Unlock Your Charisma: Reinventing Life and Career at Midlife

Join host Emily Bron in Season 2 of ‘Age of Reinvention,’ as she sits down with charisma coach Sandra D. Robinson. Discover how Sandra transitioned from a celebrated actress to a coach guiding individuals to embrace their charisma and reinvent their lives at midlife. Sandra shares her unique approach incorporating nature and horses, practical steps to ignite your inner spark, and the importance of personal storytelling. Tune in for inspiration, practical advice, and insights on overcoming fears and harnessing your potential for a vibrant second act.

TIMESTAMPS

01:24 Introducing Sandra D. Robinson
03:06 What is Charisma Coaching?
06:03 Sandra’s Transition from Acting to Coaching
09:23 Embracing Age and Experience
11:53 Nature-Based Training with Horses
18:30 The Power of Personal Storytelling
23:25 Overcoming Fears and Embracing Change
26:34 Identifying Red Flags in Relationships
26:52 Curiosity as a Driving Force
29:28 Influences and Inspirations
33:43 Mastering Nonverbal Communication
42:26 Opening Doors with Charisma
45:35 Words of Wisdom for Reinvention

Emily Bron: Hello and welcome, dear listeners. You are tuned into age of reinvention, how to discover a new freedom lifestyle and purpose at midlife. I’m your host, Emily Bron, bringing you season two, where we introduce you to some of the most visionary reinvention guides and coaches. Today, We are excited to introduce you to the captivating Sandra D.

Robinson, a charisma coach with a unique journey. From her days as a celebrated actress to her current role guiding individuals to be fearless and unforgettable, Sandra’s transition is a testament to the power of reinvention. Versus on stage. On screen or in a boardroom, her charisma shines through.

Imagine turning your 50s and beyond into a time of vibrant exploration and impactful new beginnings. Sandra’s unique approach, which incorporates nature, And majestic horses is not just about unveiling the charisma we all carry within. It’s about practical applications in your life, whether you’re considering a new career, enhancing you, your current retirement, or simply.

Adding more sparkle to your life. Sandra’s insights today will light the way. So settle in and dive into conversation full of inspiration, practical advice, and the gentle push you might need to start reinventing life today. Ready to get started? Let’s go.

Hello, Sandra. Happy to see you.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Happy to see you too. What an awesome intro. I feel like, okay, that’s good. And thank you all. That’s all folks. No, I’m just kidding.

Emily Bron: My first question actually you have intriguing Title as a charisma coach, can you explain what charisma coaching is and how you help individuals become fearless and unforgettable on stage screen?

And in the life on the different leadership role.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Yes, it is a strange title for sure. It actually was given to me while I was doing a media interview. Then I remember I was in Florida, it was Tampa, Florida, maybe. And it was like a daytime show. And I glanced over, or maybe it was when I saw the playback and they had my name and they had charisma coach is my title.

And I was like, What the heck is that? That’s stupid. That’s tacky. I’m like, I had all these ideas of what I thought. And then on second thought, I was like, but wait, it’s alliteration. And I like that. And it is what I do. And so we just kept it, at my company, my original company was called charisma on camera.

I still have that. And so then I use the word charisma and a lot of different programs I’ve done, it’s just hung out. And so for me, charisma, it’s interesting when you say. that word. And I ask a group of people, what does it mean to be charismatic? The first thing that comes out of somebody’s mouth is confident.

I don’t want to be a confidence coach. There’s just something about that. But I like the term charisma because charisma to me is so much more than confidence. It’s the power of influence that is within all of us. And I think that everybody has their own thing. Type of charisma of this power. And I think that it’s when we tap into who we actually are and own all of that.

I have a phrase is on the magnificence inside of you and the world will respond accordingly. And that’s what I go for with everybody that I work with, whatever field they’re in, whatever industry they’re in, whether they’re an introvert, an extrovert, a speaker, somebody who has never been in front of the camera or in front of an audience ever in their life, I think that everybody has this thing inside of them.

It is exactly what is needed already inside of them to attract the people they most want into their life and business. I just helped them uncover it.

Emily Bron: You’re just helping people to find their own charisma if they unaware of it and actually how to light it up. Yes.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Yes. You mentioned the word spark or sparkle.

That’s one of my words that I like. So yeah, like you said, a little fire to the spark that is already there. There’s a spark in somebody’s heart that they may want to do something, especially at a time of transition. I know that your audience, you’re helping people that are, transitioning from maybe being fully employed to retired or they’ve left their job, they sold their company.

They’re in this. Of what next? What do I do next? And I think if there’s something in their heart, that’s the spark that I’m talking about.

Emily Bron: Okay. Let’s speak a little bit about your personal transition from acting to coaching. As far as I know you’ve had successful career in television and film across renowned networks like ABC, CBS, hallmark, and NBC.

What inspired you to transition from acting to charisma coaching? What happened?

Sandra Dee Robinson: What happened? Yeah. I think there was a very simply, I think there was one day where, and I primarily worked in primarily, I did other things as well. You’ll see me pop up on, on reruns or old TV shows as guest star, but my.

ready employment for many years was working in soap operas. And I think one day I realized that yes, I had a platform, but I, a lot of those years I didn’t have the confidence to be myself. I was hiding behind the characters. And so I think now I speak to people, whatever, wherever their platform is, I think everybody has one and they can utilize it to the, if they can leverage it to the fullest extent possible.

