Creative Spirits Unleashed

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Julia Carpenter. This episode started unlike any other I've done. Julia read a passage from a non-published book she calls the Prologue to the Unwritten Memoir. The passage was a launching point for touching on many, many themes. Perhaps the most important was the theme of finding our true nature and purpose in this world.  Julia also happens to be the wife of my last podcast guest, Bernie Harberts, and in this conversation, we touched on some of the same stories as Bernie's podcast, but from the angle of the one staying at home.  Here's a little more about Julia: Julia Carpenter is the founder of The Two Step Way, twostepway.com. The Two Step Way helps horse owners and caregivers learn how to be with their horses and how to really see them to promote connection, trust and health. Julia is interested in helping animals, particularly horses, heal from trauma and has studied intently with that goal in mind. She grew up on a horse farm in Vermont and has been a licensed riding instructor and trainer working with racehorses, hunter jumpers, polo ponies and field hunters. Julia has had a lifelong friendship and association, researching, training and caring for animals. She loves volunteering to help out animal rescues with her knowledge. She has a private practice helping people and their equines learn and benefit from her Two Step Way. Julia has degrees in wildlife management and environmental policy from Boston University and Tufts and has worked in the wildlife and environmental fields. She is a painter, and her animal paintings have been shown in galleries and shops in the Boston area and western NC. She is the author of one little cookbook called Pet Food: 16 Dessert Recipes to Make You Smile. Julia lives on a small farm in the mountains of western North Carolina with her husband Bernie Harberts, the Long Rider, filmmaker, and author, in addition to two rescue border collies, three mules, a rescue pony and her halflinger. She enjoys riding in the mountains around her farm and on longer rides with Bernie. She blogs about her life with the animals, equine rambling and the Two Step Way at ConsideringAnimals.com. She also blogs about working with horses at her twostepway.com website. 

My guest for this episode is Bernie Harberts. We covered so much ground in this podcast, much like Bernie has done for much of his life. When I say covering ground, that's for real. Bernie has taken several cross country trips with his mules over the years, covering over 10,000 miles and 1,000 nights. In our conversation, he offers his hard-earned wisdom on approaching life on the road, life with horses and mules, and living a full and meaningful life in general.  One of the themes that has helped him take to the road is giving up perfection and learning to live with vulnerability. We explored this and many of the themes that have informed his journeys. Here's what Bernie has to say about himself: Author and Long Rider Bernie Harberts is the subject of the Emmy award-winning PBS North Carolina program “The Mule Rider” and the author of “Two Mules to Triumph”, about his 7-month mule voyage from North Carolina to Idaho.  Even though he has traveled both ways across the United States and Newfoundland by mule, he still can't keep his mule Cracker from occasionally bolting.  Bernie lives in a small cabin in western North Carolina with his wife Julia, two border collies, three mules, two ponies and eight thousand wild-caught honey bees. When he's not writing or rambling, he enjoys bee lining, planting ginseng and 23-minute naps.  More about Bernie's books, films and journeys at RiverEarth.com. 

This episode of the podcast is the last two chapters of Dancing the Tightrope. We have reached the end of the book! You might hear me be a little choked up at the end of this reading. There are so many layers to unpack as to why. First, when I started reading this book, I didn't expect to get much further than Chapter 1. Just reading twenty whole chapters felt like a huge accomplishment. For those of you who encouraged me to read another (and then another), I appreciate you more than you can know. Second, when reading these chapters, I was reliving my experience in some ways. Reaching some of these milestones felt unachievable when I began this journey. Now, they are everyday occurrences. Take away for you? Whatever seems daunting at the moment is just waiting to become an everyday occurrence if you are willing to break it into small enough steps.  The conversation I've been having recently with several colleagues, clients and friends is about visiting the other side of fear. If you haven't been there (and for years, I HAD NOT BEEN THERE), it's impossible to understand how fear can squash us. It seems so rational to honor fear as the answer to the problem of the day. Until you look at it from the other side (get thee behind me, fear!), you cannot see it for what it is: information. Dancing the Tightrope calibrates the fear so that we can RESPOND rather than automatically react from what I call the “robot space” in this book. Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we discover that the “great and powerful Oz” is simply our programming and conditioning, pulling levers like the little man behind the curtain. We've had the answers all along; all we needed was someone to show us the inner Tools we were granted at birth. That's what I set out to show in publishing this book. Reaching this point in the journey of reading the book, you may be wondering “what's next?” I'm publishing Dancing the Tightrope as an Audible book in the next few months – timeline to be determined. The compiled version will include several things this podcast version did not. It will have the Introduction Chapter, which I did not include in this series. It will also include some “author commentary”, as I've come a long way since these words were written. It seems only fair to update the listener. I may also play with adding more quotes in the voice of the speaker where possible.  Dancing the Tightrope will not be the only audiobook I publish. After this one gets out, I will publish both The Delicate Art and The Elegant Pivot in Audible format as well. Yes, the woman who swore I would NEVER do an Audible version is reminded that saying “never” is just the first step! You'll hear more about that in the podcast coming out next week, with Bernie Harberts, author of Two Mules to Triumph and star of Amazon's The Lost Sea Expedition. 

This episode of the podcast is Chapters 16, 17, and 18 of Dancing the Tightrope, the last of the self-awareness chapters, or as I call them the “C” chapters. In these chapters, we cover courage, congruence and clarity. Over and over again, I come back to these chapters to find what's missing when I find myself stuck.  My favorite quote from the Courage chapter is this one: “The beautiful thing about welcoming pressure as a catalyst is that we no longer allow the end goal to define us. Winning the game is nice, but it's not the point. The point is the opportunity to cultivate our courage, or perhaps a better word is to unleash our courage.” I've even come to call the process of raising the pressure threshold “couraging” because we are building our courage. From Chapter 17 on Congruence, I like this quote: “Like a tangled ball of roots, Rules wind their way into our guidance system, blocking the pathways to our personal truth. The interference makes it very difficult to find our voice. And here's the strangest part of all of this. We are not aware that our Rules are interfering. Because all of these Rules have been with us for so long, they feel like a part of us. As they direct us out of our awareness, our Rules feel as if they ARE us.” This quote sums up Chapter 18 pretty well: “Clarity starts with removing that which does not belong. Whether creating a simple picture for how my day is going to go or a picture for the horse on a trail or a vision for my life, the art of subtraction makes room for what is real and true. I can only afford to remove my protective armor when I've come to own my true inner strength and acknowledged my true nature.”  We are nearing the end of the book! Next week, I'll share the last two chapters of Dancing the Tightrope. Because I tackled this project Frame by Frame, step by step, it's actually been fun. Hard to believe I dreaded it!

