never be any different. And why have they got that? And again, not coming from a place of jealousy, just a place of, well, we come from a council estate, we come from a poor, like, single mom, and that's fine, but it'll probably always be like this because we couldn't see any other way. Because you just don't, do you? And it's just from your limiting beliefs, from oohs around you. But from watching that, it just sparked something. But I didn't completely follow it just from that day, kind of on and off. But it was only when I was in that full-time job that I was sat on reception, and I just knew there was more for me. I just kept getting this feeling like there's something out there. And even though I'd always loved my interiors, I never really— I didn't think it was that because I didn't know how it could be that because of just my circumstances and again, limiting beliefs of not believing that— how can you make that from there to there, go that high? I just couldn't see it. But I just had this knowing. So I started, um, while I was doing my full-time job, I was quite crafty and creative, and I used to, I used to make like handmade cards and frames and just always been creative. So I used to sell them, not for very much, but it was a little side job. But while I was in my craft room, every, probably every night for so many hours, I would have YouTube on my laptop and I would be listening to Abraham Hicks, which is Esther Hicks. And that's how it started. And I was so like, oh wow, this is energy that she's got. And all the way she spoke, it really resonated. And I didn't like really understand a lot of it, but it, it felt good. Which then led me to listen to like, um, Les Brown, Lisa Nichols, uh, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Dr. Wayne Dyer. And I loved him so much. I mean, you really love listening to people's voices and what they're saying. It, it really opened my mind and my ways of thinking. And I just I loved the feeling. So I think it just started getting better and better, and the people that came into my life and how I saw things and how my mind were changing from the old beliefs. So that's like— and then we practice it. So there's like me and my two daughters, my mum's like so on it with it. Like, it's just, it just continues, and then all these people that come around me, especially like in the beauty industry and the interiors, You do attract like-minded people, don't you, because of what you put out there.

Your vibe attracts your tribe, so they say.

Definitely.

So did you kind of lead the way with your daughters then, and then did they jump on the spirituality train, or did they help you get on board?

I'd say I probably did lead the way because I was really more on it, um, and more invested. And like I said, once I'm on something, I just can't stop unless something don't feel right. I don't— some people you don't resonate as much with, do you, and you can just dip in and out. But some you just think it's like your voice in the way I listen to you and listen to other people. I think, oh my God, I'm like, Fran, I just like, I feel like you're just my friends because I've listened to you all the time and I just laugh and go, yeah. And you know, it's like you just do, don't you? So that's, you know, you have to like resonate. But yeah, I got them on it and like, because obviously I'm like living it and breathing it, they do as well, you know. And we all have our little ways of how we navigate and, you know, Katie might do it a little bit different to me and Gemma does and that, but We do all come like together, but again, we have different thoughts, and so we help each other out as well in different ways.

That must be really nice then, because I suppose it'll bring you closer as kind of like mother and daughter as well. It's kind of like when I first got into spirituality, I had no one to talk to about it. None of my friends were interested, my partner didn't believe, like, my family are very close-minded, you know what I mean? So to have that support there from you as a mother, they must have been like, oh, this is great, I can get on board with this.

Yeah, and I think like I remember you saying on one of your podcasts about, you know, like your mum saying like, oh, money don't grow on trees and things, and that's kind of what they did say back in the day, you know, our mums and grandmas, and you had to work really hard for your money and you had to do this and don't live in fairy tale land and things like that. Now my mum wasn't like that, but she was still in the mindset of like, you know, money don't grow on trees and you have to be careful with your money and, you know, that's not worth that, and, you know, like putting prices on things. And actually We don't have to— yes, we can still have like opinions on, God, that's a lot. Or I don't tend to think that now. I tend to think, because I think probably from a business side as well, that's someone's time, that someone's made that product or whatever. They've— it's got to our supermarkets from this process. That's like, nobody really thinks about that, but I do. I'm one of these that I like to think deep, and I literally go right from the very core of how it's got somewhere, of how, how did somebody make carpet. And I'm like, honestly, my kids are going, 'Fuck, Mom, here we go again.' Like, but I can't help it. Like, I really think, wow, we're so blessed, aren't we, to have these things that we have.

Yeah.

And where it's come from, it didn't just appear like that. Yeah. All these scientists and inventors, blows my mind.

I do that all the time. I always see a product and then someone will be complaining that, you know, like £5 for a handmade product is overpriced. And I'll be like, hang on, this has took them time. Then they've got to pay VAT on top, they've got to pay corporation tax. They've got to pay like processing fees for the cards. If it's on a website, there's website hosting fees. People just don't understand unless you're a business owner yourself.

Yeah.

