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Creating Change

Track Your Progress

March 18, 2016 by Mark Shepard

How Can You Tell You’re Making Progress?
The quick answer is…

…By Keeping Track.

For example. I weigh myself every morning when I first get up.

But body weight doesn’t always tell the whole story.

So I took the leap and invested $25 bucks in a scale that also has Body Fat, Water, Muscle and Bone percentage measurements. All of which I write down. Pretty much almost every day.

The other day I hit a new low weight wise, (which was a new high progress wise!) and all the other numbers moved in the direction I’ve been working towards as well.

My body fat went down. My muscle went up. etc.
So I wrote it down. I made a note of it. And set my intention and self hypnosis for the next small goal in this area of my life.

I can look back at October 12, 2014 which was the day I got SERIOUS about creating a life long SUSTAINABLE fitness program for my body and look at the numbers:

October 12, 2014

  • Weight: 228
  • Body Fat %: 20.4
  • Total Body Water: 62.5
  • Muscle Mass: 34
  • Bone: 8.2
  • Waist measurement: 40″

and compare it with Today’s

March 18, 2016

  • Weight: 208.6
  • Body Fat %: 17.6
  • Total Body Water: 65.1
  • Muscle Mass: 35.1
  • Bone: 7.4
  • Waist Measurement: 35″

Now also understand that this cheapo scale is not the most accurate measuring device for some of this stuff. For example, I’m probably not losing bone density. But I am staying more hydrated, and my body fat is going down and my muscle is going up. It doesn’t have to be perfect to still keep you on track.

So we don’t just weigh ourselves on the scale and use that one single metric to gauge all our progress.

Measure enough to get as accurate a picture as you can.

It feels good to make measurable progress. It reinforces what is working.

We ARE animals after all. We move TOWARDS Pleasure and AWAY from pain.

And to celebrate and reinforce my progress even more, I also bought a new pair of pants with a 34″ waist.

And… I can actually… button them!
(admittedly they are a little snug).

However,

A little over a year ago, I was wearing 38″ waist size (but with those stretchy things in them for “comfort”. so truthfully I was more like a 40″)

BTW if you would like to join me on the health and fitness quest, check out my program, “It’s Not Just About The Food”

It is simply the exact program I follow in my own life and that I developed over 15years of working with weight loss hypnosis clients… It combines leading edge research with self hypnosis sessions and NLP Mind Mastery Tools to make getting fit and healthy not only easier, faster and better but more SUSTAINABLE.

So the mind mastery tools, plus the food choices I’ve been making, the intermittent fasting I’ve been doing combined with a “feast” day once a week, getting rid of my chair and using a standing desk as well as the Slow Burn fitness techniques that take only a few minutes every other day or so, are working.

And NOW I WANT MORE! Don’t YOU?

Do you see how it works?

If you don’t keep track, how will you actually know if you’re making progress?

If you are keeping track and NOT improving then you can intelligently explore different approaches and ideas until you DO see progress.

Does that make sense?

It’s also why businesses track expenses as well as income. The mantra of many millionaires is, “You can’t improve what you can’t measure”.  And I think there is something to that.

It’s why peak performance athletes keep track of their workouts and times, personal bests in practice and in competitions etc.

So how are you doing? Have you been noticing improvements in your life?
Or do you just keep track of the failures, the disappointments and the struggles?

Remember one of the immutable laws of the universe is:

“We get more of what we focus on.”

Your Daily Mind Mastery Challenge today (should you choose to accept it) is to pick a single area of your life and begin to keep track of your progress on a daily basis.
We get more of what we focus on, so focus in on what IS working.

  • Are you better at practicing self love?
  • Are you making progress in your health and fitness?
  • Are your relationship skills and communication skills improving?
  • Are you practicing your Anxiety Crushers on a regular basis?
  • Are you cutting back on junk food and eating more veggies?
  • Are you practicing meditation daily?
  • Are you writing out WDIWOBTICPI? And making a note of how things actually turn out?

I mean, after all, What’s good in your life? Do you even know?

Make a note of it. Write it down. Keep track of your good days. Keep track of your successes.

