GOODBYE SUMMER … HELLO AUTUMN!

While the rest of the world was experiencing warmer than usual summer temperatures, here in Southern California we truly only had about 2 weeks that felt like real summer (temperatures above 85 degrees).  Growing up in Central Florida, I like a good, hot summer.  “Aha!” I thought.  Perhaps this mild summer here in SoCal means an extended period of summer.  Nope.  It’s now two days past Labor Day and both yesterday and today have been overcast with drizzle.  The current temperature at 9:30 am is still in the 60’s.  Though the calendar does not yet say so, it is officially Autumn.

I love the holidays that this time of the year brings and I welcome change, but there is that part of me that feels like I somehow got cheated out of a full summer.  My vacation plans were shortened and, in some cases, cancelled.  August, typically a slow month for me, was busier than many other parts of the year.  So, as I sit here wearing a light jacket and looking out on the misty hill in front of me with a few drops of moisture streaming down my window, I wonder what this new season brings … and I am extremely optimistic.

This week I get to work with one of my favorite corporate clients, Paul Mitchell the School.  I am days away from the launch of my new business website with corporate consultant, Mike Amado, titled NexAim.com.  One of my comedic, creative writing projects with my life long friend about a Behavior Therapist is being passed around in entertainment circles.  I continue to have great meetings with companies with whom I wish to partner.  I am inspired to continue developing a web series that is about communication, body language, choices, coaching, questions, NLP, movement, passion, love, forgiveness, gratitude, and any number of subjects about which I care with my good friend, Tom.  Next month, I get the opportunity to unveil a jazz concept designed to entertain while also educating and in November I’ll be working with The Lythgoes on a new entertainment project that promises to be a lot of fun.  I feel that I have so much to look forward to and I am so grateful.  My challenge is simply to breathe deeply as it is all happening and enjoy it as much as possible.  As was testament this summer, life moves so quickly.  Given the choice to enjoy it or rush through it (and I believe we have a choice about how we experience life), I am choosing to relish every bit of it.  Life is good and I am grateful.

Wishing everyone a pleasant transition into Fall,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!

This summer I sent out a request to a few individuals for testimonials about work I had done with them personally or with their organizations over the years.  The response that I received was very beautiful.  I expected a couple of lines of testimonial support, but instead received a few detailed love letters.  The feeling I had as I received each one was extreme gratitude, humility, and love.

In preparation for the online release of my new business website (coming soon, NexAim.com) with my business partner, corporate consultant, Mike Amado, I finally got around to organizing the testimonials and posting them to my personal website (http://www.markedgarstephens.com/testimonials.html).  All that I can say to those who wrote to me, whether posted or not, is “thanks for the support.”  It means a great deal to me.

Suggestion to those who read this blog:  No matter your line of business or whether you are even in business, select a few individuals to write a testimonial about you.  Sometimes it is very powerful to be reminded of how you have positively affected those around you, and the reminder can be great inspiration to keep giving the best that you have to give.

Thankful,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

ROAR!

Sometimes simply speaking out loud what you want to experience in life is enough to get the gears of your life moving.  So often, we keep little bits of inspiration, nudges from our environment, dreams from our subconscious tucked down deep inside of us.  Today’s challenge:  ROAR!!!  Say it out loud to yourself or in the presence of others.  What do you want to do?  What do you want to experience in life?  What is your secret dream or desire?  Say it out loud!  Sometimes we have to roar simply to hear ourselves.  My roar today:  “Let me be of great use!  Let me use my communication expertise and emotional intelligence to give something of great use to myself and to others.”  And, even as I finish writing this blog post, I believe that maybe my roar has already been heard.

Inspired to Roar,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

LAUGHING OUT LOUD!

I was on the phone with an old friend the other evening and we laughed and laughed and laughed.  I barely remember what we laughed about, but we were a riot (at least we thought so).  She is one of those friends who needs very little coercion to get her laughter meter ticking.  Fortunately, I need very little to do the same.  For about 20 minutes we talked about life, love, career, changes, etc.  As our conversation veered in and out of serious moments punctuated by laughter, I could feel everything in my body relaxing.  I could feel my mind clearing.  I could feel endorphins running through my body.  I no longer felt overwhelmed or out of the moment.  I was not thinking about the past or the future.  I was completely present and laughing and feeling good.  I’m challenging myself to laugh out loud for at least 20 minutes a day for the rest of my life.  I think its a pretty great goal and I believe it is achievable.  If you want to feel a bit more relaxation and relief in your life, try it!  Find something today that makes your belly bounce with laughter.  If you need any suggestions, you can always visit www.laughteryogaamerica.com.  There is even a free laughter hotline you can call.  To laugh or not to laugh, I choose laughter!!!