I knew I wasn’t doing that because I felt like the biggest impact I was making was people were naming their babies after my fictional character. And while that was I was like, I think I, he might be able to have a little more impact on the planet than this. So I really just decided to take the opportunity to once I was on my own journey to find my voice, my own voice it got so painful to not have it.

And we can talk about that in a little bit if you want, but it was when I started to find my own voice. That’s what one of my teachers said to me, why don’t you teach some of my people? I have too many. And I was like, I’m not a teacher. I’ve never coached, I thought, or taught anybody. And so I said all right.

And so I started to take these people that were coming into us that wanted to host their own cheap TV shows. They wanted to host things and some of them had skills. They knew how to stand, they knew how to speak, but they weren’t booking any jobs. They weren’t making any money. And the first thing I did was work from the inside out.

That’s what worked for me. And so I had a very different, unusual way of working with the clients that came into her business. And they started accelerating into their own brand, their own personality really quickly. And they started booking jobs and she came into the room one day and goes, what are you doing?

What are you doing? That’s helping them find this work. And I said, I’m just taking away the scripts initially. Taking away the performance and I’m seeing what lights them up. I’m seeing what makes them literally makes their pupils dilate. Their cheeks flush a little bit. When we talk about something that we’re excited about, we have actual indicators that other people pick up as being sincere.

And so when I see that light up in somebody, I go, okay, that’s me. That’s the point that I want to get them to. That’s the comfort zone that I want them to feel when they’re in front of a camera. And then it became when they’re on stage, when they’re presenting, when they’re leading. So it just expanded from just helping people on camera to actually You know, helping them with their presence, no matter where they are.

Emily Bron: Great. You’ve taken some bold steps in your career, Sandra, but for many of our listeners stepping into already in their fifties and beyond this time can feel like crossroads. How do you guide individuals in embracing the age? And stage is a powerful asset in a personal and professional reinvention.

Sandra Dee Robinson: I had somebody talk to me this morning, a mentor of mine and perfect that he said this, said, there is a level of. Expertise that you have, and I’m speaking to your audience now, whatever their expertise is, it could be the job that they’ve been doing forever. It could be a hobby or a passion that they’ve had, but there is something that they are an expert in that just lights them up and they are so good at it that it’s more than skill it’s experience.

It’s hard knocks and skill. So if they are thinking, just as an example, to go from working for a company to consulting where they still get to do that thing, but they get to do it on their own terms, that might be something that is absolutely perfect. Because then they’re being lit up and they’re still continuing to do what they do.

And the realization, the identity, I think for them to own is that there are things that people that are younger that have skills don’t have. And that’s the experience that knowing of how to get through some of the obstacles, the hard knocks the stuff that you can’t really teach somebody. Until they go through it, but you can guide them so that you can prepare them for when it does hit them later.

And that’s part of the beauty of being any respect, peace that, that they can elicit from being over 50. And choosing to help people in whatever it is that they’re doing. And I think it’s incredibly beautiful. Some of the people that I remember when I was in my twenties and thirties that were so impactful to me, every single one of them was over 50.

Every one of them. And I took what they said with such eagerness and hungerness because they were already where I thought I wanted to be at the time. So hugely valuable. It’s in the, it’s in the identity. It’s how they’re seeing themselves. Most important.

Emily Bron: Thank you. Your work is unique and it involves unique nature based training retreats, particularly with horses.

How did this approach And why do you believe the nature and horses specifically are powerful tools for personal development?

Sandra Dee Robinson: It is another weird thing, isn’t it? It’s a weird thing to say that I’m a communication and self leadership coach and I partner leaders with horses and most often people say, Oh, that sounds great, but I don’t ride.

And my answer is we don’t write. On a rare occasion, maybe in the near future, we may incorporate a certain type of writing, but we don’t write where everything is done on the ground. We simply take away your ability to communicate with language through the verbal expression of words. So I came up with, I came up with this, I came across this several years ago when I was introduced to a magnificent place in the Midwest that was taking children that were rescued from sex trafficking.

It was a very serious situation. These kids were very, they were dealing with, there’s trauma, everybody has trauma, there’s, we call it big T and little t. These were big T’s. This was all big trauma that these kiddos were coming from. Some of them had been sold into slavery as early as five. And When they would show up, they had a lot of a lot of stuff to work through in order to become healthy, have healthy relationships, go into society and be a healthy, active person.

And so one of the main things that they used at this camp, if you want to call it that, was horses. I had never seen this before. And so it was amazing to me because another side of me, I’ve been studying animals since I was three. So my brother helped with that. He was 18 years older than me and he was a wildlife biologist.

So he would send things home to me and I had a mother that didn’t want me around. So I just dove into reading and books and drawing and things like that. And it really stuck with me. So when I saw that you could take this. magic of animals and have it do good with human beings that were struggling with something that seems so insurmountable physically, mentally, I wanted to know more about it.

And long story short, after several meetings, I found a facilitator that introduced it to my community. They seemed to love the idea. They were infatuated with it. And I was like, huh, okay. Now I’m still just training people on camera at the time. So like, how is this? How am I going to fit this in? But I continued.

