Courageous Leaders make songs.

  When a  leader chooses a medium for their message, songs are an incredibly potent choice. 

 It’s rare to read a book more than a few times.

 Sometimes we watch a film or listen to a speech a handful of times.

But a good song? It’s hard to count  just how many times we listen to a song that moves us.

Dozens? Hundreds of times over the course of decades?

Songs are potent, songs are courageous.

Your Crazy Idea

Do you have a crazy idea? Phil Knight did. Phil was a runner who became obsessed with importing affordable, high quality running shoes from Japan to the USA.

 At the time running was not popular. At the time, following the second world war, Japan was not popular. Phil’s Crazy idea was not popular with his Dad or his classmates. 

But, Phil believed in his Crazy idea.

 Phil’s Mum handed over $6 for the first pair of shoes Phil had sent to his family home following his first trip to Japan.

  The universe conspired behind Phil and his Crazy idea. Over the course of several decades, adventures, challenges and repeated acts of faith, Phil’s Crazy idea became his life’s “work of art.” Phil’s Crazy idea became Nike.

Do you have a crazy idea?  

Blogging, Is it relevant in 2024?

Blogs or Weblogs as they are formerly known, came into existence in the late 1990‘s, marking a pivotal moment in the democratisation of media. With technological advancements, the scope for publishing diverse media online, ranging from high-definition videos to audio files, has expanded exponentially, become more accessible and cheap.

  In an era dominated by video content, has the humble text based blog lost relevance? And is it worth starting a blog in 2024?

  Reading text from a page engages the imagination in ways that are quite different to consuming the same information via video or audio.

  Text is flat, colourless and still and this is it’s super power.  Text on a screen or in a book requires the reader to engage in the task of meaning-making on a highly personal level. When reading text, we employ our imagination to construct pictures, sounds, to infer the tone and pacing of the information. When we write an idea down we invite the reader to bring more of themselves to make meaning with us.

  My personal journal recently tipped over 60,000 words. 

 Indicating to me that writing my ideas down is an activity I value.  As I read through several entries, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘would writing in public push me to develop some of these ideas further?’ When writing in private it can be too easy to discard ideas before moving them to the next stage.  The possibility that somebody else may read the ideas creates an impetus to sit with it for a little longer, to allow the idea to unfold and mature.

Writing in public for personal development.

When we choose to write in public, we decide to be vulnerable. We expose our thoughts and allow others to see us.  This exposes some fear. Fear of judgment, failure and confrontation. Yet without confrontation, there is no dialogue. Without dialogue ideas stagnate. Learning to deal with confrontation expands our comfort zone, allowing us to contribute to society in service of ideas that move humanity toward a more integrated existence. 

  So is it worth Blogging in 2024? Only you can answer that for yourself. For me? I think it is.  Writing in public serves as a platform for personal expression, growth and also creates opportunity for meaningful dialogue to contribute to the evolution of ideas.

The Gratitude, Generosity Loop

My friend Ryan and I tried gratitude practices.

 We tried naming three things we were grateful for over dinner each evening. We tried journaling about what we were grateful for each day. Gratitude practices receive a lot of attention and praise so we thought it was worth a try.

 Ryan and I can be honest with each other. 

After a few weeks of gratitude practices we shared our honest reflections. To our surprise they didn’t seem to work. There was no perceptible shift in mood immediately after doing the practice, nor was it easy to observe any long term benefit in terms of improvement in the quality of daily thoughts.

  This puzzled me for some time. Could all the research be flawed? Or are gratitude practices another example of, “the emperor's new clothes,” hyped up beyond their actual effectiveness?

 Then I realised gratitude is only half of the equation. 

Nature requires balance. There is no up without down, no push without pull, no offence without defence. Gratitude alone is incomplete.

  The missing piece of the puzzle? Generosity.

Generosity shifts our attention from what we have received, to the gifts can share.

 When gratitude and generosity are in harmony, the energetic loop is complete. As the generosity/ gratitude loop spirals it generates energy, uplifting the mood and mindset of the practitioner and those around them.

  May your week be filled with generous gratitude. 

What is Mindful Mentoring?

Why Mindful Mentoring?

Navigating the journey from childhood to becoming a healthy, grounded, and loving individual is both exhilarating and often challenging.

While every parent strives to create a safe and nurturing environment for their kids to grow up in, the reality is that no parent can fulfil every need, especially during the tumultuous years of adolescence. This is where mentors step in – supportive, trusted adults who play a crucial role in ensuring that adolescents continue to seek guidance and support as they prepare to transition into the next phase of adulthood.

Mindful Mentoring is a unique and adaptable framework Mark has developed as he worked with young people for over 15 years.

The core4 elements of Mindful Mentoring are;

Mentoring Relationship

Foster a positive mentoring relationship grounded in shared outdoor experiences, fostering trust and connection.

Identify protective factors in the form of internal and external developmental assets. Leveraging the strengths of the individual and their community to enhance life experience.

Movement

Embrace the therapeutic benefits of spending time in natures’ beauty and tranquility, promoting mental and emotional well-being.

Participate in accessible physical activities like hiking, biking, and skateboarding to experience the benefits of moderate exercise while fostering a sense of accomplishment and adventure.

Making

Cultivate healthy creative expression through mediums such as drawing, poetry, and photography. Participants are encouraged to creatively explore life experiences, producing meaningful artefacts to share with loved ones.

Mindfulness

Provide psychosocial education to enhance participants' understanding of the intricate connection between mind and body, promoting holistic well-being.

Introduce mindfulness practices to support emotional regulation, enhance focus, and nurture a positive self-image, empowering participants to navigate life's challenges with resilience and clarity.

Could Mark be the right mentor for your client or child?

For over 15 years, Mark has dedicated himself to mentoring hundreds of young people. With experience in various educational roles, including chaplaincy, wellbeing coordination, and facilitating outdoor adventure programs, he brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to his mentoring relationships.

Mark's training is multifaceted, beginning with a Bachelor of Theology with a focus on pastoral counselling. He furthered his qualifications by completing a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and obtaining his VIT teaching registration. Mark's commitment to helping young people thrive led him to pursue professional development in Positive youth development, Neuro-linguistic programming, and he recently achieved an Advanced Diploma in Meditation as lifestyle medicine, becoming an accredited Meditation teacher recognised by the Australian Meditation Association.

In addition to his mentoring expertise, Mark is passionate about physical activity. He is an accredited Level 2 skateboard coach, he enjoys surfing, mountain biking, and practicing Muay Thai. When he's not engaging in physical pursuits, Mark loves playing guitar, songwriting, and recording episodes for the Barku podcast.

Mark's diverse interests enable him to connect with young people on various levels. He understands that it's not just about the activities but also about approaching life with curiosity, playfulness, and faith, fostering authenticity and joy in every interaction.

If Mindful Mentoring sounds like a suitable support for a young person in your life and you reside in the Geelong or Surf Coast region, please reach out to discuss your requirements using the contact page.

Faith.

Jumping back up again requires us to have faith. Faith in ourselves and in the process.

Embarking on a new venture requires a degree of blind faith. Despite doubts about achieving results, choosing to take action initiates a subtle energetic shift. This energy becomes the driving force of creativity and action, propelling us forward even in the face of uncertainty. 

 Faith is the lifeblood of creativity and action that carries us forward even though our destination may seem uncertain.

By embracing curiosity, playfulness, and trust, I shifted from perpetual preparation to action. This website is my gift, given in good faith to you the reader. I have faith that these ideas, insights and reflections will help you as much as they have assisted me.

May Faith drive you forward this week. Mark.