Feeling good,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

I DID IT … AND WOW WAS IT GREAT!

Recently, I posted a blog called “Do What You Love.”  Along those lines, I made a pledge to myself that I would follow my own advice.  I made a list of things that I enjoy doing that I haven’t done in a while.  One of those things was to dance.

I practice yoga at a local, donation-based studio in Santa Monica (PowerYoga.com).  Perusing the bulletin board after a class one day, I saw a posting for a Sunday evening class and “jam session” for Contact Improv Dance (ContactImprovLA.com).  I had no idea what it was or what to expect.  The posting described the practice as follows: “It’s somewhere between tango, modern dance, aikido, wrestling, gymnastics, acroyoga and none of the above.”  Great!  I still had not idea what to expect, but I went anyway.

OMG!  I had the best time.  In the big, wide-open studio about 20 people gathered to explore movement, the floor, the space around us and our own bodies.  We rolled on each other (literally, we did a group exercise called a “log roll,” so much fun), lifted one another, breathed together, and ended up in positions that one could only call, “interesting.”  It was a sensual experience without being sexual.  It was an intimate experience without being invasive.  It was physically challenging without feeling like work.  For three hours (an extremely fast three hours, I wanted to stay longer), a room full of virtual strangers shared this very unique touch/movement experience with very few words; communicating strengths, weaknesses, and curiosities through movement.

This morning I can feel that body my body is activated.  I moved in ways I haven’t moved in years.  My body feels that it has been massaged from top to bottom.  And, I am eager for my next class.

This all came about because of a challenge to “Do What You Love.”  I’m doing it and I’m loving it.

Invigorated,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

PLAYING NEW GAMES Audio Post

PLAYING NEW GAMES!

Yesterday, after the extended play of the World Cup Finals, I got together with a group of close friends for a games night/dinner event.  We laughed a lot and ate to our stomach’s content.  During the evening, I became aware how games that have a highly competitive nature tend to be less fun than those that are played for laughs (the World Cup is a good example of this).  If you are on the winning team or the winning side, things feel pretty good; if not, then not.  I noticed that when we got really serious about the rules and regulations of a game or overly invested in “winning,” the level of fun subsided.  When we were involved with games that kept the whole group active and working toward a common goal, there was more levity, more cooperation, and more laughter.

I like to play games as much as (and sometimes more than) others.  And, I really do like to win.  But, I am noticing that I am generally having more fun in life when the goal is to laugh, enjoy, and help the other players to succeed in a goal.  It makes me wonder how this aspect of game playing could be applied to the greater society.  What would things be like if individuals, communities, businesses, organizations, and governments worked toward the benefit of all; like a game in which all of the players enjoy the process, work together, laugh along the way, and achieve a common goal?  I think it’s a good question.  I’m going to play with that for a while.

Think tanking with a smile,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?

I believe there is nothing more beneficial for your optimal health and well-being than how you are feeling right now in this moment.  It can be argued that many external circumstances influence and/or dictate how you feel.  I do not refute those arguments.  I know there are days that I receive a piece of unpleasant news or something I was counting on doesn’t come through and I spiral downward into an emotional dark pit.  However, I also know that slight adjustments in my internal world (e.g. deep, deliberate breathing, focusing my thoughts on something inspiring, becoming quiet for five minutes or more) make a difference in the way that I feel and often clears some “space” for new perspectives to enter into my mind.  Also, I have learned that shifts in body language (e.g. standing up a little taller, pulling the shoulders back, coaxing a little smile (even if I don’t feel like it)) send signals from my body to my mind  inviting my thoughts and feelings to remember what feeling good looks and feels like (muscle memories associated with good feelings can actually change your mood).  Furthermore, activities in my external world (e.g. exercise, a walk in nature, listening to inspiring music, viewing works of art, observing other people who are in a good mood, laughing at something funny in a movie, on tv, or in print (like the comics section of the paper)) can also strongly affect my emotional state.

Daily, I am checking in with myself to see how I am feeling.  If there is room to feel just a bit better (and there always seems to be room for this), I consciously create a slight shift in my thoughts, my body, and/or my activities.  These slight shifts make a huge difference in my day.  And, since there is nothing that affects the experience of my day-to-day life more than how I am feeling in the moment, I make “feeling my best” a priority.  Don’t take my word for it, try it yourself!