And when we, I actually at one point decided that I wanted to become a facilitator. I wanted to learn more about it and get certified and I loved every single second of it. So somebody out there is looking for what’s going to be their next step. If there’s something that you are interested in and time stands still when you’re in there learning about it and doing it, that’s the thing.

That’s the thing. And so for me, learning about the way horses can heal somebody, especially that person with trauma was fascinating to me. So when I get introduced now as I’ve incorporated this nature based training in 2019, I first just started doing workshops. Kind of testing it out and now we do workshops that are several hours and we do multiple day retreats and we do them here in Austin.

We have one coming up in Utah, which we will be repeating. We have, I have a location in North Carolina. I have a few in California, one in Ireland. So we have different areas that I can actually go and do this work. It does not have to be anymore at my own farm here, but it is an in person thing. So it’s an adjunct To the rest of the teaching that I do and the communication and leadership skills that come from working with an animal, like a horse, the transformation feels emotionally safe, which is a big word.

Now, everybody’s talking about emotional safety at work, but it’s a big word all the time. Being in a state where you feel like you could get persecuted for being wrong is rather unhealthy and it limits our ability to initiate change in our thought behavior and in our patterns of thinking. And so when we have them in front of a horse and the horse tells them, Hey, you’re not being sincere.

I can tell them your horse is reacting to something what’s going on in your mind. Cause I can see what’s happening with the horse to my job to ask the human being, what’s going on inside right now? And usually, I’ll give you an example. If a horse walks away from somebody who’s trying to connect with them, I’ll say, what’s going on inside?

And they’ll say I’m actually afraid. Okay, why don’t you go over and actually say to your equine partner, You’re afraid of them. And they’re like, do they understand that? I said, no, they don’t understand the language, but they’ll understand the energy and the fact that now the way you’re acting and what you’re saying is in alignment.

They’ll pick that up and sure enough, somebody will go over and be like, all right, And their body will change, right? They’ll go from trying to be tough and confident and holding their body upright to slumping their shoulders and giving up. They look like they’re giving up and that the giving up the fakeness is what they’re doing.

And they go, okay, I’m a little afraid of you. I don’t know what I’m doing. Nine times out of 10, that horse will then turn around and choose to engage with them. It’s something that simple, but it’s very deep. And it informs us that when we are in alignment and we are in the moment, we’re so much more powerful than when we’re worried about the next thing or worried about what happened yesterday.

Being in the moment is probably the number one thing that I teach people about being charismatic, about being a great leader, putting them in the environment with the horses. It’s the number one thing. And then one of the very first things that they have to kind of master. And it’s something you can walk away and do with, even without a horse, right?

You we give them tools to be able to do that when they go back to their real life so that they can access that piece of themselves and be able to connect with their higher power, with God, as I call it, with their abilities to create, solve problems and just be the most productive human being they can be.

Emily Bron: Amazing. Amazing listening to you. And I know even from my personal life and surrounding how communication with courses helped some Children to get to the balance and actually to improve their mental health. And now I’m thinking about storytelling is good in any age. And it’s obviously for me that you are incorporating this skill in your practice and daily life.

How important is personal storytelling in reinventing oneself? And what tips Do you have for listeners on crafting and sharing their stories to navigate new beginnings or changes?

Sandra Dee Robinson: Oh, that’s awesome. Yes. Stories to me. I grew up as an actor telling stories. That’s what was fascinating about it.

Remember, I grew up reading books. Stories, things about animals, but it was stories. And so getting to be an actor and actually tell those stories physically was incredible. So I’m a huge fan of stories, learning to do my marketing. I realized that. Facts and figures are great, but they’re not going to transform somebody transforming somebody and having them actually feel what you want them to feel to change somebody else’s state of being stories will connect emotionally.

And so there are so many tips to telling stories, but number 1 is even if you want to teach, there is a certain amount of vulnerability. That has to happen when you are teaching, when you’re guiding. So say somebody wants to go from working in corporate to coaching people, working in corporate traditionally.

Now it’s changing a little bit, which is I’m glad. It’s one of the reasons that I’m getting busier with the equine retreats is that there is this idea of being more emotionally whole. And that’s that emotional safety that I mentioned, but previous to like the past decade, it has really been shove your emotions down.

Don’t let anybody know what you’re thinking. You’re feeling just do your job. And then you decide to become a coach and marketing what you’re doing. You sometimes people would have the inclination to just stick to the results, the statistics, do and just shoving numbers out there. When the reality is, if you say, Hey, my passion is helping people lose weight.

I’m just going to say, I’m a coach and. I’m a new coach now and I lost weight and got fit at the age of 40. And my friends saw that and I started to help them. And now I’m opening up my own coaching business and I’m going to show people how at any age they can lose lose fat and get fit, feel strong and extend their healthy life into well into the later years.

Okay. So that’s my platform. If I don’t say what my journey was, if I just say, yep, now I’m going to be, I’m going to be a health coach because. Being healthy when you’re older and being strong is the way to finish off your life. You should do this is what that sounds like. Okay. That doesn’t move somebody to change.

