In this special 2024 year-end episode, co-hosts of The Ultimate Coach Podcast Meredith Bell and Ipek Williamson come together to close the year by looking back at the wisdom and inspiration shared on the podcast throughout the past year. This special conversation offers a unique twist as they take turns "interviewing" each other, sharing personal insights, and celebrating the transformative power of the guests, books, and themes that have shaped their journeys.

Ipek and Meredith discuss the significance of their word choices for 2025—Awareness and Creating—and how these reflect their personal growth and aspirations. They also highlight the most impactful lessons from guests, touching on themes such as noticing, acknowledging, and creating possibilities for others. Together, they explore the ripple effects of love, leadership, and intentional living, drawing from their favorite conversations and books that have inspired them.

As they share their thoughts, Meredith and Ipek reflect on the transformational potential of listening, connection, and being intentional in relationships. This episode serves as an invitation to listeners to revisit episodes they may have missed and embrace the journey of self-discovery and growth.

Join Ipek and Meredith as they celebrate the year, honor the guests and the community, and step forward into 2025 with renewed inspiration and purpose.

About Meredith Bell: 

Meredith is the Co-founder and President of Grow Strong Leaders. Her company publishes software tools and books that help people build strong relationships at work and at home.

Meredith is an expert in leader and team communications, the author of three books, and the host of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast. She co-authored her latest books, Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10 Communication Skills, and Peer Coaching Made Simple, with her business partner, Dr. Dennis Coates. In them, Meredith and Denny provide how-to guides for improving communication skills and serving as a peer coach to someone else. 

Meredith is also The Heart-centered Connector. One of her favorite ways of BEING in the world is to introduce people who can benefit from knowing each other. 

https://growstrongleaders.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithmbell

About Ipek Williamson: 

A beacon of change and a catalyst for transformation, Ipek Williamson is a multifaceted professional who seamlessly integrates two decades of corporate expertise with a diverse skill set as a coach, mentor, speaker, author, meditation advocate, and teacher. Her mission is to guide individuals through the complexities of modern life, helping them find deep peace and harmony. Ipek's coaching approach, rooted in Core Values, Mental Fitness, and Mind Mastery, empowers clients to unlock their hidden potential and confidently embrace change with joy.

Beyond coaching, Ipek's influence spreads through her 100+ meditations on the Insight Timer App and live meditation sessions, where she shares transformative wisdom. Her impact extends to workshops, courses, and training sessions for individuals, groups, and corporations. As a Change Champion, Ipek Williamson is dedicated to promoting positive change, nurturing inner calm, and empowering others to script their own transformation stories.

ipek@ipekwilliamsoncoaching.com

https://linktr.ee/IpekWilliamson

https://ipekwilliamsoncoaching.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ipekwilliamson/

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Amy, thank you for tuning in to The Ultimate Coach podcast, a companion to the transformative book The Ultimate coach written by Amy Hardison and Alan D Thompson, each conversation is designed to be a powerful wake up call, reminding us of what's possible for you and your life. So if you're on a journey to expand your state of being, this podcast is for you.

Hello and welcome to The Ultimate Coach podcast, I am Ipek Williamson, and today I'm delighted to be joined by my co host, my teammate, my partner, Meredith Bell, for a very special and reflective episode. As this is our final episode of the year, we wanted to take a moment to look back and celebrate the incredible journey we've been on together over the past year, Meredith and I have had the privilege of hosting some truly remarkable guests who have shared their wisdom, insights and life Changing stories with us. It's such a joy to have this space to reflect together. As you know, normally, we interview other guests, but this episode feels like a chance to interview each other, and in doing so, acknowledge the incredible journey we have been on, both as hosts and as individuals. So in this episode, we wanted to look back reflect on the powerful stories we have heard, the amazing individuals we have connected with, and the books and ideas that have enriched our lives. I'm so excited to acknowledge the growth I have experienced myself along the way, and I know that you had the same experience, Meredith, and we will talk all about that. But first, as the one opening up the episode, I would like to give you a warm welcome, my dear, Meredith,