This episode includes Dancing the Tightrope Chapters Fourteen Commitment and Fifteen Curiosity. These are the first two of five chapters in the book outlining the building blocks of self-awareness. If you have listened this far, you have certainly heard me talk about the value of these inner “tools.”  I decided to highlight the five building blocks of self-awareness at this stage of my story, because I found myself not always showing up in pressure situations the way I would have liked to. It was clear to me that sometimes I could reach for my tools, and other times I had to reach for my rules. Awareness was the difference, but there was something more. For several weeks, I became more and more aware of my awareness.  It was through this focused attention that I began to see that I “fell off” at different points. Sometimes it was at the level of being committed. Sometimes it was lack of curiosity, or one of the other three layers, which I dive into in the chapters to follow. I revisit the lessons in these five chapters over and again, because they help me fine tune my awareness when I get off track – and the nature of the game is not being perfect all the time. It's about having lots of ways of getting back on track.  Speaking of curiosity, this podcast was created because of my budding curiosity to have a different kind of conversation, and you will hear about one of my early podcast guests Warwick Schiller, who has also been on a journey of self-discovery. Chapter fifteen has a special surprise in it.

This episode includes Dancing the Tightrope Chapters Twelve The Froth is My Friend and Thirteen The Art of Living. These chapters mark a turning point in my journey of making friends with pressure. To this day, I still find it difficult to explain how different this approach to pressure – and to life – is from the typical approach espoused in high performance coaching elsewhere. Rereading these two chapters several years later, I'm still pleased with how well these two chapters explain the “pressure as a catalyst” approach. However, it's dang near impossible to understand it if you haven't experienced it. The best analogy I've come up with is what I call the “fish story.” Fish don't know they live in water. Water is all they know. On the other hand, dolphins are aware of world of water and of course they are aware of air, since they must surface to breathe. Learning about the unseen forces that impacted the way I dealt with pressure was a little like being a fish who discovered there was a whole different world. In order to break the surface and breathe the air of life., I had to ask myself some tough questions along the way.  These two chapters break down the distinction between pressure and the thing causing the pressure, and also those tough questions, which I believe apply to anyone seeking the signal of a genuine life amidst the noise of the modern world.

In this episode, I'm reading Chapters 10 and 11 of Dancing the Tightrope. If there is a theme in these two chapters of my journey, I have to call it “stuff happens.” I'm going along, expecting things to go as planned, and instead, something unexpected turns everything on its head. Of course something unexpected happened. That's how the world works. Why would I think it should go any other way? As I say earlier in the book, this journey showed me that many of my assumptions about pressure, balance and how to develop mental fitness were upside or backwards. These chapters not only capture some of the stories that helped me see things differently, they also capture exactly what I was seeing in my mental process and how I changed it for the better.  

In this episode of the podcast, I am reading chapters 8 and 9 of Dancing the Tightrope. I'm starting to put things together, as you will hear when you listen. At the very beginning of chapter eight, I had a wild experience going out and learning the negative-positive poll in a completely new or deeper way.  Let me tell you something that's interesting about that particular super tool as I call it. It is eight years later, and I am still BEGINNING to understand just how powerful this mechanism inside of us is if we learn to use it. If there's nothing else I have for you for this podcast, pay attention to that story and see how you can start using it for yourself, because this one is powerful.  I'm also beginning to find out all the holes in my training and all the things I thought I knew that I didn't really know. Because if there's any distinction, especially around this time of the book, but maybe for the whole book, there is a big difference between knowing something and having the wisdom to know how to use it in the right place and in the right time. I hope you enjoy these chapters of Dancing the Tightrope. 

In this episode of the podcast, I'm reading Chapters 6 and 7, The Decision – Sort of, and Imbalance is a Good Thing. As you will hear, at this stage of the journey, I'm somewhat flailing. Looking back on it, I'm still surprised that I took the path I did. Some part of me saw the promise of taking the more difficult path – something that was typically not my norm. It has been fascinating for me to go back and read these chapters several years later. I typically can't remember what I wrote last week, much less four years ago. In that way, it's fresh. It's also a little bit like reading a personal journal. I'm reminded of what I went through.  I hope you enjoy these chapters – they will keep coming every week until we get through the book, and then my podcasts with guests will resume. 

This episode of the podcast features chapters 4 and 5 of Dancing the Tightrope. If you haven't listened to the first 3 chapters, I suggest listening to those first. It will help make sense of what's coming in these next few chapters. When I listened back to Chapter 3, where I read the sidebar blog “Where's My Choice Here?”, it was somewhat stunning to me that many of the threads that I pulled together for Dancing the Tightrope started well before the accident that lays the foundation for the book. I was already onto the themes of dealing with fear, adrenaline, pressure and uncertainty. In some ways, I had been bumping up against the glass ceiling of my beliefs; the pivotal fall from the horse offer me a way to shatter those beliefs if I chose to open myself up to seeing things in a new way. What's standing out for me in this process of creating an audio version of the book are the pivotal moments, where a seemingly innocuous choice created huge change. The small choice to go trail riding could have just as easily been the choice to give up horseback riding for good. The small choice to call Bruce could have just as easily been something I never got around to doing.  The choice to go back for a second visit to Bruce was both a mystery and a big damn deal. In the world of the way I had done things up to this point, that second visit would not have happened. Yet it did -  in this new world I was discovering. Chapter 4 talks about our second visit to Camden to understand what this somewhat strange approach to life, horses and learning to live in nature's world was all about. Chapter 5 shows you where I began to use what I was learning – somewhat naively at the time. In fact, reading it back now sometimes feels like I'm reading someone else's story. In Chapter 5, I'm still deciding if I should ever get back on a horse – something that's difficult to grasp, given that I'm riding all the time these days. Think about a decision you've made that now seems so obvious – or a decision you are grappling with that may someday become obvious. Maybe these chapters will help you sort through the risks and rewards with an improving mindset.

