PP 080: Helping Those with Disabilities Find Their Voices with Win Kelly Charles

Quick Show Notes: Win Kelly Charles

Win Kelly Charles was born with Cerebral Palsy & is now a triathlete & a podcast host. Listen today to hear Kim & Win’s conversation and learn how Win likes to help others with physical and mental disabilities find their voices!

.@IwinBook & @thekimsutton discuss how Win Kelly Charles lives life with Cerebral Palsy & has become a triathlete & a podcast host who helps others with disabilities find their voices. Download today! https://www.thekimsutton.com/pp080 #positiveproductivity #podcast #cerebralpalsy #triathleteClick To Tweet

 

Episode Transcription

KIM: Welcome back to another episode of Positive Productivity! This is your host Kim Sutton. Today I am thrilled to be bringing on Win Charles, host of “Butterflies of Wisdom Podcast and Author.” Win, thank you so much for joining me here.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Thank you for having me.

KIM: You are very welcome. You have such an inspirational story, and I would love for you to share it with the audience.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: So I hope, and I would love to share my story with the audience too. I actually listen to your podcast. It’s one of my favorite podcasts especially with the blue construction, but not the blue will on it and so, it’s one of my favorite podcasts to listen to. And I hope you don’t mind the plug, I’ll say here. If you guys want to go listen back to episode that Kim did with Kate X that was one of my favorite episode to your podcast. So, if you guys want to go back to your iTunes or iHeart Radio and listen to that episode. That episode was truly well done by Kim but,….

KIM: Wow! You’re so awesome! I just going to share that was episode number 22 with Kate Erickson. Thank you for a plug you’re supposed to be plugging yourself. (laugh)

WIN KELLY CHARLES: (laugh) Yeah! But, getting back to you my plug, my plug is this – I was born with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a burst in brain, lack of oxygen to the brain. I have, sense birth, not let this disability stop me. I have since done a “Kona Iron Man” for triathletes. I’m also a podcast host and for me, I have decided that podcasting is the best thing since sliced bread because, as Kim knows, and as all the podcasting community knows, we can connect with people all over the world. I think people want to learn about business and they want to learn about disabilities as well.

KIM: You are such an inspiration! I’ve been struggling because I’m just trying to get the first word of my book written. Oh yeah, the first word, much less the first sentence and first page. And here you are a triathlete, an author, a podcast host with.. – OK and we talked about this pre-show because, we know that I’m not going to say it properly but cerebral palsy says that you say…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: -Cerebral palsy…

KIM: -cerebral palsy and you’re just blowing it away. Listeners anything that we talk about in this episode you can find in the show notes at TheKimSutton.com/PP080, for episode 80.

But, just before we’re recording this episode – I was amazed to have a mention on Twitter from somebody in France who had seen the episode. I’m just going to give a shout out to “Frederick”. Thank you so much. That absolutely made my day and weekend. But isn’t it amazing when.. – I hope people are listening and mentioning you from all around the globe.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes! Yes! And you are lucky. My tweets and I’m listening to the podcast and I’m getting 100 downloads per episodes to about 600 downloads per episodes. And of course I want more. As we all do. But, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

KIM: -and some more if you have kids.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Oh. Yes. (laugh)

-And the more of you have kids – to have a nap

WIN KELLY CHARLES: -or cats so,…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: -cats…

KIM: yes…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: …that would like to walk across your keyboard, or a dog that would like to bark during the podcast…

KIM: So you wrote your autobiography or your biography. No, I guess it would be an autobiography since you…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes. Yes.

KIM: And in our pre-show you were talking about how you’re going to be writing a second.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah.

KIM: Tell me about your own journey as an entrepreneur and tell the listeners and I would love to know too.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Well, I am –I’m an entrepreneur. I also teach on the side, I’m a preschool teacher on the side. But slowly and surely I was walking away from education because, I can’t really have a nine to five job. Because, not because of my disability although that’s part of it -it’s because of my brain. It’s because I want to be creative. So, if I was stuck behind a desk job all day of course it would have to modify the desk job for me and I tried a desk job for one year and I’m like: “Enough with this, enough with this”. And this was in the office at “Country Day” where I work. And I’m like: “Enough with the secretarial job here because, I need to be creative. I need to be stimulated just like anyone else would”. And I did that portion of that job because, I’m like sitting in a chair with my back and that doesn’t help. And then just doing secretarial stuff doesn’t help.