Um, I know you mentioned about Esther Hicks and listening to Esther Hicks, um, on your laptop and things every night, but you recently went on a retreat. I think it was a couple of years ago, I remember seeing, with Alicia, didn't you? You went on the Esther Hicks retreat. So what was that like? What did you learn from that?

So initially, because I'd always listened to her and I'd seen that she does them, they were mainly in America because obviously she's from America, isn't she? And you think, wow, imagine that, and she had these cruises and all these things, and they were thousands and thousands of pounds. And it weren't particularly that I fancy going on one of the cruises, but I thought, gosh, it's amazing that what it must feel like to be in the room of all them like-minded people and the way it is. So it was just something that I wouldn't— I didn't really think I'm going to do that one day. It was just something that was there in my mind. Anyway, this, I think it was in 2023, Alicia would, um, she'd put it just on a story about that she was going to Abraham Hicks, and she didn't mind going on her own, but if anybody wanted to join her, as in, and I thought, oh my God, I'm definitely gonna go, because we were, I were already working for then doing like a support role within the group. So I'd started that like in 2022, I think. So I thought, oh my God. Anyway, at that time I didn't really have much money, as in like I had my, my business, but it was just— there weren't nothing really spare. I think the ticket was something like— it was a 2-day event in Amsterdam. The, the ticket was something like £300 and odd, £350 or something. Obviously then you had your flights to Amsterdam and your, your hotel and your food and what have you. So I thought, you know, it is— it's, it's not that cheap in my current position, but I'm going to find it. I'm gonna go to this 100%. So anyway, so I messaged about I'm gonna come. I said, right, watch me sell one of my courses because I train. I'll sell a combo course for £350, that'll get me my ticket money, and then I can figure out the hotel and the flights a bit later because you do it in advance, don't you?

Yeah.

Anyway, I was on it like a carbon. I was literally like, right, I can do it. Not from a desperate way, I just thought I know it's going to happen. Obviously I always post anyway, but you know, we're just in that really excited mode and I thought, can't wait to message her and tell her I've got the money for my ticket and I've just bought it. And that's all I did. I visualized it, pitched it, knew where we were gonna go. And I'm not lying, 2 days later I literally sold a course. This girl randomly messaged me, who I would never have thought wanted to train, because she just never had commented anything on anything else. And I thought, I've got £350, because it was a combo course that we're doing. Yeah. And so that was my ticket. And I messaged her, went, I'm definitely coming. She went, jeez, I knew you said you were going to do it, but I didn't know it was that quick. And then she said, and I'm treating you to the hotel and the flights. Went, oh my God, like, no. She went, no, I want to, because I love it, because we're gonna have the best time together. So when we went, honestly, it was some next level just walking in that. It was like a big dome, and I can't think what it's called now, but it was just, just the atmosphere knowing that she's going to be on stage and all them people and everybody's like so pumped up and from everywhere, all the different languages we could hear. And when she's on stage and she has them like on the chair, but they're facing her, so they're not obviously facing the audience, which I feel like is a really good idea that, because they're not daunted and they're focusing on her and what they want to say. So it's obviously, you'll have seen her, and she asks this question— sorry, they ask a question, don't they? And then she answers. But you can guarantee a lot of people in the audience want to know the answer to these questions. And just the way she was, just— she's just like she is, like when you watch on YouTube or anything you watch her, and she's just so good. It's like, because she's just been doing it for years, aren't you? Yeah. Where she says it, you literally take every little bit of it in and you feel it and visualize it, and you can't not— you just— I don't know, it's just such a magical feeling. So then we went again the year after. Again, it was as good. I mean, I think the first time is always the best because you're just so excited. But the second time was equally, because you obviously get different questions, don't you? But it was just magical. You know, when you just think like, what a wholesome 2 days we've had, it was brilliant.

Yeah. What was the biggest takeaway from that event? What, what kind of things was she saying? What was the like biggest kind of light bulb moment for you that you had through that event?

