Whether it’s yoga, dance, a sport, a musical instrument, any hobby or vocation, you are not in any position to judge what it’s about until you give it a reasonable chance to succeed.

For example I have been practicing yoga for many years. For quite sometime I went to an early morning yoga class, M,W,F. I was quite pleased with my progress and saw myself improving over time. That’s what kept me at it. It hasn’t always been fun especially when because of a conflict I could only go twice a week. There is no question that I feel better when my practice is regular. But if it’s only once or twice a week, it takes real effort and the progress is slow. In fact there really isn’t any progress because I can’t improve on my practice going at such an irregular pace. i perhaps maintain the status quo and it’s better than not doing it at all. But there’s so much more to experience.

When I go to class just one more time so that I’m going three times per week, I notice the improvement. I can do more things than I could the work before.

Same thing in tennis. If I play once in a while, I have no idea of how good I can be. But if I play 3 times per week then I can get pretty good.

Once you make your activity a regular practice you begin to experience moments in which you know what the particular activity is about and what it is to reach a higher level of proficiency.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Throughout his life, Mark has always made a practice of taking a leap of faith whenever he heard the call for something more. His 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 the fall of 2009. http://.www.inspirepossibility.com

I like to go to the movies. It’s not that often that I get totally involved with the characters. I saw The Great Buck Howard the other night. I gave it a 9. The protagonist, Troy, drops out of law school to work for Buck Howard, a mentalist. When his father finds out that he had dropped out of law school, he tries to convince him to go back. But Troy pursues his his dream and follows his heart to become a writer.

It takes courage to follow your heart. Quite often it’s not the safe thing to do and you experience the ups and downs of trying to make things work financially. But you do have the potential to experience more passion in your life. i left a safe law career to pursue the work that I am doing now. It’s been an exciting adventure and certainly has gotten me out of my comfort zone. Of course I don’t have the external security I once had. But I am on a path that keeps getting more exciting each day.

So it’s a choice that you have to make. Do you want the security of a safe career or the adventure of being a trail blazer. I have tended to be the trail blazer type, but I have also gone about it in a practical way. I like to think of myself as a practical mystic. “Reach for the sky but at the same time be grounded.” When I have the basics covered, I am more willing to step out and go for it.

How do you think about your life? Are you playing it too safe? Or perhaps you are being too foolish at times? And maybe there is a balance.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, Executive and Life Coach, Visionary Speaker and Inspirational Leader, has a unique background. Throughout his life, Mark has always made a practice of taking a leap of faith whenever he heard the call for something more. His 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 the fall of 2009. http://.www.inspirepossibility.com

Life’s seasons are amazing and always full of surprises, some of which you are not prepared for. I always look forward to the winter rains filling up the creeks. There’s nothing more soothing than taking a walk in nature in the midst of rushing water on the way to a cascading waterfall. And yes in our busy lives it’s important to take the time to enjoy these special moments.

This winter has been fairly mild; so mild that there was concern about a possible drought, which is certainly a contrast to a few years ago when we had the many storms and floods. Just about when we had given up hope of any rain, the late storms came and the creeks and reservoirs began filling up. The trails have been glorious.

But then I think back to a few years ago when we were in the middle of a major storm. Like many challenges that we face in our life, you sometimes wonder if it will ever end. You also know that after the storm there is a sense of calmness, clarity and beauty. You feel lighter.

Spring is perhaps my favorite season. As spring approaches I notice the first wild flowers, the blossoms on the fruit trees and the abundance of birds in the trees. In the evening, the sky is clear and I notice the many stars and the brightness of the moon.

Spring is a time of new beginnings as we ready ourselves for the spring ritual with its sense of optimism and hope. As you think about what you want to harvest, you pull out the weeds and prepare the soil for planting. Think of the weeds as the limiting beliefs that clutter your mind, and the seeds that you plant as ideas in the form of possibilities in the garden of your mind.

How you cultivate your garden determines your harvest. Sometimes you’ll pour seeds right from the package onto the soil and at other times you follow a systematic plan of planting every few inches. Some seeds and we don’t know which ones, emerge from the darkness toward the light and become healthy plants that nurture us in many ways. Not only do they provide food for the body, they provide food for the soul. From the darkness there is a miraculous process that gives birth to creation. That’s the way it was for each of us. We emerged from the darkness of the womb to the light of the day.

What we harvest in the future from these seeds becomes our destiny. This spring let us be inspired by the ritual of spring to think bigger–to think about what we can plant that will transcend our normal way of looking at spring. Think of spring as a time of possibility. Be sure to plant some seeds that won’t have to be replanted next year, that will grow and can be harvested and enjoyed by future generations. We are talking about creating a vision. What we stand for now, determines the future for ourselves, the generations to come after us, and the planet earth.

Sometimes an inspiring poem says it all. This poem, written in 500 B.C. by an anonymous Chinese poet, is most poignant. Enjoy the poem.