With feeling,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

I’M HERE! Audio Post

I’M HERE! GLAD YOU’RE HERE WITH ME!

Okay, folks, I’m starting this off with a BIG THANK YOU to those of you tuning in and turning on to this blog and its accompanying audio post.  Yesterday’s posting hit an all-time high for my blog postings and I received several comments and emails from friends.  It was very heartening and motivates me to keep moving in this direction.  In recent years, it seems that I have become more isolated.  It seems to be the pattern with many people as we get older (am I really using that word???  seems so).  Things get in the way — work schedules, an aversion to driving (especially in LA), family functions, children’s events, a desire to simply be at home, the need to watch “So You Think You Can Dance,” etc.  Personally, I don’t get together with good friends nearly as often as I did in the past.  I suppose blogging is a way of reaching out to a visually invisible world with the intention that my words, my expression, is being felt somewhere and maybe (just maybe) making some sort of a difference.  At the heart of who I am, I am a communicator.  The desire to communicate and share something of value lives inside of me like a heart beat (I suppose this is true to some extent for a great many people).  I like to communicate using words such as love, passion, inspiration, possibilities, choices, etc.  In my posts you can expect to see and hear those words a lot.  It is my intention that they bring a lift to your day as they do to mine.  Thanks to you, I am inspired to move forward into other areas of communicating using the magic of technology and the internet.  The possibilities really are endless!!!  Thank you for the comments.  Thank you for the company.  Thank you for the inspiration.  I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with you.

Opening to new possibilities,

Mark

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

DO WHAT YOU LOVE! Audio Post

TRANSFORMING OUR MINDS

In my book of wisdom today there was this quote by Matthieu Ricard:

“Our search for happiness is more often founded on our illusions than on reality.  It is pointless to try to shape the world to fit our desires: we must transform our minds.”

There is not much I can add to this quote other than the following question:

“Who are you choosing to be?”

With possibilities,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

INNER BEAUTY ON BROAD TOPICS RADIO

Last night the Women of Broad Topics Radio (part of LA Talk Radio) had me on their show as a guest discussing beauty from the inside out.  We had a great time and it was very inspiring.  If you want a lift in your day and a new perspective on beauty, download the program at www.BroadTopicsRadio.com

A few tips about reminding yourself of your own inner beauty:

1)  Use self-talk to point out all about you that is beautiful (you have a conversation running inside of your head all of the time anyway, you may as well say something nice).

2)  Create a music playlist of songs that affirm your beauty and worth.  Listen repeatedly.

3)  Watch children and emulate the ways in which they affirm their beauty and talents.  We may grow older, but not necessarily wiser.  There is much to be learned from children.

You can find all of these things and more from last night’s broadcast.

Have a beautiful day!

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

YOUR RICHNESS

A friend was going through some financial concerns and came upon this quote by Chogyam Trungpa …

“You should begin to build up confidence and joy in your own richness.  That richness is the essence of generosity.  It is the sense of resourcefulness, that you can deal with whatever is available around you and not feel poverty-stricken.”

During a period of adjustment — economically, emotionally, physically — I thought this an important quote to share.

Celebrate the richness of your generosity and resourcefulness!

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

SUMMER BEACHES

I was born in Central Florida and spent many of my formative years there.  In my high school years, I often went to the Gulf Coast for the warmth of the water and the beauty of the beaches.  During college (I went to FSU in Tallahassee), I spent many spring breaks and summers in Panama City Beach in the panhandle of Florida.  Speaking with one of my dearest friends this week about what is happening on the beaches of the Gulf caused my heart to sink just a bit.  Not only is the ecology of the Gulf being ravaged, but the economy is also taking a huge hit.  My friend says that there are very few people on the beaches this summer.  I have beautiful memories of those pristine beaches layered in white “sugar” sand.  I wanted to do something to help.

Yesterday, I went for a walk by the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica.  The beach was covered with people enjoying the first days of summer.  The water was cool, but the spirits of the people sufficiently heated.  The scene was inspiring.  Knowing that I am thousands of miles away from the Gulf Coast on a beach that is not currently affected by the BP Oil calamity, I looked out at the ocean.  I simply gave thanks for the ability to walk on a clean beach and to watch people enjoying the relative cleanliness of the water (I do say “relative”).  I picked up a few pieces of litter and I sat for a brief while in silence.  I felt at peace.  If the most that I can do at this moment is to be grateful for the currently unaffected beaches and ocean water, then that is what I will do.  Somehow the awareness of the unpredictability of life made me a bit more present than usual.  I found myself wanting to take greater care of the ecology around me  — the Santa Monica Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and even my own backyard.  It may be only small tokens, like gratitude and picking up a popped balloon, but it is the small things that make a difference.