I think it's mainly about, um, you know, the vibration, like the alignment of light. And there's not many days, and very often, that I am at a low vibration. I'm not saying I'm always high, but I'm pretty average, like, you know, I'm up there. So, but what she was saying is when we do have moments, and obviously anything can happen any day as well, we do go low. And so my lowness is when I'm tired. Yeah, I just go under, like, and it's not because I'm in a mood, not because of anything in particular, but my mood goes low because I'm tired. I know that, and I have to literally think that I need to have a little nap, but it's 5 minutes and I can just snap back out of it or whatever. But obviously, if I've got things on my mind, other things— I used to be an overthinker, everything is spiral. I've learned not to do that now. But I think for her, when she was saying you've got to be on that right vibration and you, you've got to build yourself up, but you've got to just like let it be as well and allow and have the thoughts, but no, use the tools that you've got to get out of it. And sometimes you can't just get out of it just like that because there's a process of like you've got to go up them little steps, haven't you? Um, but I just think about— and not focusing on all the things that are going wrong, all the things that are not right, or what you want. Just focus on right now, because so much to be appreciative of. And the gratitude is everything for me. That is all day, every day, I'm doing gratitude. It sounds like I'm a monk and I'm— that's all it— but I literally do in everything I do. I think it's just because I've done it that much and it, it's not a chore. I don't have to think about it. And I just feel like every little bit, I just really feel grateful for, even for things that don't work out, because I know there's a lesson in it. So I don't ever think, oh well, that was a waste of my time, or wow, I've been messaging that person for ages and now she's not doing it. I don't even think like I used to do, but now I think that's fine because I've learned that I don't want that kind of client then, or I don't— I'm not saying there is one of them, but like if it— things like that happen, I just think that's good that because now I know more of what I don't want more of what I do. And that's taught me that I've done some work like that would have been needed for that person, but I can use that now on somebody else. I've already got it now, so it's absolutely fine. So don't ever think, wow, that's wasting my time, like, you know, one of them. I would have done that years ago.

I was going to say, it's nice when something becomes a habit though as well, because like when you're sitting there like just doing things like anyway, like doing your gratitude every single day, it's just nice when things become a habit and then they don't feel like a chore. So you're more likely to manifest off the back of that because, you know, you're open to it and you're not in a series of like dysregulated nervous system or anything. You're not fearful, you're not pressurizing yourself, you're not stressed over it, you know what I mean? So what are your kind of non-negotiables that you do in your daily or weekly spiritual routine? Because I know there you've said about gratitude, but what else do you do?

So I definitely always start my morning off, uh, no matter where I am. So even if I'm away on holiday or You know, if I was like, say, in Amsterdam and there's you two of you in a room, I still have my moment where I do what I do. And the thing is, you can tweak it, can't you? So it doesn't have to be full, fully blown or out loud, or you can just tweak it. So I can do loads in my head. I don't have to physically say things or write things down. I do do that. I like doing that as well. So I mix it up. Um, but I do like to listen. So it's mad, but I have my podcast, my iPad at the side of me, and I have, if if the weather's not nice, which in Oldham it's not nice a lot, it's like it's the north in it. Yeah, but it's nice. I don't care what time of month, if it's a bit nippy, it's fine because I'll put my coat on. But I'm in my chair listening to the birds, just the fresh air. But if it's not good weather, on my iPad I have the birdsong and the water. So just, yeah, that, love that. Just like, it just fills my soul. I love that. Then I've got your— because I did your, um, the subliminal, the audio, you know what, oh yeah, yeah, playing every day. So since I did that, I have that on my phone just because it's just there in the background. And then I sit there and I will do my gratitude. So I just write a list in either in my phone notes or on paper, or just say them. It, like I say, I mix it up. Um, I'd send it to, as you, and you're one of them, I've got about 80 people now on my like little daily quotes list that I send out. So I've done that for years, you know, and I don't know, it even started.

I think there was, there was one day I checked my inbox and I was like, why have I got 25 messages from Mandy? And I looked and it was like every single day and I hadn't been getting them because my inbox is just a nightmare, as you can imagine. But I looked through and I was like, why did she send us 25 things? And I realized it was every single day and I was like, oh, okay.

But yeah, I think I started doing that because I knew how much it helped me. And just, just reading it and saying, or thinking about and feeling it. And sometimes it might not be relevant to your day, but you know, there's always something that you could be. And I do get a lot of people saying to me, wow, that was so like apt for today, or that I really needed that today. And I think, you know what, that took me a second, didn't it, to send to that one person. So, you know, about 10 minutes by the time I finished. But just reading it and feeling it, so that, that's one of them that I do. Um, I don't do a meditation every morning, but I do some kind of meditation/visualisation. I go in the zone. Um, and then when I'm in the mirror, sometimes I look at myself and say things. But I'll have started listening to this, um, tune, and it was what Alicia mentioned to us the other week we had like a little, um, girls sleepover in Sheffield in an Airbnb, just a fun weekend. And she played this tune in the morning. I was like, whoa, you know, when it really like touches you. And it's, um, it's called Inner Vision. And I've put it on my stories a couple of times, but it's just a song that this girl sings. Can't— I can't pronounce the name, so I'm not going to say it. But, um, it's just really like, wow, love that. Inner Vision. So you can sing it and really feel it to yourself, you know, about manifesting interesting in that, just dead easy, not like that lengthy song. So I listen to that every day and I always read something. So I have about— I have like a self-development book on the go and I've read your book and now my Gemma's got that one so she's loving it. I have one of those books on the go. I have just a fiction book on the go. It's either like chick lit or bit like really light-hearted like murder mystery, and I'm talking not deep at all because I'm just not into all that. I said I just get nightmares. And they also have audiobooks, so I'm just— I just love to listen to podcasts, audiobook, reading. It's a mixture that is just all me. So with all those little things, with the birds singing, with the water, it's just that— just like, oh, I'm like that. And as I walk down, so as I go down the stairs in the morning to make my coffee, to come up to do all that, or go outside, every single day without fail, and I don't think I'll ever not do it. As I walk down our stairs— and we've been in this house like nearly 2 years now, so we bought this house together, me and Steve, which we'll talk about Steve shortly— so as I go down the stairs though, I love the feeling of the carpet under my feet. And the carpet was already in our house when we moved, we didn't buy it. And I just feel so grateful and blessed that I get to walk on this soft carpet as I go downstairs, and it makes me feel good because like in other houses I've had carpet but thinner, or we don't have carpet, you know, whatever your floors are like and your house and that. But that gives me a really nice feeling that I'm going downstairs in our beautiful home to make myself a coffee, and I just feel like those little things just mean a lot to me. Yeah, them are like my non-negotiables really. So it's a lot, but it's like I can condense it. Yeah, or I can give you— I can be sat there for hours if I want, because I can do what I want, because I've got two businesses and I can choose.

