The holidays are right around the corner. Next week is Thanksgiving. For some the holidays are stressful with all of the gatherings, extra responsibilities and socializing.

They also are an opportunity, to reach out and reconnect with some old friends. It was great hearing from my old friend Don who has been living in Vienna. We go way back. It was only when I ran into Sharon, a mutual friend, at an event that his name came up. I hadn’t thought of him until that night. I immediately asked her for his email, and contacted him. It went something like this. “I knew you when. Who are you now? Things are sure different. I’m not the same person I was back then. I’m more mature and confident. I’ve evolved. Many of the things that were important to me have been integrated into my life. Now I have new questions. I’m curious about what’s next. I’m curious as to who I’ll connect with.

That’s the way it is for all of us. We keep evolving and those in our life have also evolved. Why do we reconnect with some and not others? While there is no exact answer, fate and destiny play a role here, I have a theory.

On our path to wholeness, not only are we reconnecting with ourselves, we are in the process of gathering our tribes—those “kindred souls” that at one time in our lives we weren’t able to recognize or weren’t ready for them.

Now here we are. We can connect in a way that was not possible before. But it’s up to each of us to reach out as I did with Don and begin the process of gathering our tribe. They’re waiting for us to show up. It’s our time.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

I’m a reader. Most likely I read at least 20 books in a year. When I was a lawyer I didn’t have as much time to read books that I wanted to read. But since I’ve been a life coach, I read many self-help books and recommend them to clients. I even have a reading list on my website. But there’s nothing like a good novel.

Of course with my background as a trial lawyer my natural bent is to read novels with a legal and or political twist. I have my favorite authors. But there’s nothing like getting turned on to someone new. You read one book and then you read another until some of the authors themes and ideas repeat themselves. Then you are in between. You’re in the mood to read a good book, but don’t have one.

So that’s where I was a few days ago when I went into Barnes and Noble to talk to the store manager about promoting my book, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes. While I waited for the manager, I browsed and my eyes gravitated toward the title, Djibouti, Elmore Leonard’s latest book. I picked it up, read the inside jacket and bought the book.

I’ve been reading it the last few evenings. Although he’s written several novels over the years I’ve never got into him until now. I’m excited and intrigued. There’s a whole new universe of adventure I can explore if I’m so inclined.

I’m not suggesting that you run out and buy his book or any book. My purpose is to remind you that there is a whole universe out there that can keep you fully engaged if you’re so inclined to explore it. It could be related to your relationships, your career, a hobby or almost anything. But you have to be curious and take that first step.

That first step might be just calling a friend. Or as in my case, signing up for a course. It was 11 years ago that I called a life coaching school and signed up for their program. One thing leads to the next.

What might that first step be for you?

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

Recently on a radio show, I was asked what I think is the biggest challenge that people have. As a life coach for the last nine years I have noticed certain tendencies. I don’t know if I can boil it down to just one thing, but I’ll give it a try.

Many of us have the mistaken belief that when what bothers us goes away that we’ll be happy. Or at least less stressed. While that may be true temporarily, it doesn’t last very long. It’s not the circumstance that is causing the problem, but the patterns we have had our entire lives that determine how we react emotionally. Something that we perceive as negative affects our entire moods. We overreact to normal situations and find ourselves upset more often than we would like. When we’ve had a chance to reflect we can’t believe that we acted the way we did.

For example, business is tight right now. You think that when business picks up that you can relax. That’s not the case. And you don’t know if business will pick up in the current business you are in. And if it does you might not have as much time as you did before to enjoy yourself. And this could also apply to your relationships. Don’t wait to enjoy yourself. You might not get another chance. And if in our example business does pick up, you might have other problems such as relationship or health challenges. You will never get another chance to live this moment. Forget about this idea that “only if” something was different you could be happy. It not the circumstances but your beliefs about what the circumstances mean that determines your happiness. Happiness is a choice. Choose happiness.

