It wasn’t a good day for my team. Since I’ve been a kid I’ve always had a team to root for. Often the teams were just average and in some years they would achieve excellence. This was one of those years, so I thought.

As it turned out, this weekend made it clear that they are not an elite team. There bubble was burst. Where are they? Are they an average team or perhaps good team? What do they have to play for? It’s for pride and for them to be the best they can be. And it’s for the players and coaches to get better and to be the best they can be.

And that’s the way are lives are. We need to focus on always staying open to learning and growing from each experience. Sometimes that’s all we can do when things don’t work out. We look at what we learned in each experience.

Life is full of disappointment. But what makes the difference between the the successful person and the one who is always unhappy and full of excuses is how they handle adversity and disappointment.

We’ll see how my team bounces back. We’ll see how I handle each disappointment. What helps me in most of these situations is that I realize that tomorrow is a new day. I’m not defined by what happened in the past. I’m looking forward to where I want to go and I can use what happened then to make tomorrow better and you can 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. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way.http://www.inspirepossibility.com.em>

Are you really connecting? Sure you are in agreement, but is there real rapport? Are you sensing what it’s like to be in the other persons shoes. That’s what it takes to make it in this world. It’s about relationship building. It’s about communication.

It’s about being genuinely interested in the other person. Too often we are more into letting the person know how we think and what our opinion is. I have often written about real communication…Relationship building does not replace the need for real communication but it’s very important. Are there some practical practices you can do that can help you in this process? Yes and here are the top 5 that come to me.

1.Keep in mind the needs and desires of the other person.
2.Be an active listener. Not only listen to what the other person is saying but what are the feelings and emotions behind the words.
3. Don’t wait for them to contact you. Be the initiator.
4. Be you…Don’t try to be someone else because you think that is what’s called for.
5. Think of how you can connect them with others who can be a good fit for them.

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 and motivational way.http://www.inspirepossibility.com

I went with my wife Annie to the local coffee shop. I drank some coffee, read the paper and said my helloes. Everyone was in a good mood… thankful that they have the lives that they do. Sure, we would like some things to be different but grateful for the life we do have.

As we left the coffee shop we ran into some friends. Their daughter Hanna took a year off before beginning her college studies and for her it was the right thing. There is virtue in taking time out from your busy life. You get a different perspective and have time to reevaluate what it is you are doing. It’s easier to take the time out when you are younger. To do it when your life is more involved is more challenging but it is what you must do to continue to expand.

Ask yourself what you need a break from? Think of a way in which you can create separation from that activity or person. Then when you reengage you will have a new perspective.

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. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. Contact him for an opportunity to create the life of your dreams. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

It was one of those magical days. I had some free time and drove up to the upper lakes. It was picturesque….the lighting was perfect and there was no one around. I stood there in total solitude…totally still. I was able to just be there until I started thinking. Wouldn’t it be great if I did this regularly…and wouldn’t it be great when the streams started to flow.

And of course I started thinking about the future and what I had to do and getting on with my day. I lost it for that moment. That magical moment was gone but I did have the memory of it and a reminder to do this more often. As I am writing this I sense the tranquility.

The magical spot on the lake was always there receptive to whoever would receive its gifts. All I had to do was to show up and make myself available.

So the question for you is….Are you making yourself available? Are doors opening up for you? Are you walking through them?

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. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. Contact him for an opportunity to create the life of your dreams. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Summer is just about here…officially it’s not for a few more weeks. I’m waiting for the plums to get ripe so I can eat them…some of them are already falling to the ground. I better eat them before the animals get to them. The birds and squirrels have been feeling at home in the trees. I guess it’s time to pack and put away my jackets and heavy sweaters until next fall.

I love the change of seasons….taking out some of my seasonal clothes and putting them away for awhile. Putting on some old friends…Do these clothes still suit me?…Are they still me? What about your thinking. Are there some old limiting beliefs that no longer suit you?

Some of my favorites I keep for ever until they basically have a kazillion holes. I hate to let them go…but I realize I’m stopping the flow….of new textures… concepts to enter my consciousness. Our clothes can be art.. a way of expressing ourselves.

For the next week or so think of what clothes you wear and how they make you feel. See if consciously you can change your mood by changing the clothes you wear.

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. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. Contact him for an opportunity to create the life of your dreams. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Are you selling yourself short? Have you given up on that big dream you once had? Have you talked yourself out of it? Like many others have you rationalized that it just isn’t in the cards…so you move on forgetting what once excited you..what once captured your imagination.