So yeah, I was going to ask you what your favorite manifestation story is, but obviously you've just mentioned there Steve, and I'm assuming that it's him.

Yeah, and because— and not just because of him as in like a relationship, I think what it's led to and what it's— how my life is enhanced with him in it. Because my life was brilliant before, and I said brilliant, it were brilliant in that moment.

Yeah.

And, you know, with my girls and my son and, you know, just our family life is just— I love it. We have such a really close-knit community and we love spending time with each other. We are like best friends. So, um, yeah, it was in 2019. Katie, my daughter, we were living together at the time, and she— and I've been single for a few years and I was absolutely fine on my own. I loved being on my own. Like, I love my independence. I've been married obviously got my children, that's that. And she said, Mum, I really want you to go on like a date. I want someone to take you out and wine and dine you and, you know, have a nice time because you're such an amazing person. And she said, I know I'm biased, but you know, you really are. I said, oh, I know, but I'm not bothered. Like, I really weren't bothered. So she said, well, I'm gonna sign you up to this. So it's called Elite Singles, so it's a paid-for thing. So I've done the couple of ones that you do that everybody does, just bog standard ones. And honestly, I could have made a profession out of just taking the mick, but in the nicest way, not to them, just to me. I used to send Katie messages, oh my God, like, don't be like such a body like, and just have a laugh about it. But I thought, it's not for me. So anyway, she signed me up to this Elite Singles, and I said, oh, I don't know what to put though. So she said, I'll help you anyway. So we kind of— she's better at wording things than me. I'm better at just speaking. I mean, I'm not really that good at speaking, but you know. So anyway, I— but I had a really long list because I thought, you know what, if I'm going on here and it— and Katie said, I'm going to pay for it for you, but we'll sign up for 6 months. I thought, well, if it's—

if—

and it was a proper one, professional business, but not like too serious, but you know, they're going to be probably serious about meeting someone.

Yeah.

So I did this list and it, I mean, included things like, um, it'd be nice if they played chess. Now I'm not a chess I do like to play, but I don't really play because nobody plays it. But they were just little things as well as they're just the usual. But my main one was I want the person to have the banter because I'm really silly and stupid and funny and I laugh at myself. But I would like to do that with someone else. So I could do it with my girls and whoever, but I thought, but I wanted— I want to do that with a partner. And people of my age who I've come across, they were a bit too serious or boring, or they talk about the weather, or did mourn about this, and I just think I ain't got the energy for that. I really haven't. And I, and I'm thinking I was a bit in like, um, resistance and blockage thinking, how am I going to get anybody to match me? They don't have to be exactly like me, but they're going to have to kind of be like accepting of who I am because I don't ever want to be anybody. Because we've done that before, haven't we? We've all done it in different relationships, acted a certain way or restricted ourselves or whatever, and thought, I don't want to do that. I just want to be me and I enjoy being me now. I've grown into me and I've like, like, I love who I am. Whereas I used to think, oh, I should be like that, I do whatever, compare. But I don't do that. Anyway, so we signed up and after about 2 weeks, he wasn't like one of my perfect matches. It was just a bit of a match, but like, you know, there's high ones in there. And I just thought, he looks all right. And I just kept looking and I read his thing and there was just something about him. I don't know what it were, but I didn't know every time I clicked on him to have another nosy, it sent him a message. Didn't say that though, did it? Like, that's what you need to do. Anyway, so not with that. So he sent me a message saying, on the back of my list, good luck with that, and laughy faces. And I thought, oh, that's funny, bit of banter, bit of sarcasm like that. And then we just got chatting, and it was just so quick and easy, it was like mad. So we'd been speaking probably about a week and a half, and he said he was— so he's not from near me, so I would have never met him in a million years. He was living in Wigan at the time. I live in Oldham, it's about 45 minutes away. He's from the Northeast, so he's up from like Yarmouth, which is near Sunderland. You probably know, like, Middlesbrough, that way.

