Creative Spirits Unleashed

My guest for this episode of the Creative Spirits Unleashed podcast is Laurie Kaplan. I reached out to Laurie to be on the podcast after hearing her talk about her experience of the Gaucho Derby on the Greg and Dan Show in Peoria Illinois. The Gaucho Derby is a 500 km adventure race through Patagonia, and it’s billed as the world’s toughest horse race. That’s an understatement. Three of my former podcast guests were involved in the Derby, Kansas Carradine, Stevie Delahunt and Warwick Schiller, so I was paying attention to their adventures as well. In this podcast, Laurie shares her epic moments. Some were high notes and there were plenty of low notes as well. As we spoke, it’s almost as if she were reliving many of the moments, which you will hear. Listen to the whole thing, because at the end, you will hear how she puts it all together, when I ask her: What would the Laurie of today tell the Laurie that decided in August 2022 to do the race. Her answer moved me to tears.  Here's what Laurie has to say about herself:  Laurie is a free spirit who seeks living at a deeper level in the many things that she pursues. Whether it is raising her 2 boys who are both successfully off at university, riding horses, caring for her farm, rocking out on her drums and guiding others to their epigenetically best life. She recently experienced the Gaucho Derby in Patagonia, Argentina and is still processing the profound expansion this is opening for her.I hope you enjoy this podcast with Laurie Kaplan and as always, please share this episode with your colleagues and friends. Additional Topics·      The Gaucho Derby adventure race in Patagonia with Laurie Kaplan. (0:02)·      Endurance horse race in Patagonia with challenging terrain and limited gear. (3:30)·      Carrying personal items during a horseback ride. (9:59)·      Mental preparation and overcoming obstacles in a horse race. (17:21)·      Adventure vs. competitor in horse race. (23:48)·      Horseback riding adventure with injuries and lessons learned. (29:35)·      Trust, balance, and galloping in horse riding. (35:21)·      Horseback riding adventure with highs and lows. (40:19)·      Overcoming self-criticism and focusing on progress. (46:24)·      Overcoming burnout and building mental strength. (51:43)·      Hormones, burnout, and epigenetics in a horseback riding adventure. (1:00:22)·      Outdoor adventures, hiking, and bathroom experiences. (1:08:09)·      Visualization and manifestation in a horse riding competition. (1:14:04)·      Dealing with disappointment after not completing a big goal. (1:20:09)·      Self-discovery and horse riding. (1:25:52)·      Epigenetics, genetic testing, and personalized health plans. (1:31:30)·      Epigenetics, mindset, and adventure with Laurie Kaplan. (1:38:11)Guest Contact InfoWebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInEmail

My guest for this episode is Jane Pike. I first heard Jane’s name in context of the World Equestrian Games in 2018. She was the mindset coach for Warwick and Robyn Schiller, who competed in reining, and scored their best scores during an extremely high-pressure event. Prior to those games, I had never heard of reining; however, it was the discipline that captivated me then and has ever since. Back to Jane. I was very intrigued by Jane’s approach to mindset training. Not only does she align with my experience of what really works, she aligns very much with the natural world. I met her in 2022 at the Journey On Podcast summit, and also got to spend time with her on at the 2023 event as well. I was thrilled when she agreed to come on this podcast.  This conversation flew by for both of us. We started and were immediately in the flow, speaking about topics like what to do with discomfort, the distinction between the action of fear and the emotion of fear, the way our mind can get in loops like Groundhog Day, and so much more. There were many quotable moments in this conversation. One of my favorite’s was this: Our role is not to police other people’s passions.  Here's what Jane has to say about herself:  Jane Pike is a writer, poet, and horsewoman from the South Island of New Zealand. In the horse world, her work focuses on practices and understandings that increase vitality for both humans and horses, incorporating nervous system awareness to both mindset and movement. The methods she teaches explore physical and emotional patterns at their most foundational level- the brain and the nervous system- with the aim of creating adaptability and responsiveness, both in and out of the saddle. Jane has featured and written for various magazines around the world and is a sought after international clinician and trainer through her business Confident Rider. Jane’s passions and expertise also extend to how we can best live full and creative lives, and develop the tenacity and courage to do so. Her deep appreciation for writing and the arts has also seen her skip down the garden path of how it is we can all find and allow for our own unique creative expression, sharing her own writing and teaching retreats and workshops that focus on giving ourselves permission to and making the time for following the things that we love. 