Well I think that about covers it. I’ll explore it some more in a future blog.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

Wherever you are in life’s evolutionary cycle, you’ll eventually come to the same realization. The outward journey of seeking success and what you might call “happiness” is only temporarily fulfilling. Finding joy and meaning is an inner journey.

On this journey, you’ll discover a new state of being. You’ll know what it means to be Dancing on the River, which is a reflection of a life decision that you make to be happy and to enjoy life in this moment. You’ll discover that your enjoyment and appreciation of life is not dependent on what might happen in the future. It might take a while to come to this realization, but once you do, you’ll have the potential to awaken to a rich inner life that is more fulfilling than you can imagine. I say potential because it doesn’t happen overnight.

It is my hope that by integrating the following six insights and practices into your life this new consciousness will become your natural way of being.

1.How you start your day sets the tone for the day. If you start the day in a hurry it will be extremely difficult to slow down. Most of us rush out of the house in the morning trying to make an appointment or deadline. Underneath the concern that we won’t be able to get it all done is an underlying anxiety that won’t go away. You sometimes wish you had a magic wand that could make things better. Although there is no magic wand, there is a morning practice that can minimize much of that anxiety. After you wake up and before you do anything else, take 10-15 minutes for reflection. Perhaps you already have a meditation practice. If you don’t, just sit still in a quiet place and pay attention to your breath. I have also found that journaling is a great way to center yourself before you rush out into the day.

After meditation begin to focus on what you are grateful for. Perhaps there are only a few things that you can think of in the beginning, but once you make this a daily practice, you realize how blessed you are. By focusing on what you are grateful for, your focus shifts to what’s right in your life, rather than on what’s wrong. It’s an amazing practice, which has the power to transform your life.

2. Develop the practice of Curiosity. I didn’t realize how powerful of a concept this could be until I integrated it into my life. In fact if I write another book it will probably will be about the power of curiosity. Here’s what I suggest to get you going. In the morning, after expressing gratitude, reflect upon your day wondering about what the highlight of your day might be. By being curious as to what that is, you’ll create a positive expectation as the day progresses. No matter what is happening in your life, rather than worrying about the outcome, be curious as to how it is all going to unfold. By being curious, you’re also open to those pleasant surprises—those moments of grace that uplift your spirit. Remember that this is a practice and like most things, the more you practice the better you get at it.

3. Learn how to recognize and know your VOJ. The VOJ is that voice of judgment that drives you nuts. You know it. We all do. You would give anything to silence it even if just for a few minutes. The sooner that you can recognize your VOJ, which in coaching we call your gremlin, the sooner you can become free of its hypnotic spell that can last a lifetime if you don’t do anything about it. But the doing is a different type of doing. It’s just noticing. I have found that giving this voice a name has been effective in breaking the spell that it has over me. I call my VOJ, Ralph. This is a lifelong challenge so don’t be discouraged if you don’t notice anything immediately. The journey is never-ending.

4. Self-Acceptance is the next practice. Let’s be honest with ourselves. There are certain things we can’t change. We can’t change who are parents are. We can’t change our country of origin. We can’t change all of the injustices in the world, although we might try. But we do have the potential to change how we think about ourselves and how we think about the circumstances of our lives. Even though we are our own worst critics at times, our work is to accept those things that we don’t like about ourselves—that dark side often referred to as our “shadow.” You know what I’m talking about so I won’t go into detail. Once you accept those things about yourself that you don’t like or are embarrassed by, you feel lighter and freer. And isn’t that what it’s all about–becoming lighter.