It's nowhere near Sunderland, but yeah, because I thought, where's his accent from?

Because it weren't— I couldn't put my finger on it, but he don't sound like— he's not got a strong accent. His dad's from Sunderland, so he's got a proper strong accent. His mum's from the Lakes, so she's got a different accent. So I was like, I couldn't put my finger on it, but he was living in Wigan because when he left school, he went to uni in Liverpool, ended up meeting his ex-wife and had kids, and they lived in Wigan. So that was that. So he said, could I take you out? Well, could I pick you up? I'm working in Manchester on this day. So I said, yeah, yeah. And I felt comfortable with it. We've been doing voice notes, FaceTimes, really dead easy, dead funny. I've been doing accents on the phone, me and Katie dancing in the car. So he'd seen pretty much how it is going to be, and I thought, and he's still okay with that. And he was funny, really funny, proper funny. So he rocks up, but on the Saturday previous to the Monday, we were both— so we was working from home at the time, like doing beauty, we didn't have like a salon or anything. And a knock on the door and this big bouquet of flowers come. So Katie was seeing someone at the time, so she thought they were for her. Anyway, it was from Steve to me, and he made this joke that we'd had like proper like funny joke about this caravan and like, and it was very personal but funny.

Yeah.

And I went, oh my God, it's off Steve. She went, oh my God, you got a flow, you haven't met him yet. I went, oh my God, like tick. So then when he rocks up on the Monday, I was nervous because you're bound to be nervous on your first day, right? He rocks up and we've been talking about music and things. Anyway, gets to the door and I could hear a car engine running, and he told me he was a project manager, but I'd not asked him what car he did. I'm not interested I'm not bothered about things like that. And I looked and I said, oh, is that your car? And it was a big yellow van. And I thought, well, I want to put him in a big yellow van, like, just, I don't know why. Anyway, no, that's not mine. And then he pointed to his car, it was a Range. I thought, oh, hello. I was like, I've not been in a Range before. Another tick. Gets in the car. Anyway, he'd only made a playlist of all like my R&B tunes and all these tunes that I love. And I thought, oh my God, another tick. And he smelled of Creed. Thought, oh, wow. Anyway, we had the best night. We just got on so well. It was dead easy, and it just went from there. And it's still like that now, and it's like 5 and a half years later. Um, we just laugh every day. It's dead easy. We support each other. There's no issues. He's not got drama. He's not got any, you know, like this. It's just— and I think that's probably because we're both older. Yeah, we both know what we want, and I definitely know we was meant to me. He was manifesting but didn't really know it, and he's always followed it, but he didn't even realize. But he's such a, like, a good energy guy. He don't moan about anything, he don't go on about the weather, he don't go on about anything like that, and he doesn't act his age, which is good because neither do I in that sense. But he's got his shit together, and he— but, but he's like— I feel like he looks after me even though I don't need looking after. I'm very independent, but I like that. I like the We have these little rules and we have these ways with each other, and it's just— there's a lot of love, a lot of happiness. Our families love each other, and it's just, it's just really amazing, like, to have this experience. And through all that, like, on my vision board in 2017, like, New York was on it, and I knew I'd go one day. I'd already been there about a thousand times in my head, watched everything you can. It took me in 2022 for my birthday. We spent, um, 10 nights there. He was the most magical thing ever. And I kept thinking, I can't believe I'm in New York. I was like, with this guy. But we— it was meant to be with him because we had the best time together. Yeah, we're definitely going back. Um, so in 2021, we went to London and we planned it to go for 5 days. I love London. And he proposed to me on this rooftop hotel, which was such a surprise. Like, it was like, oh my God. And then we're getting married this year. Oh, and we are going to New York for our honeymoon.

Amazing.

But so many things have happened in a positive way since then as well. Like, he supports me, my business, he encourages me, you know. And it's just— I didn't think this kind of relationship, like, existed for me. Yeah, you know, for other people and I didn't want what everybody else wants either. It has to be unique to you, what you want out of relationship, don't it? And it obviously works for both of us.

Oh, I love that. That's a lovely manifestation story. So can we talk about your homestyling as well? Because what I want to know is, like, with your homestyling, does that kind of meet energy work? Like, do you bring spirituality or energy work into the homestyling environment as well?