My guest for this episode is Mary Connaughty-Sullivan. This was an incredibly special episode unlike any I've done before. Mary is the author of "Nudges from the Other Side." It is the story that she shares from her journal entries, along with a lot of poetry and her thoughts of losing her son, Aaron, at the age of 20. It's not only a heartbreaking story but also an uplifting one. You'll understand that as you listen to this podcast. Here is what she has to say about herself:When asked to provide biographical info, Mary’s first sentence typically is, “I’m a mom.” To say that Aaron was and is important to her is an understatement. She considers him her foremost gift and trusts that in providing his and her story to readers, they too will receive a gift.Mary grew up in a small midwestern town and enjoyed an active outdoor life during an era when life was slower and simpler. A self-described lifelong learner, Mary was encouraged and unrestricted by her parents to read anything and everything that interested her. Her love for words, language, and stories persists to this day.After college, Mary spent 41 years in financial services where she held roles in sales, leadership, and as an executive leading Learning & Development teams for Fortune 500 firms. She has a BA in Psychology and has recently graduated with highest honors from the Funeral Director’s program at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Mary successfully completed all of her state board exams and became a licensed North Carolina Funeral Director in September of 2023. Mary lives on a small farm in North Carolina with her husband and their three horses, three dogs, and three cats. In her spare time, Mary enjoys reading, gardening, water skiing, sketching, writing, and horseback riding.I hope you enjoy this episode with Mary Connaughty-Sullivan.·      Grief, synchronicity, and personal growth. (0:02)·      Finding one's voice and overcoming insecurities in a corporate environment. (4:25)·      Coping with loss and resilience. (12:52)·      Coping with loss and finding hope. (18:54)·      Grief, vulnerability, and authenticity. (25:27)·      Social media, gratitude practices, and filtering negative content. (33:45)·      Personal and professional growth through retirement transition. (40:06)·      Grief, spirituality, and communication with the dead. (46:17)·      Grief, journaling, and finding hope. (52:12)·      Grief, healing, and the impact of a memoir. (58:51)·      Personality types and book launch planning. (1:07:27)·      Vision Boards, Intention Setting, and Spiritual Guidance. (1:10:57)·      Intuition, dreams, and personal growth. (1:17:47)·      Business alignment and customer service. (1:23:42)·      Grief, loss, and how to support those in mourning. (1:28:40)·      Grief, healing, and personal growth. (1:37:5)Email: maryanddan.nc@gmail.comWebsiteFacebookLinkedInAmazon Link to Buy Book

My guest for this episode is Julie Ripley, who specializes in helping people regain their connection with self. She was also the Chief Financial Officer of a company in her mid-30’s when she realized that she was burned out. Given my own experience of near-burnout in my mid 30’s, you can imagine, we had a lot to talk about. If I had to characterize this conversation, I would say it’s about distinctions. For example, the distinction between power and force. Also the distinction between sleep and rest. The distinction between the embodiment of wisdom versus just knowing information. This is a conversation for anyone who is looking for meaning, or looking for ways to get past being stuck. Here’s what Julie says about herself:Julie is a personal development coach specializing in self-connection, boundaries, and communication. She is a speaker and has authored her own coaching programs; pulling together her experience of burning out in a CFO position, all the lessons she has learned from riding horses, and her lifelong study of personal growth and spiritual development. She specializes in helping high-achieving successful people, who are feeling stuck, make their next move.I hope you enjoy this conversation with Julie Ripley.Guest Contact InformationWebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedIn

Kansas Carradine is a globally acclaimed professional horsewoman with a lifelong dedication to her craft. Since she was 11 years old, she has entertained audiences around the world, demonstrating her exceptional talents as a trick rider, roman rider, and lasso artist.Some of her performance credits include Hidalgo, Heartland, the World Equestrian Games, Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, National Finals Rodeo, appearances on MTV, ESPN, CBS, Equitana, Cheval Passion and Equifest. She has been featured in publications such as Sports Illustrated, Western Horseman, Cowboy & Indians, and the LA Times. With Cavalia, she toured over five continents as a featured soloist, roper, rider, and trainer.Kansas is a HeartMath Certified Trainer and SkyHorse Equine Guided Educator and incorporates her unique skills into her training and coaching; bridging science, spirituality, horsemanship and heart. Through her workshops and teachings, she helps individuals activate their own heart intelligence for improved emotional self-regulation, self-confidence, health, connection, and performance.Following the wisdom and power of her heart, Kansas has made a positive impact through her service work with G20/C20 Presidency in India as Project Manager for the Fyera Foundation, as well as outreach in indigenous communities and fundraising for the Humane Society, Equestrian Aid Foundation, Wild Beauty Foundation, Compton Cowboys, and Embracing the World Charities.

