Our Visions Pave the Roads to Our Futures

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

I happily wish you a great New Year and want to give you one more resolution to easily adopt into your life. I want you to smile at least ten times a day. How will you keep track? Use your fingers. If you are still on one hand at 2:00pm, get your grin in gear.

Oh, folks, there’s so much wonderful stuff to report.

I am a mentor to the students in the program that Emily coordinates which is called The Bridging Program. It’s part of Champlain Community Services where I now receive my services. I told Emily once she would be pleasantly surprised at the next spot our work would bring us.

It is fun for me to work with these students. They are all different in one way or another like me so I feel a deep bond between me and every one of them. I meet with them every Wednesday and we have a discussion about a question or story I share with them.

Here is how I started yesterday:

I’m interested in finding a way for the students to get energized for making visions of their lives. I’m going to tell them a story about me when I was their age.

(the students arrive)

I am really happy to see you all.

Once upon a time there was a boy named Mark who everyone thought was wanting more brains in his empty head. I am that boy and I want to say that I had to work very hard to not accept the thoughts people had about me.

I know people can make positive changes in their lives by holding tight to who they know they truly are. I had to hold a picture of me in a gold dress and then work towards that.  It’s why I’m in a gold sultan’s robe at the end of my movie; I am in here.

Since I’m now in a position to create a new picture I want to inspire you to do the same. We will go slow.  Today, I ask “What color fills your picture?”  Think a joyful thought and notice what color is with it. Be open to the possibility of what comes into your mind.

I love Love Stories, so my color will be pink.

(Each student shares a “joyful thought” and the color they feel when they think it)

Thank you. We will playfully move forward with this life changing exercise.

I am really excited about this project and wonder what the outcomes will be. You never know with work like this. The sky is the limit.

I want to leave you grinning so please think of me in a fairy outfit finishing out the year by kicking your old demons back into last year.

Have a great day.

Fondly,

Mark

The Mentor of Minds

Wishing You a Wonder Filled Year

Hello and Happy New Year Dear Blog Readers,

I am so excited that our podcast was chosen to be included in the Atlantic Magazine’s best list of best podcasts for this year. It’s #38.

Erica is an incredible interviewer.

I know more great talking will happen with her.

Oh, here we go into another year.

On the asking to see thoughts I’d written last year at this time Emily showed me some conversations we had and my 2015 New Year’s blog.

I am so totally in a new place with so much excitement all around me. I am easily through the hardest parts of last year. What remains is the summary of it so I can truly move on. Here it is:

I had to think a lot about who I am and where I want to go with my life. I was frustrated a lot this year because I couldn’t find the way to get away from the sad state I was finding myself in and into the life I want to live.

It has given my life a tremendous boost to move my dear self to Champlain Community Services. Here, I am still getting off the ground in terms of what my daily life is like but the atmosphere here is absolutely awesome.

Please take a moment to hear my thoughts for the New Year.

·      I want to get Utter Communication Strategies up and moving.

·      I want projects getting designed and implemented.

·      I want work that suits my intelligence and shares my gifts.

I so know this will happen.

I give you a wish to bring to life your own passions. Maybe worth listening to some podcasts to get some energetic ideas flowing?

Out with the old in with the new!

Be well my friends.

Fondly,

Mark

The Bright New Man

Wonderful Plans Quite Wonderfully Growing

Dear Beloved Blog Readers,

It’s Christmas time!

It’s also a great time to think about all that we are “loving into place”. 

We are also observing that the days are dark and winter is here.

Please let’s take a moment to gather up some of the love that has been spilling forth since Emily found the right person to guide our project. Yes, Emily, you are correct he did not direct us. He said “Mark, I think you’re just going to have to love this all into place.” And he sent us love every day.

Oh, we have been using the theme of “loving it into place” ever since and I am thinking it is a great gift for all of you.

I am still recovering from my existential crisis which had me take a big look at my life and slip into a funk. I realize that it is easy to think your life is going to miraculously find its way after the push to move a big project into life. Of course, the big project I’m talking about is my movie.  I really joyfully know that you have to give a lot to life to get a lot back.

I am so amped up now that I am at Champlain Community Services. Here I have people who look in my eyes and see me. I am moving my plans forward for my business. Oh, I am so happy.

Merry Christmas to all!

I will be in touch with my New Year’s resolutions and I won’t disappoint as I have some great ones for all of you.

Fondly,

Mark

The Merry Man of Vermont

P.S. I want to tell you all that my movie received “First Place” in “Art and Theater” at the Alliance for Community Media (Northeast) Video Festival. I’m delighted that Jim Heltz traveled down to the Mark Twain House in Hartford, CT to receive it. Please know you can purchase my DVD at any time by going to the shop on my web site.