So I wouldn't say I like consciously talk about that, but I do it in the ways that I do plan the rooms, because there's got to be some kind of intention sitting in your designs, isn't there? Definitely. So like I've like said, when I'm working with like people that just want me to like do room makeovers, because I do both, I do like the home styling. So some people just either don't want to do it, they haven't got the eye for it, or they can't be bothered. They kind of like certain things but they don't know how to put it together, or they really don't have a clue. And they just know it's not working for them, they're not happy. So I've been working with this lady and, you know, it weren't working for her, but she didn't have the time, she didn't have the energy. So I went in and she can't— obviously we have a consultation, you know, what do you like? Sometimes I'll just say, what do you think? So I think, brilliant, I'll just come up with a couple of mood boards. It has to work for their family, whoever's involved, and what I'm creating for them. So yeah, I'm bringing in things that I know, even that even if they aren't mentioned, I think I know this will help you to come home to this beautiful home that you feel like it's your haven, into your home. And like, even if you work from home, you know, even if you are at home, for me, as soon as you walk through that door— and that includes walking in the front door and that space, whether you've got a hallway, a tiny bit, whatever— that's the bit where it starts. You don't just bypass that. That's where it is. So for me, it's about setting it out and I am into feng shui and like putting things where they need to go and things like that and how it all works. And I did— I listened to you when you did it, and then Fran have talked about, you know, about the kind of all how you map your house out. So I do kind of use that within my designs, and they don't really know about that, but they don't need to, do they, as long as it's like how it works for them. Yeah, but I do go and listen to them, and obviously I'll advise, um, but for me it's about creating that space where they really want to sit and look at everything and feel it. So it's a feeling more than a— yes, it's a look, but like, I've had about 3 clients that have just cried afterwards because they can't believe how— they've seen it on the design, but when it's in real life, they just cannot believe that this is theirs. And that— and, and it's on, you know, it can be on a budget, it depends on, you know, whatever. But I love that feeling that I know. And then they always do a little tweak of something like a little gift, and they'll tell them, but I'll do something that's personal that's just to give to them. And so like I did a canvas, someone, because I like to paint, I like to do everything. I'm like jack of all trades, honestly. I think that's the Gemini in me. I'm so creative and I just want to do everything. Um, but if I was doing like, um, a staging, so like if it's an empty house and somebody wants to sell it, whether it's a property developer or whether it's someone that's just got a house that they need to sell and they've already moved on and it's empty, I'll go in and stage it like a show home, you know. But again, it could be on a budget. It didn't have to look like these top show homes, but it will look amazing because a lot of buyers, they just can't see how they could have their things if it's empty. And sometimes people think, well, you can see the rooms, and but when you put furniture in, it looks bigger than smaller. You won't think that, but some people just can't see it.

What impact do you think our home environment kind of has on our mindset and our ability to manifest then? Because Obviously when I come home and my little boys ransack the, the living room, for example, there's just toys everywhere. You come home and you're like, oh my God, how am I supposed to manifest when I've got all this mess everywhere? So how do you think like our home environments have an effect on our mindset?

Well, definitely like you just said, I'm the same. It's like if things are not in place, but I know we have to live with, you know, families and you can't just have everything in its place all the time. But I definitely think if you can, you know, have it decluttered and have it everything as a place and you tidy as you go along, you know, to an extent. And having nice things and not just things for the sake of it. Why are you having something out if you don't really enjoy it? Get rid of it, something new. Or if you've got something somewhere else and you don't really see it, bring it into the living room. Like this lady who I've just been working with, she had this beautiful like bowl and it was very detailed with like, like how it was painted. It's very old, it's from her grandma. And my grandma's passed and she's just had it in a cupboard. And I said, oh, can I use that in the design? Because I was helping her declutter as well, because that's another thing I can do. Because some people, they're just overwhelmed, they don't know where to start, um, and, and it don't work for the family because they feel like moody. And she said, like, every time she opens that cupboard and they can't get this, and, you know, so that in itself, just if you see everything that's got a place, you're more likely to put it back in its place. So we used this ball. And I know she loves it because every time she sees it on that shelf, it reminds her of her grandma. So she can sing it now. So do you think— yeah, definitely it does affect your mood and how things are. And like I said, if it brings you joy, have it. You know, you can't put a price on joy in my eyes, you know. I mean, you can do it on a budget, but you, you just— I don't know, like, going everywhere you go in every room, and, and we can be working it because obviously we don't get every room done all in one day. And you can change things as well. Just change it. How does it make you feel? But for me, I sit there and I just want to feel like I'm in a happy room and in a happy home. And it does spill onto other people then, doesn't it? You know, yeah, in that space.

