That intention, vision and dream became a reality. At the beginning of the month I presented Unharness Your Leader-Self, Leading and Living Your Vision, and Boundaries LEAD workshops in Istanbul, Turkey.   

                     
       Gila, Lupen and Sue in Istanbul, Turkey

It was a fantastic experience and (I believe) some of the best work I have done.  Gila and her colleagues at Increa Creative Coaching and Consulting did a lot of planning and preperation for the workshops. Which left me to prepare the handouts, book my flight, show up and do the work I love!  What could be more wonderful? 

Gocmen Ranch provided a beautiful setting outside of the bustling city life (estimated population 12 – 15 million, more people than New York City) in Istanbul. The staff were gracious and helpful, the horses fun & happy to be with us, and the food was wonderful. 

Now if the weather would just cooperate it would be perfect! 

Driving to the ranch to meet and work with the horses and do final preperations, it rained and the forecast was for rain during my whole time I would be there.  Upon arrival at the ranch, it quit raining!  One the last day of working with the horses, after everyone had left and the cars were packed up, it started raining again! I felt truly blessed.

Most people have asked about the differences in culture, leadership challenges, communication, team work etc.  I  plan to write more on that later.  But  to answer the BIGGEST question people ask me… “no” I did not fly my horses to Istanbul. 

Horses speak a universal language, one without words which makes working with horses from any city, county, state or country easy once you understand horse  language.

After completing the last workshop, I sat on my patio in Istanbul overlooking the Bospherous river and was filled with gratitude, joy and blessings for having the opportunity to work with the wonderful people and my dear friend Gila. I was amazed at all that transpired and thinking of how OUR dream became a reality, when fireworks started going off over the river. It was a wonderful affirmation of the work we did, and reinforced a heartfelt knowing that I would return to continue working with the leaders, teams and individuals of Turkey to foster growth and development. 

What a blessing! 

What dreams, intentions and visions do you hold for your life?  Are you moving making forward in making them reality?  If not, what’s holding you back?  If you are… YEAH!!!  Keep moving forward and live life to it’s fullest.

My friend Gila and I dreamt of offering LEAD workshops in her country from the first time she experienced Leading and Living Your Vision workshop in March 2007.   We talked, planned, and put off the vision for one reason or another when the universe opened up and said “The time is NOW!”   Back in September 2009, Gila and I talked and decided it we did not have a date to shoot for the workshops in Turkey would always be just a dream with no reality attached to it.  We marked our calendars for March 30 – April 9th 2010 and put our dream into motion.

I provided information on  what I needed to conduct several LEAD workshop and Gila started talking to clients about the possibilities.  She gained support from several colleagues to assist with the planning and gathering of participants. 

On March 10th we talked again and Gila said “Sue, book your air flight!  We are ready for you to come!”  WOW…

The idea of going international and visiting my friend in Turkey was a dream.  With the support, trust and lots of planning, my dear friend set our combined dream into motion!  I am so excited.  I trust and know it will be a wonderful journey for me, and all those that will join us on the path.

Learn about my pal Gila (if you can read Turkish) and see LEAD being represented in Istanbul, Turkey at http://www.increacoachingandconsulting.com/tr/duyuru.html

Creating a PDF file in the past has meant that I either needed to purchase Adobe Acrobat, download some program that just didn’t seem great, spend a small fortune on another program, or pay someone who had such a program to convert the file for me.  What a pain!  All I wanted was an EASY way to create PDF files out of MS Word documents that did not cost an arm & a leg.  

The solution was awaiting me when I opened the business section of the Akron Beacon Journal the other day.  A FREE web program that makes PDF documents.  I’m always a little sceptical when it’s free, but I decided to check it out.

My experience was easy, pleasant, and it works AND it was FREE!  So if you want a simple way to create pdf files check into CutePDF at http://www.cutepdf.com and download a free copy.  If you don’t need to create forms or have encryption stick with the FREE version. 

The advise the ABJ gave was “during installation, you’ll be asked if you’d like to install a search bar in your browser for Ask.com  Say no by unchecking those boxes”.  Basically CutePDF adds itself as a printer on your PC.  It’s that simple.

I enjoy a good simple and free solution!  Hope you do too.

Many of you were a part of my journey to completing the International Gestalt Coach Training Program, taking the test, were a part of the coaching requirement (750+ logged coaching hours), and the application process. You supported me with your encouragement, emotional support and some (you know who you are) supported my physically when I needed it.   

The journey to certification has been one filled with opportunity, learning, personal growth and development, and of gratitude for the many people in my life. My life is richer because you allowed me to share in your life. 

Thank you for all you have given to me and for all you have allowed me to be witness to because of your trust, honesty and belief in getting more of what you desire from life!