This week's episode is – drumroll – Chapter 3 of Dancing the Tightrope. I'm just going to say it – you were right and I was wrong! I'm speaking to those who've been telling me for a long time that they would appreciate an audio version of my book.  Not only have I been getting great feedback and gratitude for providing the book in this form, but I have also surprisingly enjoyed reading it myself. After all, I wrote this over 4 years ago. It's given me a fresh perspective on the themes and principles I began learning and refining after my fall from the horse – and it's also shown me how far I've come. For example, if you had told the 2020 version of me that I would be riding with Stevie Delahunt at an endurance boot camp a mere five years later, I would have laughed in your face. But that's where I was in early March when Chapter 2 of the book came out. It just goes to show you that you can teach an old – dare I say it – dog new tricks.  This chapter sets the stage for so much of what I've put into practice in the last five years. It chronicles my first visit to Camden to work with Bruce Anderson. To say that I was resistant is an understatement. So was Jen, as you will hear in this Chapter 3 of Dancing the Tightrope. 

In my last episode of the podcast, I started an experiment by reading the first chapter of my book Dancing the Tightrope. My promise was that if I heard from my readers and listeners that it was valuable, I would do more. Secretly, I did not expect anything to come of it. Of course, I was wrong! You have spoken (at least some of you!) and I am listening. This episode of the podcast is Chapter Two of Dancing the Tightrope. It covers a lot of ground, both about my recovery from my accident and my waterskiing. More importantly, it sets the stage for many of the gold nuggets to come. Something else happened when I read the book – especially this chapter – that I did not expect. I felt like a first-time reader in many ways. This chapter was written four years ago. Reading it now - out loud - is giving me new perspective. Something I dreaded doing is now becoming a useful practice. Who would have thought?  It's reminding my WHY I wrote the book. Here's a quote from Chapter 13: If pressure is a test to show others we are good enough, we are doomed to live at the mercy of those whose approval we seek. If pressure is a catalyst to unleash our true nature, we can truly live while we are alive. The worst accident of my life showed me how to live while I'm alive. Imagine giving up the need to prove yourself. Imagine truly living. That's why I wrote the book.  Stay tuned. More chapters to come.  And I'm still seeking feedback. (Thank you to those who've already shared your insights.) What do you like about hearing me read these chapters? What would make it easier for you to listen? What gold nuggets are you taking away?

This episode of the podcast is something new. Let's call it an experiment. I'll explain shortly, but first some context.  Since I published Dancing the Tightrope, What Falling Off a Horse Taught Me About Embracing Pressure, Fear and Uncertainty in 2022, many people have asked me for an audio book. While I'm aware of the huge trend towards audio books, I'm not an audio-book listener. I love to read, and I LOVE to listen to podcasts. However, listening to audio books has just never worked for me. I just zone out. So the thought of putting out a version of my book that zoned people out was very unappealing to me!  Also, the thought of reading my entire book out loud caused me to cringe. Now, if you have followed my work for a while, you might have noticed in that last sentence that I was “gulping”, trying to get to the end quickly, rather than considering taking it a step at a time.  Recently, one of my favorite podcasts, The Tim Ferriss show put out a chapter of his first book The Four Hour Workweek. Once I started listening to it, I almost changed to another podcast. It so happened that I didn't have anything else in the hopper, so I kept listening. While I DID zone out, I also came away with a couple of good takeaways. It got me to thinking - why don't I do the same thing? All I have to do is read ONE chapter of my book.   So that's what I am doing for this episode of the podcast. What you will hear in this podcast is Chapter One of Dancing the Tightrope.  Here's where the experiment part comes in. Now that I've done one chapter, I'm willing to do more, but only if it makes a difference to others.  This is where you come in. Did you like listening to this chapter? Would you like to hear more? What feedback do you have for me as the reader? (Yes, really, I would like to be better and the only way is to hear your feedback.)  If I hear from enough people that this was something that worked well for them, I will audio publish the rest of the book, more than likely as I did here, as a series on the podcast. Eventually, I will then get it on Audible.  

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Chris Heron, who is the Director and Head Coach of Waterski and Wakeboard Scotland. Not only is he a coach, he is also the 3 time Scottish National Waterski Champion.  This podcast happened because I just happened to open an email that came in through my contact form on my website. Nine times out of ten, those emails are junk solicitations. In this case, it was members of Chris's waterski team reaching out to say that they were fans of the podcast and thought he would be a good guest. I'm so glad I opened that email – because he WAS a great guest, and I had some much fun with this conversation. We spoke about everything from the routines and rituals that he has found useful in competition to getting over fears to his philosophy of learning. Chris comes at waterskiing from both the coaching and athlete perspective, which adds depth to his viewpoints. Plus, he is STILL skiing in the winter! We talked about the benefits of cold exposure, which he takes to a whole level beyond what most do.  Whether you are a water skier, or your performance happens in other domains, there's something in this podcast for you. I'm sharing his slick bio below. I hope you enjoy this episode with Chris Heron.

