Great Escape Podcast episode 15 - Angela Marshall escaping from the shadows to find herself

- [Stuart] This is the Great Escape Podcast, episode 14.
- [Announcer] We are go for lift off in T minus 30. All systems are a go.
- [Stuart] And today, I'm talking to Angela Marshall and I'm gonna introduce her in her own words. She said that she resigned from 20 years in the corporate world to embrace the purpose that has pursued her throughout her life. You know what, Angela, that's a hell of an intro. Tell us about--
- [Angela] Drop the mic.
- [Stuart] Drop the mic, yeah. Tell us about your life before you made that change.
- [Angela] So, I will say this. Coming from a former NFL wife background, I was a housewife steward until I was forced, well, not gonna say forced, until I made a couple of changes in my life and needed money, basically, to take care of myself and my children and I went into the corporate world around 1999. So, I was a documentations specialist for this pharmaceutical company. And, I actually have several promotion and progression steps during that time, 'cause I worked for them, worked with them, from 1999 to 2016. So I stayed with them, you know, the duration even though the company kind of changed guards. It was Monsanto and then it changed over to Elanco. You know, a division of Eli Lilly. But basically, you know, I had a pretty good life during that corporate life time. The money was amazing, the benefits were great. And then I learned a lot, and then I think that next, that particular stage in my life set the tone for me understanding my true riches in life. So, you know just being able to I guess, you know, interact with people of all backgrounds, diverse backgrounds, it was an amazing, amazing journey for me. However, I still never felt fulfilled. Like, even though I was going to work, I was doing 12 hour shifts, rotating shift work, I was getting great pay, great benefits, it still was like this void, like this heavy, heavy void where I was not, you know in the words of Les Brown and some of the other motivational speakers, I was not, you know excited about that alarm clock going off in the morning. I still would just hit snooze, hit snooze, hit snooze, be like agh, grunting, you know trying to get to work and everything. But it just, you know, now the career path that I've chosen now, the purpose that I'm walking in now, there is no alarm clock, and I'm up, like five A.M. Like clockwork. And, I'm excited I'm passionate about what I do. So, to answer you question as far as like when the paradigm shift occurred, after I had a conversation with my mom who eventually died of cervical cancer, I just decided, that conversation was 2013, and in 2014 it's like I looked at myself in the mirror. I was tired of myself, I was tired of letting myself down, I was tired of not walking in my position walking in my purpose, walking in my power, and I just decided no more. This is it. I've got to make some changes and then I started the preparation and planning to leave corporate America. So, that was 2014, it took me about, obviously to 2016 to complete that shift. Because, you know, fear sets in, doubt sets in, and you get a little antsy and then bills. I'm like, okay. Will I still be able to take care of my bills and do everything that I need to do. But once I left on March, March 16th, March 19th, March 16th of 2016 I have no regrets. Now I've had some anxiety, sure, because entrepreneurship, building your own brand and business can be intimidating. But I will say that my circle, my links, my supporters, just my own inner strength. Finding my own inner strength, I'm like ey. No turning back. We got blinders on and we're only pressing forward.
- [Stuart] You decided that something had to change and you talked a bit about taking two years to do the planning for that, but also was there that sense for a lot of that time can I actually do this? You talked about fear.
- [Angela] Yes, that is correct. So, I had a, I think typically, or genetically, I am kind of a I'm not gonna say a worry-wart, but I do consider. I'm concerned about a lot of stuff. Like, I'm an over analyzer. I think a lot. And so, once I just kind of put that in the back burner, and I was like, you know what? Be quiet. Like, I literally was looking in the mirror and talking to myself. And I was like, be quiet. You can do this. Other people have done it before you, other people will after you. Why not you? You know, you can take the actionable steps. Everything that needs to be done to bring forth and to birth everything that's in you, that needs to get out that can help and impact lives. Where you can just be in service to others. So yeah, it was. And I will admit I still have to do that from time to time. I still have to get really firm with myself. Firm and focused with myself. But, those times come far and few now, I guess because when you own who you are and you know who you are it's like, you can look at yourself even in those little moments of doubt and fear and say cool it, or quiet down. You got this, don't worry, even shaking in your boots thinking that this isn't gonna work out or because somebody send you a rejection email, or somebody said no or somebody said something a little negative about you and your brand, and your platform. Because my platform I get it. It can take the I guess it could mean to some people that it's a little shallow, a little vain. Like, maybe the things I speak about, not have any substance. But that's when you really have to listen. You have to do your research. And you have to whether it's buy the book, download the book, or have me speak, and then you understand why my platform is definitely so powerful, and so dynamic.