Thank you. You pack, and you know I'm so excited that you were the one that suggested we co create this conversation, and I'm really looking forward to it. I think I would like to start off before we get into our experiences with our guests and our own growth. Just saying something about this podcast itself, because it's such a valuable part of the being movement that has the larger context started by that wonderful book, The Ultimate coach. And what I see our role as being is that you and I bring on guests who are eager to share lessons they've learned in their own journey around being. And I know you share this as I do, these are sacred conversations. They are so powerful, and I'm excited that this episode is giving us the opportunity to remind our regular listeners to go back and catch up on the episodes that you may have missed, because every one of them has valuable nuggets for you, and for those who are new to the podcast, you will find an absolute treasure trove of life wisdom and practical tips for free in every one of these conversations, and as you listen, you're going to become more aware of who you are being in the world, and you'll learn valuable insights that inspire you to Step into your own greatness. I'd love for you to imagine as you listen to these as one of our guests, Heather quick said that you've invested $200,000 in purchasing these episodes, just as Steve hardison's clients invest that amount in his coaching. How would you listen differently if you knew that you had made that kind of investment? So I'd love that to be our framework as we start our discussion, and just remind everyone of all the resources that are available, not just here in the podcast, but if you go to being movement.com you'll find links to everything that's available for you at no charge, so that you can explore your own being and where you want to go in your own journey.

This is a wonder. Full share. Meredith and I agree with every word of it. Thank you for putting out our why the purpose and value that these episodes are bringing to our audience and ultimately to the world. The next step I would like to take, like considering how we started, is this way Meredith, the listeners would know I have a signature question that I usually ask at the end, but I feel like asking it now. It might be better to talk about that earlier in this special conversation, first though, I'll ask you, of course, the question, and after you answer, I will do the same. So the question is, which one of the questions in the before you begin section of the ultimate coach book, or at the back cover of the book resonates with you most at this point in your life, and why?

No, I look forward to your question every episode, when I listen to your interviews to hear which one your guests will point out for me, it's one that's inside the book, and it's who would I need to be to improve my relationships with the most important people in my life. And I love that question, because we are around these important people on a regular basis, and it's easy to take them for granted and not see them for the special human beings they are. And what I've been finding is I have more and more opportunities where I could learn to listen more deeply, to ask more questions, be more curious. Just recently, there were two instances with family members separately, where they said something and I immediately jumped in with my own thoughts and reactions about that topic, instead of pausing and exploring with them why they had come to that conclusion, not to challenge them, but to understand them. And so it just reminded me that I need to come back to this question on a regular basis, because who I am being with them is not who I really want to be when I am with them. It's coming from love, from Curiosity, from caring and them getting the clear understanding that that's who I am. And so I see opportunities for growth in that area.

Wow. It is so interesting that you chose this one, because this really ties into something I am very excited about. At the moment, I have been working on a course that dives deep into being in all kinds of relationships with yourself, your partner, your family, your friends and work related connections. It is something I have been passionate about for a long time, and it will be available soon, actually, hopefully around the new year, January 2025, on the being moment website. It's been such a meaningful project, and I am really thrilled to share it with others who want to deepen their connections and explore who they are being in their relationships. So thank you for choosing that and reminding me of that so that I mention it.

