Free Spirit

Vocal coach to the stars and TV presenter Carrie Grant tells Yvonne Swann the things that's she has learned about life.

Relationships.
As far as my relationship with my husband, David, goes it's all about give and take. To make David happy is my number one aim. I can do that because I trust him and his aim is to make me happy too. It's a two way process.
We've been together for 20 years and married for 18. We had eight years together before we had children - Olivia, 11, Talia, four and Imogen, six months. We wanted to spend time growing together before adding any little ones. Now, we adore being parents too.

Emotions
David, being Jamaican, is very laid back, and that's been great for me. I want everything done right now. That can lead to huge stress. Through David I've learned how not to give a damn. If I'm failing someone, that's tough. I have escaped the tyranny of the 'oughts' and 'shoulds' - I ought or should do this or that. Getting rid of those tyrants frees you to tackle the things that are really important.

Fitness
I run three times a week for 20 minutes and so sit-up, press-up and tricep dips. I have recently lost 4dt after the birth of my daughter, it feels fantastic. I never thought, at 40, that I could get my figure back so quickly. But if you eat healthily and work out you can.

Food
I believe in listening to your body and its needs. Then you'll have a far better chance of keeping a good, healthy weight. I go through phases when I eat rice, lettuce and lentils and stews. I want BIG food for a while. I trust that I'll soon start craving water, fruit and fish and vegetables. It's about a sensible balance.

Relaxation
I love reading, listening to music and tapestry. Friends relax me, too. We have open house in London and there are always loads of people round for lunch and dinner. There is always food on the table. I love the kids running around and the noise and the hubbub . It's chaotic, but it's life and it's good.

Confidence
Self-acceptance has brought me confidence. If you accept yourself, you can really go through anything and it doesn't matter if you fail. I've also let go of being a people pleaser - a natural ting for any performer. I try not to worry what other people think of me. My Christian faith has given me great confidence. It has helped heal me from the impact of a difficult childhood. I had a choice - do I live my life as a victim or do I overcome it? I chose to overcome it, get on with my life and have a good time.

Life Philosophy
Squeeze that marrow out of life - every last drop. I want to die knowing that I have done everything I wanted to do and had fun doing it.