The Journey

It's not always easy for me to start writing my Coach Talks, but when I finally do get started, I remember how much I enjoy it. I love the process of writing, of sharing my ideas and of coming up with new ways of thinking for myself. I often find greater clarity around ideas I thought were clear in the first place. So why is it so hard for me to start something I enjoy so much? Why have I not published this newsletter in over 3 months?

I can think of many excuses, explanations and reasons for the hiatus. The simple truth is that it was important for me to take some time off from writing. I have been going through some fundamental personal shifts. I have been growing by leaps and bounds, and in the process, I didn't always have a sense of who I was becoming. As I now come into a place of greater ease and flow in my life, my desire to write, to create and to share is intensified.

On this journey, I was reminded that even though change is vital and natural, it is not always easy and often hurts. It's as if our body, our intellect and even our emotional awareness must stretch the bounds of what was previously possible to catch up with our intuitive, spiritual knowing.

I also rediscovered the value of taking time off, resting and de-cluttering my life of projects, old patterns, and material things that no longer work for me. I am excited by this new perspective, by my new projects, by new ideas and especially by the greater space and time I have found in my life. Thank you for being here to read, listen and share my life and ideas with you. In writing this, I realize how important that is to me.

Success Intention
Over the years I have noticed that success seems to come more easily to some than to others. Two people can be equally busy in their lives and their businesses, yet one of them seems to be attaining far superior levels of production. They both work hard, are similarly intelligent and both have comparable self-confidence levels. So why, if they are so similar in their actions and perhaps even in their methodology, does one produce such superior results while the other person seems to be stuck in a state of struggle?

I have often observed this in my clients, and I am certain you have seen examples of this pattern in your own experiences. So is there an answer to this often elusive question? Is it luck? Is it destiny?

I don't necessarily believe there's only one answer, but I have observed time and time again that the power of clear intentions creates a smoother and faster pathway to what we truly desire. An intention, coupled, with a systematic approach to prioritizing your actions is as close to a formula of getting what we want as I've ever experienced.

Would an architect ever set out to draw up blue prints without envisioning what the building looks like? Would he be able to get others involved in the project without being able to inspire others with his vision? I urge you to experiment with this in your life. Let yourself dream

• Envision it.
• Feel it.
• Act on it.
• Enjoy it.


Playground
I hope you get a chance to play around with the exercise below. I've found it to be inspirational and fun. I've played with this on more than a few occasions and have been amazed every time how good I feel afterwards.

• Picture something you want in your life and currently do not have. Let your imagination be free and wild. Do this without mapping or thinking about how to get it.
• See it. Touch it. Feel it as if it is already in your life.
• Now write down what you have imagined. Be clear and direct about what it is you are imagining and how it makes you feel.
• Allow yourself to feel the positive energy of having what you want in your life. Are you excited about the project?
• The last step is to take a few moments to write down three things you can do to move you along the path of getting what you want. Make these steps very specific actions.
• Going forward (on a weekly basis), check in to see if your intention still resonates with you. If it does, what priorities will take you there?

The Year in Review
I wasn't going to send out the list of my year-end favorites this year, but I got so many requests from my readers that I decided to keep the tradition alive. This is a list of my favorite books, movies and music of 2005. They are not limited to releases from 2005 as long as I discovered them in the past year. They are in no particular order.

FILMS
• Finding Neverland- moving, whimsical journey to find the hope of Neverland while dealing with the difficulties and pain of real life; this film speaks to the child in all of us
• Barbarian Invasion - a moving celebration of life during the process of dying that was both funny and sad without being overly sentimental; a beautiful emotional experience
• Home at the End of the World - emotionally significant film with amazing acting; this is by far Collin Farrell's best role
• Spanglish - touching dramedy that examines the difficulties of relationships with great comedic relief of emotional situations; the acting was surprisingly good
• His Secret Life - a compelling story of discovery, hope and celebration of individuality and our differences (Italian)
• Me and You and Everyone We Know - a film about the dance of moving towards and away from each other as a reaction to fears and emotional upheaval. The characters' failures to connect are charming and endearing. The movie is quirky, poetic, funny, beautiful and obviously independent.
• Crash - a grim look into xenophobia against the backdrop of crime-ridden Los Angeles. The dialogue is insightful and intelligent if not always pleasant to sit through; probably my favorite movie of the year
• Everything's Illuminated- a quirky film with amazing acting, vivid characters and lush imagery; Eugene Hutz is astonishing in his debut; he also contributes to a great soundtrack as a lead singer of a Ukrainian gypsy-punk band, Gogol Bordello
• Bee Season - a beautiful glimpse into a family's spiritual journey with all of its magic as well as the struggles
• Million Dollar Baby - Clint Eastwood does a great job of painting all of the characters; this is simply a well-made, emotionally-rich film

BOOKS
• "White Apples" by Jonathan Carrol - the book is by turns surreal, romantic, beautiful and irresistible. It is a tale of love, fatherhood, death, and life that will leave you looking at the world with a new quirky perspective. I highly recommend it.
• "Deception Point" by Dan Brown - I know Dan Brown's cliffhanging formula; I can clearly see how he is manipulating me to keep me interested; yet I love his books, his stories and I thoroughly enjoy the process of reading his books
• "Summerland" by Michael Chabon - a delightful children's fantasy book that explores subjects of coming into your own power and the strength of positive belief systems; the adventures take a group of kids and various fantasy characters between parallel worlds in their quest to save existence as we know it.
• "Born a Healer" by Chinyi Lin - this book explores the notion that we are all born with the power to heal ourselves; Chinyi uses Qigong, the ancient Chinese healing, as the basis of his power; he comes across humble and inspired me to go deeper into my own power to heal myself and others
• "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell - intelligent and fun study of human snap judgments and intuition; not as good as "The Tipping Point" but brilliant nonetheless
• "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang - extraordinary tale of three generations of Chinese women spanning the entire 20th century and chronicling the amazing changes China has undergone in the process
• "Journey of the Heart" by John Welwood - one of the most spiritual and most insightful books on intimate relationships I have ever experienced

MUSIC
• PQM "Nameless" Single - haunting deep house song that gets inside my heart and radiates heat whenever I hear it
• Damien Rice "O" CD - minimalist, yet emotionally powerful debut; sincere and heartfelt vocals interwoven with beautifully haunting cello sounds
• DJ Tiesto "Just Be" CD - the best vocal trance album I have ever experienced; one of the world's most popular DJs showcases beautiful vocals, lush strings and his spiritual nature
• James Blunt "Back to Bedlam" CD - sensitive, ballad-heavy debut by the latest British-born crooner
• Michael Bubble "Feeling Good" Single - instant pick-me-up kind of song; great vocals and lyrics that can lift you up when you're feeling down
• Garden State Soundtrack - the music worked perfectly for the film and also stands alone as a wonderfully melancholy compilation; features awesome music by Coldplay, the Shins, Frou Frou, Zero 7 and Nick Drake
• Madeleine Peyroux "Careless Love" CD - one incredible voice doing wonderful songs that range from bluesy, jazzy and contemporary pop; this album is not to be missed
• Coldplay "X&Y" CD - this album is Coldplay at their spiritual and introspective best