Well, I can't wait to go through your course. That's wonderful. Thank you for letting us know that's coming. And so what is the question that is most near and dear to your heart these days? Ipek,

Well, the question that resonates with me most at this point in my life is, who would I need to be to create value in the work I do, because as a transformation coach, meditation teacher and someone deeply committed to service, this question is the foundation of everything I do. For me, being in service means showing up with an open heart, deep presence and a genuine desire to elevate the people I interact with, my ultimate goal actually, is that anyone who comes into contact with me, whether they are a client, family member, friend, colleague, partner, no matter what who they whoever they are, leaves our interaction feeling. Better than before, feeling seen, heard and uplifted. It's not just about creating value in my work. It's about creating value in every connection I make. So to create that value, I need to be fully present, compassionate, grounded. It's about to embody the principles I teach, mindfulness, awareness, trust and bringing them into every moment. So because when I operate from a space of authenticity and care, I found out that I naturally inspire others to reconnect with their own inner strength and wisdom. So at this point in my life, I realized that the ripple effect of who I am being goes beyond coaching sessions or formal interactions, it extends to everyone I meet, and that's what drives me to know that the value I create is not limited to my work, but flows into every relationship and moment I share with others.

And you know, I want to just say something about that effect, because, you know, I am not one of your coaching clients, but when you and I have our monthly calls, I always feel that value from you. You really do such an amazing job of affirming my strengths and what I bring to the table in terms of not just the podcast, but my work, my life. So I feel that from you, I always leave our conversations enriched and so to me, I see you living into that purpose every time we talk.

Oh, thank you so much for that. Meredith, that's a beautiful reflection, and I feel so happy to hear that from you. Next, I want to get to a part where I know both you and I, over the past year, hosted remarkable guests on the ultimate coach podcast, and we wanted to share some wisdom and inspiration we received from them. So can you share some of the wisdom your guests brought that has stayed with you? Maybe we can share back and forth. What came up most

Yes, and where there is a specific guest. I'll see if I can give the episode number, just in case someone wants to go back and look at or listen to that. I think overall, there's a theme across most of them. That was a big takeaway for me, and that was looking at this creation of the document, and getting past those self judgments that we have in order to acknowledge who I really am at My Essence. And that's a process that all of us who have studied the ultimate coach book, who've been working on our way of being that creation of the document has been a significant piece, and I had created mine before this year started. Yet, through my guess, I've come to appreciate its value even more and use it, you know, multiple times a day, even if it's just one of the declarations from my document, and I've shared some of those with other people, as I have found it to be relevant to a conversation that I have, and so another piece of that is acknowledging myself for my value and who I am, and the conversation with Rebecca Shannon, where she shared what she learned from Uncle Jane about making a list, which he learned, by the way, from Steve Hardison, you know, just filling up a legal pattern of all the things we can acknowledge about that I could acknowledge about myself going through that process that what I learned about myself so that I'm my lens, that I'm looking at myself through is broader and not so narrow, about, you know, limitations and where I fell short, and instead giving myself full Credit for who I really am at my core, and that has been, you know, an amazing growth, I think, for me over the year.

Wow, this is beautiful. It reminds me and takes me back to my first ever episode on the ultimate coach, Paul. Podcast, and it was in 2023 we recorded it in August, I believe it. It came out in September, and it was Anne, Mary O'Halloran, my guest, and she spoke about the transformational power of alignment and how connecting deeply with one's values creates a life of flow. And that insight really made me reflect on how I show up daily, not just as a coach, but as a person. She really inspired me through her approach to life and your her perspective and values are so important to me, too, core values, so with self, with others, connection and awareness and it is so related with What you said too, acknowledging who I am and really appreciating what I am bringing to the world, it's so important to create to show up as the best version of ourselves as possible at that specific moment, because we are evolving and changing all the time.

You know, as I'm listening to you, one of the other ones that came to mind was my conversation with Jim Wiltshire. That was number 86 and the story that he told not just about acknowledging, but about noticing and sensing. And this was a story he told about going to the event, the ultimate event in Phoenix last the beginning of of 2024, where he and Steve, and I think it was rich habits were talking, and Steve noticed that Carrie rickenbach needed support in that moment. And so, you know, Steve has this, we'll call it his sixth sense, his ability to really notice where people need things. And so the three of them went over and gave her a group hug, and it turned out, of course, that it was exactly what she needed in that moment. It was a kind of acknowledgement that was so powerful. She'll never forget it, and neither will any of them, because the response they made, and I think that's one of the key other threads across variety of the conversations that we've had, is not allowing these moments to go by if we notice, let's take action if we notice, let's acknowledge The other person for what we see and not withhold that out of some sense of ego, or, you know, whatever crazy thoughts we may have in the moment about why we shouldn't say something to somebody instead, if we can recognize everyone values being acknowledged for mattering, then it's such a gift that we can bring to others if we allow ourselves to raise our antenna, our radar, to see where we could give that gift to someone else, including ourselves. And know that it's going to enrich our lives in ways we can't even imagine in the moment.