My guest for this episode is Chantel Prat. If her name is not already familiar to you, she is the author of the book The Neuroscience of You. What got me really excited about having her on the podcast was her willingness to play with ideas about learning from two sides of the coin: the science of it in her academic world and the experience of it in my world as a lay person.  We met in 2023 at the Journey on Podcast Summit where we were fellow presenters. In the last year, I've been putting together some pieces about learning how to stay present under pressure – even when the body starts saying “danger, danger.” Some if what I'm experiencing flies in the face of the typical coaching around managing stress. It's made me curious about how the neuroscience of it works. So at the 2024 Podcast Summit, I spontaneously asked Chantel to help me make sense of it and she agreed. After our first conversation, we said “We've got to do a podcast.” So that's the backstory. As you will hear, this episode is all about learning. In our conversation, we truly geeked out together about how we humans learn, grow and change. Chantel asks two very relevant questions about what happens when we start getting the physical signals of stress: What is the feeling for? And what is the story for?  What most impresses me about Chantel is that she models what she teaches. She is truly a learner, which is what makes her a great teacher.  We had many quotable moments in this episode. Perhaps my favorite was when she said: “The feeling is the fuel that catalyzes change.” If you follow any of my blog posts or social media pages, you will recognize that I couldn't agree more! Now here's a little more about Chantel: Chantel Prat, author of The Neuroscience of You, is a Professor at the University of Washington with appointments in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics, and at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. Her interdisciplinary research investigates how variable brain designs combine with our lifetime of experiences to shape the unique way each person learns, understands the world and operates in it. She is the recipient of a Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institute of Health, speaks internationally at events like the World Science Festival, and has appeared in a number of media outlets including PBS, Scientific American, Rolling Stone, Popular Mechanics, and Travel + Leisure. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Creative Spirits Unleashed podcast. Please be sure to share it with anyone you think would enjoy it!

My guest for this episode is Nancy Zintsmaster, who is co-founder and master trainer in The Carolyn Resnick Method Liberty Horsemanship. I'm going to start this introduction with a question: What would your life – and leadership  - look like if you were able to partner with others using connection and harmony rather than control, force or fear? That is the core question Nan and I explored in this conversation. We got into the deep corners of what it looks like to create connection in a disconnected world, both with humans and with horses.   In this conversation, we got into the implications for self-awareness, learning how to be congruent within ourselves, how to give up control, and what it takes to get back in touch with our natural humanity. Imagine dancing with the others in your life through connection and harmony.   More about Nancy:   Co-Founder, Certified Instructor, and Master Trainer in The Carolyn Resnick Method Liberty Horsemanship. Nancy Zintsmaster embodies the transformational power of The Carolyn Resnick Method. A lifelong horse enthusiast, her love for these magnificent animals began in childhood, but it wasn't until she discovered Carolyn Resnick's book, Naked Liberty, that she realized the profound connection possible between humans and horses. Her journey took a pivotal turn in Costa Rica, where she rescued seven horses in dire conditions. Committed to earning their trust and respect, she embraced Carolyn's liberty training approach. What started as a rescue mission evolved into a deeply personal transformation, revealing that these sentient beings had as much to teach her as she had to teach them. Nancy's path eventually led her to Carolyn Resnick herself, forging a life-changing partnership. Carolyn recognized Nancy's natural gift with horses and her passion for The Resnick Method. This collaboration solidified Nancy's role as one of its most dedicated advocates. Today, as a Master Trainer, Nancy is committed to sharing The Resnick Method with horse lovers worldwide. She teaches this compassionate and effective communication style to promote better relationships between humans and horses, ensuring both receive mutual rewards. Nancy resides at her ranch, Dance with Horses—The Resnick Method's Costa Rica location—perched atop a mountain with breathtaking views of Lake Arenal and the Arenal Volcano. There, she continues her mission to inspire others through her work with horses.  I had the good fortune to be in a clinic with Nan the last September. Watching her work with horses at liberty is a sight to behold. If you are interested in her clinics, she has several clinics scheduled both in Costa Rica and in the states next year. The one I'm most interested in is the one being held down the road from me at REIN Rescue, where I'm on the board of directors. Dates for that clinic are July 22-24, 2025.   I hope you enjoy this conversation with Nancy Zintsmaster. 

After a brief hiatus, the podcast is back with guest water skier Corey Vaughn. You may remember that we spoke in the Spring, where Corey described his 1000-day plan to see how far he could take his water ski goals if he chose to really go for it. In that conversation, he laid out some specific goals for the season, and promised to return in the Fall to review the season, regardless of the outcome. In this conversation, we review Corey's season, diving into some of the high and low points. I won't spoil the outcomes of his goals; however, I will say he ended the season ranked 3rd in the World rankings, up from 9th at the beginning of the season and 28th at the beginning of the 2023 season. However, Corey isn't skiing only to gain in the rankings, or even to win tournaments. As he said in our conversation in the Spring, he said “I'm deeply curious to find that edge,” meaning to see what happens if he approaches the sport with the intention to see how far he take can it. Corey takes us behind the scenes of several of the highlights from this season, including the heartbreaking moment in the Master's qualifier where the handle slipped from his grip at the juncture that would have qualified him for the prestigious tournament. It was the kind of event that gets stuck in your mind, and Corey describes how he walked himself out of the disappointment so that this “mistake” did not poison his thinking for the rest of the year. He also gives us a window into the ingredients he has found that have improved both his outcomes and the process towards achieving those goals. We devoted a good bit of this conversation to the subtle mindset distinctions that make a difference when operating at the tip of the spear. He was very generous in revealing what he has found the ingredients that matter most to improve his performance. 

My guest for the episode is Jessie Dowling. She is an endurance rider who just completed the Tevis Cup last month and the Mongol Derby last year. Both of these events are some of the toughest horse races in the world. Given that, you might expect that Jessie has been at this for a very long time. However, this is a relatively new endeavor for her, as you will hear in this podcast. She basically says “I'm just a girl who loves horses.”    What I found really interesting in speaking with Jessie was how she made the shift from running her cheesemaking business to attempting these grueling races. This conversation is full of nuggets of wisdom. At the core, she values being present as one of the most important ways she shows up in the world. You will notice how she breaks things down into smaller steps. It never seems as if she is tackling a huge thing, but instead, she focuses on each step. She also has deeply cultivated her resilience and physical strength, which I find inspiring, because it shows that endurance isn't an inborn trait - it's a skill that can be built.   Here's Jessie's biography:   Jessie Dowling founded and ran an award winning sheep and goat dairy and farmstead creamery named Fuzzy Udder Creamery and made cheese from sheep, goat and cow's milk for 13 years in Midcoast Maine.  After 17 years in the dairy industry she decided to make a huge change and pursue her true passion, endurance riding, training horses, and helping others connect with horses. She sold her cheese business at the end of May and decided to celebrate by riding in the 2024 Tevis Cup.  Jessie also trained with Stevie Delahunt  leading up to riding and completing the 2023 Mongol Derby   In the end, Jessie is making life choices that support her in living the life she loves. We could all use a little more of that.   I hope you enjoy this podcast with Jessie Dowling. 

