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)

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