My guest for this next episode is Stevie Delahunt. This podcast is going to be a very different episode. When you get into it, you'll notice that we just started recording. There wasn't this moment where I went, "Stevie, welcome to the podcast," because we just started talking the minute we got on Zoom together. Here's the background. In the 24 hours before Stevie and I were scheduled to record, she discovered that her horse, Captain America, had severely lacerated his front left leg in the pasture. There was a big decision to be made. Was it even something that could be recoverable? She had spent the last 24 hours working with him to determine what to do. The vets eventually took four hours to stich him up and put him back together. Given all that, I started this podcast by saying, "Stevie, we can just talk. We don't have to do a podcast; maybe you just need an ear for what you've been going through." She started talking, and I hit record because we just got right into it. What you're going to hear in this podcast is two people having a very rich discussion about how to deal with adversity and pressure, including things like having our horse cut their leg and all the other things that we might call trauma.  She calls those things productive struggle, or spicy memories.Stevie is all about helping people deal with difficult situations. Let me tell you a little bit about her. Stevie Delahunt graduated Michigan State University with two degrees and an intent to pursue law school at Georgetown University where she had been accepted. She switched gears and went to the French Pastry School of Chicago to learn how to do wedding cakes and set up shop in the Windy City. While in Chicago she learned of the worlds toughest horse race, the Mongol Derby, and she again let life guide her into constant change. On the other side of successfully completing the Mongol Derby she took a job with a start up company in Rhode Island and learned coding and marketing for the online business.  The endeavor in the world of start-ups gave her strong leadership skills and an education in business models she applied to starting her second and current business of horse related retreats. Stevie’s current business encompasses several facets of the horse world including beginner riding instruction, advanced Bootcamp style retreats for riders wishing to participate in difficult horse riding survival races around the world, horse shoeing, and endurance racing with horses which includes doing the worlds toughest one day one hundred mile horse race; the Tevis Cup.  Stevie believes that adversity is a necessary part of life and being prepared for adversity as well as creating it for oneself is essential and is a tool she uses in teaching both horses and humans, both young and old. 

My guest for this episode is Kathy Price. Kathy is from the United Kingdom, which you will be able to tell from her accent when you hear this conversation. She and I met last year during the Journey on Podcast Summit in San Antonio, TX. This year, we're just coming off the second Podcast Summit in San Antonio.  As we did last year, Kathy and I connected immediately. In fact, I was so excited to get to have her on this podcast because there was so much I wanted to learn from her. Last year, I sat with her last year in a session she did on at a breakfast meeting about the work she does, which is called Point of Balance. I was interested to learn how  someone with such a scientific background - she has a degree in Zoology – is now talking about things like energy, quantum physics, and how those fields apply to healing horses and healing humans. This podcast gives many of those answers. Kathy is also clear that her work is that of a facilitator, and in that, she carries a strong message of empowerment. Kathy said several times that we have everything we need to be who we’re meant to be and to achieve what we’re meant to achieve, and to bring ourselves back into balance. Here's what Kathy shared about herself: From a very young age horses have been THE passion in Kathy’s life. Even though Kathy grew up in the suburbs of London with totally a non-horsey family, somehow the love of the horse was always the most powerful thing in her life. Kathy comes from a scientific background gaining a BSc (Hons) degree in Zoology. Her mindset was always based on the scientific paradigm of you had to be able to “measure it, replicate it and explain it” for it to be true. If those criteria were in place, she was happy. If they weren’t, she didn’t want to know. That was until in 2003 when with her horse Midnight she went to a horsemanship clinic with clinician Len Judd. For her this clinic was the moment of transformation, a spiritual experience that changed her life. From that weekend forward, as she stepped into and embraced the world of energy and connection, her need for scientific explanation fell away and her mind set became, “My Experience is my Truth.” Now after many years of studying energy, quantum physics, healing, spirituality and training in several energetic modalities, Kathy is well-established in her own, unique work which she calls Point of Balance. Through this purely energetic work her aim is to facilitate the person or animal she is working to move back into balance at all levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. This move back to balance not only helps them to heal themselves, but also helps them realize their unique power and potential. Kathy knows categorically that is the horse that has not only led her to the wonderful people around her today, but also continues to lead her into deeper and deeper insights of the fundamental aspects of this World and indeed The Universe, namely that everything is energy and everything is connected. Kathy’s work includes carrying out sessions in person and at distance with both people and animals, and she feels blessed and grateful to have clients both people and animals, all over the world.