If I say, here’s my story, I was now I’m making this up because I wasn’t, but I’m, I was pre diabetic or I, had a heart attack at a young age or I came back from cancer or whatever the thing was that was the, thing that pushed me into becoming really crazy about being healthy. I tell that story.

I tell the stuff that was difficult and then people go, Oh, not everybody, but the right people, the people that you are going to be seen as most charismatic with, right? The one that when you really just go there and go, look, this happened to me and this sucked. I think this was a horrible time.

I knew I had to find a way out of the and my solution to it was X, Y, Z. And when I learned how to do XYZ, all of my friends said, how did you do that? I started showing them. That’s why it’s so important for me because I see the changes in them and I know I can make changes in you. That’s storytelling at its finest.

It’s being that vulnerable and sharing that pain and then sharing, Hey, there’s a solution and I’m the example of the solution. That’s huge. That’s marketing. Some people would say marketing 101, but just this morning, I was hearing about a company that spent, they paid workers, six different workers for 1200 hours to do a presentation.

And none of it had a story in it. It was all facts and figures. And so my associate went to evaluate what they had done and said, huh, how many hours you guys put into this? 1200 hours. And he’s huh. And the slides are pretty, but there’s no connection here. Connection is the number one thing.

Number one thing. That’s what stories do.

Emily Bron: Yes, story is a power. But what I notice these days, some people facing fears and change, especially later in life, can be scary. What advice do you have for the listeners on confronting and overcoming their own fears that come with seeking a dramatic life or career change at this stage of life?

Sandra Dee Robinson: It’s a great question for you because I know that you can help people relocate out of from one country to the next, and that’s a huge kick, sometimes scary thing. So I’m so glad you asked this question because this is an easy one. First thing that comes to mind is probably the most important thing.

Surround yourself with people that accept that excitement. So you are like the people you surround yourself with. You just can’t help but be like that. So if you’re around people that are playing it safe and playing it quiet and complaining all the time about how much they hurt or how things used to be or living in the past, run.

Run, because that is going to bring you down with it. I’m not saying you need to dismiss these people completely from your life, but do find people that are exciting to be around. Find people that are doing things that are still interesting. If they’re younger than you, that’s okay. They don’t have to be older than you or your age, but surround yourself with people that have that ambition to do something exciting and different.

And you’re. Your interpretation of that word is up to you, as far as exciting. Remember, I am married to a stuntman. His idea of exciting is the next near deadly sport that he can pick up, okay? It doesn’t have to be jumping out of an airplane. Whatever that excitement is, if it’s going on a trip to Africa, that might be exciting.

Extremely exciting and out of your comfort zone for you. Then find somebody that has done it. Talk to them about it. Befriend them. Get yourself around people that have that almost still childlike quality that want to have an adventure. There’s a curiosity with these people, right? Like my husband, there’s a curiosity what would it feel like to be in a wingsuit?

I’m like, I don’t have that at all. It’s not. Anything that I want to do, but for him, it’s a curiosity. What would it be like for people that like to travel? What would it be like to go to Spain? What would it be like to go to Patagonia? What would it be? And if you have that curiosity and it’s not going away, find other people that have that same sort of energy.

And hang out with them, ask them questions that’s either going to bring you up to the point that you feel more comfortable moving forward, or you’re going to say, you know what, maybe I don’t want to do that. And that’s okay too. Then you find what it is that is going to light you up. But the first thing I say is look at who you’re surrounding yourself with.

It’s so important that If you ever think about the folks that bring you down, like you ever have somebody, Emily, that you talk to and you walk away and you’re like, I am exhausted, right? Just from talking to them. Those are the people that you need to put a red flag on in your mind and go less time for the red flag people, less time, be there when they need you.

But limit how much access you give them to your energy field. Because it’s going to bring you down,

Emily Bron: Speaking about me, actually, curiosity is my main driver. Some people are surprised because I’m I don’t know if you were, I’m traveling alone in Mexico, taking a public bus And I feel okay.

I have experience with this. I’m really without Spanish going to communicate and starting to communicate with different people. And actually one of my Mexican friend asked me like, you don’t fear, like why, like you’re so fearless. And I told him, and I remember he was surprised that my curiosity is stronger than fear.

So I’m okay. And I know that some people might be stumbled upon my openness even to communicate with them. But, after a short time, it’s going all okay. But curiosity for me, it’s a big driver and actually many things I do in my life.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Curiosity is an incredible driver. It’s an incredible driver for, I don’t know if you are familiar with Diane Sawyer, she’s still around, but she was very famous broadcast journalists around the same time as Barbara Walters.

They were actually competitors a lot of it. Oprah Winfrey interviewed. Diane Sawyer. And she said, what do you attribute your success in this male dominated industry? You were successful for so long. What do you contribute your success to? And Diane said, without even much of a hesitation, she said, my insatiable curiosity, because there were times that she would ask, she interviewed Saddam Hussein at one point, and she asked a question that made all of his people gasp for her safety.

And Oprah said, did you think that you weren’t going to get out of there alive? And her answer was, and you could identify this. I thought I wasn’t going to get out with the footage, but I knew I would get out alive because I was just asking because I was curious. And he answered the question because she legitimately going back to when I said, the horses will read if you are in alignment, she was legitimately curious.