Forget about the “failures” for now.

And if you look at things with the appreciation that even the “Failures” are part of your ultimate success, you can surely find SOMETHING to track that will give you hope and encouragement so you can take another step and another step and another step towards becoming even more fabulous than you already are…

And I am NOT suggesting that you measure EVERYTHING… Just track the stuff that’s IMPORTANT to you. And do it INTELLIGENTLY so you are fairly sure you aren’t fooling yourself like the person who wants to lose weight and starts working out and building muscle getting discouraged by their increasing weight. They don’t want to lose WEIGHT. What they really want is to Lose FAT and BUILD MUSCLE! And they very well could be succeeding but not measuring it correctly!

So give “keeping track of your successes” a shot!

Your Transformational Soundtrack to support your assignment (should you choose to accept it) is….

Song # 337 “Walk Through Roses” (It’s all about focus)

Enjoy!

Have an awesome, fabulous, groovy, love filled day!

– Mark

p.s. I will see YOU on the INSIDE!

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

  • Review my hypnosis video programs
  • Contact me today

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Filed Under: Articles, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Dominant Thoughts, Empowerment Songs, Failure Into Feedback, Focus, Goal Setting, Health & Wellness, Hypnosis For Weight Loss, Intermittant Fasting, Online Weight Loss Course, Self Hypnosis, Transformation, Transformation Songs, Weight Loss

Transformation Tuesdays are Coming!

March 15, 2016 by Mark Shepard

Transformation Tuesdays Are Coming Soon!

There has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes in my life.
A MASSIVE, MAJOR SHIFT.

For years I struggled with what to “focus on” (can you relate?):

  • Should I focus on my music?
  • Should I focus on Storytelling and School Assemblies?
  • Should I focus on Professional Speaking for the corporate market?
  • Should I focus on my Hypnosis/NLP/EFT Healing practice?

And as I worked on each area for awhile, whatever I learned, whatever I discovered, whatever I healed and released in my own life made attempting to “figure out” what I “should” focus on more and more frustrating!

I don’t know about you, but in my life, there are no neat separate little boxes. PLUS the linguistic pattern of “SHOULD” is a clear clue that “Limited Beliefs” or “Limited Thinking” is in operation.

The Unlimited truth is more inclusive:

  • I use music and storytelling in my hypnosis sessions and NLP trainings…
  • I use music and drumming and transformational neuro linguistic language patterns when I’m billed as a “Storyteller”…
  • I can pretty much stand up in front of any group of people from Elementary Schools to Corporate Conferences and find a way to connect with them and deliver the kind of value that they can immediately use to shift their states, transform their thinking and improve their lives… and I can sings songs and tell stories to support it… :o)

So the big shift that has been happening since July when I began to integrate all of my hypnosis/NLP Personal Transformation Programs under the Honest Hypnosis “umbrella” has continued…

If you’ve been following these posts or have taken the stop to join the Transformation Nation VIP list you might remember a couple of weeks ago me talking about “Chunking UP”…

Well, just so you know I do my best to follow my own advice! I’ve been chunking up and by jove! I think I’ve got it!

I’ve chunked up to TRANSFORMATION.

EVERYTHING I do is TRANSFORMATION!

So I can do a multi-cultural school assembly with my Drums, Songs and Stories and still be totally in alignment with my highest purpose. Check out DrumSongStory.com for more info on that.

I can make awesome music with my musical mentor Roger Mock and my beloved music team at Unity church in Albany on Sundays and still be totally “on task”. UnityAlbany.org

I can create courses for you and daily emails and blog posts integrating my transformation tunes and my “Jedi Mind Mastery” Tools and techniques and it’s still on track. Honest Hypnosis Video & Audio Programs

This may seem obvious to people looking on, but most marketing coaches and business experts will advise you to “FOCUS on a NICHE to grow RICH.” And while I definitely benefitted over the years from chunking down into a specific “target” areas like “Anxiety Relief” or even more chunked down, specific kinds of anxiety, like “Performance Anxiety” or “Fear of Flying” or Sports Hypnosis, or whatever,

Ultimately EVERYTHING….
and I mean EVERYTHING
I do is about TRANSFORMATION.

