This week I speak to a trailblazer in women’s football, Lioness legend Karen Carney, MBE. Karen reflects on her phenomenal career as the third most capped England player of all time, representing Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, moving into punditry and the impact abuse from online trolls has affected her mental health. As an elite sportsperson, who competed at a high level from a young age, retirement left Karen with a huge void and a feeling of losing her identity.  Away from the pitch is where she fought her and won her most fierce battles and it’s those that she believes have helped to strengthen her over the years. KEY TAKEAWAYS The secret to life is to keep moving. Stop focussing on the past and look ahead to what's coming. That's the only way to meet challenge and discover new opportunities. Sports professionals are just that. They must never be defined by their gender. We need to strip back the definitions to a purely human standing, and regard all sexes with the respect that they are due. When you achieve victory in anything, you have to take a moment to celebrate your win. Don't feel too pressured to move on until you've properly experienced the joy in the moment. The most important lesson we can live by is to enjoy the elements that make us different from others. Never see our differences as something to hide. It's what makes us unique that's truly special in this world. BEST MOMENTS 'My mission is for everyone to see it as football, not just men's and women's football' 'I'm only ever going to be myself, that's all I can be' 'I'm a pundit, I'm a former player. I'm not a former female player - I don't want to be a female pundit' 'Life's fast and evolving. You can't stand still and admire what you've previously done. You've got to keep going' VALUABLE RESOURCES On A Mission - https://omny.fm/shows/on-a-mission   Karen Carney Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kazcarney/?hl=en Athletic Greens - http://athleticgreens.com/onamission  ABOUT THE HOST Not so long ago, life was barely recognisable for Ellie McKay, raising three children under five, battling post-natal depression, facing redundancy and walking into the job centre to claim benefits with a double pram, no confidence, and wracked with insecurities. Fast forward to today, and life looks very different. Ellie committed to turning her life around for herself and her family. Following this commitment, she got to work and has now built multiple successful companies, as well as having created a multimillion-pound property portfolio from a standing start. Ellie is now on a mission to make a positive impact and add value to others through her podcast which has attracted phenomenal guests worldwide. The show is specifically to help those trying to reach their full potential through its inspirational and motivational content, as well as challenging conventional wisdom to discuss all the “hot topics” in a relentless pursuit of the truth. CONTACT METHODS: Website: http://www.elliemckay.com LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/ellie-mckay/ Facebook: Facebook.com/ellie.mckay.3150 Instagram: https://instagram.com/ellie_mckay_official?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= OAM Instagram: https://instagram.com/onamissionshow?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= YouTube: https://youtube.com/@onamissionpodcast  This show was brought to you by Progressive Media