What if you paused for a second and assessed where you are at in your life, at this moment in time. But let’s make this assessment, using different guidelines, which will give your life a perspective that acknowledges your greatness and your resourcefulness.

What I would like you to do is to reflect upon the last five years, and for each year, think about what accomplishments, insights, change in attitude you are most proud of. This change in perspective is powerful. To make it even more powerful, you might want to consider taking time to journal what you come up with.

Focusing on what you are most proud of, will definitely raise your level of self worth and esteem. It also will put a smile on your face. I even have one now as I am writing this. You discover your uniqueness and the gifts you bring to the world. From this perspective you are more likely to share yourself with others.

As we share ourselves with others, there is a greater likelihood that we will connect with other kindred souls who are on the same journey. Doesn’t it feel great when we connect with those people who get who we are? When this occurs, we feel empowered to keep reaching out and exploring possibilities that we never considered before. In the process we connect with deeper levels of joy and fulfillment.

The world is waiting. Be the best you, you can be.

Happiness and joy and fulfillment are now yours. Live them
today in your own special way.

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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 and Discover the Leader Within.

When I was an attorney, quite often I would have an internal debate as to whether I was successful. I would think of other attorneys who I knew and compared myself to them. Of course how well I knew them was a different thing. Some seemed to have the nice office, the nice car and talked the big game. But the rest of their life.

And then I was involved in a major case that was quite publicized. Now I was successful I thought to myself. Still there were the “but’s;” I don’t make as much money as they do.

And so it went until finally I started making more money. Even then I didn’t feel successful because the other attorney’s cases seemed bigger and more difficult. EVen though other attorneys thought of me as successful, I still had my doubts. There was always an excuse or reason why I didn’t consider myself successful until one day I made a decision.

It was trying on a new set of clothes. You’re not sure how you about them until you get that first compliment. My self image was changing. I began to consider all of the facets of my life. I was happily married and enjoyed family life. I was a musician and performed occasionally. I had a good life and yet…..and then I stopped resisting.

From that point on, I considered myself successful. I expanded my definition of success to include much more than my career and what I did. And the truth was I felt happy most of the time. With this new self image I also began to think of my law practice differently. I was a successful attorney.

And then when I made the career change. I took the new self image with me. I had a good life.
I’ve been on this path for the last 12 years. Always more challenges and more opportunities.

JOURNEY ON

MARK
Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

There is always that balance between learning something new and enjoying the process of learning. It takes, effort, focus and commitment. Sometimes we feel energized while at others we feel drained.

In the initial phases of the learning process, we might be excited; “I’m going to get into dancing,” we think to ourselves. So we start going to classes and it’s harder than we thought. We do make some progress, but when we look around the room we don’t feel very graceful. We seem to never get “there” and then one day we stop. At some point the process repeats itself with something different. We never quite get to the elusive “there.”

In the initial phase of whatever you were learning, you would have been happy to get to the place where you were before you stopped. Rather than focusing on how difficult it’s been and how difficult progress will be in the future, rejoice in what you have accomplished. Cherish the moment. Be mindful of it.

The momentum to move forward comes from recognizing how much you achieved up to now. Let’s say you’ve been at it for six months. Think about where you were in the beginning. Imagine where you will be six months from now and what you will have to do to get there. If you keep at it, most likely you’ll surpass your expectations.

To move forward, it is essential to enjoy where you are now. Enjoy that place, enjoy that moment and enjoy the journey.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

Are you just putting in time or are you trying to go beyond? In a day, there are many mundane tasks that are required, such as putting gas in our car, going to the grocery store, or having that cup of coffee. Do we just show up, do what we have to do, and move on. Do we smile at the person in the gas station or in the coffee shop. Do we really look at them? We’re there but how present are we.

Even with the most mundane tasks, we can find satisfaction by putting in a little more effort, not necessarily by doing more work, but by getting into it and making it a meditation or an experience.

I know I’m weak in the kitchen, but I have found that when I turn on some music I get into it more. At the gas station, I smile at the person I give the money to. Yes we have responsibilities and obligations that are part of everyday living. We have to do them. Rather than agonizing over them, get into them and transform them in rewarding experiences. By putting in a little more effort, you can make a big difference in your everyday life.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

I am amazed at the number of times that I have met someone who knew me at a different time in my life. Sometimes I don’t even remember who they are or how I met them until they tell me the story. I “Take Time” to listen, to smile and to say, “Thank-you.”