KIM: Oh absolutely. And I know because you’re talking about the pre-show you have an assistant, and I’m actually thrilled to be bringing my assistant back-in, in the next week but, any time I’m looking for a team member I always ask the person that I’m speaking to: “What are your favorite things to do?”

Because, I don’t care if you’re working at a desk job or somebody else, or if you’re working for yourself – if you’re not stimulating, and if you’re not excited, and passionate about what you’re doing you’re never going to get peak performance.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: No! and you’ll have the E or added to where it comes from. Whereas when we need a crew it was the white light and it’s like you’ll never don’t get peak performance and it’s doesn’t brings you joy. And my assistant has said this publicly. We were out someplace and then someone said to all of us. Why were you joining? And I didn’t realize this when she pipes up. – She also had cerebral palsy and she also has a book to out. So, if you guys go look on Amazon that book under “Danielle Coulter”. You’ll find that book as well. And she goes: “Well, what brings me joy is working out” and at the end she goes “What brings me joy is helping out with means of podcasts”. and I didn’t tell her to make me blush and say that, – she said that “no, no”.

KIM: Are you sure you didn’t slip her a 5 or something?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: (laugh) No! No, I did not. No, I did not. And the person just looked at her and look at me and “Get it on” and I’m like: “No, I did not tell her to say that” and he was like: “Wow”

Helping me brings her joy. Because she’s not only how me with the podcast which, is a huge endeavor in itself. She’s helping teach other people about disability. Behind the scenes.

KIM: That is so powerful. I love it and I love it from various aspects. Number one – because, you have somebody on your team who is clearly vested in your success..

WIN KELLY CHARLES: yes…

KIM: -and that what we all dream to have. So I actually had to give a shout out to “Jennifer”. Can’t wait to have you back. Because Jennifer is the same way. Totally drastic.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah..

KIM: -And then number two just sharing people or sharing knowledge and education about disabilities is so powerful because unfortunately I mean we’re coming from two different sides here. My disability is chronic idea disorder that’s a joke.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes.

KIM: I mean that’s the worst that I’ve really had to face besides anxiety and here— I mean you are coming in from the complete other side where correct me if I’m wrong, and I’m probably making assumptions but, you’ve really had to prove that you are no different outside of maybe a few minor impairments. I mean – every single capability to do as anybody else can.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I have had to curb that, and I’ve come to the decision that there’s – “no safe space and dark”. They study CP (cerebral palsy). They study Cerebral Palsy and medical textbook but then they may work with the occasional kid with cerebral palsy because, cerebral palsy is a child injury. But they don’t necessarily see that cerebral palsy is different in every case and especially when it comes to adults.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I told someone my goals yesterday. And they said; “Well that may be a short term goal, we can necessarily help you with that”. And I’m like: “I’m going to outline all. And if you guys help me with this” and so they got all mad at me because, I don’t think they understood that I wanted to go on, I want it done.

KIM: Would you mind sharing your goal?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Well…

KIM: Or is it…I would totally understand if its private..

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I wouldn’t mind at all. I would all share my goal. Ten years ago I had major surgeries, the scoliosis. And my goal is ever since I’ve been on a walker, and my goal now is to get back to where I was pre- surgery – 10 years ago, and I’m actually having supposedly another back surgery to take all the needle out of my back because I want to be walking finally again.

KIM: Wow. So is that is that your goal? It’s the surgery?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: No, the surgery just will help with my goal. My goal is to get off a system device and create work.

KIM: That’s tremendous.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: And so all the surgery is going to do was help with my goal.

KIM: Right.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: But as I said I don’t think a lot of Doctors know about this disability that affects millions and millions of babies and millions and millions of kids because each case is different.

KIM: So what causes CP (cerebral palsy), Win?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: CP is lack of oxygen into the brain and..

KIM: -and are any specific causes of the lack to the brain?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: You know it can be a stroke. It could be having the umbilical cord wrap around your neck, it could be – I have a friend who is a non verbal who was born normal body and choked on a piece of popcorn at age two. His mom say “No!”, scared him enough so that he aspirated on a piece of popcorn and got CP.

KIM: Oh, –I didn’t realize that you could develop it after – after birth..

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes. Yes. Because it’s childhood disease, but with lack of oxygen to the brain.