And suddenly it kind of HIT me in the face.

SPLAT!

I NEED TO DO SOMETHING ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT INTEGRATES EVERYTHING I DO IN ONE COHESIVE PROGRAM LIVE AND IN PERSON AS WELL AS STREAMED LIVE ON THE INTERNET…

(sorry about the shouting but I’m just a little bit…

EXCITED…

as I reflected intensely on this idea, what came to me was that the best day for me to actually do it would be TUESDAY evenings…

TRANSFORMATION Tuesdays.

So. Drum roll please!

Starting TUESDAY April 5th 2016. From 7 pm to 8:30 pm Eastern Time, I am inviting you to join me either in person (if you’re local to Albany NY) or by the exciting “streaming” technology on the  internet.

LIVE! in Real Time!

And I will continue EVERY Tuesday thereafter for as long as it continues to feel congruent. :o)

Here’s what will be included:

Each Transformation Tuesday  event will start with

Meditation Movements – We’ll move our bodies in ways that are specifically designed to increase endorphins, and healthy energy flow throughout the body. We’ll ground ourselves and get the breathing and gentle “tai chi like” movements charging up our fields. This will empower us to transform whatever energy, state, or mood we are in or working through into personal empowerment.

Next, we will begin to use
Intentional Chants, Transformation Tunes and Toning to take that energy process to a deeper, higher, wider, level.

Then once we “tune in” we will bring our hearts and minds together for a
Specific Transformational Intention that will assist each of us to apply one or two simple, powerful Mind/Heart/Body Personal Mastery Tools to our own lives, situations, relationships, etc.

Once we focus on what we want and discover a new way of looking at and experiencing the things we desire to transform, we’ll go into a
Guided Meditation, Visualization, Hypnosis, (whatever you want to label it) to let go of what we need to let go of and internalize and focus our minds, hearts, bodies and spirits on what we DO want…

We’ll then “Lock In The Change” with a few more appropriate Transformation Tunes and “Release the Form” as we bring the evening to a close.

There will also be time at the end to simply hang out and share our individual experiences with each other.

Are you in?

Contact Me and Let me know so I can save a seat for you!

In the meantime, Today’s Transformation Tune is:
Song # 472 Be The Change (use this link or the player at the top of this page)

Your Mind Mastery Assignment for Today (should you choose to accept it), is to play today’s Transformation Tune and then take a moment or two to IMAGINE the current challenges, frustrations and obstacles in your life gently and significantly giving way to wholeness, health, abundance, clarity, freedom, empowerment, joy, love and the absolute best kind of TRANSFORMATION you can possibly imagine…

Got it?

AWESOME!

PEACE, LOVE, GROOVINESS!

– Mark

p.s. Whoops! In all the excitement about Transformation Tuesdays, I almost forgot to give a special shout out to my action taking Transformation Nation members who jumped right in to check out my brand new program, “Hypnosis For PTSD”. A special thanks to Linda, Jeremy, Paula, Starsky, and Ronald who grabbed the 5 Scholarship spots. It pays to watch these emails like a hawk, cuz in addition to the free songs, I give you folks the first “heads ups” about new stuff and cool stuff and stuff that is FRESH and exclusively available to ACTION TAKERS.

The new program, “Hypnosis For PTSD”  is now available for purchase at this link:
http://honesthypnosis.com/ptsd-hypnosis-invitation/
please remember that you are totally covered by my iron-clad, money back satisfaction guarantee.

p.p.s.  I love you. I believe in you. And I imagine you whole, healed, healthy, happy, and radiantly transformed in ways that are even better than you can possibly imagine! :o)

Filed Under: Articles, Chunking Up, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Empowerment Songs, Hypnosis for PTSD, Self Improvement, Transformation, Transformation Songs, Transformation Tuesdays

It Calls To You

March 14, 2016 by Mark Shepard


“It Calls To You…”

You hear the phrase a lot around religious and spiritual circles… “I feel CALLED…”

Lately I’ve heard it in business and career contexts as well…

The notion is growing in our cultural consciousness that our work can be something that is so meaningful, and personally significant that it is “not just a job, it’s an adventure”

It’s not just a job it’s a “calling”…

One of the areas I’ve done a lot of work around in my own life as well as with clients over the years is clearing the old limiting beliefs around “what you’re supposed to do in order to make a living.”

