Many coaching clients, with whom I work today in my life coaching practice look for the perfect time to begin something new, including the coaching relationship. They think that something will change to get them  ready, but it doesn’t work that way. There’s always going to be a reason to stay in our comfort zones and to remain on the sidelines.  It might be a new job, a new relationship or a new activity. We are never going to totally figure out what might happen in the future, let alone tomorrow.  We are never going to fully realize what’s possible until we begin. For some of us, the results could easily exceed our expectations. Imagine what it would be like if your life consistently exceeded your expectations.

There are no guarantees in life. No matter what we do, there is an element of risk. While we are living, life happens. Yes, we might be disappointed and discouraged at times (who isn’t) but if we don’t life life fully we’ll miss out on what makes our life worth living.

Living life fully involves embracing uncertainty and transforming our relationship to it. I have learned to accept the unknown as my friend, rather than a dark place to avoid. I don’t know what will happen further downstream, but I’m curious to find out. Sure you might have anxiety before beginning something new, but you’ll get over it quickly.

On many levels, the benefits from breaking your routines and patterns by taking on something new keep unfolding, even many years later. You’ll see life from a different perspective. Every new endeavor changes your perspective and how you see the world. For example learning to dance will give you an ability to see subtleties in the way someone moves that most of us wouldn’t notice.  You see and hear rhythms. By taking a cooking class you begin to notice what ingredients go into the food you eat. And by exercising you notice people who seem fit. You begin to notice how good it feels when you are fit. Whatever you are thinking about beginning, begin it now.

ENJOY THE JOURNEY

MARK

Mark Susnow, is an executive-life coach and recognized 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.

I got the invitation. It was an invitation to one of those birthday celebrations that signify that you are embarking upon a new era. This symbol is easily recognized by the zero after the first digit. I remember when 21 was the big one to celebrate. It meant that you were legal which gave you new found freedom. Then it was changed so that 18 was legal and you could experience the new found freedom that you didn’t know that you had. Sometimes we wait too long.

Then I hit 30. From that point on the birthdays with the zero as the second digit became more significant. They became a time for reflection. Where am I in my life? What have I accomplished? What am I most proud of? In what areas of my life am I disappointed or struggling.

No matter what we are doing or what phase we are currently experiencing in our life’s journey, our challenge is to get on the positive side of change. With that in mind, what changes do we need to make, if we want to experience our life as an exciting journey of discovery? How can we make our life more of a celebration? What can we do to let more joy in?

This has led me to celebrating with friends each new birthday, especially the ones with the zeroes as the second digit. A few years ago I got a great card for one of my birthdays. It was the perfect card for where I was at that time in my life. It was what I needed to be reminded of at that moment.

From that moment on, I was inspired to look for the perfect card for each person with whom I was invited to celebrate. This practice has become a ritual that I look forward to. There is a magic in this process. It puts my attention on the greatness that I see in the other person. It also gets me in touch with the greatness that I see in myself.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re wondering what card I chose….here it is..

“I would rather have a mind opened by Wonder than one closed by Belief.”

STAY CURIOUS AND ENJOY THE JOURNEY

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 and Discover the Leader Within.

In a life coaching yesterday, Carl, like many others, complained about not having enough time. He acted as if it was a rare commodity. He complained about his commute, the different responsibilities that he had and how his life was slipping away. Carl was hoping that someday he could do what he wanted. He longed for the day when he could be peaceful, happy and loving. Of course that day was sometime in the future when he would be retired which might be ten years from now.

I explained to Carl if what he valued and wanted was peace, love and happiness that he didn’t have to wait. As I’ve written before on numerous occasions, the only perfect time is now. Now is the time to be the person you want to be. Yes I mean right now. I know that you have a few loose ends…maybe more than a few…I have them too.

Learn to love those loose ends——they help you grow. Aren’t loose ends really that edge between where you are now and where you want to be. Right now I’m studying the piano. There is always something new to learn. No matter how accomplished I become, there will always be something new to learn. Yes at times it seems frustrating and overwhelming, but I break it down knowing that by working on it today I’ll be better than I was yesterday. In the process it helps me get on the positive side of change.

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 and Discover the Leader Within.

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been disappointed at times. That’s part of life’s journey. In the scope of things some disappointments seem more significant than others. Unless we learn to deal with disappointment, we’ll even obsess over little things. And when we do that, in the big picture, even little things become major obstacles.

