Yesterday we talked about how negative people have a tendency to bring us down. We also talked about what we can do to counteract this tendency. It’s a choice we make over and over again to let them get to us.

Last night my wife, Annie and I were discussing with a friend what to do in the face of negative people. Let’s just say that there is someone in your life that you are intimately involved with. What I mean is that they are a central figure in your life. It could be a family member, a co-worker or a past lover. They get to you and yes there is a lot of negative energy flying.

What can you do to counteract this energy? Annie who is a healer had this suggestion. Imagine this person surrounded by a purple color which is a healing energy.

Then next time you are in that persons presence see them surrounded in that light. And even afterwards see them surrounded by that light.

If you like this blog, most likely you will enjoy my monthly ezine, Letters on Life.

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. http://www.inspirepossibility.com.

There are some people that inspire you and then there are others. You notice that I don’t say “Others who bring you down.” The reason is that your response to being in someone’s presence is really up to you.

Even if they are a drag, you don’t have to buy into their negativity. We might have a tendency to say, “They really bummed me out.” It’s true we might have that tendency but it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can notice their energy but you can choose to not react to it. On the other hand you can allow yourself to be inspired in the presence of people who are uplifting. In some ways you are again choosing. You choose to let go of your judgments and enjoy the moment. You choose to follow your heart rather than your head.

There are more of us around. When we keep our eyes and lead with a smile rather than a scowl, doors open. There is more connection and we feel fulfilled. That’s the way it was for me when I met Pamela at the coffee shop.

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. http://www.inspirepossibility.com.

And so it was. You get a lot done and yet you still think about what you didn’t do.

That’s the way it is with many clients that I work with, so today we addressed it.

At the end of the day acknowledge yourself for what you did. In a given day you accomplish a lot. I even suggest positive self-talk. Many times I tell myself, “You did good.” Some people think I’m crazy but who cares. I give myself a lot of strokes and feel good about myself the next day. Perhaps I could have handled something better, but I don’t drive myself crazy about it. It’s a self-defeating habit to knock ourselves down which we do quite often. So we have to be proactive in our approach.

Incorporate the practice of acknowledging yourself into your daily routine. Review your day in detail if you have to and focus on something you feel good about. I often talk about the highlight of the day. Start with that. And then acknowledge yourself for that moment. And from there go on to something else. Focus on what’s right, rather than what’s wrong.

If you like this blog, most likely you will like my monthly ezine, Letters on LIfe. Sign up for it.

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. http://www.inspirepossibility.com.

What is the conversation that you most often have with yourself? Do you notice a recurring theme? For example in some coaching calls there might be the theme that.. “I’m too old to begin this. Life has passed me by.” That is a real common one.

Let’s take a look at some of the variations of this theme. “It’s not in the cards for me.” I had that one for a while. After several unsuccessful relationships I had the mind set that I would never have a family. After all I was 40 and kept meeting partners who were not interested. Maybe I was meeting them because I really didn’t want to have one. So that mindset for a while.

And then I remembered something my mother used to always tell me. “I was a late bloomer.” That seemed to work. I had my first child at 43. i like the tone of this mindset. I look forward to what’s ahead of me.

Here’s a mental practice that can make a difference no matter what your mindset is.

Let’s go back to the idea that life has passed you by. What would be an empowering suggestion?

“I like that I am now in my prime.” With this attitude, I have a real good chance that I have a lot of good things to look forward to.

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. http://www.inspirepossibility.com.

In yesterday’s newsletter, Deeper Waters, I wrote about the 3P’s…Patience, Practice, Perseverence. No matter what you are doing there is a time when you reach a plateau and question the benefit of what you are doing.

You stop and begin something new and repeat the process. It’s only when you go deeper that you breakthrough this cycle. When you go to a deeper level, you’ll have an experience of the essence of what you are doing for the first time. It’s only when you commit fully do you get a sense of the potential of what you are doing. It’s like a learning dance step…you know how to do it correctly, but you can’t feel the rhythm.