Anne Bartolucci is my guest for this next episode of the Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast. She's the author of a book called, "Better Sleep for the Overachiever." Our conversation touched on lots of the parts of that book title. We talked about sleep, but the more prominent theme was what it means to be an overachiever. I count myself as an overachiever. I've been that way my entire life. You'll find in this conversation Anne is as well. We are both a couple of “experts” talking about what it is to be an overachiever, along with the benefits and costs of having that personality type. One of the costs, of course, is lack of sleep. But the other thing we do as overachievers is to be hard on ourselves. We are perfectionists; we fear failure, we like to get everything right, and we hate making mistakes. Throughout this conversation, we had a vibrant discussion about what to do about those mindsets and how to make things a little better for ourselves. Here’s more about Anne: Anne Bartolucci, Ph.D., D.B.S.M. is a licensed psychologist, certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, and professional speaker who has taught workshops and classes for several writing, medical, and psychological organizations. She is a USA Today bestselling author with over twenty novels and novellas in print under her pen name Cecilia Dominic and two nonfiction books including Better Sleep for the Overachiever (2020; AIBHS) as herself. Recently, she combined her loves of writing, sleep, and psychology in her new online teaching and coaching venture, Psych Up Academy: Compassionate, Psychology-Based Solutions to Get Out of Your Own Way, Work with Your Brain, and Live Your Dreams. I'm sure you're going to enjoy this conversation. If you like this conversation, please rate it and share it on the podcast platforms. I love your comments as well. I want to get the word out there because if we can all have a little more peace of mind, we will have a better world.Topics:What made you choose sleep as a career? (1:54)Sightseeing and ear training. (10:34)What is a proving mindset? (16:04)How do you break the emotion away from the thoughts? (21:34)The key to helping overachievers let go. (25:09)It's never too late. (29:50)The fear of failure. (36:43)The difference between improving mindset vs. proving mindset. (40:40)What happens when you get through the first 30 seconds? (46:42)The shadow self and the principle of life. (53:15)How to let go of perfectionism. (57:41)What Is Psychopath Academy? (1:02:51)How to encourage people to take advantage of courses. (1:06:42)How do you get out of your own way?Contact InformationWebsite: https://psychupacademy.comEmail: anne@sleepyintheatl.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-bartolucci/Facebook: https://facebook.com/psychupacademyInstagram: https://instagram.com/psychupacademy

My guest for this episode of the Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast is Kathy Taylor of HerdWise Leadership Coaching. We started this conversation with a quote, which launched a very interesting conversation about what it means to be true to ourselves. The quote was behind her and it said “Be full of yourself.” I was pretty sure there was a double meaning, so we started our conversation there.We came around to an interesting question. Kathy said, "What does it mean to be a safe person to ourselves?" Now, if that's intriguing for you, it got even more interesting because she likened what we were talking about to filling a little honey bear jar with all kinds of nooks and crannies.What she does is help people find all the nooks and crannies inside their bodies and their mindsets that keep them from being who they were born to be. We're talking about balancing acts, we're talking about how we can be more true to ourselves, and we're talking about the steps it takes to get there. I will never see a honey bear jar the same way again!She gave us some of those steps in this conversation along with lots of ideas on how we can learn and grow.Here's a little bit more about Kathy.Kathy Taylor is an Embodiment & Nervous System coach who also incorporates horses and nature in her practice. She works with highly successful women who don't want to believe "this is all there is," but just can't quite seem to get where they want to go and are exhausted from trying.Kathy was aware her people-pleasing, perfectionism, and proving were holding her back, but she didn't know what else to do. The latest self-help book, new strategies and "trying really hard" had gotten her only so far. She put a lot of pressure on herself to succeed like everyone else had and nearly gave up. When she discovered it was her own well practiced stress and trauma responses getting in the way, she knew that more head knowledge couldn't take her where she wanted to go. By learning how to work with her own body and nervous system she was finally able to acknowledge her needs, show up as her *real* self and take meaningful action. With her intellect and intuition working together at last, Kathy shares with others how to access the wisdom of the body.Topics: What does it mean to be true to ourselves? (0:02)Be full of yourself and take up space. (2:49)Taking responsibility for your life. (8:32)The importance of coming back to center of safety. (13:47)Cold baths and ice baths. (17:31)Physical assessment of the nervous system. (22:31)Pushing through the fear. (26:53)How did you come to this point of consent? (31:36)Why horses are so valuable? (36:46)Horses have better sensors than we do. (40:51)The importance of air traffic control. (45:22)Trying to change the mistakes in our bodies. (50:09)Leaving yourself behind creates a little hole. (56:29)What can you do to make connections in your body? (1:01:57)Boundaries between what's mine and what's not mine. (1:06:52)How we invite the injury. (1:11:04)The sway test and its power. (1:17:27)How to get in touch with her. (1:22:54)The journey to the self. (1:29:11)