That's so true. You know, the whole noticing theme brings up in me the episode I had with will Kuiper as my guest, where he spoke about the essence of leadership through the art of noticing that wisdom. I felt like it's not only me, but I think everyone who listened to it were encouraged to pause and observe more deeply, whether it's the people around us or the opportunities life presents to us, but listening and noticing, like in your case, when you were telling that story about Carrie, Steve took the time, or took the time, really the time To listen to his intuition, noticed that something came out and came up in him. It is so profound to be able to give one self permission to be present and notice things. So I. What else was an interesting wisdom source? Yes,

I was able to actually have two conversations with Chris Smith because there was so much for us to cover. We couldn't get it all into one thing, one of his big In fact, the whole focus of his company is possibility and speaking possibility into others, and I love the way he talked about that, even speaking possibility into ourselves, and if we don't quite believe in the moment that, let's say, one of our declarations is absolutely true, we can still speak that possibility to ourselves, because it's well how we desire ourselves to be, so it can be aspirational, as well as a place to come from. And that has really struck with me over time, as I am in conversation with someone or just encountering someone. How can I speak possibility into this person seeing something? It goes back to noticing, you know, all of this is interwoven. They aren't really standalone ideas. They're all related. But hearing what they're saying, noticing who they're being and then speaking other possibility into them. I find that when I have the courage to do it, and I take the time to do it, and I'm not concerned about how the other person might respond or what they might think, I'll just say, May I share something with you that I'm seeing, or that I'm hearing, and when they say yes and I state it, it's always something positive that I'm seeing, and often it's something they haven't been acknowledged for before. And so they are visibly moved at times by hearing that message, and I'm saying that not about me, you know, it's sort of like the book. Don't read the book about me. But just thinking about, where are those opportunities each of us have to have that kind of impact on someone else to see some potential in that person, or something that they may be ignoring or even have put themselves down about, if we can turn it around to bring out something positive. So, as you said earlier, the value you want to bring is to elevate that person so they feel even better after their engagement with you. That's what I see as this whole thing of speaking possibility into others being.

And you know, Meredith, it's so interestingly flowing today, because this whole conversation, everything you said, brings up in me the conversation I had with SANIKA, the fire starter street, he challenged me to see power as a gift to be shared, like sharing our gifts with others. You know, his energy and wisdom reminded me of the importance of being unapologetically authentic and courageous in all aspects of life, so that we don't only notice and stop there, we take a step ahead and Share it, because that's where I feel like many of us fall short, we notice, we realize things, most of us, but we don't take that step, next step, to express it to the other person. And the moment passes, and that's a gift. Being able to notice the other person's possibilities, gifts or potential is the gift. So if we see that and don't share it, then the moment passes and it's a lost opportunity.

Yeah, and, you know, I would say Ipek that it isn't all also, it isn't just a gift. It's also a practice. Because the more we do this, you know, it's, it really is about neuroscience, the more we practice, whether it's a musical instrument and sport or a behavior like acknowledging someone or noticing someone, the more we actually build those connections in our brains, and it becomes easier and easier and automatic over time, so we don't have to think about it and consciously, you know, sort of like going from I. Not consciously incompetent, knowing we're not very good, to consciously competent, where you're concentrated on concentrating on doing it right to then unconsciously competent, where we do it automatically. And that's what you're really talking about there, that noticing that acknowledging all of that is a part of our way of being through practice, through doing it on a regular basis,

