Happy Holidays! I love this time of year. I found this great quote that exemplifies why I love the holiday season: "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures" - Thornton Wilder. So that is my inspiration for this newsletter: my treasures, which are my family and my family of friends.

All the best,
Wayfinder Coach Robin

What is family to you?
Family can be easily defined by those who are related to you: your mom and dad, your brothers and sisters, your cousins, your grandparents. But I have always had another definition. Maybe it's because I am only child and growing up my only biological family was my mother and my grandmother. My definition of family became those people who believed in you, stood by you, comforted you and wanted the best for you. My family circle became bigger when my mom met my stepdad who is now only known as Daddy to me and with him came my stepbrother, who is best brother a girl could ever have. But coming from a small family I have always included friends as part of my family. Those are the people who comfort you when your relationships go bad, who cheer you on for your next job and who just always seem to be there when you need it most. My friends are my family too. I can't imagine life without my dear friend and soul sister, Evi. We met when she hired me to translate captions in English and French over 25 years ago in Austria. Or my friend, Robin, often referred to as my wife, who often knows me better than I know myself. There are more: Caroline and Abby, my children's godmothers; my caretakers, Denise and Maris; my loyal, Kiki ; Teresa, my political compass; Ned and Ann, my sources of laughter and so many more. Of course, there is my best friend and husband, Eric and my two dearest treasures, Marat and Shokan, my sons.

I know this is more personal than a newsletter should be but I guess I share some of my connections to inspire you in this holiday season to think of the people who are your family, the people that really stand by you no matter what. If you don't have them, who are you going to recruit to be your family? Biology is strong, but as a stepdaughter and a mother of two adopted children I can tell you family is more than just blood.

Rebranding Robin
What do I do now?
Using all the tools I learned working in strategic communications for elected officials, non-profit organizations and the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, as well as my training as a professional coach and certified retreat leader , I work with individuals, groups and organizations to help them focus on clear goals and measured outcomes. As a professional coach I help individuals create strategic plans for their lives and I help executives become better managers and leaders. As a retreat leader, I design and lead custom retreats for individuals and organizations focused on what they want to achieve.

Want to see me shave my head?
Come support child cancer research. I am shaving my head in honor of my nephew. Please consider being a sponsor and see my bald head. Go to www.stbaldricks.org, go to particpants and enter my name: Robin Schepper.

Custom Retreats
Are you celebrating a birthday? Marking the death of a loved one? Looking for a fun way to build your office team? Then contact me about designing a custom nature retreat for you. For more information check out past retreats on my website.

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures"
-Thornton Wilder

Environmental tip of the month
Support your local stores
Instead of driving miles to large Targets and WalMarts, shop locally, save gas and support independent businesses

Wayfinder Inc. | 2840 Chesapeake Street NW | Washington | DC | 20008

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