Have you ever thought about the practical applications of yoga? My guest for this episode, Cathy Woods of Cathy Woods Yoga, offers tons of practical insights and connections on how yoga can make life better. In fact, this conversation was a masterclass in “lifemanship”. Not only did we talk about yoga, we talked about leadership, mindfulness, and parallels to horsemanship. In other words, we talked about was life and some of the more profound life principles that can help all of us have a better time here on Earth. Here is more about Cathy Woods. A pioneer in equestrian wellness, who combines mindfulness, yoga, and horsemanship to improve and enrich horsemanship from ground to saddle through the use of yogic "principles." Through a variety of enrichment programs, Cathy shares how to become a more skilled human being, thus better for our equine partners, teaching participants to deepen their relationship and connection with themselves, their horses, and the world around them. Cathy Woods is the creator of her trademarked program, Body, Mind, Equine, and author of Yoga for Riders (published by Horseandriderbooks), a long-time yoga teacher/retreat leader, horsewoman, and avid, backcountry trail rider. She leads retreats and clinics internationally at ranches, expos, and equine centers and also has online audio and video courses. Cathy has been leading yoga programs for horse lovers and non-equestrians for thirty-three years. Her yoga and equine programs teach about the parallels between true yoga and horsemanship.Body, Mind, Equine is not about doing acrobatics on the back of a horse, but rather how to use yoga principles (not just postures) to improve our interactions with equines and how to become a more aware, mindful equestrian. In addition, Cathy also teaches good stretches for riders and breathwork for riders through mounted and unmounted sessions. Combining her passions of yoga, horses, and travel, she loves to curate unique, meaningful, enrichment, and empowerment experiences; her one-of-a-kind programs have reached international acclaim, Woods has written for and been featured in publications such as Horse Illustrated, Equus, Horse and Rider Magazine, Cowgirl Magazine,  StreamhorseTV, Yoga Digest, Forbes.com, and others. Woods aims to impart an aware/mindful approach to yoga and horsemanship to make enhanced horsemanship and true yoga accessible to everyone while promoting a more enriched and skillful life. She is based in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina but teaches internationallyI'm looking forward to you hearing this conversation with Cathy Woods of Cathy Woods Yoga.

My guest for this episode is Kymberly Dakin-Neal. She is the author of "Head, Heart, and Hands Listening in Coach Practice." It is available for Pre-Order on Amazon now and will be released by Routledge Publishers on July 4, 2023It is a phenomenal book about the art of listening. In fact, our conversation was an exercise in listening as we explored a number of topics, including:How do you open up to different points of view? How do you let in different points of view? What does it look like to truly tune in? Kym has a point of view about listening, and it is much more than just parroting back what someone else has said. In her view, listening is a whole body experience that can change outcomes. She tells the most wonderful story about making a choice between finishing her emails or hunting for earthworms. Who knew earthworms could be so memorable!It's always a treat for me to share these conversations with another coach, and you bet I took a bunch of notes for my own reference, and I’m guessing you will too.Here is her official Bio:Kymberly Dakin-Neal is a mindset coach specializing in effective communication and professional presence for over a decade. She works successfully with newly promoted employees, women running for office, entrepreneurs pitching new products. Kym helps train medical professionals in more productive listening and patient communication via the Standardized Patient program at Tufts and Kaiser Permanente. Kym has also developed and recently sold a bookmarking app called, "Nugget" to eliminate the need to take notes in online meetings. She is a mindset coach with Positive Intelligence. Her book “Head, Heart, and Hands Listening in Coach Practice” will be released in July, 2023 by Routledge Publishers.

My guest for this episode is Julie Rains, author of, "Growing Wealth: Essential Money Lessons from My Garden to Yours." Julie is one of those people who has a real knack for getting down to the essentials of the thing she is learning about and the thing she is teaching. In this case, she is teaching us about growing wealth, while also sharing her journey on learning to garden.This conversation covered a lot of topics, such as learning how to ask for help, how to stay balanced, and how to create a give and take in areas like spending and saving. There is a lot of wisdom packed into a very practical conversation.Here's her bio:  Julie Rains is a writer and investor.  She has worked as a financial analyst and accountant for Fortune 500 corporations, and as a freelance writer for individual clients and media companies. Her work has focused on analyzing financial information and crafting narratives to make sense of the math. Julie earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Years later, she returned to study communications and undergraduate level certificate in technology and communication from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She and her husband Tim raised two sons, now grown, live in North Carolina, just down the road from me, where she attempts to grow vegetables, and fruit, rides her bike and occasionally organizes group hikes. I hope you enjoy this episode and please rate it on your favorite podcast platform and share with your friends if you feel so moved.