For this episode, I have a returning guest in Stevie Delahunt. You may remember that she was on my podcast last November. We had just met at the Journey On Podcast Summit and realized that we were two kindred spirits. I simply had to have her back after she just completed the Tevis Cup, a 100-mile endurance ride on the Western States Trail in California. This ride is legendary, with only 50% of the entrants completing the full race. This year, only 40% of the riders made it “under the banner”. Stevie was one of those riders, along with 3 other riders competing on her horses. In this conversation, we explored what it takes to ride for almost 24 hours through some of the most difficult trails to be found anywhere. If you are a regular listener to this podcast, you know that we deeply explored the mental side of the game, as well as the physical preparation it takes to take on such a feat. She shared what it was like in the dark moments (literally, dark moments because about 1/3 of the ride is done in the dark) to be present with herself and her horse. She also gave her perspective on fear, intuition, and how she makes decisions when the stakes are high. In the end, I've concluded that Stevie is a teacher of grit. I know she has helped me find more resilience and courage than I knew I had. Here's what Stevie says about herself: 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 world's 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 startup 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. Enjoy this podcast with Stevie Delahunt!

My guest for this episode is Chris Dolman. He is the Producing Artistic Director for the Lake Lure Music Festival, an eclectic music festival producing world class music in multiple genres with renowned musicians and bands. Based in Western North Carolina, the Festival's supports the Lake Lure Classical Academy and Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach and their respective missions. Chris started his career working in radio before becoming a professional actor and director based in New York City. Chris and his wife, Cathi now live full time in Lake Lure, North Carolina.This conversation took many interesting turns, as has Chris's career. One big turn in his career was shifting his focus from “what can I get from this?” to “how can I serve?” His perspective shift led him to new opportunities and challenges, many of which we explore in this wide-ranging conversation. We also dove in on authenticity, listening, improvisation and so much more. I hope you enjoy this conversation and please be sure to share it with your friends and colleagues!·      Balancing work and life with a focus on gratitude and intention. (0:02)·      Pivoting from personal ambition to community service through music festival. (5:42)·      Manifesting change through energy and focus. (12:22)·      The transformative power of live music. (19:41)·      The importance of arts in society, including music and theater. (24:14)·      Embracing stage fright and being present in performances. (28:58)·      Embracing imperfection in music and art. (37:08)·      Embracing creative process and avoiding self-criticism. (41:21)·      The importance of generosity in work and life. (46:14)·      Valuing workers and breaking cycle of cogs in organizations. (50:24)·      Finding purpose and making a positive impact in a small community. (55:30)·      Overcoming obstacles for a music festival during the pandemic and its aftermath. (1:01:33)·      COVID-19 challenges in the entertainment industry. (1:07:02)·      How the pandemic has changed people's habits and routines, including their preferences for dining out and attending arts events. (1:10:43)·      Upcoming concerts and sponsorships for a music festival in a small town. (1:14:05)·      Event planning, marketing, and social media. (1:20:22)·      Talk radio, podcasting, and the importance of being a good listener. (1:23:59)·      Improvisation, curiosity, and personal growth. (1:29:09) 

My guest for this episode is Kerri Lake, founder of Generation of Harmony. When I share these introductions, it's usually so that you, my listeners, can relate to the guest and find some common ground. In Kerri's case, her title makes common ground quite simple: Human. That title really does describe the way Kerri shows up in the world. She seeks to contribute something of value to every interaction, as I discovered in this conversation. So while it may seem difficult to pin down “who is Kerri and what does she do?”, it becomes clear in a conversation like this.We spoke about so many topics, like curiosity, harmony, feel, and love, which was the theme that ran throughout. Often our thoughts get in the way of what matters, and Kerri spoke of the inner critic as the “Mayor of Thinkytown”. It's both a funny and effective way to keep perspective. One thing we didn't talk about is her project called Compass Conversations. It's a podcast and what I love about it is that it is peers, learning together and inviting everyone who listens to learn along with them. Here's how they describe it: We are a community of collaborating professionals and peers teaching through conversation, relationship and intuition. We're not telling you what to learn, we're helping you nourish your passion for learning by sharing our own.Our work and thirst for continuing education has expanded beyond our conventional fields. Self-awareness and presence have become foundational in our relationships with work, families, nature and each other.As you listen to this conversation, I believe you will get a clear sense of just what a learner Kerri Is. Here's what Kerri says in her bio: Kerri is masterful in many ways. Her awareness began in infancy, and included a natural ability to communicate with animals and all of life in subtle realms of consciousness, through energy and presence. She has experienced several near-death and expanded-consciousness events, each of which reminded her of the dynamic power of living wide awake as a Creator. With innate wisdom, guidance and communication from many teachers (human and non-human), she has developed her gifts to offer clarity and guidance that is relevant to everyday life. Her work helps you recognize your capacity to experience your uniqueness, connection and communication through presence, through the heart. Without dependence on a modality or system, Kerri has blazed a new trail on the road to freedom from limitations and conditioning. On this trail, all species are welcome and integrate through frequencies of communication. The greatest gift she can give to you is her own purity of expression, sharing her own journey, to help you see that if she can do it...so can you.If you have ever doubted whether harmony had any value, this conversation is for you.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Corey Vaughn. He's a professional water skier who I've known for more than 15 years, through many of the ups and downs of our respective water ski journeys. It's the beginning of water ski season here in the States and the end of the water ski season on the other side of the world. Corey just came back from Australia, where he finished 4th at the Moomba Masters, which was his best performance there yet. Given the timing, we debated about when to have this conversation. Should we have it later in the season, after a notable performance? Or early in the season, to talk preparation? Balancing process and performance are part of any professional athlete's repertoire, and in the end, we both realized that that process is worth talking about, regardless of the results. This conversation went deep from the very beginning, when Corey mentioned the need to be honest with ourselves if we are to truly get better at anything. Yet anyone who has taken an honest look at themselves also has to find a way to do that without being too self-critical or giving up. Corey shared some of his performance secrets, such as visualization, which is trickier for water skiers than you might expect. We dove in a bit on how to make it work in such a high speed, non-forgiving sport. We also got into his goals for the season, and how he balances family life, his ski school business and his athletic performance. The listeners of this podcast are well aware of how much I love to talk about balancing acts, and I think you are going to love this one.Here's what Corey has to say about himself:I began waterskiing at age 3. It was my family's favorite summer pastime. Despite childhood dreams of becoming a professional waterskier, I never could have imagined how this sport and lifestyle would shape my life's path. At age 38, waterskiing remains a primary narrative in the story of my life. In fact, the waterski story may, indeed be reaching its climax. So I find myself, working to balance parenthood, partnership, business and my athletic endeavor at all times. There's never a dull moment.·      Balancing work and life as a professional water skier.·      Learning and growth through self-reflection and honesty.·      Self-criticism and growth in water skiing.·      How to overcome comfort zone limitations in skiing through trust and small steps.·      The importance of regular check-ins for progress and accountability in learning new skills.·      Skiing performance and mental preparation for Moomba.·      Visualization techniques for skiing, incorporating tactile sensations for better timing.·      Balancing professional waterskiing and family life while maintaining business growth.·      Mental preparation for water skiing competitions.·      Finding balance between perfectionism and flexibility in ski training.·      Mental preparation for golf, focusing on mindset and confidence.·      Cultivating internal confidence and harmony in sports performance.·      Improvisation and staying in sync while waterskiing.·      Improving productivity and reducing stress through mindfulness and prioritization.·      Skiing goals and qualifying for the Masters tournament.·      Quitting alcohol for personal growth and self-awareness.·      The negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption and the importance of breaking the cycle.·      Parenting, goals, and staying motivated.·      Skiing, personal growth, and community support.

