Meet the Team: Diana, front of house

Get to know Diana, a member of our lovely front of house team, lover of Spin and Method and weight training…

I have lived in both Spain and Germany. My parents were Spanish and I was lucky to spend my  Summer holidays as a child in beautiful Galicia; I lived and studied in Seville for 6 months and lived in Segovia for a couple of years whilst teaching English. I came home to look after my mum who became terminally ill. I also lived and worked in Germany for over 4 years.

This year is my 28th year together with hubby Paull.  In that time we have travelled wide and far; raved in many cities;  renovated too many houses to remember and have produced three amazing, caring and incredibly talented children.

One of the most memorable journeys was over the Millennium, when we spent 6 weeks travelling around India; Nepal and Thailand. Paull proposed to me at a Beach Rave in Koh Samui actually on the Millennium – he got down on one knee amongst the waves… ahhhhhhh! The other memorable trip was our Honeymoon, where we travelled the States for 3 weeks, Vegas, San Fran, road trip on Route 66! New York and Niagara Falls!

Then came my gorgeous babies… They are all awe inspiring in different ways, but all three make Paull and I very proud. My children are my finest work to date! They are my love and life; my highs and lows, “The Williams Clan” make a fine Team! 

India (20) is studying Bio-Medicine at Manchester Uni, but is determined to be a Dentist! 

Maximo is still at college and, as with many boys of 18, is unsure of which direction he wants to go in, but I know that he will get to where he is meant to be, as he is the most caring; loving  and thoughtful young man that I know. 

Phoebe has just passed her CBT, so this will give her more independence and will enable her to be more mobile, before she passes her Driving Test. She has studied incredibly hard for her GCSE’s and even though an incredibly talented artist, wants to follow in her sister’s footsteps and study Chemistry, Biology and Psychology at A level.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

There is only one more thing precious than time and that is who we spend it on, namely, my family. I enjoy cooking and dining with family and friends, and everyone knows that I am a lover of a good red – Spanish, Italian or French!

India, Maximo & Phoebe all still live at home, and as such, I spend most of my time with them. But mostly, I love spending time with Paullio, who sadly lives and works up in Scotland! So, we spend as much time together as possible when he is home; mostly with the children and friends, but we still have  work to complete on our renovation project.

We are both creative and enjoy designing; building and landscaping together! I love going away, whether it be walking up silly mountains; going to the seaside or travelling on holiday visiting new places. As I get older, I have decided that time together is so precious and our long term plan is to travel again to as many varied and exciting places as possible.

 

Why did you decide to work at Instinct and what do you enjoy about it? 

I’ve worked in various roles throughout my career; both teaching languages here and abroad; in Sales & Marketing and mainly account management. My previous role was with a Global German company and ended up working from home due to Covid. My hours became longer and longer working from 8am, often till 9pm. It was more stressful than it needed to be, and I decided  a change was as good as a rest! 

So here I am, behind reception, getting to know you all! Being thankful that I get to meet so many genuinely wonderful and charismatic people; working close to home with no stress! That’s what life is all about. 

I’m also very lucky to work with a genuinely amazing team here at Instinct, definitely an incongruous mixture of folk; fun; diverse and easy going – and I love them all to bits! I enjoy coming to work, and there’s a lot to be said for that! 

Then, there’s all of the excellent classes that I can take part in, to try and help stop the ageing process!

What is your favourite Instinct class?

Method, Spin & Yoga. I’ve been a Yogi for years and love it! Everyone should practise Yoga. It has so many benefits. 

What is your favourite exercise/move? 

Mmmmm! Love and hate are a fine line when it comes to exercise; the exercises you usually dislike/hate are the ones which are really difficult, but  luurve the after burn / doms! One of my favourite and yet least favourite is the “elevated front leg split squat”. Done correctly, usually under supervision, (so that you can’t cheat!) is probably the best single exercise you can do for the quads. Sadly, this seems to affect my right knee recently, so I am unable to do it as often as I used to! I also absolutely love the leg extension machine… hoping Instinct might invest in one! 

What is your least favourite exercise/move?

I have a few, throwing the big ball (wall ball) as though you’re playing basketball – I was never very good at netball, and am too short and find the balls too big to handle!  

Rowing – there is a technique to rowing, which I have never mastered, apart from which my legs are too short! I put so much effort in and never get anywhere – fast !

Tell us 3 random facts about yourself”

I used to teach Spanish & German at Secondary School & ‘A” Level. 

I used to practice pole dancing! 

My best Half Marathon Time was age 47 at 1hr .54 mins!

What is your quote to live by? 

I have two: 

“Live, and let live!” 

But “Climb the Tree” is one that as a teacher and a parent, will always stand by: 

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing it is stupid.”

Everyone is different, life isn’t a case of one size fits all, everyone has different talents, Not everyone fits into the “norm”, and we need to remember this.