Creative Spirits Unleashed

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: Contact Information Website: https://psychupacademy.com Email: anne@sleepyintheatl.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-bartolucci/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/psychupacademy Instagram: 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:

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 internationally I'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, 2023 It 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: 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 Information Website: judithmanriquez.com Instagram: @judithamanriquez LinkedIn: 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.com JPDyalHorsemanship.com Facebook Profile: JP DYal Horsemanship Facebook Page: Heart of the Horse with JP & Lisa Facebook Group: Heart of the Horse Email: 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 Links Reach Out to Horses® www.reachouttohorses.com Equine Specialist, Animal Communicator, Energy Healer, Author & Speaker Office: (888) 282-0656 Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnaTwinney Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnnaTwinneyHolisticHorsemanship https://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.com facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lisacaldersmindfulhorsemanship Instagram: 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 mistakes I 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 Information Website: www.kateneligan.com Social Links: https://www.instagram.com/kateneliganequinecoach/https://www.facebook.com/groups/awakeningwithequineshttps://www.facebook.com/KateNeliganEquineCoachhttps://www.youtube.com/@KateNeliganhttps://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. 1:40:50 Amanda'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/