Is it too late? Is it ever too late? I don’t know the answer but I know that it is possible…whether it’s probable is another question. We are not here to predict the future so probablilities are not important. What is important is having a fulfilling life, one full of hope and optimism. Thinking about possibility gives us that enthusiasm…that spark of hope that keeps us going…that puts a smile on our face. What’s possible in your life?

Dare to Dream…Tell a friend what your big dream is! That starts to make it real.

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. He also publishes, Letters on Life, an inspirational ezine. Contact him for an opportunity to create the life of your dreams. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

You meet someone ….you can’t get them out of your mind….you want to be with them… And then sometime later..perhaps a month or 3 months or a year you don’t feel the same way. Was it love or infatuation or something else you might want to call it. Is there a period of time that must go by before you call it love?

There is no doubt it was a real moving experience. Did you tell them you loved them? If so, why, and if not, why not. I’ve often wondered when do you tell someone you love them. What if you are feeling extremely happy and loving and are able to see the light in another human being? Is that love? Do you say I love you?

In yoga when you connect with the deepest part of another being you say “namaste.” I love you is not part of my everyday vocabularly and whenever I say it I almost have to think about saying it… and I have a family… yet I say it. Aren’t the words I love you, magic words…and those magic words can make life more magical. Those words have a power unlike other words in your vocabulary.

I also find that saying I love to be in nature is very natural. It might be that there is a particular hobby you love to do. For the next week or so notice how many times you say or write the word love. Do you sign a letter.. Love… Notice what you’re thinking and feeling when you do say or write 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. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com

Tonight I’m looking forward to the finals of the college basketball tournament although my team, Cal, didn’t even make the tournament. I get so into it when they win and disappointed when they lose. In spite of what is going on in the world and in my life with all my commitments and relationships I take time out by going to an occasional sporting event or watching a game on TV. In some ways it reminds of my youth.

I also love to play sports and love to compete. People have said to me , ” Mark you’re too competetive”. I think about that comment sometimes defensively but have always felt that competition brings out the best in me. It brings me to an edge and new level of consciousness. And then in one of my many readings I came across the origin of the word competition. Its latin form is “compere” which means to seek together…and now I look at competition in this empowering way.

Competition is a way to seek together excellence in our lives and in others. Competition brings you into the moment, into the present and expands your consciousness. The ability to focus is a gift and as we are able to go to deeper levels our experience of everything around us shifts. Starting your day with intention and focus by sitting silently for a while is a step in the right direction. On my website in the Leadership section there are two different articles that you might find useful. Start Your Day on Your Terms is one of them and the other is on Meditation. Give yourself the edge. Take a look at the articles.
Let me know what you think.

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

I am listening to Richie Havens singing his song The Well about a wishing well near the hollow. The well is full of water and when you look into it you see your reflection. The well is your mirror for what you see in your life. If you’re feeling fear the mirror reflects fear and if you feel love that is what the well is going to reflect. Isn’t that the way it is, we see what we project. We see what we believe and want to believe.

The mystics and many of the modern day thinkers espouse we attract what we focus on. I believe it and it has been a practice of mine to focus on what can go right rather than what can go wrong. It’s more fun and the likelihood is that there is a greater chance that it will happen. So that brings me to this time of year. It’s spring…it’s time to plant our seeds for the upcoming year. Metaphorically our seeds are our ideas; our ideas that we want to grow and blossom.

What is it that you want to happen on a personal level, a community level and globally? I think that we would all like to see world peace. Have you seen those bumper stickers that say “Visualize World Peace”. Lets all look into our wishing well and see the world a better place.

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

I’m thinking about passwords today. I have between 10-15 . If I add combinations to locks that I have for bicycles and other things I approach around 20. I don’t want to write them down because then the safety element would be lost. So I memorize them and give myself clues as to the best way to remember them.

And aren’t passwords and combinations replacements for old fashioned keys. They are suppose to be more efficient but instead you have more to keep track of…. what happened to those good ole days when life was less complicated….to those simple days when you didn’t have to hide what’s yours…passwords do let you in and are the key to unlocking secrets .

Wouldn’t it be cool if every one had a password and if we knew what it was that person would instantly be more open, loving and there for us. The ultimate password is the password to the heart. And just like our many other passwords, sometimes we need to look harder to find what it is… But once we find it everything clicks…we’re where we want to be…we’re home.

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