- [Stuart] Now, did that idea of what you were going to build. When did that first start coming together in your head and how long did that process take?
- [Angela] Oh, okay. So, I have actually been journaling about my life for a very, very, very long time. I had a very good girlfriend slash coworker of mine. I would let her read my journals from time to time about my life. And she would always say, Angela why are you here? This is when I was still in the corporate world. She could say Angela, why are you here? Like, your story needs to be out. Like, you need to be writing books, you're so good with words. And then not only that, being able to inspire and just impact people's lives and give them a positive outlook on things. I've always been able to do that I just didn't know I could get paid doing it. So, so from that perspective I just, once 2014, once I started kind of figuring out, or trying to figure out what really warmed my heart, and what I truly, truly was passionate about, then I started writing my plans down as far as, okay, I believe I can publish an autobiography of my life. Because I was tired of people assessing what they thought my life was like. I wanted to tell my story, my way, my truth. And I say, well I believe I can be a published author. So I started, like I created an email address that has A M bestseller in it. I started doing all my profile names on different social media outlets. Best seller, best seller, best seller. So I started doing that. And, I was like I believe I can be a published author. And then once I put the, published the book, and people started buying it, different organizations, and they would ask me to speak about my life. I said, ah. I'm a pretty good speaker, too. Like, I think I could, I can present. I can not only inspire and impact people, but also move people to implementation. I really help them to embrace who they are, and then just bring out that inner greatness in them. I get that all the time. The only downside to that I found, is that sometimes when I am building and uplifting other people, I forget to do myself. I forget to pour that back into myself.
- [Stuart] Welcome to the club, I think we all do that sometimes. All of our building other people up, and we forget ourselves.
- [Angela] Absolutely.
- [Stuart] It sounds a bit to me like you chose what you were going to do, as much because it chose you. It was kind of it was there inside you.
- [Angela] Let me tell you. One of my quotes is is that, you know how people say follow your dreams, or pursue your dreams, pursue your purpose? Well, the purpose pursued me. I did not pursue it. Because, when I go back over my life at age three, four, 10, different ages. I've been on stages, speaking, doing parts, doing productions from church, to school, to plays, to drama clubs, different things. And I was actually, or I am actually very, very good at it. So, I think I got away from it when I, I think I got away from my true purpose in life because after the divorce, I was, you know like, okay, what am I gonna do for money? How am I gonna take care of me and my two children? And so, the first thing I did was reach out to a known source, where I knew I could get a paycheck every two weeks or whatnot. And not saying that was bad, because it all helped me to the point where I am today. But, that definitely was not my purpose. Now, was I good at what I did while I worked for the corporations? Absolutely, why? Because, I worked there from 1999 to 2016, so I had to have some value. Had to have some value to them, right? But, yes. I absolutely think that the thing that you do well, that you do the best, a lot of times we overlook that and we go into these other fields and choose this other career path, whether it's societal pressure or parental pressure, or a legacy. Well, our entire family have been lawyers, so I have to be a lawyer, or an educator, or whatever. And if that's your true passion, follow it. But if it's not, you have to follow your true passions. So, yeah, it's just, it's just one of those things where I truly believe in what I do, and even though I have struggle mornings, I have struggle minutes, I have struggle moments, I would not trade what I do for the world. Absolutely not.
- [Stuart] And that's really inspiring to hear, because a lot of those people I speak to are almost addicted to the corporate salary, to the paycheck, to the benefits and those things. And although it's killing them inside, literally like a drug addiction, they hate their job, but they can't see that way to transition from employee to running their own business. And it doesn't matter whether that's gonna be a business with employees, or whether you're just gonna be a self-employed plumber. I actually have a guy who had this big corporate job. He just wanted to be a plumber. And he loves his life. It's never gonna be a big wealthy business, it pays his bills. He loves his life. It's really fascinating how we find ourselves trapped in these cages that we've built for ourselves.
- [Angela] Yes. No one else did it, and that's I think a pleasant surprise for others when they hear me about my platform. Because again, it could be something like a reality wives, where they think I'm bashing, and I'm really downing my ex, my ex-husband, but it's far from that. I'm actually... I think when you come into your own and you define yourself, you are less, thinking about pointing the finger or blaming other people, you turn it around on yourself. And you really, really figure out what you're not doing, what you haven't done, what you need to do, more of, less of, and you make it all about you as opposed to about other people. So, you know once I took that high road and was like, you know what? I can't blame my teacher, my mother, my sisters, my friends, I can't blame anybody but Angela. Because I'm the only one that's in control of Angela. And I'm the only one that can definitely make a change for the better.
