Perhaps more than anything, we would like to be free from our negative thinking. Those thoughts color every experience that we have and everything that we do. That’s the way it was for lets call her Melissa when we spoke yesterday in our life coaching session.

Melissa who has a litany of reasons and stories as to why she isn’t happy, isn’t much different from many whom I come in contact with. Her story why she isn’t happy is very believable and she is very convincing. At least she has convinced herself that her reasons are justified. It’s tempting not to be convinced of her logic. Her thinking the way that she does is a regular habit that she has become accustomed to. She has, like many of us, had years of practice in thinking this way. When she projects into the future she doesn’t see a way out.

That’s the challenge for Melissa and many others like her. How can one find joy and meaning in this changing world? It’s changing in the sense that there’s very little that we can count on. Our institutions such as government, religion, education and health care that at one time we were able to count on, have failed us. We don’t know where to turn. We are searching for new answers.

Those answers are inside of us. The lasting freedom that we are seeking is an inward journey. It’s not going to be obtained by accomplishments in the material world. Yes those accomplishments might give us a temporary high. but then it’s off to the next new thing.

We are looking in the wrong places for a quick answer to our suffering. The journey of awakening takes times and patience. It’s a matter of being still. I remember in Paulo Coelho’s, Alchemist, the protagonist searches the world for lost treasure. When he becomes an old man, he learns that the treasure was buried in the backyard of the house he grew up in.

Take the time to look inward. Make the choice. Choose happiness. Smile…and laugh a little bit more than yesterday.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach inspires others to find joy and meaning in the midst of change. 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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he
shares his message that we can make our life an exciting journey of discovery. He publishes the inspirational ezine, Letters on Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in the fall of 2009. http://www.inspirepossibility.com. 415.453.5016

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm and is filed under change, choosing happiness, connection, executive coaching, finding joy and meaning in the midst of change, freedom, inspiration, leadership development, life coach, life coaching, personal growth and development, relationships, transitions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.