Definitely. Do you have any styling rituals or kind of routines that you do before you go and work in someone else's home? Because obviously going into other people's homes, you must attract lots of energy and things like that, you know what I mean?

So yeah. I do feel like I have taken on some energy from some homes that— there are a lot, because I'm— I am— I haven't got OCD as in diagnosed, but I feel like I have a little bit. Like, with seeing things, my eyes are like everywhere. I'm thinking, why would you have that there? Or, oh God, like, that's really giving me anxiety. Not for real, but you know, like, in that little sense of because I am how I am. So yeah, it can— it can be a lot, you know. Um, So what I do is I have to then, when I come home, I'll just switch off from it and go into my little visualize and then come into my own home and really enjoy it. But when I go in, I have to kind of— it's like I protect myself. I kind of have a little barrier, a little bubble that I'm just in this one. And I know this is only temporary, how it looks now and how it feels, because when it's done, it don't— it like the ones that I've done, they don't look or feel like anything. So when I— when you're in it now I don't remember what it felt like then, unless I look back on the pictures and the videos of what I did, because it feels beautiful. It just, it feels lighter, it feels happy. You can feel the energy, it's really mad. But just to, by changing things or adding things, or maybe, you know, it's like I've cleansed it. And I actually haven't cleansed, I haven't done anything with anything, you know, like I could actually, but I, I feel like I've done it with my mind and just the way I've done it. And they feel it as well.

You must be really good at visualizing as well then, because obviously when you walk into a space and you see this blank canvas, you could probably immediately visualize a thousand things that you could do with it, whereas some people like struggle with visualization. So what makes it pop in your head? Like, what makes you be able to visualize? For those that have like aphantasia, for example, I just—

I think— I don't know whether it's just from being a kid, you know, like I've always had a really vivid imagination. Like, as in, things just— if someone says something or if I see something, I feel like I can make a story or a picture out of it in my head, and then I can just like get carried away. And obviously when we see things as well, don't we get inspired by, you know, the people? Like, I watch everything on the TV that's to do with homey stuff, um, everything on Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, you name it. Wherever there's anything, that's what I'm following, as well as the other things that I like. But It's like you just get inspired all the time, don't you? And then when you do something, I think, oh, that's good, I've done that. But then I might leave it for a few and think, not loving that now, and I change it. So it's just a visual thing. But yeah, I think it's just the fact that I feel like it is a gift. I feel like we've all got gifts, aren't we, of certain things, and it does come natural. But I still learn because some things that I did years ago, I wouldn't do that next. I feel like that didn't— it worked then but it don't work now. It's not just about trends, it's about what it looks like and how does it feel. That feels better now that it's like that, or I've just added that, or I've taken that away, or moved that because it looks better and it feels better. And you can feel— I feel like you can feel a happy home as well in the world. This house is a happy home, 100%, just no matter what. Whereas other homes I've had, they've not. Even though my stuff looks nice and I've got it nice, I just didn't feel the happiness from the home, from its— the shell. But that's how I feel sometimes. I think you feel that with people as well, don't you? You know, like energies.

Yeah, I was going to say it's usually the house energy, isn't it? But I've always said, like, as soon as I get the keys to my new dream house, honestly, I'm getting you in to style it and everything, because I love what you do and I love that you bring energy into it and everything. So I love how happy you are all the time as well, but you know, you must have moments of self-doubt or imposter syndrome and stuff throughout the day. So how do you combat that?

