When I talked with Sally in our life coaching session this morning we continued to focus on personal and professional development. Sally took over a professional practice over three years ago. She had concerns whether she could pay all of her bills and expenses. She has done more than that. She now has a successful practice and continues to get new clients.

Yet she doesn’t think of herself as a successful professional because she still has doubts and insecurities. I let Sally know that I have coached some professionals who were at the top of their game and they also had doubts and insecurities.

In a metaphorical sense, Sally graduated. With any profession, there are increased duties and responsibilities. With that comes rights and priviliges. I suggested to Sally that it was her time to accept the new found abundance in her life and to be grateful for her success.

As a spiritual practice and discipline I suggested that she express gratitude for the success in her life. I am encouraged by her willingness to take this on. I know that will give her a new sense of grace and dignity. It will also give her a confidence that whatever comes up she will be able to navigate life’s changes.

Like many of us, Sally is the first to criticize herself. We wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. We’re so hard on ourselves. I encouraged her to talk to herself in a more positive way. She asked me, “Do you mean a mental HIGH-5? I said exactly. So give yourself a mental high-5. Tell yourself how proud you are of what you are doing in your life and how you are handling things.

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Navigating Life’s Changes will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

in a life coaching session yesterday, i discussed with let’s call him Carl, the importance of having a dream that is independent from what you do in the world. For Carl and many others, the stress and demands from meeting our financial and personal obligations takes most of our energy. We don’t have much left over.

To have a dream that demands more of us and doesn’t help us meet our bottom line, at times seems unrealistic. But that’s exactly what we need to do. Otherwise we are subject to the ups and downs of the external world; our relationships, health, and finances. Carl and many others that I work with as their life coach would like to see peace in the world. Carl is in the process of starting a community of people who focus on inner peace in themselves and in the world.

But he has found much resistance in trying to bring people together. I remember at one time in my life I was faced with the same dilemma. I wrote back then, “Should the visionairies of peace stop loving, then the prophets of doom, will have their day of gloom.” Whatever our dream, we need to keep it alive. Noone else will do it for us. Sometimes just having the dream is enough. As Martin Luther King said, “I might not get to the mountaintop with you,” but he had the dream for others to believe in. Keep the dream alive. There might not be much agreement, right now.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Navigating Life’s Changes will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a time to come together, to reach out and to be with others. It’s a time to think about what we’re grateful for. And when we do, we experience the present moment. Think about what we had to do to get here. Some of us traveled many miles and toiled many hours preparing food. Others warmed our houses and created an inviting space for others to come together.

So when we give thanks for our life we no longer think about the future-or have regrets about the past. It’s a day when we live in the present-with its perfection. Giving thanks really is an acknowledgement of the present moment.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Navigating Life’s Changes will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

Last year I made a point to reach out and contact friends that I hadn’t been in contact with for quite some time. It was a very rewarding experience…so I have been suggesting this to my coaching clients.

In the first feedback that I received, two calls were made and messages left on voice mail…within a few hours the calls were enthusiastically returned. And that was similar to my own experience….And then I received more feedback…just as in the first experience, these calls were also enthusiastically returned.

Believe it or not the holidays are coming up in three weeks. Sometimes during the holidays we wonder what to give another. Some of us struggle with this. Giving of ourselves is the greatest gift we can make. Most people are craving connection, but are so wound up in their life that they won’t make time for it unless they are hit over the head. Others are too shy to reach out and make the connection. They are waiting for your call.

To create more connection in your life, don’t wait for someone else to take the first step. It starts with you. Reach out and contact at least two people whom you haven’t been in touch with for at least the last few years. I know you will be pleasantly surprised and just might want to make this a regular ritual.

JOURNEY ON

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Navigating Life’s Changes will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

We all get caught up in our day to day lives….our business, family and relationships and other activities. Trying to get away seems almost impossible although we would like to do it. Our thinking becomes predictable and our options limited.

That’s the way it was for me most of this year. Usually our family would spend the summers on Kauai, but with our kids leaving the nest and going back and forth to college we weren’t sure what we wanted to do, so we stayed home this summer. Once they left we wanted to get away but couldn’t figure out when. There didn’t seem like an ideal window of time. In the past I would plan months ahead and work around my vacation.

Finally I made the decision to go although for a shorter period of time. Almost upon landing on the island I felt different. And then when I took a swim in Hanalei Bay I was transported to a different world.

And to think I almost didn’t go this year. Change your perspective by changing your scenery. But unless you make it part of your life, it’s too easy to let it go by. Be bold. In the next few days, schedule your next trip.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

In a life coaching session with let’s call her Sally, we discussed the way that she perceived herself. When I first began working with her, she was in the process of buying a professional practice. Sally did not think of herself as a confident person. Each day was an emotional struggle for her.

As we continued our work together, Sally became more comfortable with her new practice and the uncertainty that surrounded it.

It’s a fact of life that there will always be uncertainty to some extent. We’re human and have insecurities that have been with us most of our lives.

In the process of self discovery these tendencies diminish.

In our work together, there was a turning point for Sally. We talked about the courage that it took for a 50 year old woman to buy a professional practice. it took a leap of faith by someone who was willing to go for it and had a strong belief in themselves, even with the insecurities.