We are turning the tables for this episode of the podcast. In this episode, I’m a guest on Lynda Watson’s Inspire Me Forward program. Lynda started Inspire Me Forward, because she had heard many stories of people taking leaps of faith in their lives. She says: “I have felt the tug of my heartstrings when they share their journey, listening to their inner voice as the pilot of their life’s flight. Hearing someone that has taken that leap to discover such beauty in living their authentic life stirred something within me. My heart knows the way. I needed the inspiration.” She describes this series as a way of inspiring it forward, as she hosts “dialogues with others that have summoned their hearts of courage and taken the leaps of faith, with trust in themselves and an open heart looking into the unknown.”   Here's how Lynda summarized our conversation:  A short summary of episode #12 with Lynn Carnes of North Carolina, USA. Lynn spends part of her life as an executive coach with her business, Creative Spirits Unleashed as well as hosts her podcast of the same name. But that is only part of what Lynn does and who she is. In our conversation Lynn shared the most beautiful learnings and growing edges of her journey called life. Her chosen title for this episode: Dancing the Tightrope was perfect in so many aspects. I always have a pen and paper handy during our conversations and jot down pages of notes. My conversation with Lynn had me writing furiously at first but then I had to just lay my pen down and sit with the wisdom she shared.  So many moments of head nodding, heart saying yes, and my soul recognizing my own growing edges and pressure points. I will make this summary brief so you may find that which resonates for you in Lynn’s words. A plethora of points of truth and touchstones that connect us to our own journeys!     We started the episode with the word daring.  Daring to embrace the unknown, daring to find one’s edges, daring to look for that pressure threshold and daring to live at least 80% of one’s day doing exactly what she wants to do. Those are just a few of Lynn’s nuggets of wisdom that will truly inspire us all.  From getting back on a horse after a nasty fall and taking the steps in between to return to the saddle with a different point of view to flying a plane. From waterskiing, driving the boat and playing pickle ball. All of those have similarities in how Lynn approaches them and it was wonderful to speak about those and the tools she uses to be successful and fulfilled.  As always, we ask our guest for three key pieces of wisdom. Lynn offered three wonderful insights: Pressure. Recognizing it is a catalyst for growth or it being something that can crush us.  It’s in how we choose to see it.  Be the co-writer of your life. Remember the next thing hasn’t happened yet so make room for choice.  Truly get to know your inner self. We must know our inner self to know others. Lynn’s Call to Action: Instead of reaching for your rules, reach for your tools. Truly listen to the situation and let it tell you what to do, when to do and how to do it. Thank you, Lynn, for sharing with the Inspire Me Forward community. We so very much appreciate you sharing your journey, your wisdom, your tools for problem solving and reminding us to go with the flow in life. Thank you for your daring and inspiring us to dare ourselves.  If you want to know more about the Inspire Me Forward series, hop onto Facebook and ask to join the group of the same name. You can also subscribe on the Youtube channel titled Inspire Me Forward. 

Today, I’m bringing back podcast Episode #3 with Bruce Anderson, of Nature’s View. Much of what I wrote about in my book Dancing the Tightrope came from learning how to get back on the horse from Bruce. He didn’t teach me riding skills. He helped me recalibrate my internal operating system to deal with the pressure created by the horse. When we recorded this episode, I was a full year from getting back on Mocha, the horse that I fell off of in 2017. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since we recorded this episode. As a result, I’m hearing this with new ears, having experienced many, many episodes with far more pressure in the last three and a half years. At the time we recorded this, I was just beginning to understand and experience the value of making a mindset shift around the reality of pressure. While I could speak to it in some ways, I had not yet built into my regular set of practices the ability to consistently rewrite my past, thus raising my pressure threshold. 