We always seem to remember the story. That’s what connects us. When you’ve lived for a while those meetings, which remind you of the story, seem to occur more frequently. The synchronicity of these meaningful coincidences becomes the norm rather than the infrequent occurrence.
You begin to expect them. They add a richness to your life that contributes to your sense of fulfillment.

By the time you’ve reached the wisdom years you’ve gained perspective and more stories. You’ve seen the changes and lived through them. You know that it’s never as bad as it seems, and if something is too good to be true, it usually is, but not always.

My journey so far in this new millennium has been full of changes, more than I anticipated. Even though there’s part of me that accepts that life is a great mystery I haven’t stopped trying to make sense of it all; trying to make everything fit into a nice package which it never does.

Each time that I experience one of those chance encounters that provides a missing piece to the puzzle, there is a thought that deeply resonates within me. It makes greater sense to me now than it ever did. We are in the process of gathering our tribes!

What we do and say attracts our tribe. Unless we speak from our heart and share what has meaning, it will be difficult for our tribe to find us, or for us to find them.

What also gets in the way, is that we seem to find ways to occupy every minute of our day. We’re always busy “doing.” Rather than taking time and just being present, we think about the next item on our “to do” list. If we don’t “Take Time” to really know ourselves how can we get to know others. WE ARE MISSING A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. Recently, at a gathering, a friend read a poem that is a great reminder.

TAKE TIME

Take time to Think
It is the source of all power.

Take time to play
It is the source of perpetual youth.

Take time to Read
It is the fountain of wisdom

Take time to Pray
It is the greatest power on earth.

That time to love and be loved
It is a God given gift.

Take time to be Friendly
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to Laugh
It is the music of the soul.

Take time to Give
It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to Work
It is the price of success.

Take time to Receive
It is the key to giving.

Anonymous

Sometimes a story is the best way to give us perspective. “Take Time,” to be in this story with me.

“You’re on the way to the airport. You get on the plane with a book that you’ve been planning to read for quite some time. As you open your book, you notice that the person sitting next to you is trying to catch your eye so that they can start a conversation. A few minutes later you are asked a question and you reluctantly answer. You lower your book a bit to be polite and after a few minutes you find yourself putting your book down and engaging in a brief conversation, although with a lack of enthusiasm. A few minutes later, the process is repeated, until the person next to you, let’s call him John, makes an observation about you that’s quite perceptive and sensitive. You start to become curious about who John is and in the course of the conversation, he tells you of an experience he has only shared with a few people. You let John know that you have had a similar experience. By now you’re totally engaged and listening to every word he says. You notice every nuance in the inflection of his voice and the way he is animated. Time seems to stand still and the next thing you know the plane lands. You say goodbye to the kindred soul you have just met.”

We all would love to experience these moments more often. We crave deeper connection in our lives, but our ability to connect is a lost art. Until we take time to really listen and to be fully present, we won’t be able to develop the art of connecting with another.

Connection transcends titles, race, gender, age and anything we can think of. From this bond of connection anything is possible, but we have to be in a receptive place; a place in which we take the time to be present. As with most things in life, the journey is a process that starts with the intention to experience more connection in our busy lives.

As your commitment deepens, you’ll notice that those magical moments, when you experience true connection, seem to occur more often.

This new found magic then becomes the gateway to a more fulfilling life.
 When you think about it, it’s the way it should be. In the bigger picture, we are part of one human family. At our core we have the same human needs and desires. We have the need to love and be loved. We want to know that our life has meaning. When we connect with a kindred soul we are reminded that we are not alone and that we are connected to something much greater than ourselves.

Take time to share this blog with those in your circle.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

There are so many labels that define us and how we think. It’s difficult to get beyond those labels. When I was a trial attorney, at times that was all people wanted to hear. They didn’t want to hear that I was also a musician, that I was into meditation and yoga and all of the other things that were important to me.

If we let those external labels and opinions define us, then we limit what is possible in our lives. What we think we are capable of changes from time to time. We build on little successes. Over time we experience a different realm, one in which we didn’t know was possible.

We learn to trust our internal guide that lets us know that we are going in the right direction. But when we listen to other people, rather than paying attention to our internal guidance, we limit what is possible in our lives. We stop. We don’t follow through.

Once we let the external labels of limitation define us, which are usually determined by a set of guidelines that pertain to the average person, we get shoved into a box that is difficult to break out of.

As we navigate our life’s journey, we progress into a world in which what we’re capable of is totally different that what we thought at one time in our lives. It’s exciting.

I’ve been referred to as a dreamer by some and a visionary by others. You are not defined by your past. Today is the first day of your life. Decide where you want to go. Decide who you want to be and be that person.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

Perhaps you are a procrastinator. You wait and you wait and finally get to it when you’ve run out of excuses. We’ve all had this tendency at times. Even when you get to it, you resist letting it go thinking that there is always something else you can do.