The Harvest

If you are thinking a year ahead,
sow seed.
If you are thinking ten years ahead,
plant a tree.
If you are thinking one hundred years ahead,
educate the people.
By sowing seed once,
you will harvest once.
By planting a tree,
you will harvest tenfold.
By educating the people,
you will harvest one hundredfold.

We educate with our ideas. We lead with our vision. Imagine there’s a movie screen, the movie screen of your mind that connects with the universal mind of the world. Imagine you have a magic power that can influence the way people think. You can empower the world to think differently. What do you want them to know? What is your hope for yourself, your community and the world?

My hope is that we all will share our vision. When enough of us share the same vision and commit to it we can create an unstoppable force of possibility. We want to experience love and that sense of connection. We long for peace on the planet and want to see an end to world hunger.

When we feel connected to each other, to nature and to this empowering presence, we know we are not alone. From this place of knowing, we know that what is possible in our lives is unlimited. As spring unfolds it is my hope the seeds you plant renew your sense of hope and optimism. May you be inspired by this journey. By “you being you,” you make a difference.

As you Journey On, make your life an exciting journey of discovery.

Mark

Mark Susnow, Executive and Life Coach, Visionary Speaker and Inspirational Leader, has a unique background. Throughout his life, Mark has always made a practice of taking a leap of faith whenever he heard the call for something more. His 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 the fall of 2009. http://.www.inspirepossibility.com

When i talked with our good friend Les who you might feel you know by now, in a life coaching session yesterday, he had a concern. Yes he has been incorporating some of my ideas into his life. But he felt that sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn’t. One of my ideas was for him to meditate.

Les was somewhat sporadic in his approach in that he really didn’t make a commitment to the practice. If he did it one day and he felt good afterwards he did it the next. But if he didn’t feel good the next day, it would be a while before he would meditate again.

I pointed out to Les that he hadn’t really made the commitment which is what you have to do in the beginning, until it becomes part of your life. Then you do it because it’s like mental flossing. You floss because you know that it goods for you. Let’s say with flossing that the dentist tells you still have a problem. What do you do? You find out how you can tweak so it works better. You are committed to the process for your self-care.

Meditation is like that. You might want to reevaluate you practice. Sometimes just a subtle shift in your approach makes the biggest difference. But we can’t be attached to the results like Les was.

Have faith that you are ON THE RIGHT PATH….give it time…smile and laugh a little bit more than yesterday and

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

We all want to find more joy and meaning in the midst of change. We have to learn to let of go of what might have been.There are no delete buttons or replays in life, but you can wonder. You can wonder, “What if? You can wonder what it would be like if you didn’t make the decision that you did?” I can think of numerous decisions that I made that altered the direction of my life.

It might have been saying yes to an invitation or saying no to an offer that looked too good to be true. When I said yes to my friend Kent’s invitation to visit him in Loveland, Colorado, it led to my meeting my wife Annie. Since that moment my life has been remarkably different. I could have easily said no and stayed in California. And then it was saying yes to a career change…from being a trial lawyer to a life coach. I gave the security of a successful career to seek a new path. Yes I miss the great lifestyle it offered me and often think about it. But I’ve become the person I’ve always wanted to be and it keeps getting better everyday.

That’s all anyone can ask for…that it keeps getting better everyday and more fulfilling. Life becomes an exciting journey of discovery. I have often written about how you start your day sets the tone for the day. Asking empowering questions is a big part of that. As I begin my day, I wonder about what the highlight might be.

By asking the question in this way, there will always be a highlight. As I’m writing this entry, I am wondering what the highlight might be during the rest of my day. I know something good will happen. I just have to be open to seeing it when it occurs.

In every minute in everyday we make a choice. Choose happiness.

But in the meantime….smile…and laugh a little bit more than yesterday and

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

When Les came in for a life coaching session yesterday, he was frustrated which surprised me. 2008 was a fairly challenging year for him. Because of the challenges Les reached a new level in his self-confidence. He had a health challenge that he overcame and was swept up in the stresses from the economic turmoil. As the year came to a close, not only had Les recovered from his health challenge, he was prospering in his business.

He was extremely optimistic for 2009. In many ways, Les was experiencing more good than he had experienced before. He was experiencing more financial success than he ever had, was in a better relationship than he had ever been in before, and proved to himself that he was resilient.

But he had a breakdown. The place he was living in had many problems and the landlord was slow in addressing them. I couldn’t believe how frustrated he was. He seemed to have forgotten all that he had accomplished in the year before which were significant.

Why was that? Les was now experiencing the land of abundance and well-being which was new territory for him and frightening. In some ways he was about to sabotage himself. So he had a collision while backing his vehicle into his driveway which contributed to his frustration. It set him back several thousand dollars. He was about to embark on a wrong strategy to make himself miserable.

Les wasn’t used to things going good in his life. He didn’t know how to handle it, so he created new things to get upset about and he was doing a good job at that.

As Les left the session, he had a new perspective and awareness of what he was doing. He realized that what he was getting upset about was small potatoes in the scope of things. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that Les’s VOJ or gremlin was rearing its head.