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

My guest for this episode of the Creative Spirits Unleashed Podcast is Hannah Pasquinzo. Hannah is a successful small business owner, yoga instructor, and coach living in the magical Ozark mountains with her horses, dogs, and cats.Hannah and I met at the Journey On Podcast Summit in November. She was one of the 12 people who joined in the Ice Bath excursion on Saturday night. She inspired everyone in the group when she stayed in for the target of two minutes, and then said she could stay even longer. Her courage was contagious.This conversation will tell you that not only does she live in the magical Ozark mountains, but she's a magical person herself. She and I touched on a variety of topics, from Human Design (a new way of seeing ourselves for me), what we do with mistakes, and how we get out of the cycle of beating ourselves up. How we handle mistakesI had lots of questions for her, such as “How do we find mindful ways to approach life?” “In what way can we use our inner tools to do be mindful?” and many more. I will listen to this conversation several times because I feel like I learned so much about how to live instead of exist. Isn't that what we want out of life? We started this conversation by talking about how to truly live while you're alive.Here's a bit more about Hannah: She said her husband often likens her to Snow White but swapped the dwarfs for two teenagers. She offers both virtual and equine-assisted learning experiences for busy people, my audience who want to live more fulfilling mindful lives. Her favorite thing is to cheer her clients on as they gather the courage to reach for what brings them alive. I know you're going to enjoy this conversation with Hannah Pasquinzo. Guest Contact Info:https://www.hannahpasquinzo.com https://www.instagram.com/hannahpasquinzo https://www.facebook.com/hannahpasquinzo  

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Kate Neligan. From the first minute I spoke with her, I could tell Kate was the kind of coach that facilitates true change. In this episode, she speaks freely about her own transformation, and the less-than-perfect road that led her to embrace the journey more than the end goal. Kate also has a point of view about what makes a good coach and a good coaching fit. Most importantly, Kate realizes that the journey is never complete and continues to work on herself (which is one of the gold standards of a good coach from my perspective.)   Like many of us, she got ahead in the corporate world by saying yes to her own detriment. Balance went out the window, along with her sense of self. Through having a good coach, she found her way to a more fulfilling success, and now she helps others do the same. Bio:Kate Neligan is an Equine-Partnered Life/Business Coach who helps her clients with their intuition, emotional intelligence, and empowered leadership both virtually and in-person with horses. Kate left her VP of Marketing career at a movie studio to pursue her calling for the transformation that is possible from the human-animal bond. She is certified in Equine Experiential Education and has a Master's degree in Spiritual Psychology. Kate is passionate about helping women to thrive and is a best-selling author with stories in the books “The Power of Being a Woman” and “Women Will Save the World.” She is also an Animal Communicator & Healer and is published in the books “Animals” and “Nature” by Common Sentience. Kate is a motivational speaker with a TEDx talk on perfectionism. The Awakening With Equines certification program she created is for new or next-level equine-partnered coaches. Contact InformationWebsite: www.kateneligan.comSocial Links:IG: https://www.instagram.com/kateneliganequinecoach/Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/awakeningwithequinesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateNeliganEquineCoachYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KateNeliganLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateneligan/

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Sarah V. Barnes, author of She Who Rides Horses. If you have ever wondered if intuition is real or questioned whether you could really trust your instincts, this podcast is for you. Sarah practiced in the logical world of academia before becoming an author. Working with horses taught her to move beyond logic. As she said in the podcast, “I feel like I'm reclaiming my birthright.” I couldn't agree more. Sarah has a lot of wisdom to offer, both in this podcast and in her book. The book She Who Rides Horses is a historical fiction account of the first person to ride a horse in about 4000 BCE. The story dances the tightrope between the hard evidence of what historians know about that time period and that which can't be known. It's a gripping tale of life, love and spirit in an era long past. Given her background, Sarah is well-equipped to tell this story.Sarah V. Barnes is both an historian and a horsewoman. When she is not writing stories, she practices and teaches riding as a meditative art. She also offers equine-facilitated coaching and wellness workshops. Sarah holds a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern University and spent many years as a college professor before turning full-time to riding and writing. She has two grown daughters and lives with her husband, her dogs, and her horses near Boulder, CO.  Website: www.sarahvbarnes.com