When we’re finally done we realize that we spent more time thinking about completing the project than it actually took to do it. What were we avoiding? Was it the fear of failure or were we just a little bit lazy. Maybe a little of both. Usually once we sit down and begin the project it goes quicker than we thought. But it’s just getting started where the resistance is.

Every month I write a monthly ezine. I have many excuses why I keep putting it off——the most common is, “What am I going to say?” Eventually I get to it. I start with an idea and once I sit down and begin the process, although challenging, I enjoy the process. That’s the way it is almost every time.

Doing taxes is another example of putting things off. I spend more time thinking about doing them than it actually takes to do them. Once I begin I get it done in less time than I anticipated.

What I’ve learned to do is to break down whatever project I’ve been working on into segments. Today I’ll get this segment done. And then tomorrow I’ll do the next segment. When I was a trial lawyer I also prepared in that way. I broke it down. On this day I’ll get this done and then the next day, I’ll go on to the next segment.

Once you get going, there is a sense of accomplishment afterwards. But it’s a process. Learn to love it because tomorrow there will be something else that needs to get done.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

To varying degrees, most of us think about what tomorrow might bring. We wonder whether we’ll have enough to get by, if we’ll have good health and there are a myriad of other things that we concern ourselves with. We think about what type of world the younger generation will inherit. These are all legitimate concerns.

It’s when we become obsessed with tomorrow that we lose focus as to what’s in front of us right now. We get distracted from recognizing the opportunities that are presented to us today. Not only do we worry unnecessarily, we lose our effectiveness.

The best oportunity that we have is to enjoy every moment just the way it is now, not wishing that it was different. It is from this place that we begin to build the future.

“The future is not some place that we are going, but one that we are creating together, which changes both the maker and the destination.” John Schaar

Creating this future involves our being the best we can be; more present, more giving, more supportive and more optimistic.

Know that like many things, becoming more present, is a lifelong journey. It’s a skill set that can be developed over time.

Now is the time. Worrying about the future doesn’t make anything better; it just leads to ineffectiveness.

Most of us think security comes with certainty. The only problem with that thinking is that life is constantly changing and we have to learn to find joy and peace in the midst of this uncertainty. Then we will be secure in ourself and with whatever happens.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

In a life coaching session yesterday with our good friend Carl, we discussed Carl’s taking the next step in a book project that he has wanted to complete for the last two years. There is no question in my mind and in his that he can do it but he hasn’t committed. After much give and take, I got Carl to commit to writing an hour a day. And then Carl backed off from the commitment and said that he would try and that he would give it his best shot.

Carl was already creating an excuse not to complete the project. I once read that trying is failing with honor.

When you say you will try, you carry around with you a twenty pound weight which makes life more complicated. It’s an extra burden and loose end that doesn’t have to have uncertainty tied to it.

Instead imagine completing the project. Instead of saying you will try, say you will do it. Just for a second stop reading and say out loud, “I will do it.” That’s it. How did that feel? Once you make that declaration you know that it will be done. That declaration has enormous power behind it.

Not only will you complete the project, you will do it with integrity. Not only will you feel better because the project is completed, you will feel better about yourself.

JOURNEY ON

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and thought leader who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.

You are faced with a problem and you’re not sure what to do. At first it seems like you only have two choices, neither of which is satisfactory, so you do nothing. You let it sit for a while hoping that the problem will go away. It does for a period of time, only to come back begging for a solution. Still all you see are the same two possibilities.

Something has to give. The way you have been approaching the problem hasn’t been working. This is your chance to think outside the box and to be creative.

Begin to focus on the desired outcome you would like to see. Of course you might say to yourself, “Don’t be ridiculous that’s out of the question.” Don’t let those thoughts stop you. They have been running your life. Keep focusing on the result you want to achieve——see it, feel it.

Then ask yourself, “For that result to occur, what has to happen.” And then ask, “To make that happen what has to shift and what has to be done differently.”

Whatever you do, don’t keep rehashing what you know won’t work. And stop thinking of all of the reasons you think it can’t be done. Instead think of this challenge as an opportunity for you think in a new way.

JOURNEY ON

MARK
Mark Susnow, is an executive & life coach and speaker who inspires others to believe in themselves. He is passionate about life being an exciting journey of discovery. His enthusiastic and inspiring keynotes on change, leadership and connection thoroughly convey this message to his audiences. 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. Give yourself the gift of coaching and make an investment in your future.