The majority of the population has internalized the sad and stressful idea that they don’t really have a choice. The parody of the 7 Dwarves song, “Hi Ho, Hi Ho” has become a negative mantra for many:

“I owe, I owe, so off to work I go”…

Its a sad song sung in many a head on rainy Monday mornings like today.

So I want to share with you today a song as well as a somewhat RADICAL idea.

Something IS calling to you.

You may not be able to hear it because it sometimes is a whisper, and we are really good at pushing away those “inconvenient truths” that don’t conform to our social or cultural “rules”.

and Yes. being homeless and destitute is not exactly something kids grow up wanting to be.
Personally, I’ve been there and done that and in retrospect it was a gift to realize how little we actually need to live and how resourceful we can actually be.

I personally prefer prosperity and abundance… But those things do not necessarily require a large bank account.

I would be willing to bet cold hard cash, that you have a dream, a vision, a yearning for your life that calls to you…

And when we are called out of our old habits, patterns, self sabotage, and routines of anxiety and fear, it can be damn scary…

IF we attempt to do it ALONE.

And that’s where these Daily Mind Mastery posts and Transformation Tunes come in.

You are not alone because I am right here working on answering MY call along with YOU.

And I am not alone because I know YOU are reading these posts and listening to these songs and APPLYING them to your own life…

And that makes all the difference.

A really BIG idea has been calling me for a while now… and I’m about to take MASSIVE action on it…

I’m about to take MASSIVE ACTION in a way that is specifically designed to have a massively positive impact on YOUR journey and adventure of answering YOUR calling…

There will be something for my local, Albany NY friends and fans as well as something that my growing global gang of Transformation Nation members can join in and participate in as well…

So keep an eye on these articles or join the Daily Mind Mastery Newsletter List…

It’s coming soon.

In the meantime,

Today’s Transformation Tune is Song # 141 “It Calls To You” (<=== Click the link or use the player at the top)

It’s about the environment calling to us to stop the destruction and start paying attention to sustainability. And that concept applies to our personal, professional and spiritual lives as well…

Ideas are only good if they can be sustained in a congruent and ecological way. And that takes some time and attention. There may be a process of trial and error, of action and reflection that needs to be experienced in real time.

So my friends, take heart, listen to that still small voice in your life. Trust it.

And trusting it doesn’t mean you have to quit your job right away, but you may want to consider what it would be like to simplify, downsize and appreciate the abundance of resources and friendships you have right now and how they already form the foundation of YOU answering YOUR “CALL”.

You have everything you need to take the next step now…

So your assignment today (should you choose to accept it) is to take a few moments to reflect upon and write down what it is you would do if money and the earning of it were not required. In other words if you were independently wealthy and wanted to totally and completely explore an idea, a passion, a project, a goal without having to earn an income, what would that be?

There is no right or wrong answer, and you don’t have to come up with any plan or step by step process to do it. Just knowing what it is is the first step. I’ll share with you tomorrow what mine is… in the meantime,

Peace and grooviness!

Cowabungah!

I will see YOU on the INSIDE!

– Mark

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

  • Review my hypnosis video programs
  • Contact me today

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Filed Under: Articles, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Empowerment Songs, Freedom, Goal Setting, Hypnosis for Life Purpose, Hypnosis for Peak Performance, Innovative Thinking, Keys To Cowabungah, Path with Heart - Massive Throbbing Vision, Transformation, Transformation Songs

Give Yourself Permission

March 11, 2016 by Mark Shepard


Give Yourself Permission To Be Human AND To Remember You Are Not The Only One Working on Challenging “Stuff” in Your Life.

Just in case you may be wondering, I have full permission from my client Shawna to share what I shared in yesterday’s blog post.