- [Stuart] Absolutely, and it's an interesting contrast with Joel on last week's episode, where he was talking about how on the face of it, he was saying it's got be less about me, and more about other people. You've just turned that on it's head. You're not saying it's all about you, you're saying the change has to start with you.
- [Angela] That's right.
- [Stuart] And the attitude has to start with you, which absolutely mirrors what he was saying in his situation. So, listeners if you are thinking what on Earth is Stuart talking about? Go back and listen to the Joel Hawbaker episode, episode 13 from last week. It's been really interesting, because of course I hadn't planned Joel and Angela. They didn't know each other, but they're both speaking about the same thing. That you actually have to do some internal work before you can make the move forwards.
- [Angela] Oh yeah, you have to do a lot of internal work, and it's never ending. Like, I'm facing myself, battling myself, warring with myself every single day. Is not a day that goes by that I don't, look at something that I've done that I can do better. Or something that I've said, or neglected or whatever, I'm like okay, I gotta put that on my things of, of lists of change, or things of list to do, things of list to not do. You know, so that I can continue to grow, and to sow and to glow. You know, that's really important. I think people that forget about themselves, and they're so into telling people what they need to do, or pointing out the flaws and the insecurities and the inadequacies of other people, there's no true room for growth there if you ask me. You can't. You know, because you're always looking at me and what's wrong with me, but when do you look at what's wrong with you? And so, once I did that, once I actually started just picking myself apart as opposed to when I was in the marriage, trying to pick my ex apart, things that he didn't do or I felt neglected in, or whatever. Then I could actually see some things that I needed to change for myself. And it was just like, I'm just gonna use the name of your podcast, a great escape. It's like I escaped myself. Like I was out of this box, like the rabbit out of the hat I was out of the hat. And then I just started you know really, really growing. And I started just being free, let me tell you. One thing I've known a lot of people say there's no, peace is priceless, well honey let me tell you freedom, true inner freedom is priceless as well. So being able to escape yourself? Whew, that's true liberation there.
- [Stuart] And that's the whole thing about our history, as the story of how we got to this point. It doesn't have to define what happens next. We get to choose that. And, so many people, my childhood was like this, so I ended up like that. My schooling was like this, so I ended up like that. Well, actually unless there's something seriously wrong with you, all of those things can be overcome, if you really want to. And, you know I've worked with people in addiction. Well, I've struggled with addiction myself, that's no secret. Until you actually get sick and tired of that person, you're not gonna make that change.
- [Angela] That's right. Yeah, 'cause I know a lot of people in very grim situations, and they are like excelling. You know they're exceeding, they're succeeding, and so you know, you think about, like you see these different motivational videos where people have no arms, no legs, yet they're still swimming. You know, they're doing different things. And you're like, how dare I, as a person who has limbs, and I have different, just a more of an advantage than they do. And they're like, I mean, they are killing it. Once you stop that whole complaining and, trying to not take responsibility for yourself or for your actions, or hold yourself to a higher standard of elevation and accountability, it's like the sky, well not the sky's the limit, I mean the universe, the orbit, the planets. That's, you know, it's like limitless. It's all yours.
- [Stuart] Absolutely. Do you have a support network around you, close friends that, cheering you on?
- [Angela] Absolutely. I call them my fabulous five. I call them my phenomenal five. I call them my fearless, my faithful, my favor. Favorful five. But yes, I have. You know I did this, this post, this motivation post exhorting people. Make sure within your circle, that you have links and not kinks. You know kinks will trip you up, and they're kind of designed to make you be in this negative state of mind. But links will always connect you, and where I'm kind of falling a little short or whatever, that link is gonna help pull me up. It's gonna, set me on good path. But yes. Without my links and my supporters, my endorsers, everybody that believes in me from not just family but friends, I have colleagues I have, different organizations that are behind my platform and what I do. It's just so important. I think people that feel that they are an island or that they don't need anybody, I really feel sad for them. Because I don't see how you can truly, truly succeed in life without people, without the support of people. And I mean good people, obviously. Not those naysayers, or those doubters, but those that are like actually right there with you, they're in the game with you. Not necessarily on the sideline, because I don't look at my supporters or my endorsers as sideline, I really feel like they're in the game. Matter of fact, Stuart, I'm gonna take it one step forward, I think those jokers, you know how that you wear the body cams? The athletes have the body cams? Those are my supporters. Cause they're looking and they're seeing different things as I am actually in the game, or I'm on the front line each and every day. And they're just so so amazing with, where they're sending me text messages, monetarily providing me with emotional and mental support, which that is truly, truly priceless. That's worth more than anything, you know. So, yes I have an amazing support group. I'm gonna say shout out, kudos, hey to all of those that support the story life of an ex NFL wife, slash Angela Marshall because I know it's not an easy road. And I'm just very thankful for every last one that helped keep me in my lane, yes sir.