5. Introduce positive self-talk into the conversation. Now that you are more familiar with those voices and patterns that have been running your life, it’s time to listen to a new voice that needs to be nurtured and cultivated. It’s a voice if honored and cultivated can change how you think about yourself. I call this voice your VIP. It’s the voice of Inspiration and Praise that we don’t listen to, or hear enough. That voice has become my inner champion. When I think that I shouldn’t have felt the way I did about something that happened, or that I shouldn’t have acted in a certain way, my VIP sends me a few words of encouragement by saying to me, “You’re doing great. You handled that well.” It takes conscious effort and resolve to cultivate your VIP. As you learn to trust and listen to it, how you feel about your life will begin to shift.

6. Make time for the jollies. So here we are again with another new phrase. No I haven’t lost my mind. All of us have faced challenges that at times seem overwhelming. Even in the midst of these challenges, there are many things that can give us joy. They might be little things that we have forgotten about. Don’t overlook them.

The Jollies is taking the time to do what gives you joy. So when I say make time for the jollies–I mean make time for what gives you joy, even if you still have loose ends in your life and your “to do” list is full. It took me a while to come the realization that there will always be “loose ends” and uncertainty. If you always wait for the perfect time to begin something new, you will never begin. The only perfect time is now.

So there you have it. As my good friend Lois said to me, “The journey might be challenging, but the scenery can be spectacular.” There’s only one thing left to do. Enjoy the journey.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

You never know what’s going to come up in the everyday flow of your life. Recently my daughter Makaela and I, signed up for a local studio production class so that I could host an inspirational talk show. In the course of last night’s class we got to try out different roles. During some of the class I was the director, camera man and audio expert. Oh yes I also got to work with the lighting.

We also got to be on camera for five minutes at a time so that the other members of the class could also practice their production skills. It was during one the shoots that I had an interesting conversation. The host who was a painter asked me how I felt about art. I responded that my entire life was an art form and expression of who I was as a person. I explained to her that I was in a constant state of creation.

In fact all of us are in the process of creation. We have created our lives up to this point. And we will continue to create the rest of our lives; but what we create will be dependent on what we believe is possible. And what we believe is possible is determined by our past experiences and the conscious and unconscious patterns that are controlling our lives.

So if we want to create masterpieces we need to see ourselves as masters of our fate; as creators of our destiny; as captains of our ship. Let us focus on where we want to go, not on what is in the way.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

I looked forward to Saturday with great anticipation. It would be the first book signing for my new book Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes. The usual doubts were there. Who would come? How many books would be purchased? Would I look good? In other words, would I feel good about the event? And to put it another way….am I good enough?

That’s the fundamental question at some level that we ask ourselves over and over again. Are we good enough? That lingering doubt affects almost everything that we do. It prevents us from moving forward in our lives-it gets in the way of our reaching out; of getting out of our comfort zones and trying something new. That fear keeps us boxed in.

I’ve been there on many occasions, but I’ve also learned how to live with that doubt so that I experience my life as one of adventure and excitement than one of fear and struggle. The key to making this shift is subtle and simple. Use empowering questions to change your focus. This is what I mean. Instead of worrying about who would be there and how it would go, I wondered what the high point of the event would be. I wondered with whom I would have the best connection. I wondered who would surprise me by being there.

It worked to perfection. The event went great. And yes there were some magical moments, none of which could have been anticipated. Be creative in the questions you ask yourself. They can become your best ally.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

There’s no better time than now to enjoy your life and experience it as an exciting journey of discovery. Nothing needs to happen-it’s an internal shift of consciousness. Dancing on the River, is an attitude that is a reflection of a life decision to be happy in the moment that you make over and over again. Unfortunately too many of us find a litany of reasons and excuses not to be happy. We focus on what’s wrong or what might go wrong rather than on what’s right. We often think to ourselves, if only this were different, I could be happy. We are constantly reminded by the 24/7 media of what’s wrong in our society. Many of us feel boxed in and our options seem limited.

The good news is that we have the power to change our attitudes, once we change the underlying beliefs behind them. When we live from our center and expand our sense of self, we begin to consider possibilities in our lives that at one time we didn’t know existed. It’s like climbing a mountain. When we begin our climb what we see is limited. It’s only when we reach the higher peaks that our view is expanded. We’re able to see things that we’ve never seen before.