Each of us has a strategy that we use to handle these moments. Quite often when we’re disappointed we’ll blame a person, a particular situation or life in general. We become angry or resentful. We might even tend to withdraw from participating in life.

We act as if we are a victim of life and feel sorry for ourselves. Having a “pity party” won’t accomplish anything except keep us stuck.

The next time you feel disappointed, ask yourself what you’ve learned from the situation. Ask yourself, how has what occurred made me a stronger and wiser person.

When you step back and reflect upon what has happened, you realize you have a choice. You can focus on the positive possibilities in the present or the shortcomings of the past.

Choose to renew your commitment to continue on the journey. Deepen your focus. Focus on where you want to go and why you want to go there. Take a positive step in that direction with a renewed sense of purpose.

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 and Discover the Leader Within.

Perhaps you have a vision of the life you want to live. You’re not quite there yet. In fact, in your mind it doesn’t seem possible, so you go on with your life learning to be comfortable with what is. In one sense, it’s not a bad strategy—you’re not disappointed or too discouraged, but what is missing is the passion and zest for living.

You don’t want to go on that way any longer. So you decide to do something about it; perhaps as in my situation, you make a career change.

You’re out of your comfort zone exploring new territory——new rules, new people and new information that you’re not sure about. Perhaps you question your decision, maybe more than just a few times.

But for the first time in a while you’re excited You extend yourself and try new things and some work. Some don’t. Even so in every step you’re closer to defining what it is you’re trying to accomplish. You feel engaged, although your progress seems slower than you would like.
You’re exploring that edge. It keeps expanding.

You’re able to see the big picture. You have to start somewhere. A year goes by and you look back. You’ve made progress. You’ve actually accomplished more than you realized.

Yet you still feel discouraged at times. But then you remind yourself why you began this journey. You realize that you are actually living that life, perhaps not on the level you would like it to be.

Another year goes by. You realize that you’re doing it. What was once a dream is now your reality. You’re a player in the new arena.
You have reinvented yourself. The ‘new’ you is alive and well.

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 and Discover the Leader Within.

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.

You think you know what you want to do. But there always seems to be a reason that you don’t begin. Don’t let the perceived obstacles and difficulties stop you. To get yourself successfully through them, make sure you have a strong compelling reason for choosing that path.

When your purpose truly resonates with you, you will find a way to get there. Use your imagination to help you develop a clear mental picture of what it would be like to live that reality.

I’ve been called a dreamer before. I have an active imagination. On more than a few occasions, I’ve visualized what it would be like to live in a certain way. Of course being a trial lawyer was one of those scenarios that I only imagined when I was much younger. There were many others, some of which became my reality. I imagined what it would like to live the life of a rock star. I thought about what it would be like to be a successful seminar leader. And at some point being a successful author entered the equation. The image in my mind always preceded the journey.

Regardless of the path you choose, it will have its share of obstacles and challenges. To transcend them, it’s important to become clear why it’s important for you to get from here to there.

When I was still in law school, it became clear to me that I wanted to be a criminal lawyer. I wanted to represent those who didn’t have a voice. When I began my career, there very few job opportunities in that field, so my choices were limited. Because I had a burning desire to go in that direction, I did what it took to make it work for many years, until one day I felt that the dream had run its course. I was a ready for a new dream and there have been many more since that time.

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.

Yes there is that person we want to be and that person living that life. It might seem out of our reach. “Next time,” we think to ourselves. It’s always illusive….unless.

Unless we become that person on the inside. In the beginning it might seem as if we are playing a role in life’s unfolding.

When I was in my twenties a friend asked me how I saw myself in five years. I pictured that person and over time became that person. The timing wasn’t exact but I got there. When we have clarity as to who that person is that we want to become, we grow into that person.

I remember when I first selected Inspire Possibility for my domain name. It wasn’t my first choice. It was only after submitting eight other names did I settle on it. Today if I had to start all over and select a new domain name, Inspire Possibility would be my first choice. I became that person who inspires possibility in others. It’s been a process. First I had an idea and then took action steps in making that idea a reality.

Greatness begins with an idea that becomes a belief. From there it becomes a knowing. From that place of knowing there is no longer a separation from who we are now and that person we want to be.

We embrace the world knowing that it’s our time for greatness. We have arrived. All we have to do now is to 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.