How can horses help a person be a better leader? So started this podcast with Amanda Held, an accomplished leader in a variety of settings. She shared compelling stories of what she has seen and experienced, along with quotes like this: “If you ask a question, you have to respect the answer that you get.” Early on, she tells a story of a toxic leader who transformed in a moment after getting a mustang to do something truly remarkable. Except he failed to remark, and it led him to a life defining moment that changed everything.  More than once, I was moved to tears in this conversation. Amanda truly dances the tightrope between hard-edged science and the magic of an open heart. Several times, I asked her to repeat what she said, because it was so profound.  So, who is Amanda Held? She would be the first to tell you she is much more than her bio. She truly shines through in this podcast episode. Here's what her bio says.  Amanda Held is a Founder, CEO, Horse & Human Potential Practitioner, Healing Facilitator, Published Author, and Air Force First Sergeant. Through decades of studying horse and human behavior, Amanda has developed powerful insights and evidence-based solutions that help both horses and humans actualize their full potential.Amanda's passion is to deliver powerful event that create a clear path for participants to access deep levels of awareness and move into cohesion and self-mastery. Amanda has earned a place in the 2022 Success Magazine's "125 People of Influence" by spending over a decade empowering veteran, equestrians, mental health practitioners, facilitators, executives, and businesses gain the clarity and confidence necessary to obtain their high-level goals with ease. She also accepted the award for the Horses for Mental Health prize winning film at the 2022 EQUUS Film Fest, where we met at the beginning of December. The documentary trailer, HOOVES Healing Our Veterans was produced by Amanda Held and directed by Josh Nagel Productions. A beautiful and powerful message of the healing horses can bring through the wonderful programs providing these services. You can watch the 4-minute video here.  Topics: ·      What is it that makes a horse a better leader than a human? 3:25·      Treatment Resistant Depression. 8:59·      What happens when you have a heart-opening experience. 14:31·      How do you open your heart so you can change? 20:32·      People that have high Iqs often have a deficit in people skills. 24:32·      The importance of being authentic and being human. 31:25·      Horses are their prey animals and they will typically flee before they will fight. 37:15·      You can't dance with what's happening if you're not willing to dance with the change. 45:19·      What is entropy?  48:55·      The difference between growth and entropy -. 55:10·      Every time you prevent someone from feeling uncomfortable, you've robbed them of the opportunity to grow. 1:07:16·      The root cause of depression is a fantasy. 1:10:02·      Dancing the tightrope of attachment. 1:14:57·      Describe what you're doing on that land for the veterans with the horses. 1:20:33·      How to empower your clients to be self-led and self-organized. 1:26:02·      When you can be that person, what will that allow you to do? 1:28:54·      The universal bitch slap if we ignore the feedback of our environment. 1:34:33·      Why your life matters to you. 1:40:50Amanda's Webs

Have you ever noticed how one thing leads to another, then leads to another and so on? This episode came about because I fell off a horse and found Warwick Schiller, who teaches people about horses on Facebook. Except he's really all about personal transformation. He was a guest on this podcast in May 2020, and then I was a guest on his podcast September 2021. In that episode, I told a story about a pivotal moment in daughter Jen's addiction journey. Fast forward to the summer of 2022, I get a message on Instagram from a woman in Los Angeles who had listened to that podcast and described how moved she was by that story. In early November, 2022 I went to Warwick's Journey On Podcast Summit in San Antonio, where he gathered many of his prior podcast guests to share their wisdom in person.  One of those podcast guests, who was not a scheduled presenter, was Christine Dickson. Now here's where it gets interesting. I had listened to Warwick's podcast with Christine in August and really connected with her approach and her wisdom and her wit. I was thrilled to see that she was at the Summit as well. At the first break, she came to introduce herself and guess what? She was the Christine from Los Angeles that had reached out to me on Instagram in the summer.  We connected in person as well as we did by Instagram, and the next step was a no brainer. I had to have her on my podcast. We started this conversation with the topic of transformation. She has a story about her own transformation that both inspired me and reminded me that we are one choice away from the inner freedom we crave.  This conversation is one I will want to listen to more than once and I suspect you will too. Here's a little bit about Christine:  Christine Dickson is a Transformational Mentor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Equine Assisted Coach. She works with people to map out their vision and reframe their limiting belief systems to create radical shifts in their lives. She has a solid background in working with people moving away from addiction and co-dependence and supporting their quest to align with their life purpose. Her ideal client is a fellow traveler who has come to a crossroads and dares to pursue a more purposeful life.  A self-described “Late Bloomer”, she travelled a slow but steady path to rewrite her subconscious conditioning and take responsibility for her own life. By becoming more self-aware and intentional she was able propel herself into taking meaningful action that changed the course of her life. Now, she helps others do the same. What does your heart long to bring forth into the world? When that small inner voice whispers to you what you know to be true, do you listen?  By the way, while she was not a scheduled presenter at the Podcast Summit, on Saturday, Robyn Schiller asked her to close out the Summit on Sunday afternoon. Christine tells the story of how she decided to say yes -and that story is for anyone who has ever experienced a moment of self-doubt and wanted to find a more empowering way to approach challenges.   Guest contact information:   http://onthepathcoaching.net/ https://www.instagram.com/ravensunranch/      