She wasn’t putting on, she wasn’t fearful and trying to cover it up. Her curiosity overrode her fear and she asked from that place. And when you ask from that place, a question of somebody, even someone as evil as Saddam Hussein, it got through. There was a connection there and he answered it. And I think that was one of her successful, one of her keys to success at being an interviewer for so many years.

So it’s perfect that’s yours.

Emily Bron: Thank you. And now I’m just wondering about your sources of influence and inspirations. You’ve had a diverse and fascinating life journey. Who or what have been your biggest Influencers and inspirations along the way, both in your acting career, personal life, or coaching practice.

Sandra Dee Robinson: That’s a tough question. Cause there’s so many. And I feel like every day I find somebody new that I’m like, Oh, fabulous. Mel Robbins recently has been my Oh, she has such great, like such a great way of being. And I’m listening to her. And then there’s a gentleman in work show. I listened to him for a while.

These are all people that have podcasts, but they ask in a very real Absolute curious fashion. And so I learned a lot from the people that asked that host shows like that and the guests they have on. So I’m constantly learning and feeding myself with things like that. But personally, I think my spiritual turns have been very influential in how I was doing at different times and how I handled things.

And so I would say that there have been a couple of pastors. That have really made a huge difference. And one of them was female. It was very well known. Another is not so well known via television, but very influential and just helping me learn to regulate through faith, how to get through some difficult times.

And I think I had an acting coach that was very influential only because he called me out harshly one day and said, stop trying to be perfect. This was a great lesson. He said, Perfection is overrated. We as human beings are drawn to the brokenness in each other. If I learned nothing else from him, that was the best life lesson.

That was great because it’s so true. It’s the brokenness that we, that makes us look at somebody that may look perfect and go, Oh wait, maybe she gets me. Maybe he gets me. And that’s, it goes back to what I was saying, share that vulnerability in your story when you’re sharing a bit of your life, it’s not that everything was, yeah, I was great, I pushed through, say it was difficult and I pushed through and that just means so much more.

To people. There are people, there are books. I go back and I reread, read the Bible every day, but I go back and I reread Napoleon Hill. There, there’s so many books that I just go back and put back into my brain every so often as a reminder to stay focused. So yeah, a lot of different influences for sure.

And small things, I think it’s important to realize people can make differences in your life that are so they probably don’t even remember. Do you know what I mean? So there was an actress one day I was terrified of the script acted like me being paralyzed to speak up for myself. I had a crazy fan following early on in my career.

My character is very popular. And there was an actress on the show. And I was talking to her she would Nothing faced her. I think when she was little, she had gone through big team, big trauma. She had worked through it. She was just, to me, was so resilient and confident and she handled fans so well.

I said, how do you do that? I said, I’m terrified to walk out the front door of the studio because they’re waiting for me and they’re gonna hug me and I didn’t grow up in an affectionate family. So at the time, a hug was like an assault, I was like, how do I do this? And she was so cute. She just looks at me.

She goes, Oh, sweetie, just say, Hey, how are you? And extended her hand to shake a hand. Nobody’s going to hug you. If you give them your hand, you’re putting something between your two bodies yet you’re being friendly. It’s the simplest physical solution. To what I was so in my head about, there were times I hate to admit this, I would sneak out the back door and leave these people waiting in the front because I was so frightened of them.

How silly is that? So when you say the influences, sometimes it’s somebody mentioned her name just this past week because there was a reunion for the show and somebody brought up her name and I still think about the huge impact that she had just showing me how to handle fans and keep myself safe, something so small.

Emily Bron: As far as I know, nonverbal communication is one of the critical aspects of your coaching. How can mastering of nonverbal cues make a difference in how we perceive and what are some common mistakes people do?

Sandra Dee Robinson: I shared something recently. I’ve heard it before. I heard it shared on a podcast. And so I wish I could remember the woman that shared it.

Cause I would absolutely give her credit, but I have heard it before. So I’m just going to show you something that we can do is simple as stature. And everybody probably has been familiar with the Amy Cuddy, Ted talk, and her posture, putting your hands on your hips and being powerful and all that stuff.

It’s along those lines. But the way you walk into a room will determine whether somebody is going to consider you influential or not. And when I say influential, the ability to influence others for good. I don’t mean influential as in walking in, I’ll show you like a celebrity. Influential as being impactful to whatever the conversation is going to be in the room.

Being important, to draw somebody’s attention, to be charismatic. The number one thing is how are you postured when you walk in the room? So one of the things that we do almost, especially women will do is they can almost seem apologetic. Stop apologizing. Number one, stop it. I like, I almost went into coaching mode yesterday at the grocery store because a woman walks past me.

It’s an aisle. You walk past people. I’m standing there for a second and she walks past me and goes, excuse me. I’m like, if she says, I’m sorry, she didn’t say, she said, I’m sorry for walking past me. And I wanted to stop her and coach her and go, stop doing that. You’re what you’re allowed to walk past somebody in a story.

You don’t have to say, I’m sorry, or excuse yourself. Like it’s one thing. If you say I need to get by you. Thank you. I’m sorry. All right. Different situation. I wanted to stop. Probably she was Canadian. In Canada it’s acceptable. I know. I know it’s polite and all of that. But I see it so often that, or, if she felt that I had to just say, Oh, thank you.