Yeah, I do. I mean, like I said, I don't have it a lot, and I think that's just because of how my days go with all my practices and that. And like I said, because it's not quite natural. But of course there's times where, and especially with Semai Intu before I started it for properly, even though I've always loved it since being a kid, used to always move like the house around me when she'd come, like her bedroom in a different bedroom, or the dining room would be different. So, you know, like, I'd be always doing. So even though that was my passion, I, I think I, I don't, I don't think I felt like I worked good enough or that I couldn't do it. I was nervous, like, why would anybody pick me when there's all these, like, interior designers they've done, like, uni courses, or they've, you know, they're really experienced. But that doesn't always mean that you are going to be the one, or— and it's getting yourself out there and having the confidence to do it. And I think that's just it's just grown from social media, which is the most brilliant platform, isn't it, that we can get on, get ourselves out there. Because back in the day, God, you just have to give leaflets, like, wouldn't you, or go knock on people's doors. But now it's like, let's use it as a positive and to show this is who I am. What you see is what you get when you see me on Insta. That is just who I am. Yes, I'm silly, but I'm also serious, and I also know what I'm doing in both my businesses. And all I want to do is help the person to create whatever they need, even if they don't know they need it. I will show them what they need. Uh, yeah, when I do have self-takes, sometimes I do think I really want to be out there more. Like, this is like my absolute— as much as I love my beauty business, I really do, like, but there's two separate things, you know. That's that side and this is this. But I know I need— I, I need to be out there more. Like, I want to work more and more often. With, say, property developers, with staging houses. I want to have that full rein of just going in. I know what I'm doing. I've already done it about 1,000 times in my head, different styles of houses, and even to storage, even to picturing like Steve's involved and my grandson's involved. And like, I've done it, so I know it's going to happen. I'm just eager, and I am a bit impatient, and I've got loads of patience, but— and I know that when it's time, it will happen, but Sometimes we can try and speed it up by action, can't we? Yeah. But sometimes, like, on the odd occasion, like I said, especially if I'm a bit tired or I've got loads on my mind with other things or something going on with Katie or Gemma, you know, like, it's sometimes not just— it's not me, it's external. Then I think, when is it going to happen though? And I think, I know it's gonna happen. I don't know why you've been saying that, Mandy. You have to have a little chat with myself. Um, and then if I've ever like sort of feeling like— you can feel like Am I like— I've got imposter syndrome of like, am I really good? And I think, of course I am. Just because I haven't got all the proof yet to show everyone that I'm good, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Because I know if I keep showing up, keep doing what I'm doing, I'm enjoying it anyway, so why would I not? I'm getting on all these funny things I'm doing, and I'm not doing it because I think I should. Some of it is because I know you've got to do it, is to get yourself with it. But I won't do anything that I don't feel aligned to, or just for the sake of it. I won't jump on a trend if I don't like it I'm not doing that. I'll do what I want and it is what it is. That's one of my favourite word things. It is what it is.

So what's next for you and Katie in terms of the podcast then? Like, where are you hoping that that journey will lead you?

So like I said, we're going to do it like, as you know, it's in its early days and it's like we've just got the little mics and we're not— we're just doing it as and when, just to get a taste for it, to see if we wanted to carry it on. And we are loving it. So I think we're going to carry on with that and get better set up. We've got some microphones now and doing it through the laptop. We're just going to explore doing it a bit more professional, um, because we've got loads to talk about. And I think as a team, as a duo, we really do bounce off each other and we have like a good interaction. And I think that's why I show little videos of us as well, because it's not just about the speaking, it's just the way we are. And we enjoy being each, like, the way we are with each other. And we think, well, let's just share it with people as well because it's fun. And yes, some of it's serious and we'll talk about serious topics in that, but I just think because I like to hear other people's stories, and if you, if you like resonate with us as well and it can help you, then that's brilliant. So I think we're just going to explore that a little bit more. I've always had this vision, and this is from about probably about 2017. Again, this is before I went to New York as as well. It was so vivid and strong, and I've told Katie about it. I've just pictured that me and Kate— and it just came— me and Katie are in New York on the street. I don't know what street because obviously I didn't know it then, I don't know it now. But we're being— someone's got a microphone in front of us, like, you know, somebody on the street. I don't know what it is, and we're so excited, like, and I don't even know what we're talking about, but we're there in New York for something, and they're just asking us something about how this and how that, and I don't know all the— but I just get that. So I don't know what that is, but I just know that's going to happen. And when it does, I'll be telling you and I'll be videoing it as well. But I just know that, you know, when you just have a feeling that there's some things that you just— there's opportunities. I know, I don't know what they are yet, and it's okay because I'm excited to find them out. But I'm happy as I am now. I'm not like, oh my God, when that happens I'm going to be happy. I'm really happy now and content. But I know there's more out there, and that's fine. I can want more and I can ask for more. And I can, you know, like, if you don't ask, you don't get. So that's my kind of mantra, like, you know, just keep doing what I'm doing, learning more off other people, all my expanders that I just love listening to, being guided from. Like, Alicia is like one of the best people ever I've come across. She's funny, she's supportive, she knows her stuff, like, in business and in mindset. And I don't think I would have pushed myself enough with the interior side and believed in myself, even though I believe in what I do, is that getting myself out there, because I'm at my comfort— she kind of encouraged and pushed, and she's always that person that will support you. And I think that's why I love— it's like giving back as well, isn't it, if you can do it with other people.

Yeah, I love that.

Yeah.

Oh, thank you. No, it's all right. Well, thank you for coming on the pod today. It's been absolutely lush to chat with you. Um, I would have loved Katie to have been here, so please smack the back of her wrist when you're here.

I know.

But honestly, Mandy, you are such high energy and I just love it so much. So I'll pop your social links in the episode show notes. And for everyone else listening, if you've enjoyed this episode, please feel free to leave a rating or a review wherever you're listening to this from. And I'll see you all next Friday for another episode. Speak soon, guys. Bye!