I’m sure you can relate to some of Les’s challenges. To a certain degree we all can.

There’s no better time than now to choose happiness. Allow yourself to experience the good in your life. Smile and laugh a little bit more than yesterday and 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

I have been noticing that in our coaching sessions this week, whether they are pertaining to life coaching or business coaching, the focus is the same.

Most people that I work with seem to have increasing challenges as they are affected by the national mood. While they remain optimistic, it still effects them on some level.

And some also have personal challenges dealing with other stressors. It could be a difficult relationship or a significant illness of a loved one.

Some not only have the responsibilities of a wage earner and business owner, but also the responsibilities of a care giver.

They are stretched in many directions.

In our calls, I always ask them about their self-care. It’s so easy to get lost in all of the responsibilities that you have, that you forget about yourself. You forget to take time for what nurtures you.

In normal times you should have a proactive self-care program. When you have more challenges than usual then you should increase the amount of time that you take for yourself. You are always going to have challenges. You can’t get away from it. Perhaps what bothers you now won’t bother you in a few months, but there will always be something else that comes up that concerns you. So life won’t stop. But you can develop a plan that will help you find more joy and meaning in your life.

Perhaps you think that you’re too busy…that you don’t have time. What you’ll find is that when you take just 10-15 minutes in the morning before rushing out of the house, your day will go smoother. When you take time for a meal, you’ll experience a deep sense of relaxation the rest of the day. If you take the time to read an inspirational magazine or book before falling asleep you’ll sleep better. It’s taking the time for yourself. It not only becomes a habit, it becomes a way of life. You couldn’t imagine your life any other way. It’s a choice. Choose happiness.

Smile…laugh a little bit more than yesterday and 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

It’s been an interesting winter. For most of it, we have been concerned that there will be water rationing as it’s the third straight year with less than normal rainfall. And in the last few days, we’ve had a major storm. Now the focus has shifted from drought to possible floods. A few years ago we had major floods when the town was four feet under water. We’re always wondering about the tides. When it’s a low tide the water backs up and overflows the banks of the creek.

So isn’t that the way our lives are quite often. We worry needlessly rather than flow with what is. We can’t control the weather patterns or the tides. It’s our work to enjoy what is. I know that the creeks will be flowing today. And there are a few waterfalls that will be raging. It’s quite exciting. And that is the way it is. If you like the rustic quality of living on a creek there is always the danger that it will overflow. If that concerns you then you choose a different place to live. But what attracts me is the charm that makes me feel whole and the mountain that is lush with picturesque beauty and wildlife.

It’s our choice. Each moment we have the choice to choose happiness. Smile and laugh a little bit more than yesterday.

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. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Have you ever said, “I’m wasting my time?” Maybe at least once? What does that really mean? And can we really waste time? Don’t we really learn from everything?

Perhaps when comparing the past to what we know now, we might think that we could have avoided some of the steps we took and some of the wrong turns. It might have been a bad relationship or a mistake in trusting a friend. It might have been selecting the “wrong” major in college or a dead-end job.

There have been times in my life when I was very productive and other times when nothing seemed to get done. Both were necessary for my growth and evolution.

I don’t think we can waste time. To think that assumes that we know are ultimate destiny. Just about everything that I have done or experienced when looking back at it, comes together like an invisible web. But it’s only looking back with hindsight that the web begins to become visible.

Trust that it’s all unfolding as it should. Everyone you meet and every experience that you have is all grist for the mill. You learn from it and it contributes to who you are today–even the so-called negative things.

We keep repeating the lessons of the past until we learn them and then we are ready to move on. It took many relationships to become clear as to what I wanted in a soul-mate. With each one, I learned more about myself. That’s the purpose of our life’s experiences. With each one we learn more about ourselves and what is important to us.

It’s a lifelong journey of discovery. Enjoy the journey. Happiness is a choice that you make each moment. And remember to 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 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. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

What about you? Do you have to get in the last word? Perhaps that’s not a challenge for you. But perhaps the need to be right is. The need to be right is what gets in the way of our connecting with others. No matter how much work we have done on ourselves it’s always a challenge.

Perhaps it’s even more challenging when we have done the work because that need or pattern is so well disguised that we don’t even recognize it in ourselves.

We might be an expert or someone with a title that we assume gives us license to have the most dominant or respected voice.

Don’t worry about it because we are all guilty of it in some form or the other. For some people that needs show up in wanting to be the “coolest one” in the group. Just recognize it. Be aware of how it affects your ability to connect with the other person.

I recognize that there might be situations where the need to be right is appropriate. Even so it’s important to respect the other person’s perspective.

Sometimes I have learned to find humor in that need to be right. My wife, Annie and I, make a joke about it when we recognize that tendency in each other. She might tease me by saying, “Yes you’re right. You are better than me.” Do you think that’s the real underlying reason we have the need to be right? It’s our need to prove that we are ok. It’s our need to prove our worthiness….something to think about.

Smile…laugh a little a bit more than yesterday and 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. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com