Even excuse me, but I’m sorry. No, you’re not sorry. There’s a posture that also will Echo that, that I’m the, I’m sorry, or I’m insignificant, or I’m, I am, I’m not important. And that happens a lot when women walk into a room, they’ll even put their shoulders up and go, hi, right? And they become really little.

That makes them little. They think it makes them approachable and, or they end their sentences with an upswing. Hi, how are you? No. If you really want to come across and have yourself feel like you are confident and that you are influential, your voice, your body language, and what you say, but your body language is probably number one.

So when you walk in the room, you want to do the opposite of what we do so much every single day. When we look at our phones, everybody holds their phone down by their waist, puts their head down to their chin. And if anybody’s listening to this or watching this, I want you to just go ahead and do that for a second.

Lower your chin to your chest. Realize that you can’t breathe all that well in this position. So you’re already starting to short circuit your body of oxygen because you can’t breathe this well. It’s not a healthy position. And then what else do we do when we’re looking at our phones? Our shoulders go forward.

Emily Bron: It’s not healthy position from many aspects.

Sandra Dee Robinson: But this is the posture of most teenagers, right? When they’re standing in line they’re doing this. The problem with that is if I say to somebody in an acting 101 class, first acting class to go, I want you to take the posture of somebody who is depressed or feels heavy shame.

What posture is that? Head down to the chest? Shoulders slumped? It’s the same posture. So we are, every time that we look at our phone and hold our phones down and do that, actually putting our bodies in a position of shame posture depression.

Emily Bron: There is a movement now to forbid, to ban the phones from the classroom.

At least in school, and I think it should be, no, because it’s a big problem with the new young generation and all the influence. Many aspects for this phones

Sandra Dee Robinson: in many ways detrimental. Yes. And if you’re saying I have to look at my phone or I’m standing in line, what am I going to do? I am, I’m sitting at a desk.

I have my elbow on the desk right now and I’m looking at my phone and it’s upside down, but I fix it, but I’m looking at my phone. I’m not looking down because I have my phone up and in front of me,

Emily Bron: you’re looking at the mirror. You keep it as a mirror.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Yeah, you can. But that’s, if people go, would it be so awkward to hold it up?

It’s not, it’s really not. If I’m standing in line, I can put my hand under my elbow and I can rest it against my chest. And I’m looking at my phone and my head is not down. When I do this, by the way, in public, it’s what my husband says is situationally aware. I can see what’s going on. If my head is down here, I don’t know if anybody’s coming at me trying to get my attention.

I don’t know if a bus is coming to hit me. It’s just so much healthier and to keep yourself safe in so many ways to keep aware of what’s going on. Hold it up. Your posture is better. You will look more influential. If you mimic this, when you walk in a room, when you mimic the stronger. Posture with shoulders up.

Shoulders back and down, chin slightly up. So you’re not slumped over at all and take a step into a room. And this is interesting because I went with a friend of mine who specializes in etiquette and showing up. We went to an event together and I, we were talking about where’s the most.

And where’s the best place to stand when you go to a party or a networking event? And we said some people would think it’s at the front door. No, it’s not the front door. And it’s not way in the back of the room where you think you can see people. It’s where she and I would naturally just naturally feel like we went.

As soon as you leave the bar within a few feet of that, just think about that. Because when somebody leaves, if you go to, if you’re just say, I’m an introvert, so I identify with this. I would go to a party and maybe I didn’t know anybody. I would get a drink in my hand and suddenly I felt like I had a reason to be there.

I had a prop. I drink water. It doesn’t matter, but I have something in my hand that says I’m part of the party. And I would turn from the bar and What’s happening when people turn away from the bar, they’re looking going, where do I go next? Who do I talk to? And if you are the person standing there and you say, hi, you’re their savior.

This was actually a story that was on the bell Robbins podcast that we were listening to going to this event, but both my friend and I were laughing because that’s what we do anyway. And I think it’s because I start talking to people while I’m in line. Waiting to go to the bar. And then we just continue the conversation a few feet away.

We don’t walk that far, but that puts me in the position where people that are looking a little lost during the headlights. And I feel like they need somebody to talk to. I invite them over. I get to know them. And I can find myself standing in that one space. If I’m not careful for an hour, talking to different people.

And that’s a good thing. That’s body language that is open. So I would turn to somebody and go, Hey, come on over. Shoulders back, chest open. When your chest is open to somebody, it is actually allowing them to come forward. Whereas in your looking, especially if you’re looking at them, that helps a lot because if you’re turned towards them, but you’re looking over their shoulder, that’s a very uncomfortable feeling to be on the receiving end of that.

And I have been. There are plenty of parties. In my previous life that were like that where people were shaking my hand and looking over my shoulder to see who they might be missing. And that’s just a pet peeve of mine. I can’t stand it. Most charismatic thing to do is shake somebody’s hand and shake it no more than three times and look them in the eye and say, hello, make it like, That’ll make somebody feel like they’re the only person in the room.

And that’s body language. It’s working really well. In every culture, by the way. In many cultures. I think so. In many cultures. I hesitate to say every, because I haven’t been to some countries that maybe that might not be the case, but I think in most, yes. Yes. A smile, a handshake and a look into the eye that says hello. Yeah.