There is a natural evolution to life’s unfolding. Changing how you think is the result of many years of self-exploration and inquiry. Many of us struggle with a negative self-image that limits what we think is possible in our life. As a result we’re reluctant to make changes or try anything new. We play it safe, remain stuck in our comfort zone and watch the river of life flow by without us.

These limiting beliefs, which are at the core of our negative self-image, affect our relationships, our careers and what we believe is possible. I’m sure you’re familiar with most of them. The phrase “I’m not” is common to most all of these beliefs.
I’m not lovable
I’m not good enough
I do not deserve to be successful
I cannot make enough money

These beliefs are the filters through which we see the world. If you want to see life differently you need to change your lens. The lens isn’t going to change overnight, but at some point you have to begin the process. For many years, I struggled with the belief that I wasn’t successful. I was in a profession that ranked you by wins and losses, how much money you made and who your clients were. The problem was that no matter how well you were doing , there was always someone who was doing better. I got over it. I created my own definition of success. Here’s what I came up with: It’s more than making money. It’s more than being recognized by your peers in a career. It’s about liking who you are. It’s about being happy. It’s about having loving relationships. As I continued to focus on the inner work, my expanded view of success and what’s possible became integrated into my belief system. I was no longer restrained by my comfort zone. I let go of my resistance and became curious about what was next. It was no longer a question of if, but a question of when. Soon after, I took a leap of faith and made the career change from trial lawyer to life coach.

What helped me in the integration process was that after meditating, I expressed gratitude for the success that was in my life. Focusing on what you are grateful for shifts your focus from what you don’t have or what isn’t working to what you do have and what is working. Eventually I began to think of myself as successful. My success didn’t depend on the circumstances of my life, but was an inherent belief about who I was as a person.

Not only did expressing gratitude help me see myself as successful, it helped me overcome my tendency to worry. I know this tendency places me in good company. When I feel myself worrying excessively there are three questions I ask myself:

• The first is, what is the worst that can happen? Remember
worry is an irrational emotion.

• I then ask myself, “How likely is it that what I’m worrying
about will occur?” This question gets me out of the irrational mode. When you are in the irrational mode you usually imagine the worst-case scenario. This inquiry forces me to detach from what I’m feeling, even if just for a few seconds. Once I’m feeling calmer, I’m ready to explore the likelihood of the particular thing I’m worrying about actually occurring. Usually I come to the conclusion that there is little
likelihood of it happening.

• The next inquiry I have found quite powerful. Ask yourself what the result would be if everything went your way. Very few of us consider this possibility. When you allow yourself to fully explore and imagine the possibilities of everything working out in your favor, with the same intensity of emotion that you have when you worry, before you know it, you’re out of your funk and excited again. More often than not I am pleasantly surprised.

We have no way of knowing what will happen in the future, yet for some reason when we worry we think we do. We don’t like uncertainty. But it’s learning to play the edge of uncertainty that is so liberating. We have a desire to know what the future might bring, yet it’s being curious about where the river is taking us that will give us a feeling of excitement and adventure. This feeling of aliveness is what I call Dancing on the River. The truth is that none of us really know what’s ahead. But when we’re curious life becomes less of a struggle and more of an exciting journey of discovery. We welcome what’s next.

Eventually there is a turning point, when most of our thoughts are on what’s right, rather than on what’s wrong; on possibility rather than limitation. We’ll still have concerns and moments of doubt, but we’ll be excited by what we discover as we continue to explore this great mystery that we call life.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

In a life coaching session this morning, with let’s call him Chuck, we took a look at the common patterns that were running his life.
Let me tell you a little bit about Chuck. He is a lawyer who was involved in litigation. He was feeling victimized by the other lawyer and by the Judge. As he was telling me about what was going on he was obviously stressed. He had difficulty in sleeping. He felt attacked, misunderstood and angry.