This was a very special episode of the podcast, we recorded it with two mothers and two daughters. I was one of the mothers with my daughter, Jennifer Maneely.  Christine Dikson joined with her daughter, Lauren Martinson.  Mothers and daughters have complicated relationships.  In this conversation, we got into some of the things that make the relationship so complicated. We also talked about our favorite memories. This conversation was wide ranging. It was deep, it was fun. And I'm guessing it won't be our last 

It’s time for a new podcast! My guest for this episode is Judith Manriquez. We had a memorable conversation with tremendous depth.One of my favorite things about doing this podcast is how it gives me the opportunity to meet new people, from networks I would otherwise not be part of. Judith is one of those people I met through podcast guest Hannah Pasquinzo. This conversation came at exactly the right time for me. Judith challenged me in this conversation to think differently, and immediately I experienced her gift as a business mentor. She has a way of seeing possibilities that opens the door to whole new realities. It truly is mind boggling how our own belief systems can warp our perspective. It’s incredibly helpful to have someone who can gently help us see things differently. My guess is that anyone listening to this podcast will take away a new way of seeing something.  I know I did.Here's how Judith describes herself:  Judith Manriquez is a spiritual business mentor and visionary intuitive to intuitive women leaders who are ready to show up in their full power and gifts.  With over two decades of experience in business and intuition, she’s supported hundreds of women with leadership development, business and soul mastery, and the refinement of their soul gifts through personalized 1:1 mentoring, advising and consulting.  She’s a claircognizant empath with a Master's in Public Affairs and an entrepreneurial heart, who has worked for a mayor, the chairwoman of a major state agency, non-profits, and corporate businesses as well as healers, coaches, energy workers, lightworkers and hundreds of entrepreneurial women changing the world. She also founded a successful branding, marketing, and web-development firm during the dot com era. For the last 15 years she has run her own consultancy.  When she isn’t playing with, and in, others’ businesses, she spends time with her two college-aged boys and teen girl, and visiting new places across the globe. Guest Contact InformationWebsite: judithmanriquez.comInstagram: @judithamanriquezLinkedIn: judithmanriquez

My guest for this episode of the podcast is JP Dyal. We met at Warwick Schiller’s Journey on Podcast Summit last year in San Antonio. JP answers one of the questions that has hovered over me of late: Can someone who didn’t grow up with horses become a true horseman? As you might guess, I have this question for myself. He embodies the answer to that question, as you will hear in this episode. Not only is he a true horseman, he shows all of us just how the dark episodes of our lives are the gateway to finding our path.Here’s some more information about JP Dyal:JP Dyal is not your typical horseman. He grew up in the Florida Keys and was a corporate executive until he lost everything. It was then his life was saved by a horse. While JP has competed in many different disciplines, his true gift and passion is transforming the lives of horses and their people by combining his leadership development experience along with his soft and light style of horsemanship.With his corporate background and focus on leadership, we had a lot of common ground in this conversation.Contact Info:HeartoftheHorseonline.comJPDyalHorsemanship.comFacebook Profile: JP DYal HorsemanshipFacebook Page: Heart of the Horse with JP & LisaFacebook Group: Heart of the HorseEmail: jp@HeartoftheHorseOnline.com

My guest for this episode is Heather Drummond. I met Heather through my website, believe it or not. She reached out through the contact page on my website, and I actually answered. I'm a little suspicious when people reach out through the contact page, primarily because more times than not, it's a spam message. But in this case, I got a feeling she was a real person.  We started an email exchange, and she had asked me to be on her podcast, which you can find her podcast on Apple Podcast just like mine or any other podcast platform. It's called See'rs, Be-ers, Knowers and Doers. Her podcast is about intuition. I have to tell you, I love the topic of intuition these days.But much like Heather, who used to also work in the corporate world, I have been suspicious of intuition through my life.  We both worked in fields where intuition wasn't valued, and where logic and rationale were valued. I believe we all have intuition. So does Heather, which is why she started this incredible podcast about intuition. After our conversation together on her podcast, I thought it would be great to have her on my podcast to talk more about intuition as it relates to the workplace. She does some very interesting things, things I don't understand, which is often the case with my podcast guests. That is why I love having them on, because I learn so much from each of my guests.Here's a little bit about Heather:Heather enjoys keeping things simple. She uses her intuition and knowledge to work with her clients. She loves empowering people with knowledge and skills to help them support themselves. She has an innovative and unique way of seeing the world and how everything is connected. When she established her business in 2005 after working in the corporate world, she didn't want to compete with anyone in her industry. Heather wanted to be able to work with all aspects of a person's health team.  She is a true believer in the power of transformation. She learned from personal experience that self care is a non-negotiable for everyone.  Growing up Heather always had an affinity for animals. Everything she does with her human clients, she enjoys doing for her animal clients. She has put together a unique tool box to support and optimize her clients physical, emotional and energetic well-being. Heather has found great joy including animals in her practice. She also loves working to support owners build better connections with their animals. Heather's intuition over the years has lead her to work with dogs, cats and horses. She loves being able to collaborate with her clients because everyone's intuition and knowledge is important to the process.  Heather shifted from the corporate world into the entrepreneurial world at 36 years old based on intuition. She has become an advocate for intuition over her career. She created and ran the INTUIT Kids Camp for several years empowering kids to stay connected, embrace their intuition and energy awareness.  Supporting people and animals with tools to reduce their stress and optimize their health is what inspires Heather.  She feels blessed being able to do this for a living.  She has training and certifications in Holistic Nutrition, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Orthomolecular Medicine, Various Energy Medicine techniques, Bach Flower Essences and "The School of Life"