Absolutely. And, you know, ultimately, I mean, I had so many conversations with wonderful people and to obviously we don't have time to mention all of them, but there's one that I cannot not mention, because it brings us full circle to the idea of love. Amy Hardison was one of my guests, and she shared a deeply emotional perspective on unconditional love and presence, and it really moved me to look at love beyond conditions or outcomes, and inspired me to embrace those closest to Me with even more compassion. But not only that, embracing everyone, everyone coming our way from that loving perspective, loving approach. So at the end of the day, everything, everything positive, is a derivative of love. So there are two kinds of emotions, right? The driving from love or driving from fear. So all the things that we are exploring and talking about here with you, Meredith, are the ones that are derivatives coming from love. So that's, I think it's full circle. It brings us to compassion, love, empathy, and Amy's sharings were really profound. I would highly recommend our audience to go back to that beautiful episode too,

and that was great, and the one you just had with Vicky abadero around developing empathy in children. It was just that was magnificent as well. It ties in beautifully with what you've just been saying, this unconditional love, this ability to get in touch with our inner child and be able to have conversations with others, to learn how to apologize, to make things right, not just say I'm sorry, but to really dig deep into how do we really form these strong connections with others? And it all comes back to coming from a place of love. So I love that you brought that with Amy, because that was an absolutely beautiful conversation.

And you know, these moments of wisdom are not just insights. They are really transformative shares and like, each guest brings their unique mans to the conversation, leaving, in a way, a ripple effect that I know will continue to inspire others through the podcast. But if you have another guest or another conversation that you want to share, let's listen to that. But otherwise, I have another question, let's go

On to your question, because we could go back and forth for a long time. I would just say to our audience, go back and listen to any episodes you didn't hear this year, because you just got a sampling of the wonderful ideas and and I love that you talked about it being more than insights. EPACT because, to me, with these really sacred conversations, there are things that emerge that touch your very spirit and really profoundly impact your thinking and who you are being after that conversation. So they can be truly transformational if you come with that open minded spirit.

Yes, so true. The other thing that I would like to really explore a little bit about are word choices, because it's the end of the year, and this is a customary thing for me, and I know that it is for you, too to choose a word to focus on in the new year. So I remember choosing bloom as my word for 2024 and yours was bold. I know that, and those words carried so much meaning. And set the tone for how we showed up in the world that I how I see it. And now that 2025, is just around the corner, I'm curious. Have you decided on your word for the upcoming year?

I have, and it is the word creating. Creating. I thought about creator, and just last week, I had a wonderful conversation with Trevor Tim Beck, who I'd interviewed for one of the podcasts, and he was making this distinction between a noun and a verb. And when we use a noun to describe ourselves, sometimes that becomes a label, whereas a verb is action. And I really liked that because I initially had thought of creator, but then I re framed it as creating, because we're always creating. That's one of the key messages from the ultimate coach book. We cannot not create, right? So this idea of me being more conscious about who I'm creating, starting with myself every morning, and this is a practice I already have. I want to create even more with it, and that is in my journal. In the mornings, I create myself, I talk about in my writing who I am being that day. And so for example, for today, I put I am loving service with EPEC in our episode that we record. So that's the spirit I'm bringing to this. And I have found it's really valuable to create myself in the morning about who I am being that day before I jump into my to do list of what I am doing. So who I am being comes first in terms of that creation. So creating, as my word, just brings it even more into focus. And it's this idea of creating. In fact, one of my declarations is I am creating myself and my world as a masterpiece with my words to remind myself that it's my words, and, of course, my thoughts in alignment with my words that create not just me but my world and what I see and how I see everyone. So I'm really excited about playing with this word and going even deeper with it in the coming year.