Do Chuck’s patterns seem familiar to you? In interactions with other people, how many times do you feel attacked and misunderstood? How many times do you that you have been defensive?

Let’s take a look at how Chuck reacted to see if we would have reacted in the same way. When the other parties to the lawsuit disagreed with Chuck, he took it personally. We all do that. What about you? How many times do you take it personally when someone disagrees with you? Perhaps you don’t feel respected.

Let’s get a little bit deeper into Chuck’s psyche. There is no question that Chuck likes being a lawyer, but the heat of the moment triggered all of the negative voices that were trying to run his life. In fact they were. Chuck started thinking that he wasn’t a good lawyer and that he mishandled the situation. We all tend to go there. We think we’re inadequate. We’re not good enough. That voice in coaching we refer to as our gremlin. That gremlin is the voice of judgment that drives us crazy. You know it well.

I suggested to Chuck that he separate his gremlin from the rest of his life. I suggested that he give that gremlin a name. I call mine Ralph.
Once we see the gremlin just as a voice and not who we are, the power it has over us, dissipates.

Finally I suggested to Chuck that he shift his thinking to look at his work as fun. He likes it and in fact loves it at times. It’s a radical concept and yet so simple. Declare yourself by simply stating that “this is fun. I’m having a good time.” It’s up to each of us. I call this shift in attitude Dancing on the River. Which is a consciousness that is a reflection of a life decision to be happy in the moment that we make over and over again.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

Most of you who read this blog have been on the path of self-discovery for some time. You think about what’s important and meaningful. You’re curious about what the future might hold for you. Perhaps you worry more than you would like.

If we sat down and talked with each other, we would find that our ideas, beliefs and concerns are quite similar. I just returned from Peru and was privileged to experience the sacred Incan city of Machu Picchu and to learn about its civilization. Let me take you back to that first day. As I boarded the train that would take me through the mountains to the town of Aguas Calientes, which lay at the base of the mountain, I was bursting with excitement. As I got off the train and walked through the markets, I glanced up at the magical little town, with the train going through its center that was the gateway to the lost city. The more vigorous folks could hike the 27 mile Inca trail, at an elevation of 10000 feet, that would take them directly to Machu Picchu.

From Aguas Calientes, we took a bus up to the city and saw it for the first time. I was in awe. Words are inadequate to describe how I felt. Mallku, a local shaman and author of Incan Power Places, shared his knowledge and wisdom about the many wonders of the ancient city. I was struck by was how similar his wisdom was to what I believed. I was reminded that there are many paths to the mountaintop. When you get there you experience an ancient peace within your heart. We all have had glimpses of what that is. As I meditated and played my flute in the many power places on the mountain I experienced that ancient peace. When Mallku related some of the concerns of this ancient civilization, I thought about how some of them were so similar to the ones we have today. For example, how do you create a technology that enables you to have sufficient water during the dry season?

On more than a few occasions, I was reminded that the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. Every culture has its own legacy and wisdom that we can learn from. It’s also true that each of us has a history and body of knowledge that we can learn from, which becomes our wisdom. It also can become our legacy if we share it with others.

Our wisdom keeps evolving the more that we allow ourselves to experience life, but it’s not that often that we take the time to sit down and just think about what that is. As you continue reading, I invite you to take a few minutes and explore what that is for you. Perhaps it’s in the form of a message to a loved one. This is what I wrote in Dancing on the River.

“I have frequently thought about what I want my children to know about life. This is my message to them and to you:

Things change. You have to prepare yourself so that you can flow with these changes. The average person today has six or seven careers. The divorce rate is high. Friendships change. You might have a falling out, someone might move away, or pass on. And of course there are health challenges along the way. Let us not forget about the physiological changes that occur during the aging process. The currents of the river are constantly changing; they are affected by many unforeseen forces. You can’t live your life being afraid of these changes, because by avoiding them you are not really living.