Emily Bron: Very valuable. Thank you. And for those people who unsure about what the next chapter might be hold, how can developing the charisma and communication skills open doors Two unforeseen opportunities.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Number one, you said it yourself asking questions, right? Is they’re trying to figure out, Hey, do I want to do this or do I not?

So do I said, find those people around you that are still living with that child, like curiosity and enthusiasm and ask those people questions. Just say, Oh, are you love to go play pickleball. That’s awesome. I’ve never done that. Where do you do that? And they’ll say, Oh, we go with so and and, do you want to come?

We’ll usually be one of those next things. And there you go. Opportunity has opened up or, Oh, you, you coach people that have new businesses. That’s interesting. How did you do that? How did you make that ask? The questions. And when you ask the questions, people will go, why are you asking? Are you interested?

I can introduce you to somebody. And the next thing you have doors that are opening only because you’re showing actual 100 percent you’re in the moment of the conversation. Number one, most charismatic thing you can do is be in the moment, not in your to do list, not what happened on the way there to wherever it was that you’re having the conversation.

But. Actually be in the moment, be in the moment, have that open body language and ask questions from a legitimate aligned place that you are actually curious about them. And when you do that, the next thing is to be a really good listener. Listen to what the answer is. And what you’re listening, if you’re investigating something that you might be interested in oh, you’re a consultant for, I don’t know, let’s make up some, you’re a consultant for a zoo.

That’s really cool. How do you do that? And somebody says I, I had this And I had this mentor and listen to how they answer you. When you ask that question, are they answering with enthusiasm? Do they really have joy in what it is that they’re doing? Because if they do ask them more, if you ask them, how did they get to do what they do and they sound like they’re not enjoying it, I don’t know if you want to pursue that you want to ask questions and see how enthusiastic people are.

So the listening part is not just what they’re saying, but it’s how they’re saying it. Look for the nuances inside of their answers so that you’re like, Oh, this person really does love being a librarian, or whatever they become they really do love it. Why do they love it? What does it do?

What’s their life like, it’s those kinds of things. When you see that lights them up, ask the questions. Why everybody has a story. And if you ask them to share their story. And all the little nuances and you really listen for them. People are fascinating. It is fascinating. So you’ll find your own way and doors will be open, but you’ll also find compassionate understanding for people that maybe you hadn’t ever thought you could understand before.

Emily Bron: Amazing advice. And finally, Sandra what words of wisdom can you offer to Community of listeners who are eager to reinvent themselves, but might need the extra notch to take the first step.

Sandra Dee Robinson: Yes. I think I’m often asked the question of what’s the best piece of advice or what’s the best thing you can tell somebody about finding their charisma and their purpose and the.

Then the nudge that they might need to pursue what’s in their heart and all of that. And I think the number one thing after being in the celebrity world and the world of Hollywood and being in the real world and seeing and working with people of all different industries and levels of education, the most important thing is to not believe what other people say about you, whether it’s good or whether it’s bad, that is not your identity.

Your identity is in, it’s in it’s to me, it’s in God. It’s in the creator. It’s in what you were designed to be here on this planet. And it is not what a hater says about you on Instagram. And the way to relieve that is just go, wow, they still have a journey to go. They’re on a different journey than you, but what they say about you has nothing to do with your actual value.

The same goes for somebody that. Flatters you and flatters you. And I know it’s really tempting to believe that, but I’ve seen that be the downfall for people, celebrities successful people, because they believe what people said about them. And they missed so many opportunities to make their lives richer.

So don’t believe what other people say about who you are. To know who you are, do the work yourself and stick with it. You’re never too old to keep learning about what your journey is going to be here. I want to keep learning until my last days, if I can. There’s so much that we can learn.

There’s so much that we can do to influence and just keep searching for all the good stuff that’s inside.

Emily Bron: What is incredible journey we’ve been on today. Won’t you agree? Thank you, Sandra D Robinson for joining us and sharing your wisdom, your words from the heart. And. actually harnessing our inner charisma at any age.

Thank you for our curious and courageous listeners for tuning in and exploring exciting possibilities that awaits each of us in the world of reinvention. I truly believe in it. And if today’s conversation has ignited something within you or you are intrigued about embarking on the first step toward your next chapter, remember, it’s always possible to start.

We are eager to hear your stories and thoughts, so please reach out via social media channels or drop us email. Your feedback and stories are not just important to us, they inspire us and others Listeners, making our community stronger. Remember to subscribe to our podcast, Age of Reinvention, for more inspiring episodes like this one.

We are elevating your career, reinventing life, personal happiness, or discovering your potential. Your passions. We’re here to provide the guidance you need. We’re committed to working this journey with you. Until next time, keep embracing your wonderful wisdom, years with excitement and ambitions here to reinventing ourselves because the best is yet to come by for now.

Sandra D. Robinson

Helping high level entrepreneurs to be powerful in their presence on any stage, screen or leading a team | Charisma Coach | nature-based training retreats

Sandra Dee is a dynamic coach who empowers individuals to step confidently into the spotlight, whether on stage, in front of a camera, or in a new leadership role. She helps clients ease into these high-stakes environments with authenticity and power, enabling them to make a meaningful impact and live the life they are truly designed for.