For my friends and family on the Gulf side of Florida,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Welcome to the day of the most daylight in 2010.  I’ve always liked this day on the calendar, the Summer Solstice.  It marks the seasonal beginning of summer and it is the day that provides the most daylight during the year.  Traditionally, these transitional days (solstices and equinoxes) have been observed by humanity as days of “magic.”  Celestial movements and occurrences were thought of as divinely orchestrated.  I like to think of the movement of the Earth, the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars as part of a divine orchestration.  It reminds me that we are all a part of something bigger and greater than ourselves.  It reminds me that things are working and moving with very little effort on my part.  Given the unexpected and unplanned events that occur around us everyday, I am comforted by the knowledge that there is still some “magic” in the world.

Find some time to go out and enjoy the sun today.  If it is raining where you are (my dear friends in the Pacific NW), go outside and walk anyway.  Pretend you are walking in liquid sunshine.  This is a day (like all days) that is meant to be relished and enjoyed to the fullest.  This is a day that has been divinely orchestrated.

With passion and purpose,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

FOLLOWING PASSION AND GOING FOR YOUR DREAM

I like to watch the Tony Awards.  Before my current incarnation as the Body Language/Behavior Modification guy, the New York Broadway Community was my community.  Over the years, I have watched friends, former classmates, and former clients perform on the Tony’s stage and win a Tony or two.  It is a world that is very familiar to me and I enjoy hearing the words of those who maintain the discipline and work ethic to be able to sustain eight shows a week, sometimes for years on end.  Last night’s Tony’s ceremony was no exception.

One of last night’s recipients (Katie Finneran) encouraged young people who dream of one day performing on Broadway to go for it.  She essentially said (and I am paraphrasing here) that no matter how far you may be from the bright lights of Broadway, the right teachers, opportunities, and moments arise when you follow your passions, follow your heart, follow your dreams.  It is not important how you get to where you are going.  It is only important that you follow the dictates of your heart unwaveringly.  I agree with this statement.  I was inspired by what she said to millions of people last night.

If you have a dream, go for it.  Life is a gift and it passes more quickly than we sometimes realize.  What inspires you?  What is your dream???

Supporting your dreams,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

GOODBYE TRACY! NOW GO FOR YOUR DREAMS!

I am fortunate enough to be represented in television and media work by Abrams Artists Agency in New York City.  Over the years, the representatives there have become trusted friends and I truly consider myself blessed to have them in my life.  I got a message yesterday that one of my peeps, Tracy Weiss, will be leaving the agency to pursue her lifelong dream as a writer.  With anyone who goes for their life’s dream, I am so happy for her.  Yet, at the same time, I am sad to see her go.  She has been such a great help and trusted adviser over the years.  She will be missed.

If you have a dream, go for it!  The changes you make in your life to facilitate making this dream come true, may shake things up a bit with friends and colleagues.  But, those who love and support you will always want what is best for you!  What do you dream of doing???

Supporting your dreams,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

DR. WENDY’S SEMINARS

I’ve got to brag for just a moment on Dr. Wendy Schauer who led a seminar last weekend all about adrenal fatigue.  I didn’t know much about this subject (except that I sometimes experienced it myself and was told to cut back on the caffeine) until I met Dr. Wendy.  She has a clip of the seminar posted on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xucZnJFVY9E

Check it out for yourself.  She is totally inspiring.  But, I warn you, you may want to find out more about it yourself.

Thanks Dr. Wendy,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com

LAUGHTER YOGA

This past weekend I became a Certified Laughter Yoga instructor through the American School of Laughter Yoga.  Needless to say, it was a great weekend filled with a lot of laughter, but also with many other emotions.  One of the things that comes clear in working with laughter in a therapeutic sense is that is can be a catharsis for other emotions to process.  The great thing about this is that the processing comes with very little thought, but a great deal of presence.  It is challenging to detail what was learned in this intensive weekend.  I got the exercise that was intended.  I felt great.  I learned a lot.  I laughed a lot.  I feel that a new direction has opened to be able to work with people with a lot more laughter and perhaps a little less talk.  Even as I write this, I smile, I breathe, and I chuckle.

Laughing,

Mark Edgar Stephens

www.MarkEdgarStephens.com

www.WhoAreYouChoosingToBe.com