Many years ago I had a very elaborate dream about a farmer who plowed his field next to a majestic mountain. Every time he looked at the mountain, he felt called to climb, as if the Grand Master of the mountain was beckoning him to the top.

At first the farmer ignored the call, choosing the safety of his field, but the message persisted, “Climb.” He had no choice but to muster the courage and ascend the mountain. During the journey, he became disoriented, lost and exhausted. He despaired about ever reaching the top. Somehow, he found his way to the summit where the Grand Master of the mountain offered him a helping hand. The man grabbed hold and was hoisted onto the crest.

Standing tall, the man stretched his arms in gratitude and smiled at the enlightened figure. The Grand Master smiled back, then pushed him off the mountain.

Horrified, the man plummeted to earth. During his descent, he yelled, “Why did you do this?”

The Grand Master replied, “So you can spread your wings and fly.”

The man then spread his wings and flew.

I realized later that the story exemplified the Roadmap to Success. The Roadmap consists of four C’s – the call, the climb, the crash, and the crest.

The CALL asks us to listen to and answer that inner voice beckoning us to follow a dream and climb a mountain. It asks us to leave our secure field and risk the unknown.

The CLIMB asks us to muster courage and self-discipline to step into action and test our perseverance, resilience, and strength. It asks us to bring along our inner GPS and share the journey with companions on a similar quest.

The CRASH asks us to develop character by acknowledging failures, learning lessons, and overcoming adversity. A crash asks us to see opportunities for growth and draw upon everything in our power to get to the top, no matter what!

The CREST asks us to celebrate the completion of a long, difficult journey with gratitude. It asks us to appreciate our accomplishments, savor the view from the top, and recognize the true purpose of the journey.

The Roadmap to success takes us through the 4 C’s, but the spirit of success is when we inspire others to climb their own mountains. We inspire others when we answer the call, climb the mountain, acknowledge and overcome crashes, and celebrate the crest with gratitude.

That’s when we spread our wings and fly.

Let’s soar together.

Welcome Home!

Welcome,

This website incorporates my main passions – personal and spiritual growth, writing, and speaking. If you’re ready to connect with your inner GPS and heal yourself through counseling, coaching, or writing, check out the resources on the website and make yourself at home.

Leonard

December has been a whirlwind month for me. In addition to the heartfelt connections from family visits in Ohio and Michigan, I witnessed my son’s marriage to his true love, Ginger, on Dec. 17^th. The glorious event took place in a lush botanical garden. I was and continue to be a proud father.

Prior to the wedding, I was also blessed with spending time with my daughter, Melissa, in Cozumel, Mexico where we scuba dived and visited the Mayan ruin of Chitzen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula. The picture above shows me standing at the foot of the ruins.

There’s plenty of controversy about Dec. 21, 2012, the end of the Mayan Calendar. Interestingly, the pyramid at Chitzen Itza was constructed with 91 steps on each of the four sides for a total of 364. When you add the top platform, the number totals 365 which represent our calendar year. Quite an amazing feat produced some 1500 years ago.

Since 2012 marks the end of the Mayan calendar, I suggest we act as if it’s our last year. That may inspire us to step forward and complete intentions so that each day counts.

Hopefully, we can identify goals and aspirations and even commit to climbing the pyramid of our dreams. The real challenge, however, is taking one step at a time every day. If we follow through with action, step by step, we will eventually stand at the pinnacle of success and count 365 blessings.

Consider these steps when you climb your 2012 pyramid of goals:

• Name your intentions and read them every day.
• Focus your attention at the top, the end result.
• Visualize and emotionalize your outcome.
• Share your intentions with a mastermind group or accountability buddies who support you.
• Establish 30 or 60 day programs to reinforce habits of success.
• Bring joy into each step.
• Persevere when you feel like quitting.
• Ask for help when you have difficulty climbing.
• Celebrate every victory, even the small steps.

I send you encouragement and love for a wonderful climb and an amazing 2012.

Welcome Home!

Being free of judgment may bring you peace. It may also trigger fearful, polarizing thoughts because the ego wants to be in control. Our beliefs dictate how we should, and should not, think, act, or feel.

My parents were highly critical and judgmental. As a child, I unknowingly downloaded their viral programs into my mental computer. Though I now run my anti-viral software, I still find my inner critic popping up to remind me that life is a struggle or that I’m not good enough.

Judgment is the tool that the ego uses to create walls of separation. Our identities are forged out of judgments that have been handed down, like old clothes. Add emotions to the beliefs and those clothes get super-glued to the skin. After awhile, we wear our judgments without much thought until someone points them out. Ouch!

We can shift away from our judgments when we act as a witness, meaning that we remain present with whatever is, without judging whether it is right or wrong. Witnessing helps us release our attachment to opinions and thoughts that create separateness from others. We can then move from restriction to curiosity, openness, and expansion. From that place, we can notice our senses, feel our emotions, and recognize our thoughts.

Try practicing the art of witnessing by answering three questions:

1. How are you judging yourself now?
2. When you judge yourself, what physical sensations do you have?
3. What’s it like to not judge yourself?

The questions ask us to turn inward and notice what’s going on. We may be telling ourselves to get busy, to struggle, or to slow down. When we judge, we often feel physical tension, such as muscles contracting in our shoulders, chest, or stomach. Without judgment, we have a greater acceptance and appreciation of who we are. That brings lightness, relief, and compassion.

As you become your own witness, you create the space for love and inner peace.

Welcome Home.
Leonard

CLICK ON YOUTUBE AND WATCH THE DOLPHINS!

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

I recently returned from a memorable trip to Australia. A highlight was the time my daughter, Melissa, and I swam with the dolphins. With only 15 places around the world to swim with wild dolphins, the town of Forster, a 3 ½ hour drive north of Sydney, offered a pristine location to say “G’day” to Flipper and friends.

We sailed with 12 other adventurers on a 34-foot catamaran to find a pod of wild dolphins frolicking in the open ocean. Donning wetsuit, snorkel and mask, we each took turns in the water.

The procedure was simple: jump in, grab the rope extending from the bow, pull myself forward, and, with left hand hanging onto the rope and left foot resting in a loop, exhale through the snorkel while emitting a strange sound, “Whoooooo, whooooooo.”

The skipper informed us that dolphins weren’t there to entertain us; we were there to entertain them. So if we wanted them to swim under and around us, we needed to entertain them with high-pitched noises. Sure enough, the curiosity seekers swarmed nearby. I felt like I was the main attraction, performing in a sea world to amuse the mammals.

The down under dolphins probably said, “A strange bloke with a tube stuck out of his mouth is making a bloody racket. Let’s check him out.”

I enjoyed getting checked out. The sleek creatures made me realize how beautifully attuned they were to their environment. They were always curious, played like little children with apparently little conflict, consciously breathed, and appeared to be forever smiling. I wanted to be more like them!!

If you ever find yourself overwhelmed with stress or struggling in life, mimic a dolphin. Consciously breathe, smile often, bring out your inner child, be curious, have fun, and swim with a friend.

If you’re ever interested in visiting Australia on a spiritual odyssey, let me know. I’m planning a future tour to swim with the dolphins.

G’day and Welcome Home!

Leonard