I asked Sally to start thinking about herself as the type of person who is willing to go for it. As she began to focus on the inner qualities that are necessary to go for it, she began to see herself as a self-confident person and became more comfortable with the uncertainty that the future might hold.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

It works. It’s easy to find an hour to do anything. What this means is that you can complete major projects without altering your schedule. Just knowing this gets rid of a lot of stress. First estimate how long you think the particular project will take. Let’s say five hours. Then schedule it into your appointment book. Then it’s a matter of honoring what’s in your appointment book. It seems that when we write something down it has more significance…It makes it more real.

Here’s another way to look at it. Think about all the things you are “good at” or perhaps were “good at”. All of them required practice and commitment. Big projects are nothing more than a bunch of little ones. A movie is really hundreds of stills moving at an accelerated pace.

Part of living in this day and age is to slow down the pace. So the movie of your life is nothing more than just a series of moments. And as you become more focused on these moments rather than the future you’ll be less stressed out. You’ll enjoy what you’re doing more and less concerned what will happen down the road.

So slow it down and enjoy the moment. The one hour formula is a good start. As you are consistent with this practice your life will be dramatically different.
JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

It has become increasingly clear to me that the way to transform your mundane everyday life into a playground of fun and opportunity is to change the way you are throughout the day. The fact that I am and thousands of others are blogging and thousands are reading our blogs speaks to the fact that just about everyone is tied to their computer speaks for itself. How many times a day do you check your email? I notice with my business that people contact me via email rather than using the phone. I find myself doing this also.

What happened to the old fashioned way of greeting each other when we smiled and asked each other how we were? It is true that often this was also mechanical but it’s time to reverse the trend and take time again for each other. Too many of us have lost the ability to engage in a warm conversation. Too many of us couldn’t connect with others even if our lives depended on it. We don’t make the effort. Real communication is an art and process.

Let’s make a start. I have an idea and a challenge. For the next week your job is to get one person a day to smile. If that is too easy then step it up to two and then perhaps three. Let me know how you do. Also 25 smiles per day on your part goes a long way. Think of all the facial muscles you’ll activate. And the neurons connecting the muscles to the brain release those good endorphins.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

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. Whether coaching one-on-one, speaking to groups, or leading a retreat, he shares his message that regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

I’m excited. Lance Armstrong, a hero of mine, is again competing in the Tour de France. His book, It’s not about the Bike. is one of the most inspirational books I’ve ever read.

Throughout the years, I’ve been an avid mountain bike enthusiast. When I’m on the trails, I’m reminded of the freedom that I often experienced in my youth. When I saw my young friend Bobby, )I’m like a big brother to him) at the health food store we talked about going on a mountain bike ride. I used to ride on the mountain quite regularly…Lately I haven’t been as consistent, so I had some reservation about going on this ride. We did go a few days later. The few days prior to the ride I thought about which trail to take and the difficulty of each one.

I knew that no matter what trail we took I would be out of my comfort zone. Here we were and I looked at the top of the trail and wondered if this was too difficult for me. I glanced at the steepness of the incline somewhere in the 25-30 degree range.

In the past when trying to climb these more difficult trails I felt tired before I even began. Off we went. I was determined to make this day different. I had been experimenting with a new approach.

Once I looked at where I was headed my focus was on what was immediately in front of me. When I just looked at the one or two yards ahead I didn’t think about the steepness. So that’s what I did. One step at a time. Gradually we approached the top. I wasn’t tired and felt excited about what my next challenge was going to be.

And that’s the way it is with our lives. When we have a project that needs to be done we think about it in its entirety. We think about the difficulty and sometimes the task seems daunting. When we change the inquiry from “can I do it” to “what’s the next step” our life becomes not only manageable but easy and fun. So I ask you….What’s your next step?

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow’s life has been an unfolding journey of discovery. 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 regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016

Right now I am thinking of all that I have to do. Sometimes the thinking about it prevents me from actually doing it. Sound familiar? For example until I sat down and started writing this blog I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. I wasn’t sure where I was going. Now that I am actually doing it I see a direction. I have been doing this for a while, so I have learned to trust the process.

And that’s the way with many things in life. Until you actually begin the journey you won’t know where the path that leads you to the magic garden will be. Don’t wait for the whole path to be revealed to you, it never is. As you become more present to what’s in front of you and all around you, you will be better able to recognize the opportunities that are presented to you.

Sometimes it’s a matter of creating your own path. Be the innovator and be willing to think out of the box. Being a master thinker and creator is a great asset. But you also have to take action. So here’s your part.

Perhaps there’s something you really want to happen in your life, a life dream, and you are not sure how to make it happen. After you have identified what that is, what are three things you can take to help you realize your dream?

When will you take them? Who is going to hold you accountable for going forward?

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow’s life has been an unfolding journey of discovery. 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 regardless of our life’s circumstances, we can find more joy and meaning in our life. He is a sought after speaker and coauthor along with Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy and other experts in the book 101 Great Ways to Improve your Life. Mark’s new book, Dancing on the River…Finding Joy and Meaning in the Midst of Change will be released in early 2010. mark@inspirepossibility.com 415.453.5016