If you missed it you can find it here: Hypnosis For PTSD

For years I’ve been frustrated with doing great work with clients and watching TRANSFORMATIONAL MIRACLES happen in front of my eyes but due to obvious confidentiality issues I couldn’t really share their stories. And MOST change takes place in PRIVATE.

And sometimes, most of the time actually, it’s not even a big deal. The shift happens and suddenly your world opens up before you in a way that previously was impossible but very quickly becomes the NEW NORMAL… and eventually we move beyond each level when we are ready…

Today’s transformational song  just happens to be about that and you might want to play it softly in the background for the rest of the day… (seriously. See what happens if you do).

So I want to express how deeply grateful I am to Shawna for being willing to co-create with me a series of hypnosis/Energy sessions that are designed not only to help HER, but to help YOU and ME as well.

One of the reasons why I am also fully willing to share MY stories and my own healing process is that THERE IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!

Just like climbing a mountain can be a shared activity where we can help each other up the steepest parts,

  • We are ALL in this TOGETHER.

  • We are ALL struggling to figure out what the heck we’re doing here in these little bodies on this little planet!

  • We are ALL working on understanding that the “real rules” for joy and THRIVING here in this lifetime are NOT the same rules that our parents and schools and culture has been teaching us!

Ultimately it really is not about “the person who dies with the most toys wins”.

It’s about experiencing the full health, empowerment, strength, joy, abundance and love that we can possibly experience here and now while we are alive!

But those ecstatic states do not just “happen” while we are sitting on the couch numbing ourselves out with TV, food, Alcohol, or sitting in a cubicle hating our job or striving always to please OTHER people even though it’s making you miserable…whatever.

So. If you are interested in your own transformation and “leveling up” in what I lovingly call “The Game”, stick around. It’s happening right here and you can join in the fun by simply reading these posts, signing up for my Daily Mind Mastery newsletter and daring to get a few songs “stuck in your head” while putting the daily “Master Your Mind For A Change” assignment into action.

Speaking of transformation! I want to thank the 5 Transformation Nation members who IMMEDIATELY took action and emailed me back requesting their special Pre-Release LIFETIME ACCESS to “PTSD Hypnosis Session”.  The program itself should be available to the general public as soon as Web Marketing Wonder and Technical Genuis, Michael Guerin gets it all set up.

Then watch the emails and blog posts for you opportunity to jump in as well.

Okay, Now. Your Transformation Tune for the day.
I’m thinking the Victory Song might be a good way to kick off this beautiful Friday in March.

(the player is at the top of this post)

This is a song written specifically with hypnotic language patterns in it PRESUPPOSING victory in all things.

The “Why” questions trigger your Unconscious Mind to accept the presuppositions in the questions and begin to build “evidence procedures” to make the questions TRUE.

It also appeals to all five of your senses so that no matter what your favorite or “default” communication preference is, the message can get deep into your unconscious mind…

In other words, your assignment today (should you choose to accept it) is to listen to this song all day at low volume and pay attention to how things shift in your life. And BTW you can download the song free by clicking the “download” link in the song player. (You can always pay more if you feel so moved :o)

“Give yourself permission to be abundant and at ease….”

And with that song stuck in your head, get out there and have yourself one HELL OF AN AWESOME DAY!

COWABUNGAH BAY-BEE!

– Mark

p.s. When the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Hypnosis and Energy Session is fully available for you I will definitely let you know. In the meantime, if you haven’t yet checked out my audio and video programs designed to put the power of transformation your life in YOUR hands.

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

  • Check out Hypnosis for PTSD
  • Review my hypnosis video programs
  • Contact me today

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Filed Under: Articles, Changing The World, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Empowerment Songs, Hypnosis for Peak Performance, Keys To Cowabungah, Peak Performance, Self Hypnosis, Transformation, Transformation Songs, Triumph Over Adversity

The Point of No Return

March 9, 2016 by Mark Shepard

There is a moment on every journey when you’ve gone too far to turn back. It’s been called ,

“The point of no return”.

