Leeanne Gardner    

Name: Leeanne Gardner              

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Age: 53

Title: Bossmare of Unbridle It and Co-Founder Starshine Communities

Married/Single: In a relationship

Kids: only the 4-legged variety

City you live in: Glendale, Ariz.

A typical day in my life includes…

I really try to practice what I preach and begin my day with self care, either going to the gym, yoga or taking a walk. I also start with at least 3 things I’m grateful for. When I consciously set the stage in a positive way, I can handle anything that comes my way.

I was born…

in Wichita, Kan., the youngest of 6 children. I grew up in Lawrence, Kan. and horses were a big part of my childhood, until my parents’ divorce when I was 15 and I had to sell my beloved horse.   My chapter in the book From Resilience to Brilliance details this journey.

My favorite thing about Arizona…

sunsets. I’m one of those women who run out of the house to catch the brilliant colors of a sunrise or sunset, sometimes forgetting that what I may be wearing may be great fodder for a post on Nextdoor! “Did you see those shorts she had on?”

I’m listening to…

I like variety and tend to set the dial to the older country, pop and hairband music of the 80s.

My family…

I lost my dad a few years ago and my siblings are scattered throughout the country. I frequently visit my sister in Southern California for some beach time in Carlsbad and belly laughs.

If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…

Ellen DeGeneres. She is hilarious and I know the meal would be filled with laughter and inspiration from her generous nature.

One thing I cannot live without…

a positive attitude. Life is too short to surround yourself with naysayers and negative energy. I do my best to start each day with a positive attitude and love to have a positive impact on others, even if it’s putting a smile on a stranger’s face!

When I was younger, I wanted to be…

the owner of a big horse farm in Kentucky. There’s the horse connection again! I wanted to have a beautiful place with rolling hills and grass that was safe for a ton of horses and other animals.

I’m inspired by…

people who keep a positive attitude through adversity and end up doing something about it to make change. We all have our own journeys to endure, but I admire the people who stand up and take the lessons and move forward instead of dwell in victim mode.

The one person who motivates me is…

my business partner Susan F. Moody. Susan is a self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur.” As we are building and growing Starshine the road is sometimes a little rocky and she always comes up with ideas and new areas we can explore. She understands the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship and can help others navigate the waters.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be…

acceptance. Acceptance of all nationalities, race, religion, gender, political preference. If leaders demonstrate these behaviors and don’t tolerate people acting out of fear to create chaos, but more provide a more of a groundwork for everyone to honor their own beliefs, yet honor everyone else’s without judgement, the world would be a better place. That and caring for Mother Earth not abusing our resources, but that’s a whole other article.

The perfect day would be…

hearing the sounds of horses talking to each other and munching on breakfast. If we’re talking perfect, I’d see a beach close. The rest of the day would play out with groups of people interacting with the horses and other rescue animals for either personal development workshops or fun events to raise funds for a charitable cause to help more animals. The day would end with a beautiful sunset and a feeling of inspiration and gratitude for the people who had been introduced to the healing abilities of the animals.

My first job was…

at Dillon’s grocery store in Kansas as a cashier.

My favorite escape…

Carlsbad, Calif. Such a great little village!

My life…

I was much more established from 18-40 during my corporate career time. I had steady job with great income, and all of the outward appearances of success, but something was missing. Now, as an entrepreneur, there is much more uncertainty, but I have a very supportive significant other who owns his own business and understands the ups and downs. When someone tells me that I inspire them, or have made a difference, that is what brings me joy. I hope to immerse myself with the horses again soon as part of my “job.” I’m proud of the lessons I’ve learned through my journey and how I’ve been able to help others.

I’m currently working on…

growing Starshine Communities to other cities throughout the Valley and then globally to create our innovative concept of bringing like-minded individuals together as a community to collaborate vs. compete and offer authentic support. As the weather cools we will be offering workshops with horses through our fiscal sponsor, Silver Lining 501c3.

Always…

find the positive in a situation, even though you may need to take a minute and some breaths first.

Never…

allow someone to break your spirit or treat you as less than an equal.

Favorite Quote…

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive” – Howard Thurman.

Biggest Dream…

I guess my biggest dream is what I explained as a “Perfect Day.” I would love to be part of a large ranch with a variety of animals, many rescued, that is a safe space not only for the animals but for people to come for their own personal development and healing. I’ve thought this may also double as a retirement ranch for seniors.

My Pet Peeve(s)…

inauthentic and dishonest people. Showing up authentically is very important to me as I see through a lot of the false pretenses…maybe something I learned from the horses. We are all on our own journeys and no one is better than another.

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