With whom do you spend your time with and why? With whom would you like to spend your time with and why aren’t you doing it? Deep friendships take years to develop and nourish and often go through transitions but not always.

It’s great when you meet another person and not a whole lot needs to be said. You just know you are kindred souls. It’s more than great. Ideally I would love to spend my life with all kindred souls….maybe at some level we are all kindred souls trying to find each other. And if that’s the case what can we do to access this level.

Any suggestions? Are you surprised that I have a few? I think what you hear about today is to be authentic…I use to call it “being real”…Only when we’re true to ourselves can we recognize that in another person. But our self is constantly evolving and as it expands we’re able to access much more of our true nature and when that happens our signal…vibe… attracts and connects with more kindred spirits. When that starts to become a priority in your life, your garden will grow. Look what happens when you are not being your authentic self. You are cheating two people. Yourself for not being true to yourself and the other person because they will never get to know the real you.

Journey On

Mark

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach, inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Although it doesn’t happen too often, I love to get emotionally involved in a movie….but I don’t like to watch the downers…I don’t need to go out of my way to find them. Last night I had one of those experiences. A friend loaned me the DVD of Good Will Hunting. I remembered when I first saw it how I felt and I felt the same way again….renewed in my faith that we can all make a difference.

If you can find one person who believes in you, your life will be changed. The connection that Matt Damon’s character developed with Robin William’s character was moving and inspirational. Sometimes we don’t realize the impact we have on another person by our being totally who we are.

During this time in our history with the focus increasingly on how we are different it is a time to reach out and notice how we are all the same with the same needs and wants….we all want to be loved and to love. We can make a difference. Reach out. Make that call. Give someone a smile. Here’s your part. Think of two people you can reach out to. By empowering another, you empower yourself.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach, inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

It’s hard to get going today….feeling lazy.. Saw Ricki Lee Jones last night in concert ….Great performance and she was accompanied by great musicians. It kind of got me thinking about my own musicianship…..How things have changed.

I don’t play at the level I once did but it comes back quick with a project to work on. It’s amazing what a motivator a project in the form of a goal a dream can be. My philosophy is that if you have a goal or dream it doesn’t matter if you obtain it because once you do you will have new goals and dreams.

If you are constantly looking from one goal to the next you will always live in the future. What is important is who you become in the process…. how you grow. For me if I have a goal of a recording project and a date for the studio, I know will become the best musician I can be during this time period and afterwards. And in the process of going for it my confidence level will soar and I will be more confident to share what I do…I will also have my eye open for more opportunities…more option…my universe will be expanded. And that will transfer to other areas of your life.

I will feel totally different about my musicianship. What is an area of your life where you can expand who you are and become more confident in the process? What goals or dreams do you have in this arena? Stay focused and live your dream. Let me know.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach, inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

BE TOTALLY PRESENT: I was taking a leisurely walk today and along the way I met a friend who was walking her dog. We were both glad to see each other and as usual whenever we connected our conversations were special. As we were talking someone else who was walking his dog came by and the nature of our conversation changed. I waited politely for a few minutes to get back to our conversation and when I realized that was unlikely continued on with my walk.

So that got me to thinking about other situations when I am interrupted or when I interrupt. What is the protocol if there is one or is it strictly situational? When you have kids it happens all the time. The word interrupt is not in their vocabulary. And what about when you have a conversation with a friend and they interrupt you and you can’t even finish your thought. I hate it when someone interrupts me…It definitely pushes all of my buttons…although lately I’m better with it.

Isn’t it great when you are having a conversation and you know the other person is really listening? They are really there. Communicating with someone who is listening is great because they are totally present. As we develop our listening skills which is a lost art we experience the present moment more and more. And real communication involves much more than just hearing the words that are being said. And that is perhaps the key to lifelong fulfillment…getting who the other person is!! If you want to have deeper relationships…learn to be there…to get the other person…not to give them advice or to be right.

What can you do to increase your ability to be totally present?

Journey On

Mark

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach, inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Tonight I’m looking forward to the finals of the college basketball tournament although my team, Cal, didn’t even make the tournament. I get so into it when they win and disappointed when they lose. In spite of what is going on in the world and in my life with all my commitments and relationships I take time out by going to an occasional sporting event or watching a game on TV. In some ways it reminds of my youth.

I also love to play sports and love to compete. People have said to me , ” Mark you’re too competetive”. I think about that comment sometimes defensively but have always felt that competition brings out the best in me. It brings me to an edge and new level of consciousness. And then in one of my many readings I came across the origin of the word competition. Its latin form is “compere” which means to seek together…and now I look at competition in this empowering way.

Competition is a way to seek together excellence in our lives and in others. Competition brings you into the moment, into the present and expands your consciousness. The ability to focus is a gift and as we are able to go to deeper levels our experience of everything around us shifts. Starting your day with intention and focus by sitting silently for a while is a step in the right direction. On my website in the Leadership section there are two different articles that you might find useful. Start Your Day on Your Terms is one of them and the other is on Meditation. Give yourself the edge. Take a look at the articles.
Let me know what you think.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach, inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com