KIM: OK. Look we learn something new everyday in positive productivity.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Well yeah you do. Yeah you do.

KIM: So, tell me about a typical day in the life of Win.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Oh!… A typical day..

KIM: Is there such thing as a typical day. I know I don’t really have a typical day, just to be brutally honest.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: No. The only thing that’s typical about my days now. This is I need help from aides that come to my house to assist me in getting dressed but, that’s the only thing typical about my day. I’m lucky enough to be holding a job 9 to new job which as I said at the top of this show it’s teaching but people saying: “Oh, Win can’t do it because, of her disability”. “No! Win, can’t do it because of her psyche, that it has nothing to do with my disability”

KIM: That is so powerful! That’s treatable right there Win?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah..

KIM: I mean it’s it’s almost like other people are disabling themselves, by doing that.. into their own hands.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes, And just to get back to the podcasting realm for a couple seconds. There are only five podcasters with disabilities. And my co-host is one of them.

KIM: Really?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah! Five podcasters worldwide have it five or caster’s that I know of on line have disabilities and two of them have “Fibromyalgia”..

KIM: -Is “Maxwell Ivey” on your list?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: “Maxwell Ivey” was on my list, although I tried to interview him way back then – I – but he decided not to do it. So I don’t know if Max Ivy has a podcast. I know he has a blog.

KIM: listeners you can find “Maxwell Ivey” at the blindblogger.com. And I do believe he does have a podcast. But, it’s so true. I mean I guess I hadn’t really thought about only five podcasters having disabilities but, it also could be varying depending on what you look at as disability. Now I mean I think now that I’ve seen news articles where ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is considered a form of disability and not about to get into a debate on the Positive Productivity Podcast but, I’m not sure how you feel about that. So…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I am not sure how I feel about that either. And this is called some educators respect and don’t get me started on my educational soapbox when it comes to discipline cause I could go on and on with you. Kim. But I won’t but, I was going to say they can always google “Maxwell Ivey” if we didn’t get the name of his blog. Right.

KIM: Absolutely. So, Win can you share the journey that went into writing your book and how you finished it?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: yeah, yeah…I used Apple’s “Siri Dictation” to write my book. I literally used a ghostwriter. Well that fell through. So, I use Apple’s “Siri Dictation”. I gave myself a year. I was given the opportunity to attend a leadership workshop which is no longer in the distance. And one of the activities they did with all different types of disabilities is that, – all of us do a vision for it, and they made us stand in front of 12 people. And when I said: “I want to write the book” people thought I was nuts because, I had just lost my mom to a (—–inaudible) . And so this was a couple months after losing my mom, I want to write a book about cerebral palsy and so everyone looks at me like I was nuts including my dad. And so I said: “I’m gonna do this”. They go: “OK, we’re posting down on your vision board” and I said: “Well, I give myself a year”. You know what. When I went back to that leadership workshop and we had all a reunion as colleagues. I was able to say my book was in the editing process and everyone went: “GULP” and I said: “My book was is in the editing process. Look at that”. And so the power of determination.

KIM: The power of determination to how long did it – you gave yourself a year. So…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I gave myself a year and it took about six days. Now I know what I’m doing. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing on this book Journey. I didn’t know anything about self revision. I didn’t know anything about editing a book. I didn’t know anything about writing book.

So, I gave myself a year, I gained by now – this book coming out. People are starting to edit it now. Well I’ve been the process of buying the book. So if any of your listeners want to help me either a book you can contact me and we’ll make it work. If any of your listeners who have professional editing degrees please contact me I’m looking for editors right now although, I have people in my network that want to help me but, I gave myself a year. I got myself at it. And then I-we edited the book together.

KIM: So did you do this book the same way using Siri?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah I’m doing this book and it’s going to be called the “Mosaic of CP”. So yes, I’m doing this book: “The Mosaic of CP” the same the way.

KIM: I’m in awe. That’s all I can say. I’m so inspired. Tonight I am getting my first at least my first word down… (laugh)

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes, and people don’t understand the power of “Siri” and the power of “Dragon Dictation”. For those of you on the CP side people don’t understand that you write a book on your own, while you were waiting for your kids at the ski slopes or waiting or your kids at the soccer game. Just say and record and get words down they don’t have to be perfect, and then when you go home you can edit it. So I wrote my book with the help of “Siri”.