- [Stuart] I think that's a theme that's come through many of the people I've spoken to. It's that sense of actually, if you try and escape from whatever you're trying to escape from, if you try to do it alone, and certainly with my break down, it was being alone, even though I was surrounded by people all the time, that broke me. And you, you need that team of people around you who are going to exhort you, encourage you, hold you to account when you screw up. But also picking the group of people you're hanging out with, choose your friends wisely. But also, not just the friends, but the other people you hang around with.
'Cause if the five people you spend most time with smoke, you're gonna smoke. If they're overweight, you're likely to be overweight. If they eat unhealthily, you're gonna eat unhealthy. So, actually if you look at the five people you spend your most time with, you're probably, most of your behaviors will be the average of their behaviors.
- [Angela] That's right. I agree. That's why that circle has to be intact, and it definitely has to be, as far as your values, your morals, all of that. Because I do, while I believe I am my own individual, or I've been my own individual I've, done some things from time to time that would, you know would deem me a leader, I've also been a follower in a lot of areas too, because of that. You know, I've gravitated to, even though I didn't really like this, or I didn't really like that, because my whole clique or my whole crew was doing it, or my crowd was doing it, I did it too. So, yeah, I agree with you in that 100 percent. You have to choose, I think from relationships, friendships and partnerships, you know 'cause a lot of things that I get invited to or I get requests for, I don't do. Because I'm like you. I go, I research, I review their websites, their, their missions, their values, and if it's something I feel does not align with Angela Marshall, the person, or my platform the story life of an ex NFL wife, I'm not gonna do it. Bottom line.
- [Stuart] Absolutely, absolutely. In fact, when I'm inviting people onto the podcast one of the things I say in the email is we may not use this interview, because we may have wonderful conversation, but if it's not in line with what the podcast's doing, it doesn't benefit either of us to go out there.
- [Angela] Well, I'll you one thing that intrigued me when I saw, as far as the Great Escape. And it's funny, because I didn't even think of it from an entertainment, like magician wise. Yeah, I didn't, I promise you. When I saw the email about the Great Escape podcast show, I was like, you know what? I feel like that's exactly how I transformed. That's exactly what I did. I escaped myself, you know? So it's not about the situation, it's about oh, okay NFL life, or societal pressure, this or that, yeah all of that is, you know that was a factor, but a minimal factor. The largest and the greatest factor that has always been a part of whether it's my downfall my disappointments, being discouraged. It was this. This brain, it was me. Just my inner self, just either telling myself I couldn't do it, I shouldn't do it, I wasn't valued, I wasn't worthy. You know, whatever, so I actually had to retrain my brain and I had to escape from all of those thoughts, and just defeating and draining everything that made me into this inner, I guess, invisible person to myself. But now, it's like, okay, I feel like people see me because I see me. See, I didn't see me, I didn't see myself before, because again, I had not escaped. So that's what resonated with me when I read the email and saw information about your podcast. So, kudos. I love it, I love it.
- [Stuart] Thank you so much. And that's been a really interesting insight into the way you see the world, and it chimes beautifully with some of the recent episodes where we've looked a bit more about people have had to deal with their internal demons, before being able to get out and sort out kind of the external stuff. And that's very much my journey as well, which I will talk about a bit more in future episodes. There are a few secrets we're gonna keep.
- [Angela] All right. I think I'll keep some of my skeletons, too.
- [Stuart] Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As many people will know, one of the things I do is I take funerals for people. I do three to five funerals a week, and it's always lovely to hear about somebody's life, when you're writing the eulogy for them, what their life was. And I am convinced that I am gonna write mine, and I'm gonna give it to my children, and say here guys, when the time comes this is what you need to say. Because there are a few skeletons that need to stay in a few closets, and that's okay. I'm cool with that.
- [Angela] Understood, yes sir.
- [Stuart] Angela, you've been a great guest, and really enthusiastic, and I love the energy that's coming off you. Of course we'll put links to your website in the show notes. And, as always if you've enjoyed this episode please like it, share it, and encourage your friends, family, anybody else you can think of to subscribe to the podcast. If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach me at stuartlmorris on instagram and twitter, email Stuart at greatescapepodcast.com and access old episodes at www.greatescapepodcast.com, talk to you next time.

Angela's website is: https://www.inotherwordsbystone.com

The Great Escape titles music was created by Darren Reddick