I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I had been practicing law for many years. I was involved in a case involving contentious litigation. The other attorney said to me, “Are you having fun yet?” I wasn’t. I was stressed out and questioned why I got involved in the case in the first place. I didn’t want to be there.

It also got me thinking why she was having fun and I wasn’t. That’s a question that I think about often. Why is it that some people are able to experience joy and happiness in their life, while others experience stress and despair. For the latter life seems like one big struggle.

Is it as simple as seeing your cup half full as opposed to seeing it half empty? Often I think that it is that simple. It’s certainly a part of it. When you see your cup as half full you are making a choice to see it that way. You are focusing on what is good rather than on what is wrong.

Yes you have to keep asking the question as to how you can get better and how you can learn from what has occurred up to now, but you can also rejoice in what you have accomplished.

You can also make a choice. Make that choice by finishing the sentence: Life is————How you finish that sentence will determine how you see your life. If you say life is fun there is a greater likelihood that you will enjoy yourself more often. Try it. What do you have to lose?

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.

It’s a New Year. Several thoughts keep floating in my mind. Should I write about goals or intentions? What about New Years resolutions? They’re in our consciousness this time of year. And what about those 10-20 pounds we were resolved to lose last year? I know that some of us plan to go to the gym three or four times a week. And some of us are resolved to make positive changes in our careers.

Let’s start this year with a different exploration. Rather than having a goal or intention let’s look at the big picture. This is the year of reaching out and connecting with our spiritual tribe of kindred souls; those that have the same yearnings and concerns that we do. In the process we experience a synchronicity that becomes a way of life rather than the unusual circumstance. On our journey we discover that there is no such thing as coincidence, but rather the discovery of a deeper purpose that unites us. It can become an exciting adventure if we allow it to be.

At certain times we reflect upon where we are now and where we are going. We also reflect upon how satisfied we are with our lives and what we are committed to changing. There is no better time than now to make this exploration.

In the process of spreading the word about my book Dancing on the River: Navigating Life’s Changes I have been asked on many radio shows what I think are the biggest challenges that we face.

This process has helped me crystallize many of the ideas and beliefs that I have been working on for years. Having clarity is just the first step. A bigger challenge is integrating these insights into our essential core so that they become a way of being. It’s powerful when we share our deepest truths with others. In the process we are affirming how we want to lead and live our lives.

But the integration does not happen all at once. It’s an ongoing process that keeps unfolding because we are essentially changing our approach to life and the way we think about ourselves. One of the benefits of doing the work that I do is that over time the same themes keep repeating themselves. Too many of us have forgotten how to play. We are too serious in our approach to life. I remember when I was a kid, I would casually walk over to a neighbor’s house. “Can Johnny come out and play?” I would ask Johnny’s mom. Too many of us feel that we don’t have enough time to get together with a friend.

This attitude contributes to the feeling that life is a struggle. With that mindset every challenge becomes another reason why we think we can’t be happy. We mistakenly believe that when the current crisis is resolved we can be happy again; perhaps not happy, but at least not as stressed. Our mantra becomes “only if my life were different.”

There is a more empowering mantra which is “happiness is a choice.” Most of you know that in my previous incarnation I was a trial lawyer; a profession with a great deal of uncertainty and loose ends. And that’s the way life is. There is and always will be uncertainty. Our challenge is to become happy even though we have those loose ends—to be happy even though there are things in our lives that we wish were different.

A few days ago I was reminded by a former client of something that I had said to him that made a difference in his life, especially in light of all of the uncertainty that he was currently experiencing.
“Learn to make friends with the unknown,” is what he reminded me that I had said to him.

We are affected by events and circumstances that we have no control over. Although I’m curious about the future and sometimes wish I knew how it’s all going to turn out, most of the time I’m enjoying each step on the journey. I’ve embraced the “great mystery.”

I’m frequently asked what I mean by Dancing on the River. Here’s what I say. “It’s a consciousness that is a reflection of a life decision that you make to be happy in the moment that you make over and over again. That choice does not depend on the circumstances of your life.” Instead of waiting to be happy until what is bothering you is resolved choose to be happy now. You can honestly say that you’re happy and you still have a few loose ends. You might even wonder what your life would be like if what concerns you now turns out better than expected.

In many ways we are in the midst of a global renaissance. Every day there are more us reaching out touching souls all over the world. With the emergence of the internet we have the capability of becoming one global family. Please feel free to share this message with those in your circle.

JOURNEY ON AND CHOOSE HAPPINESS

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.