Oh my, all my Meredith. And you are speaking, and I am thinking, how fortunate I, I am to have Meredith in my world to look up to, to learn from you are simply amazing, like, if anybody listens to only that part of this episode, I think they will get so much I did, I do, and every time I together with you, Meredith, I leave With so much wisdom, so much inspiration, many learning moments. So I feel so honored, and it feels like a huge privilege to be in the same team with you. Like being partners with you. It's It's so amazing, so, and it's a beautiful choice. I see that I can absolutely see how creating is a natural evolution from bold. And my word for 2025 is awareness, and this word holds profound meaning for me, because as a coach, I've come to realize that raising awareness is at the heart of everything I do. It's not just about helping my clients achieve their goals. That is wonderful, but nowhere near enough. It's about awakening them to the power and wisdom they already possess within themselves. Because I come across people who have a chest of what is it called the chest?

Well, I used the word a treasure trove earlier,

Treasure chest. Treasure chest was the word I was looking for. They have a treasure, treasure chest in them, and they are not really aware of what they have. So one of the most important things I do as a coach is to help them become aware of the possibilities, opportunities and the gifts that. That surround them and that are within them so untapped potential. So when someone's awareness expands, they begin to see themselves, their relationships and their circumstances in a whole new light. They realize they have the ability to create meaningful change simply by shifting their being. So for me, choosing awareness as my word then reflects my desire to deepen this work on myself and also on everyone who comes in contact with me.

Love that and you know, the other word that you use there, that to me, goes along with the awareness, is awakening. I just there's something that just resonated with me that instant you said that word. Because we can be asleep to ourselves, you know, we are unconscious, asleep, not realizing what's really there, and I love that one of your gifts, one of the things you've practiced as a coach over time, and so now you're so skilled at it, is this ability to gently awaken people to the real possibilities of themselves, because You're coming with that fresh view and curiosity and listening that allows you to uncover it. And so to me, epic, that's one of your gifts as a as a coach and as a human being, to bring that to your work with clients so they awaken to their real value.

Oh, thank you. Yes, it's a beautiful way of saying that. Saying it Meredith, thank you so much. And you know these words, these thoughts, these choices, word choices that we make, did not come out of nowhere. I think the books we have read over the past year really helped us land on these themes. Many books, for example, inspired me this past year in becoming a better human being. And as an avid reader, I know that you also have so many books that you mentioned to me as at least throughout the year. So would you share a few of the most impactful books that you have read recently and how they impacted you? Maybe, yes,

Oh, I would love to the one that comes to mind first is the power of systems, which many in the community will be familiar with, because that was authored by Steve Chandler and Trevor Tim Beck. And so when I did the interview with Trevor, we really focused on that book, and what I just loved about that book, it's really got to be one of my very favorite of Steve Chandler's, which I've read probably 20 of his books. This one is so profound in its simplicity, because basically it's saying, when you have something in your life that's not working, instead of using what they call amateur psychology on yourself, what you start going down this rabbit hole of what's wrong with me? What do I need to change? What am I doing wrong? All of that kind of stuff. Instead of doing that, simply look at what's my current system? What are we doing now? And get real clear about that, and then look at what can I adopt instead? So you focus on a new system, which is simply a new behavior pattern, a new habit that you're going to experiment with. So you're not putting this pressure on yourself to get it right, or say, I've got to do it this way instead of that way, and then it's going to work. No, no, you just say light with this, and take a lighter approach with a system and see if that gets you the results you want. And so it just lightens the load of being human and avoiding the pitfalls of what we sometimes can get bogged down into and simply and it's made a huge difference in how I look at so many different things that I've been doing where I realized I had been criticizing myself and then procrastinating because I had to fix this before I could do that. And that's all nonsense. It's just all made up. So that is one book, and before I share any others, I'd love to hear about one of your favorite books that you've read this year.