It’s that moment of deepest commitment when you realize that the only way out is THROUGH. Since the journey back is going to be just as challenging if not more so, than the journey forward, you might as well go forward.

And interestingly enough many, many people seeking the help of a hypnotherapist or any holistic or medical practitioner for that matter, often voice the sentiment,

“I just want my old life back”.

Sorry. Not only can’t you have your old life back, the truth is you really don’t want it.

You want a better life. A more abundant life, A healthier life, a more awakened, conscious life.

But we are hardwired to cling to our habits and routines, our comfort zone… We fear the unknown. We fear change even though most of us bitch and moan about “the way things are” now.

Don Juan Matus, the Yaqui indian who taught Carlos Castaneda the ideas and practices of the ancient Toltecs of Mexico, talked about the “trickery of the Spirit”.

A sane, sensible person has to be “tricked” into following the “warriors path” and transforming their lives.

Which brings me to the idea of “purpose problem”.

Our “purpose problem” is the thing that bothers us so much that we actually can’t stand to tolerate the status quo any longer. It’s the “burr under the saddle” that just triggers the hell out of us and causes us to take massive action to alleviate the suffering, the pain, the irritation, the misery, the drama, the “whatever is driving you crazy” thing that you MUST change.

No ifs, ands or buts. It MUST change.

When you finally get fed up with being fed up. That’s when you are ready for spectacular growth.

Unfortunately it doesn’t usually feel very “nice”…

In my time last month with Dr. Donnie Epstein he addressed this stage in his 12 Stages of Extraordinary Experiencing.

It’s the first Stage: Suffering.

Of course I wrote a transformational song about it!

Please note that this song is MY interpretation of Donnie’s concept. It also includes a few threads of hopefulness that come in a bit later in his system.

At the moment it is only available in this video. I’ll share the finished song in hi fidelity grooviness at a later time…

Lyrics:

I Will Light A Lamp

Inspired by “Suffering” Stage # 1 of 12 Stages of Extraordinary Experiencing by Donnie Epstein.
Song # 515 | 2/17/16 | Tuning: DADGAD

Disconnected and in despair…
Everything seems beyond repair…
Helpless, hopeless and afraid…
Nothing works and it won’t go away

But I am more than this dis-ease…
I am more than this field of pain
When I accept that there is no release…
That’s when everything begins to change

Refrain:
Suffering is where we all begin.
Breathe the Love in to the wounded place within

Overwhelmed and tangled up in pain
I must stop attempting to explain
Why “what is,” is not what I wish for it to be
When I accept it as a gift…I set myself free

Refrain:

But we are more than…what we think is real
We can’t heal… what we can not feel…
The Love I feel for you caught me unprepared
Because I love myself more than I have ever dared

Refrain:

Bridge: How does the rage of open wounds
Pull us through the night?
How does the Source of countless tunes
Always bring the light?

I will light a lamp for you…. and I will leave it on…

copyright 2016 by Mark Shepard. All Rights Reserved.

as always, I love hearing from you so if any of this touches a chord in you just let me know.

Peace, grooviness, Namaste

– Mark
p.s. your assignment today (should you choose to accept it) is to play with the idea that whatever is causing you frustration, annoyance, discomfort, pain, suffering etc. is actually an invitation to go deep, deep, deep into your transformational healing process. See if you can find the gift, the opportunity, the blessing in this challenging time. Keep in mind that sometimes we are just not quite ready to fully commit to “forward”… and that’s perfect too.

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

  • Review my hypnosis video programs
  • Contact me today

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Filed Under: Articles, Change, Conversational Hypnosis, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Empowerment Songs, Overcoming Obstacles, Self Improvement, Suffering, Transformation, Transformation Songs

FRUSTRATION

March 8, 2016 by Mark Shepard

How To Use FRUSTRATION To Move Forward

Depending on your own level of frustration, you might want to play the transformation tune first today and then read the post… or maybe the other way around… :o)

I don’t know about you but I have a fairly low threshold for tolerating frustration.

Think of frustration

as an energy block.