Sandra believes that everyone has innate gifts and strengths that can propel them to success. However, these abilities are often overshadowed by external pressures. Her mission is to help clients rediscover and harness these superpowers to lead fearlessly and authentically.

Embracing Charisma and Reinvention: A Journey with Sandra Dee Robinson

Welcome, dear readers, to another inspiring session of the Age of Reinvention! I’m Emily Bron, your guide through season two, where we introduce you to some of the most visionary reinvention guides and coaches. Age of Reinvention is a platform dedicated to inspiring and guiding individuals, particularly those in their 50s and beyond, through reinvention and personal development. Today, we’re thrilled to feature a captivating conversation with Sandra Dee Robinson, a charisma coach whose incredible journey from celebrated actress to guiding individuals to be fearless and unforgettable, exemplifies the power of reinvention.

The Path to Charisma: Sandra Dee Robinson’s Unique Approach

Sandra Dee Robinson has an extraordinary background that spans from her days as a well-known actress to her current role as a charisma coach. Her transition is a testament to the impact of reinvention. From on-stage performances to guiding boardroom executives, Sandra’s charisma shines through in every setting. She encourages us to turn our 50s and beyond into a period of vibrant exploration and impactful new beginnings.

Unveiling Charisma

Sandra’s unique coaching method, which often incorporates nature and horses, isn’t just about showcasing charisma but practical applications in life. Whether you’re considering a new career, enhancing your current retirement, or adding more sparkle to your day-to-day activities, Sandra’s insights serve as a beacon of inspiration. Her approach focuses on uncovering the charisma we all possess and implementing it practically.

From Acting to Coaching: A Powerful Transition

Many of us are curious about Sandra’s shift from acting to charisma coaching. In our conversation, she shared that acting afforded her a stage but didn’t always allow her to be authentic. She often used characters as a shield. Over time, teaching others how to be more genuine and engaging on camera became her passion. Her story about moving from the soap opera industry to empowering individuals through charisma coaching and the challenges and triumphs she experienced along the way is incredibly motivating.

The Impact of Charisma Coaching

Sandra recalls her initial skepticism towards charisma coaching, but witnessing its profound impacts transformed her perspective. By stripping away scripts and focusing on what genuinely ignites people’s passion, she discovered the true essence of charisma: the power of influence rooted in authenticity. This transformative power of her coaching leaves us feeling empowered and hopeful for our reinvention journey.

Nature-Based Training and the Transformational Power of Horses

Sandra’s coaching focuses more than on personal attributes; it delves into unique, transformative experiences. One of the most intriguing aspects of her work is her nature-based training retreats, particularly those involving horses. She describes how working with horses can reveal our emotional states, fostering genuine connections and self-awareness. The horses act as mirrors, reflecting our true feelings and helping us understand the impact of our nonverbal communication.

Why Horses?

Working with horses forces us to communicate beyond words and align our actions with actual feelings. Sandra’s unique approach, particularly beneficial for individuals with trauma, allows for healing as horses react to genuine emotions rather than superficial behaviours. This emphasis on healing potential makes the audience feel comforted and understood.

The Power of Personal Storytelling in Reinvention

One of the key takeaways from our conversation is the importance of personal storytelling. Sandra believes sharing our authentic stories, complete with vulnerabilities and triumphs, is essential in reinvention. Stories connect us emotionally and can inspire both ourselves and others.

Crafting Your Story

Whether you are venturing into a new career or redefining personal goals, Sandra advises leveraging your own story to connect with others. Being open about your journey and experiences can help build deep connections and provide a powerful platform for influence and change.

Facing Fears and Embracing Change

Change, especially later in life, can be daunting. Sandra offers invaluable advice on how to confront and overcome these fears. The key is to surround yourself with enthusiastic, positive people who mirror the adventurous spirit you aspire to embrace. This stress on embracing change leaves the audience feeling encouraged and motivated.

Overcoming Obstacles

Emphasizing the importance of curiosity, Sandra suggests that keeping an open mind and asking questions can unveil new opportunities. By maintaining confidence and being genuinely interested in others, you can navigate the uncertainties of change more effectively.

Influences and Inspirations

Sandra’s journey is rich with influences from various mentors, spiritual guides, and even acting coaches. These individuals have taught her valuable life lessons, such as embracing vulnerabilities and continuing to learn and grow. Her advice to not heed too much to what others say about you—whether good or bad—resonates deeply.

The Role of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal cues play a critical role in how we are perceived. Sandra shared insightful tips on maintaining open and confident body language, such as standing with shoulders back and maintaining eye contact. These minor adjustments can significantly impact how we connect with others and assert our presence.

Conclusion

To our community eager for reinvention, Sandra advises not to be swayed by others’ opinions but to stay true to your journey. Understand that your identity lies within your purpose and potential, not external validation. Stay curious, keep learning, and embrace the excitement and possibilities of each new step.

Thank you, Sandra Dee Robinson, for sharing your wisdom and inspiring stories. And to our curious and courageous listeners, remember that every new beginning is an opportunity to rediscover your charisma and redefine your purpose. Please tune in to our podcast, Age of Reinvention, for more inspirational conversations and guidance on elevating your career and discovering your passions.

The best is yet to come!

Stay inspired and keep reinventing yourselves.

Until next time, farewell!