Well, the one that I would like to start with is the ultimate coach concentrated by Amy Hardison. It came out this year, and obviously there are many parts that I've really resonate with and. Love in that book, but one of my favorite parts of the book, and that I share with my clients, with my family members all the time, is about the power of being your word, doing what you say you are going to do, and understanding the importance of commitment to integrity, making it really a central part of who you are. And what I love about this section is how it highlights that keeping your word is not just about others. It's about saying staying true to yourself, and when you commit to something and follow through, it builds trust like lowers the numbers of frustrations and brings a sense of clarity efficiency to life, in my opinion. And even if you fall short, the way Steve calls it, clean it up. Clean it up by being honest, genuine, apologetic. It's such a powerful reminder of how much we can grow when we take our words seriously. And I'm going to get to another book, but I want to hear your second book before that.

Actually two and three go together because of the key takeaway, the gentle art of blessing. You know, I had seen that posted in the Facebook ultimate coach group many times. Steve had recommended it, and it was just one of those things where I thought, I'll get around to it. And so I finally just got this nudge get that book, and what I've been doing is reading each chapter very slowly and very intentionally. It is just an amazingly profound book that has shifted my thinking about, you know, truly, what does it mean to bless others, and what's the reason we don't do it just to make a ritual out of it? There's a true transformation that can happen for ourselves and for the people we bless, and where that gets tied in with this other book, which has been one of my favorites for years, and I go back to it often, is the power of awareness, and that's by Neville Goddard. And one of the chapters in the blessing book just really struck me as being so related to a chapter, one of my favorite chapters in the other book, and this is about the energy we expend in sending out this blessing is felt unconsciously by the other person. We can't control that, but we when we focus on blessing someone instead of in our minds, judging, criticizing, complaining about them, it really can transform the relationship and in the power of awareness. This is in the chapter on attitude. Neville goddard shares this example of a gal that was a dress seamstress for a theatrical production where the producer was somebody that was driving her crazy. She just felt like he was always criticizing her. She was always unhappy. And so she was complaining to Neville about this man, and he said, You do realize it starts with you. He said, I want you to think about on your way to work, what kind of thoughts do you have about him? And she said, Well, I'm always thinking about how he's going to criticize me and how I'm going to respond and I'm going to argue with him. So she was in these mental battles with this guy without even having them in real life, so he invited her to start replacing those thoughts with a new kind of dialog in which this producer praised her for her work and actually saw her as being such a positive force. And so in a sense, she wasn't overtly blessing him, but she was creating him in her mind in a whole new way, and their relationship was transformed. It wasn't because of anything she overtly said to him, you know, I want to be more positive with you, or anything like that. She was creating him differently in her mind, and it changed how they interacted, and he became much more positive with her about her work. And so as I'm reading. This book about the blessing, what it can do to transform that other person without you manipulating or controlling or or doing the blessing, from a perspective of wanting to change them, it's here's the line from the power of awareness that, to me, is just amazing. Others only echo that which we whisper to them in secret. Others only echo that which we whisper to them in secret. So if we're whispering a blessing for them and their lives, and I love you know, in the blessing book, he talks about where it's hard for us, for people that have hurt us, or we disagree strongly with, or all the different reasons we have for resisting giving that blessing, if we let go of that And we look at what can we find to bless it? It transforms us in the process of transforming them and our relationship with so to me, that's just profound.