It’s not something someone is doing to you. You and I no longer have the luxury of playing the “victim role” in the adventure story of our lives…

But the “thing” that is causing frustration won’t just go away because you wish it to. It is something that needs to be dealt with… consciously and lovingly.

Frustration in our own lives with jobs and co-workers, loved ones and situations that seem “unchangeable” can either drive us crazy or inspire and motivate us to take action.

Frustration calls for reflection, “getting the lesson” and then intelligent sustainable action.

The first thing we have to remember (and I am writing this for ME as well as YOU :o), is that the obstacles, blocks, “dead-ends” and annoying “stuck-ness” feelings are PERFECT.

We are being CHALLENGED to up our game.

The question is How Deep are you willing to Go in working on it?

  • Gandhi’s frustration led him to invent a whole new way of creating change in South African and India Non-Violent Protest. His frustration eventually led to MASSIVE action and a change of ideas that is still rocking this world and influencing leaders such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mendala.
  • Benjamin Franklin’s frustration with the postal system caused him to develop the first dependable postal service between the original 13 colonies, and it was his connections and travels between the colonies that helped him do his part in uniting them. His frustration with other aspects of colonial living caused him to organize the first volunteer fire department, lighted streets, lending libraries, and something we today call “the master mind” principle. Thank god for old Benjy’s frustration!

Frustration is the mother of all invention.

There have been some things that have frustrated me for 40 years. Forty damn years!

I started writing songs in 1976. They were so good that people would be stunned and astonished that this 16 year old kid was writing stuff that seemed way beyond his years. Whatever.

My songwriting came out of my own personal frustration at not being able to say out loud in words to other people what I was really feeling and thinking. I turned all the stuff inward and somehow I was able to turn all the crap I was feeling into lyrics and music that metaphorically expressed the inexpressible…

And then year after year I couldn’t for the life of me perform that damn things or “get them out in the world where they could do some good”….

FRUSTRATION!

Because I couldn’t perform them, I began to attempt to find ways to just record and preserve them. Which cost money. So I began to learn how to make money. And in that arena I crashed and burned more times than I care to admit. At one point I bought 4 houses for nothing down at the top of the 1980’s real estate bubble. That bubble BURST and I lost everything (and not for the last time!).

Eventually I surrendered to a higher power… and started working on my own “stuff” as if my life depended upon it (which is kind of did when you think about the alternative to actually doing the work).

Remember “stuff?”

We all have “stuff”. The “stuff” that gets triggered unconsciously and leaves us feeling shame, anger, fear, guilt, sadness without any logical or reasonable reason. The “Stuff” that drives us crazy and makes us MISERABLE.

“STUFF” = A technical term.

But I contend with all my heart and all my soul that our “stuff” is the greatest gift we have. Without it’s uncomfortable nudging, (or SHOVING) we would stay complacently satisfied with whatever small little box we have managed to build for ourselves.

AND IT’S TIME TO BREAK DOWN THE WALLS OF THE BOX.

It’s freedom time people.

It’s action time. More on this soon.

Now about the “Transformation Tune of the Day”,  Song #58 Visions of You (I Wreck My Soul)

I wrote it while I was at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1982… I was 22 How old were you?
Make sure you listen to the end for the “shift” moment. :o)

Instead of wishing you “peace” today, I lovingly wish you “FRUSTRATION” of the best kind.

May you be motivated to know

  1. You are not alone.
  2. Your frustration is a gift and a challenge
  3. You can do this.
  4. Together We CAN Change The World
  5. Changing the world starts INSIDE.

And I will see YOU on the INSIDE!
– Mark

p.s. along the way my frustration caused me to be motivated to learn how to change my own mind and body to support my big dream of making a positive difference in the world through my word and music. The result is a growing body of personal transformation tools and programs that people all over the world are finding helpful in their own transformational journeys.

The really important thing is just to be fully aware that you can realize the change you’re looking for…

And here’s how

Click the link below to:

  • Review my hypnosis video programs
  • Contact me today

Or just leave a comment below 🙂

Filed Under: Articles, Creating Change, Daily Mind Mastery Tip, Empowerment Songs, Frustration, Learning from mistakes, Mental Toughness Training, Overcoming Obstacles, Self Hypnosis, Self Improvement, Transformation, Transformation Songs

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A few testimonials…

A miracle!