We all know the auto industry is in a financial bind, to put it mildly.  And we all know the industry has needed changes long before the Government bail out in 2009.  They have been in need of new views, changes in their processes, added quality and a good look at what the customers need, and want in a vehicle.  So I find it interesting that the Chairman of GM thinks that adding younger people and women to the management team will make the needed change in the corporate culture to move them forward.  

I’m not saying these changes aren’t a good thing, or a needed change, but it’s going to take much more to create the improvements and change they need to sustain the company. 

Change takes time, something many of us forget.  It also requires clear and consistent communicating of the organizations vision.  Painting the picture so crystal clear that everyone sees the road to the vision, they feel part of the vision, they understand how they fit into the new direction of the organization and are eager to make it a reality.  

Too often organizational management teams have discussed a vision, and the plans to make it a reality so much they forget how long it too them to agree on the direction and to buy into the direction.  After massive amounts of time in meetings and planning, they walk away with a strategic plan to implement.  They announce the plan and set actions into motion.  Only to find their implementation plans blocked or stalled.  Why?  What the missing ingredient to successful implementation of any change process?

Buy-in!  Communicating the vision and plan to everyone so they have time to understand it, know the WIIFM (what’s in it for me), and how it will affect their lives.  80% of change efforts fail because organization forget to allow as much time in the communication process to get people on board for the change as they needed in creating the vision in the first place. 

Those statistics are several years old, and I’m sure technology of today makes the percentage of failure even higher.  We rely on email, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, company newsletters, bulletin board notices and the multitude of communication modes to present our message.  We expect these modes to communicate our message clearly and consistently, which I’m sure they can, however, something more is missing.

The human element is missing, the face-to-face communication mode of telling is becoming extinct.  What gets lost is the non-verbal communication (80% of communication is non-verbal and only 20% is in words) of emotions, committment, inspiration, open sharing and the opportunity to ask questions directly to a person. 

I hope GM doesn’t rely on just female and younger managers to change their culture.  Creating buy-in with some face-to-face meetings with all shareholders and listening to different perspectives is what will pull them out of their disaster.  The people doing the work know what needs changed, they just need someone who cares to ask, listen, and give credence to their words.

Change = buy in and committment from the bottom up, not the top down!

My rare occasion occurred when I visited my eye doctor.  He was so excited to tell me how he took my message of gratitude to heart and challenged not only his children but his church as well.  

Scott shared the message during church service and offered the challenge to the congregation.  Amazing in itself!  The truly beautiful part was in sharing and asking his children to write a gratitude list which was to include people they are grateful to have in their lives. 

Upon completion of their lists, as a family they sat together and shared what was on each of their lists.  What a great quality family activity.  His children had people on their list.  So Scott pushed the envelop and challenged his children further. 

With a family Thanksgiving gathering happening the next day, and Christmas holiday around the corner, Scott asked his children to tell those people on their list how they have blessed their life, or why they are grateful for them being in their life.

What Scott and his family found, it is easy to write the list but actually speaking the words of gratitude is difficult. 

Our techno world of email and texting, has taken over our lives and actually speaking words to another person has become challenging, difficult, and at times it feels extinct.  We are losing the ability to express ourselves face-to-face with people.  Imagine the challenges we face if we lose our ability to communicate verbally?  With non-verbal communication making up 80% of the communication process and words only 20%, in our techno rush today we are actually loosing 80% of what we could express face-to-face.

Scott and his family shared their gratitude in words, face-to-face with people they care about.  What a beautiful gift, not only to those receiving the message but to his children in learning how to speak difficult words to those they care about and love.  I’m sure the people on the receiving end of the message experienced joy and delight at hearing of their impact on the lives of these children.

How did you pay it forward with gratitude?  Sounds easy, right?  Give it a try.  See how you feel when you acknowledge the people in your life.  Notice how they respond.  And keep the ripple of gratitude alive and moving in all you do in  life!

With gratitude to you for sharing the ride with me, embracing your personal journey, and creating a world of delight and happiness!

I share with you the words of “The Greatest Gifts” with the desire for you to embrace and allow them to be alive in you now and throughout the New Year.

May we break boundaries, tear down walls, and build on the foundation of goodness inside each of us.

May we look past differences, gain understanding, and embrace acceptance.

May we reach out to each other, rather than resist.

May we be better stewards of the earth, protecting, nurturing and replenishing the beauties of nature.

May we practice gratitude for all we have, rather than complain about our needs.

May we seek cures for the sick, help for the hungry, and love for the lonely.

May we share our talents, give our time, and teach our children.

May we hold hope for the future very tenderly in our hearts and do all we can to build for bright tomorrows.

