I know I know I haven’t put out an episode in a while, please forgive me. Since my last episode I have moved to another state, South Carolina, started a new businesses, and continued to father my three little girls, which turns out to me quite a task. Needless to say, I’m coming out of my hiding hole to release this episode. It was too special not to share with yall. I think deep down many of us have a deep dread that we will learn we have terminal cancer and that our time on earth is about to be cut short. Especially when we are raising a young family. Well, what you are about to hear is a very candid conversation with my dear friend Caitlin Bomar who just recently learned she has stage 4 breast cancer and likely a very limited time left to live. Caitlin, as of this recording, is 35 years old, married, and, like me, has three young daughters. The oldest is four. You’ll get to hear them as they come sit on her lap as we chat. Among other things, this episode is her telling me how this diagnosis has affected her and what she has learned so far in this dying process. It's a raw story about faith, dying, and metamorphosis. I think you’ll take a lot away from it. I am so thankful for Caitlin’s candor and the perspective she brings. It certainly seems to trivialize most challenges in my daily life lately. Caitlin seems to almost welcome death, now that she has had a few months to process it, and I admire her courage and optimism. As always, thanks for listening, and please share this with someone who needs to hear this story.

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I have a few spots left in my executive coaching business, Treppendahl Consulting.

www.robtreppendahl.com

"How To Bring Child Soldiers Back into Society" with Johnson Bohr
Many of you have likely seen the movie Blood Diamond and are familiar with the concept of child soldiers that were recruited to fight in various wars in Africa. Have you ever wondered what happens to these kids when the war is over? How do they go back and interact with their community, their parents, their neighbors? There is a very powerful scene near the end of the movie, The lead character, Solomon and the role played by Leonardo Decaprio are digging up a diamond they had hidden for most of the story, and one they pull it out, A young boy, no more than fourteen shows up with a gun, aiming it at them. It is solomans son, who had been taken and recruited into the war several years before, but he has been hardened by the atrocities and brain washing he has experienced. Soloman looks at him and says “Dia, what are you doing?” What are you doing? Look at me? You are dia vandy of the proud mende tribe. You are a good boy who loves soccer and school. Your mother loves you so much. SHe waits by the fire making plantains and red stew with your sister and the new baby, the cows wait for you and the wild dog wants no one but you. I know they made you do bad things but you are not a bad boy. I am your father who loves you, and you will come home with me and be my son again. Both are crying, and then they embrace. Its a very powerful scene.

So Obviously, it is a very hard adjustment for most of them. The death and destruction they have not only seen but been an active part of, starting sometimes as early as age 12, a well as the ruthless independence they were given, set them on a path that makes society reintroduction very challenging for both sides. But wat if I told you there was a program specifically designed to make this reintroduction far easier? What if I were to tell you that this program actually gave cash and therapy to these drug-using former child soldier criminals, and it was proven to be a highly effective way to improve their lives and break their cycle of crime and poverty? Today’s episode is a fascinating story that is centered around an evidence based and cost effective method at doing exactly this. To tell this story, I called on my new friend Klumosumo Johnson Bohr, who goes by just Johnson Bohr. He has pioneered one of these programs for years, and is now being used in multiple locations across the globe. Alright, enough from me, let's go meet the man himself!

LINKS

https://www.nepiliberia.org/

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Today's guest has a story that is about as raw as they get. Steve Labse is a skydiving enthusiast, a business owner and someone who has become extremely self aware through a series of challenges and experiences over the past decade or so. Steve has an amazing perspective about how we spend our days and what it also looks like to waste forty years of our lives pleasing other people. His story is one that many of you will be able to relate do as we will dive into people pleasing, living our lives with meaning, and about discovering what really makes us all tick. Trigger warning will will discuss suicide briefly, and also there will be a lot of cursing, so, you have been warned. Alright, with that out of the way, lets go meet Steve!

I have a few spots left in my executive coaching business, Treppendahl Consulting.

www.robtreppendahl.com