What worked at one time in your life might not work at another time. Rather than developing career skills, you need to develop life skills that will enable you to thrive in any situation.

Living a successful and fulfilling life is not an accident. Successful people have goals and dreams. They have faith. They know that at the darkest moment there will be a light that illuminates their path. They know that they are not alone and that there is a power greater than they are. When they live from their center they have access to this power.

Life happens. There are some things we can’t control. The meaning we give to what happens is a choice. Saying yes to life and dancing on the river is also a choice. Enjoy the dance.”

The trip also reminded me of the irony in life. Let me take you back once more to the town of Aguas Calientes. When Annie and I first got there, I noticed that our hotel was near the Urubamba River. Some rooms faced the train tracks, while others overlooked the river. I was hoping for the river. When I saw our room for the first time, which overlooked the river, I was excited. There was a magic that I experienced for a few minutes before departing for the ancient city. When we returned in the evening after a day of climbing, the sound of the river soothed my soul .

I looked forward to waking up early and sitting on the balcony while listening to the sound of the river. I did wake up early but not to the sound of the river. Instead it was the sound of a crane moving rocks. When I looked out at the river I saw the crane and a host of workers. I laughed to myself. An hour later we again took the bus up the mountain. I was again reminded of the perfection in life. Life happens. It has it’s own way. We let go. We all are on this journey together. We sometimes forget to laugh at ourselves.

I am excited to announce a book signing at Book Passages on October 9th for my book, Dancing on the River. In the process of writing I have come to discover what it truly means to be truly dancing on the river of life. It is a consciousness that is a reflection of a life decision that you make over and over again to be happy in the moment.

Journey On

Mark

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.

We live in a relational world. Successful relationships transform our families, schools, institutions, governments and the world we live in. In the process we’re able to experience more
joy and happiness in our lives. Most of us would agree that there is ample opportunity for us to express more love in our lives. But we don’t always do it—perhaps it’s because we don’t know how.

Love has it’s own language. The language of love is the most powerful language on the
planet. When I was single, I used the words I love you sparingly because I didn’t want to mislead my partner into thinking that I felt differently than I did. What I didn’t realize at the time was that those words would always be difficult for me to express. Even when I tell my wife, Annie, that I love her, those words still seem charged, as they do when I say those words to my children.

So what I do, like many of you, is use variations of those words. When signing a letter it is natural for me to sign it with love as opposed to I love you. I’ve noticed that some friends use the phrase love ya, while others, occasionally end the conversation with I love you. When they do, I usually pause and
reply, I love you, too. When referring to a movie or a book, I might say, I loved it.

In the English language, some of our deepest feelings can’t be expressed in words. We can look to the Greeks for wisdom in this regard.
Two friends touch each other’s souls but are not lovers. The Greeks refer to this love between friends as Philos.

The special love that we share for our family is different
than any other love we experience. The Greeks refer to this
love of family as Storge.

Spiritual love, or the love that is God is referred to as Agape.

The physical love, when lovers embrace, is referred to as Eros.

The language of love is an acknowledgment of a person’s essence and their inner beauty. If we are not comfortable with the more accepted language of love, it is important to create our own language; a language that acknowledges others, their greatness, their gifts and their blessings. By becoming more
comfortable with this language, we open the doors to deeper intimacy. Perhaps you have your own language and way of expressing it. Perhaps it’s with your eyes or your smile.

This discussion of love was excerpted from my book Dancing on the River. Take the time to reflect upon the following:

1. To whom and in what ways can you express your love?
2. What has not expressing your love cost you?
3. What would you really like to tell your partner?
4. What can you change in your relationship?
5. Who would you have to become to have a great relationship?
6. How difficult is it for you to say, “I’m sorry”?
7. How can you nurture yourself more? With this one, there is nothing to write. Just look in the mirror,
smile and say, “I love you.”

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, 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 is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.