It might not be fun in the beginning and you might not feel inspired. In fact most likely you won’t feel inspired.

By applying the 3P’s you can transcend the plateau. You practice…you keep coming back and then one day you experience the freedom and then you feel inspired. You feel the rhythm and your whole body moves. In music you hear the sound before it is played. Then you feel inspired.

If you like this blog, most likely you will like my inspirational ezine, Letters on Life.

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. http://www.inspirepossibility.com.

As you know I am a firm believer in beginning your day with intention. How you start your day sets the tone for the day. Even so there are those days when you are still bothered. I arrived Monday night and found that my bags were lost. For the last two days I have been dealing with the airlines attempting to get the bags back. It’s amazing how incompetent they are. Still don’t have them.

With my morning meditation I was able to calm my mind.  And now I am thinking about the highlight of the day. The bags will arrive…just not on my time schedule. It’s letting go….

So that’s my challenge. There’s always going to be a few loose ends. And that’s everyone’s challenge. How do we deal with loose ends because that’s the way life is. There is going to be something out there that is unresolved.

And life is a mystery…That’s what makes it exciting.  And yes there are those loose ends.  It’s always going to be that way. Our work is to become comfortable with them…to not get sidetracked from what we really want to do and accomplish. And yes to be curious as to how its going to be resolved.

I’ll let you know what happens with the airlines. If you like this blog, most likely you will like my monthly ezine, Letters on Life.

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.

Thunder…my last day on the island. Torrential rains….I didn’t feel like leaving the house so I didn’t go to yoga this morning. Yesterday I focused on the highlight of the day as I left the house. It was a big focus because I had just blogged about it.

I drove to yoga. To my delight, the yoga teacher was Carol one of my favorites who I hadn’t seen on this trip. Her presence was uplifting and I immediately smiled to myself. As I left the class I looked at the waterfall. Usually they are streaks in the distance. But as I focused on this one I could see the water streaming down the mountain. So there was number #2.

And I wondered about the rest of the day. And I had a great conversation later in the day with Curt one of my good friends. And then a great dinner.

So I know I am overdoing it here but I am doing so for a purpose. This morning I didn’t wake up with the same intention.

I called the airlines to change a ticket. And after an hour of being put on hold several times I blew it. Perhaps I could have been more conscious about it. I have the rest of the day to focus on the highlight.

How we start our day is so important. It sets the tone for the day. Start your day on your terms. Here’s what i suggest. First thing in the morning take the time to meditate. Then express gratitude for those things in your life that you are grateful for. Little things make a big difference. Be grateful for your smile and your sense of humor….for your openness. Perhaps you can think of twenty or thirty different things to be grateful for. It becomes a habit.

I am grateful for Whisperings, the great internet radio station. It really chills me out.
After your gratitude get into the highlight of the day.

Over time you will notice a difference. No matter what happens there will always be a highlight. It might just be a moment in time. But that’s what it’s all about–Appreciating each moment.

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.

There is a stream on ITunes, Whisperings, that transports me to a different realm. Much of my writing is done listening to this music. It’s solo piano.

I love that ability to travel from the concerns of the material world to the deeper places of my being. Meditation has always been a part of my path. And yoga certainly has.

Developing the ability to shift the mind from those dark obsessive places of negativity is what we are all striving for; tuning into that place inside where there is stillness and the mind is silent.

No matter what’s going on elsewhere this is our sanctuary. It takes commitment to get there. It’s not unusual to get off the track so we have to develop ways to be reminded that we are drifting. Committing to one positive habit a day is a great beginning. And that means that no matter what else is going on, you follow through.

One of my habits that serves me well is to ask the question, ” I wonder what the highlight of the day will be?” Thats what I’m wondering right now as I start the day.” I’m open to finding out. I’m curious. Maybe it will be two or three highlights.

Try it. Ask yourself the same question.

If you like this blog, most likely you will like my free monthly ezine, Letters on Life.

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.