KIM: Oh my goodness! Win, in episode number 001 at the Positive Productivity Podcast was actually recorded on my iPhone. Listeners I will do my very packet. Let me try that again. That one for the blooper reel. I will do my best not to ever record another episode on my iPhone because the quality certainly wasn’t there but, if Win is not getting the point across to you. Hopefully this will get the point across. That you can’t let anything hold you back if you can’t get your first episode recorded for your podcast then do it when you’re in the car. If you can’t physically write down on paper the first words to book then speak them into your phone. There should be nothing – nothing that holds you back from pursuing your dreams.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: I have a friend who actually has a podcast called: “Concept to Cash Flow”, Dr. Amy Cannatta and she is a Chiropractor to Chiropractics.

She moved from I believe Baltimore to Phoenix and that’s how she got her books done on that year of her perspective and her books could be sold on Amazon and also Dr. Amy Cannatta. So that’s how she got her books done. Which is a year too. Is 16 made it to move to six states because it’s showing that.

KIM: I didn’t know that about Amy. And actually listeners, you can go to episode 46 for my episode with Dr. Amy Cannatta. That would just wasn’t something that we talked about but, I’m going to have to reach out to her to about that. Win, I had no idea! Yeah…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: We learn something new every day.

KIM: Absolutely. OK, so you want to be free of all assistive devices which is a tremendous goal. What is another goal that you have for let’s say the next 90 days?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: The next 90 days is to become a full time podcaster and only do podcasting and show people how to do it. Because I have been on the process of education agree or not agree, right not let’s just put it that way. And I am in the process of slowly but surely stepping away from education.

KIM: So stepping away from childhood education by actually creating adults on how to start podcast.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes educating adults on disability because what I’ve realized is that kids get all the treatment in the world. The adults that defy the law of cerebral palsy or any disability, quite frankly.

KIM: I love that but, I don’t love the 30 day or the lollipop but just the fact that you’re about – you want to help educate adult and…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah, I wanna help people learn about disabilities to the best of my abilities.

KIM: Phenomenal. Well Win, you’ve been totally inspiring to me and I am sure to the listeners as well. Where can listeners find you online? Find your book? Find your podcast? What is the best way to get in touch with you?

WIN KELLY CHARLES: My book is “I, WIN”, Yes, that’s how you spell my legal name W-I-N. People still get wonky all the time, and my website if you just google my name “WIN CHARLES” C-H-A-R-L-E-S everything will pop up about me, and people can find me on Facebook. I hang out more on Twitter than I do on Facebook. And that is “WinKellyCharles” no spaces and of course the outside on Twitter. It’s also “Win Kelly Charles” on Facebook. People can reach out to me if they have any questions about starting a podcast. Or they could just search for “Butterflies of Wisdom” on iHeart Radio on iTunes and then they can reach out to me that way and support the podcast that way.

KIM: That’s all fabulous and listeners again this will be in the show notes which you can find at TheKimSutton.com/PP080. Win, this has been an absolute pleasure and I’m going to want to bring you back after you take this next step in our teaching people to podcast and further expanding your message. Because I definitely believe that your message needs to be heard over and over.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes, Yes it does. And I appreciate your support. I know once we sign what we love which is podcasting, I know that people will understand your story and understand my story and I so grateful and so on that you bought me on.

KIM: Oh you’re very welcome and thank you for following up with me listeners, podcasting is definitely a journey and sometimes you have struggles and when you get back on the horse just-just to grab it right and keep on going…

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes, you do.Yes you do.. There are days I have to think: “Do I want to get in front of this podcasting mind again”. And my last tip is if you can do it, get a co-host, get a co-hosts because it’s easy on you if you have kids, money in the background, you can just melt your mike, and take a drink of water, and shoo the kids out or help people to live out. So that would be my tip because if you want to start a podcast you can do it on your own. But the power of two brains is better than one that’s what I’ve decided.

KIM: Love it. I am going to throw in there though if you don’t get a podcast at least get an editing team and a team to support you in your way.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yeah. Yes. Yes I definitely agree I could do it without my team. I definitely agree because once you start on podcast you’re taking on a whole new job.

KIM: Or three.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Yes. Also it’s an awesome job..

KIM: Thank you so much again Win, for joining us today.

WIN KELLY CHARLES: Thank you.