My guest for the latest Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast episode is Anna Twinney. We had the rare treat of getting to sit down together over coffee and tea to have an unforgettable conversation. If you have ever wondered if your animal was speaking to you – or if you could speak to your animal -  this conversation is for you. Anna has a way of describing animal communication that just makes sense. I had several huge lightbulb moments in the conversation. We talked leadership, balance, the dance between the tangible and the intangible and so much more.Here is a little bit about Anna:Following the call of the horse, a blind leap of faith took this horsewoman “across the pond" to become recognized by British Royalty and the US Government as one of the premier professionals in the language of the horse. Anna Twinney is a Natural Horsewoman, Equine Behaviorist, International Clinician, Animal Communicator, Healer, Teacher, Speaker, and Coach. She is best known for her authentic communication and connection to heal the hearts of horses and humans alike.Before anyone had ever heard of equine coaching or therapy, Anna’s journey began as a lifelong horse enthusiast and British police officer looking for a way to bring healing to victims and her fellow officers through the horse-human connection. Her search brought her to California to become a co-creator and the first head instructor of the famous Monty Roberts International Learning Center (MRILC). Realizing her journey was only beginning, Anna left the MRILC to find her own voice, working with and studying wild and untouched horses.Creator of Reach Out to Horses®, a comprehensive international equine behavior and training program, Anna has worked with over 10,000 horses and thousands more horse-lovers, professionals, and competitors. From serving military veterans, celebrities, backyard horse owners and Olympic dressage competitors, to shining a light on the plight of the wild horses, nurse foals, tribal mustangs, PMU industry, and supporting the non-profits who fight for them, Anna has worked with and trained horses and people in countless disciplines and industries.For more than 25 years, her life’s work has taken her to almost every continent; she teaches and trains all over the U.S., the U.K., Europe, Canada, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa and more.  Anna was engaged by the Beijing AQHA as the first featured female demonstrator, she coached the Chinese Endurance team in Mongolia, worked with equine-assisted-learning programs in Singapore, and filmed with the FEI in Morocco (just to name a few highlights) and is a featured presenter on the Equus TV channel.  She is the creator of over a dozen video programs, author of books, and mastermind behind multiple online mentorship programs, and she continues to develop and teach cutting-edge methodologies both online and at her new home, Whispering Feather Farm, in Mill Spring, NC.Contact and Other LinksReach Out to Horses®www.reachouttohorses.comEquine Specialist, Animal Communicator, Energy Healer, Author & SpeakerOffice: (888) 282-0656Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnaTwinneyFacebook: www.facebook.com/AnnaTwinneyHolisticHorsemanshiphttps://www.facebook.com/ACwAnnaTwinney/

My guest for the latest Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast episode is Lisa Calder. I met Lisa at the Equus Film Festival in December. When I watched her work in the round pen, I was immediately intrigued by her leadership style with horses. She has the precise balance of connection and direction that creates a seemingly effortless dance together, the kind of balance I call Dancing the Tightrope.  This was one of the most unforgettable conversations I’ve ever had. Early on, Lisa shared some of her darkest days with a story that took my breath away. Literally, as she told it, I had to remind myself to breathe. Her story is a powerful reminder of our inner strength if we can get out of our own way to let it rise to the surface.   She also shared her experience with burnout and how she finally learned how to say no and to walk with her spine and open heart. You have to hear how she described what this looks and feels like, because it is yet another balancing act. Many times during this conversation, I realized that Lisa was giving all of us a master class in self-awareness.  Lisa Calder is the creator of Mindful Horsemanship. Her one-of-a-kind approach to horsemanship combines personal development and a unique way of using the breath while working with the horse, creating an unbreakable bond of true connection. Lisa believes if we are only working on our horse, we are missing the art of horsemanship. One must change their unconscious behaviors from within in order to create lasting change in their relationships. Website: http://lisacaldermindfulhorsemanship.comfacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LisacaldersmindfulhorsemanshipInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mindful_horsemanship/tic tok:https://www.tiktok.com/@coachlisacalder