And may we LOVE with our whole hearts, for that’s the only way to love.

Wishing you the gifts of peace, hope and love for the New Year!

Photos by Gerri Podrug taken for The Institue of Range and American Mustangs. Visit the site to support the beauty of these animals.

Who are you blessed to have in your life? What are you grateful for? Take 5 minutes and make your list, then go tell a few people that you enjoy having them in your life. Spread some positive energy through your part of the world and together we can make a positive ripple effect that can reach beyond our dreams!

Here are a few things on my gratitude list, and yes, I just spread some of that positive energy around too!

I am filled with gratitude for:

• Each of you reading this right now, for you too have touched my life.
• To the many people who have trusted in me and who have allowed the horses to be a guide in transforming your life.
• My wonderful parents who are healthy and can still work circles around me and people half my age!
• Jim, my loving, supportive and wonderful husband who grounds me when I need it, gives me wings when I need to fly and is always there for me unconditionally.
• Jenny, who is carrying our next grandchild and her fun loving husband Dave.
• Terri, Lauren and Josh! Thank you for coming back into my life.
• The men & women serving our country who give unselfishly of themselves.
• To each of you that support me during all the ups & downs of life, you know who you are and I am blessed by your presence.
• My family, friends, associates, clients, and neighbors for all the gifts you provide me in so many ways.  
• Mary, my friend and partner, thank god we found our stride together! We do GREAT work together and I know we have many wonderful things to do!
• Waking up this morning, to see, hear and touch the beauty around me.  
• The ability to walk to the barn, smell the crisp morning air, feel nuzzle of my horse on my face; hear the birds call to me, the ability to lift a bale of hay to feed the horses, and to watch them run through the pasture.  
• The stillness, silence, and peace of the land we shepherd.
• Our wonderful golden treasures that add so much love & joy to our lives.
• The great horned owl in the woods, the resident hawk, the deer, the migrating birds, the geese that always remind me of hope, and the many other creatures that allow us to share their space with them.
• The abundance that is in my life and continues to show up.

When we are positive, we radiate positive energy to others and we can create unique a ripple effect. Imagine the possibilities! Bill Keane, Family Circus 11/17/08 wrote “Your day goes the way the corners of your mouth turn. So smile.” and spread the positive energy around.

Those of us who introduce horses to people through Equine Assisted Learning, Coaching, Leadership, workshops or Therapy know the changes and empowerment people experience in the presence of these magnificent animals.

We know that life is complex and dynamic, and there are times when we have felt stuck.  When we know we are not making the strides forward we want, desire or need and to live up to the potential we know we have. Those are the times when we need a little horse power!

When people bring their life challenges to us and the horses they experience something new and different by watching the movement of the horse, and interacting with them in the moment. The experience opens people to gain a new awareness of themselves (how they relate, communicate, focus, believe in, think, feel, express, behave, decide, etc) which allows them to create a change and/or healing in their life.  Sounds simple. Many times it is, but there are experiences that unfortunately happen to people or behaviors they repeat  many times that take longer to  heal from, and lots of experimenting with  new ways to make them part of our daily life.  Such is the experience of a young woman and her daughters.

Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped 18 years ago, she suffered tremendous abuse at the hands of  her abductors, and is using the power of horses to learn new ways of being and to heal herself and her daughters.People Magazine brought us the first news and a little glimpse into her world and Kate Latimer of the Albuquerque Mental Health Examiner published Jaycee Dugard and Family heal with horse therapy.  Jaycee & her daughters are surrounded by caring people, and the most healing animal on earth.  Still they have a difficult journey ahead of them.

It will be a long time before we learn the extend of Jaycee’s challenges after her tragic experience, and the effects working with the horses has on her life.  Having witnessed a horse heal many people and offer change & hope, I know in my heart that all three of these women will find more healing by walking the path and sharing their experience with the horse.

Wouldn’t it be great to hear of the good things happening?  All the hundreds and thousands of people giving of their time to feed those in need.  To hear about the father that  jumping out of a second story window with his home on fire, convinced his wife and children to jump as he told them to trust him in catching them… they all survived the fire! Wouldn’t it be nice to hear MORE of the good things people do? 

How different our world might be if we could hear about two positive stories for every one bad one!  Shifting the collective subconscious of America and the world could just make a shift in our economy, how we talk to others, our personal and professional interactions with others…. how different we might all be, how positively beautifully different we might be!

I get a warm feeling inside and my spirits are lighter when I see others doing something kind, supportive, and loving.

That’s how I felt when I watched the video “The Home Run”. I hope you give yourself the gift of 7 minutes & 14 seconds to watch and be inspired by these young women.