This latest podcast takes a whole new turn for me. Yet it makes complete sense in terms of the Dancing the Tightrope podcast series. Remember that this series falls under the category of “it takes a village.” In my case, the village I needed was made up of the friends, family and trainers who helped me get back on the horse after my fall in 2017.   My guest for this episode is Marla Steinberg, who happily went along with me when I finally decided to ride a horse again – in late 2018. In other words, well over a year after the fall. In this case, I decided to start with an “easy horse” at Cedar Creek Stables here in Lake Lure. Listen as Marla and I take you through the twists and turns of what appeared to be a simple trail ride on the surface. It turned out to be life changing for Marla and also showed me how well I hid my fear – at least at first – about the whole idea of riding a horse again. I was busted as soon as we walked into the barn. Marla and I share that story and many more in the episode.  Here's a little bit about Marla. She's one of my closest friends. She used to have a house in Lake Lure and we have spent many summers playing together on and around the lake. My first time to meet her involved magnificent, chef-quality food, which I've come to understand as her normal. No one puts more love in their food than Marla! She has three grown children who I also count as good friends, as well as her husband Hank, who has never met a stranger.  Podcasts are usually about some kind of business topic; rarely do you get to eavesdrop on two friends reflecting on some shared experiences. However, that's exactly what you will hear in this episode. I hope you enjoy it!  Outline of Episode ·      Marla's story of how she got into riding. 3:54·      Marla's experience with her father‘s horse. 8:13·      How Scott never had a bad experience on a horse. 13:56·      Horses are the ultimate uneducated human. 20:05·      The second time we went on the trail. 23:43·      What is a fox hunt? 29:47·      The importance of having a vest. 36:04·      How to deal with the fear of horses. 42:54·      Breathing exercises to make sure your head is clear. 46:46·      Using fear to fix fear -. 50:24·      How to build a horse that can do anything. 56:02·      Develop your mental tools, especially listening, to tune in. 1:01:14·      What happens when you're nervous. 1:06:41

I'm continuing my podcast series on my book Dancing the Tightrope with Lee McLean, Author and  Horsewoman of Keystone Equine in Alberta, Canada. Lee is an incredible writer. She is one of those rare people who knows how to use Facebook to share her messages about horses. She is also a balanced thinker, and that's what made me ask her on the podcast. Well, actually, it started when I read a post that beautifully described one of the many balancing acts with training horses. She agreed to allow me to include that post in my book – and because of that, I had to have her on the podcast. You are going to be so glad I did.  If you are a horse person, or a leader, you are going to want to listen to this podcast. Lee's wisdom goes far beyond the barn. Better yet, she has her own book coming out about the same time as mine! According to her publisher, Red Barn Books, Love and Rules, Life Lessons Learned With Horses is a new collection of essays that covers the spectrum of love, fear, winning, loss, ageing, growth, illness and recovery — all through the medium of horsemanship. The book is now available for pre-order and will ship mid-November of 2022.  Her book is a collection of essays, and if her daily musings on Facebook are any indication, the book will enlighten, humor and “courage” you. If my use of the word courage as a verb caught your attention, it will make more sense when you read Dancing the Tightrope. Lee McLean knows a thing or two about courage, as you will hear in the conversation.  So who is Lee MeLean? Per the publisher's website: A stroke survivor, horse trainer, and best-selling author, Lee McLean has over 40,000 followers on Facebook, a national magazine column, and she appears at events from small-town horse shows to sidesaddle racing at the Calgary Stampede. Outline for Episode·      What falling off a horse taught me.0:02·      How to find the signal in the noise of social media. 4:35·      We compare ourselves so easily and unconsciously with the people who have dedicated their entire lives to perfecting this thing. 12:13·      What should you look for in a coach? 17:56·      The importance of finding the right horse. 23:07·      Horses are not known for strong decision-making skills. 29:51·      The importance of learning how to handle pressure. 37:34·      We would rather not do something wrong than do something wrongly. 41:54·      We all need to plan for the day when our horses won't suffer anymore. 47:45·      What doesn't matter anymore. 55:24·      The book is written for people who are not afraid to speak their truth. 1:01:43·      How do I cope with this? Guest contact information:   https://keystoneequine.net https://www.facebook.com/livingwellridingbetter https://www.instagram.com/keystoneequine/ 

This episode is one in a series I'm doing for my new book Dancing the Tightrope, What Falling Off a Horse Taught Me About Embracing Pressure, Fear and Uncertainty.  Today's guest is Bruce Anderson of Natural Humanship. I could argue that this book would not exist were it not for Bruce; I can say for sure what I learned working with him deeply shaped not only the book, but my mindset. Specifically, I'm talking about how I've come to view pressure, mistakes, perfection, fear and more. Mindset is much more than simply how I view things. It's about operating with what Bruce calls the Four Missing Pieces. In the work I've done with horses in the round pen, Bruce has helped me begin to learn these four missing pieces. And I really do mean BEGIN to learn, because while the pieces may seem simple on the surface, learning to reach for them takes a lifetime to master. The good news is this: every situation I used to dread, especially the ones full of pressure, fear and uncertainty, are the very situations that help me gain clarity towards who I really am on the inside, not the conditioned version of me. It's the moments where things don't go according to my plan that are the accelerators of my personal growth. That's the exact opposite of what we have been taught. Modern life teaches us that things not going to plan means that something is wrong with us. I can say without a doubt that Bruce's methods works, because I went from being fully charged with adrenaline at the slightest unexpected move on the back of a horse to being so calm and present, no matter how the horse moves. And that includes a couple of unexpected episodes of bucking. This conversation shares some of our journey together, as I was trying to decide whether to ever get on another horse. The biggest bonus in this episode is that Bruce shares the Four Missing Pieces. The biggest bonus in his method is that it has helped me handle pressure, fear and uncertainty in every domain in my life.  

In my new podcast series, I'm talking to the people who are in my latest book. Dancing the Tightrope, What Falling Off a Horse Taught Me About Embracing Pressure, Fear and Uncertainty chronicles my journey from a bad horse accident to getting back on the horse. In other words, I brought to life one of the most age-old idioms.  The journey was both difficult and fulfilling at the same time. Many, many people helped me along the way. For this podcast series, I am talking to the people who help out a hand to show me my own strength. This week's podcast kicks thing off with me giving some of the back story of the book, and some of the essential principles I learned and honed along the way.