It's It is, indeed it is profound. And, and I agree with you, the gentle art of blessing book is quite life changing, and it makes it so much easier to look at every human being as just human beings, and if they are reflecting and being harsh on us or acting difficult In a difficult for a it means that there is something bothering them, there is something hurting them. So by sending them those blessings, maybe we can soften their hearts and make them feel a little bit better. So I so love that book, and the other one, the power of awareness. Actually, you mentioned that book to me before, and I just ordered that so it's on its way to me. I'm I can't wait to read it. On the other hand, my other two books that I would like to share, and one of them is so much aligned with everything you said, all those books you shared is the one butterfly effect by Andy Andrews, and this book was also shared by Steve Hardison in the community, in the Facebook group. And after that, I I bought it, and it's an outstanding book, and it helps it tells so much with so few words, and it helps us understand the incredible ripple effects of even the smallest actions we take. And that idea, in my opinion, like aligns so beautifully with with the thing, with what we are trying to create here through this podcast, Meredith, right? We want to create a ripple effect of positive, loving, inspiring thought patterns or perspectives to the world, another book that I would really like to recommend to our listeners is which has been very impactful for me this year, not only because it is an amazing book, but also because I was involved in the creation process of it is the power of noticing. By will Kuiper, and this book has so many jewels in it, I see it as the first step, step toward raising the reader's awareness and helps you focus on the importance of truly paying attention. In a world full of distractions, it is so easy to miss the small but crucial details that shape our lives, and whether it's noticing patterns in our behaviors, shifts in our relationships or opportunities around us. So that book is a really good reminder of slowing down being present and noticing with intention. So it's these are, like all of the books that we mentioned. If anyone who's listening to us didn't read these books, I would highly recommend them. Check out all these books and get them and read them. Eight.

Oh, those are also good. I'm looking forward to checking those out myself, since they have not been on my reading list this year.

So yeah, thank you. Yes. Thank you so Meredith, you have been working in this field for so. So many years in this area of your expertise, how do you see your 2025 unfolding for you?

Oh, that's such a good question. We've created products that are used by leaders to become more effective. In fact, our company is grow strong leaders, and I am just really excited this year with these two new products that we have an assessment tool for them to learn more about themselves, as well as an online tool to help them improve character strengths and communication skills. I'm excited about bringing these tools to more leaders so that they can become more effective. And I like to say how they show up in the world, in terms of who they are being. That's a lot of what we are all about in the work that we do. So very excited about that, and I'm excited about continuing to work with you on this podcast, as well as my own podcast. Grow strong leaders.

That's beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else you would like to share about our podcast, about anything?

No, I think we've covered such really important points in terms of our insights we've gained, you know, our own personal transformations, who we are looking at being next year based on the Word that we've really focused on the books that have influenced us this whole opportunity we've had to work together. If there's nothing else that you specifically want to share, I'll just make a few closing remarks as we wrap this up.

That would be wonderful.

You know, I think in terms of who we're being at this moment, one of the most important things is to acknowledge the others who have impacted this podcast. So I want to acknowledge you, EPAC, because you and I have been able to create, I think, just a really strong team loving I think our underlying focus is loving service for our guests that we're honored to bring on board, as well as the listeners who follow this podcast. I also want to acknowledge Eric lawful for his commitment as a leader for this being movement for 20 years. I mean, that's amazing. He has three years under his belt, and 17 more that he's committed to. And I just admire him and respect him so much. And of course, some of the folks that are behind this whole thing from the beginning, Steve Hardison and Amy Hardison in in terms of their work as a team, and Alan D Thompson bringing this book, The Ultimate coach, to life, which was the starting point for this whole community. And there are too many to name right now, but I want to acknowledge each one of our guests who said yes to our invitation and brought the very best they had to offer for our audience and the rich conversations that resulted from Those interactions. And finally, I want to acknowledge our listeners, those of you that have been listening to our episodes over the years, and also who are new to this podcast, and acknowledge you for your openness and listening with an open heart and an open mind to what you can take away from these that can help you make shifts in your own way of being in the world, because that's really the point here. How can we become more effective in our way of being in the world to have the greatest possible impact on ourselves and on everyone whose life we touch. So thank you to all of you for being with us today as we conclude the final episode of 2024 and we look forward to bringing you more special guests in the coming year.

Thank you so much. Meredith, it has been an honor and pleasure being with you today, and I'm looking forward to receiving feedback from our listeners. Have a happy 2025

Thank you for joining us today. If there's someone you know who. Could benefit from this conversation. Please share this episode with them. Also check out our website, being movement.com, you'll find valuable resources and links to connect to an engaging and wonderfully supportive community. Together, we can inspire and support each other on the path to a greater understanding of being until next time, take care and be kind to yourself you.