“Mark’s intensive phobia-releasing session CURED me. The ‘trigger’ no longer causes me to shake and tremble. That’s a miracle! The healing affected more than just me.”

A. Hart

Already feel better!

“Hey, finished watching the Mojo course last night, great stuff. I already feel better!”

Todd

The program is so powerful and energetic…

“Mark provided a lot of information and tools to help me in weight loss and in all areas of my life. The program is so powerful and energetic. The camaraderie you encourage is extremely beneficial.”

Ann B.

I can’t thank you enough!

“I want to thank you for EVERYTHING you did for me! Ran the 48.6 miles last weekend. That is huge as when I first saw you I couldn’t even run outdoors without anxiety. I can’t thank you enough!”

John B.

I’ve been applying the techniques…

“Thank you Mark! I’ve been applying the techniques you taught us last week, and DAMN, it seems to be working already (but I’m not positive yet). I also wanted to tell you that I think you’ve got a real winner in your ‘Rain’ song. Ever since I heard it, I can’t get it out of my head! You’re the Best!”

Kate

I’ve been regularly using your breathing techniques…

“Hi Mark, I’ve been regularly using your breathing techniques and positive ‘why’ questions. I also bought your song ‘Arise Arise’ as it seems to really help when nervous.”

Jason

Already noticing huge progress!

“I have really enjoyed watching all of your videos, and I am already noticing huge progress! I go through all of your recommended self-hypnosis on a daily basis and notice improvement each day.”

Chris

You are a ROCKSTAR!

“Thank you for your work, Mark! You are a ROCKSTAR! The best kind. Full of love and life!”

Leslie M. Thornton

Used your courses to great effect…

“I’ve used your Shy Guy Help and ED courses to great effect, thank you!”

Ian

Makes it easy to understand…

“Oh man Mark. This is what I needed today. You explain things so well that makes it easy to understand. You my friend are awesome at what you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Linda

Anxiety is GONE!

“Oh my god… when you said ‘now where’s the anxiety?’ it gave me the biggest grin I’ve had in a long time… ‘cuz it was GONE! This is genius! You’re a genius sir!”

Jay

Very helpful…

“The information you are providing in the “CRUSH anxiety NOW!” course is very helpful. Thanks, Mark! BTW, I love your music, too. :-)”

Beth P.

Panic attacks gone for good…

“When I woke up this morning I was thinking about my panic attacks. I could not remember that last time I had one! I used the techniques in your CRUSH Anxiety Program. Thank you so much for all your help.”

Robin

Excellent customer service

“Excellent customer service. Thanks a lot!!!!!!”

Luis C.

Thank you so much for all of your help!

“Dear Mr. Shepard, I killed it with my speech yesterday, so thank you so much for all of your help! And thank you for adding me into the Bully Proof Teen group. I’ve been bullied myself as well so this is a good place for me to learn more. I will definitely take advantage of it. Don’t ever stop doing what you are doing!”

Hasen Khiar

Leaving my fears in the dust…

“It is a journey and Mark has shared a lot of great, drug free techniques that I intend to KEEP practicing as I leave my fears in the dust once and for all.”

Cheryl

Experienced a total transformation…

“I went online and logged in to your course How To Get Over A Breakup and experienced a total transformation.”

Paula

Haven’t felt this good for a long time…

“I haven’t felt this good for a long time and it’s a great feeling. I just wanted to say thank you so much and I really appreciate all your help.”

Kent

Honest and compassionate…

“I loved all the ‘transformation tools.’ I use them every day. I feel positive – self love. Mark worked hard and really cares about us. …very giving – honest and compassionate – thank you!”

Susan C.

One day I just stopped wanting all the sweets…

“It wasn’t an ‘instant’ fix. It took a little while but one day I just stopped wanting all the sweets that I used to crave. Now I’m drinking more water and loving my body more.”

Kay F.

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~ Linda from MN



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