Do you want to wait until you’re dangerously close to an edge before you listen? Here are some suggestions to help you exercise listening to your inner wisdom.

1. Know yourself. What do you really want and need? Are you willing to stand up for your own life?

2. Practice. Listening is like a muscle that needs strengthening. You can listen with more than just your ears; you can listen with your heart as well. Slow down, close you eyes for a minute. What do you hear or feel?

3. Learn to trust your own inner voice. When you start trusting yourself you will experience more flow and fulfillment.

4. Watch for confirmations life sends you. This will help to reinforce value of listening and encourage you to keep sharpening skill. It’s also delightful to witness amazing learning possible when you are listening.

When I don’t listen it’s usually because there’s something I don’t want to hear. That day on mountain I needed to ask myself a hard question, “why was I willing to risk my health or life to prove to my husband that I could do things he liked to do?” It was because I didn’t want to feel left out. Yet, by NOT listening, I left myself out.

When I listen my life flows more easily. I am guided toward things that work for me as well as for others. I’m more honest and I’m more me.

Now, when my husband asks me to hike with him, I am delighted to go or not, walk as far as I want and know we’re both having a better time because we are both following our heart.

I’m listening now.

It’s YOUR life…imagine possibilities!

Helaine Iris is a certified Life Coach, writer and teacher. She works with individuals, entrepreneurs, and professionals, who want to integrate their life purpose with their personal and professional life to create a life that’s joyful, fulfilling and successful. Are you ready to take a step that could change your life? For a complimentary session visit her website http://www.pathofpurpose.com or call her 603-357-8546 or email her helaine@pathofpurpose.com

Being a seasoned networker I created this great "Getting to Know You Game" to facilitate mingling.

Everyone had a great time and I had more dates in months that followed than I had, had in my whole proceeding life. I dated Joe, tri-athlete psychiatrist with ponytail, Marcus tall and lean international photographer with thick rimmed glassed and huge motorcycle, Brian pinup paramedic with a passion for opera and Michael very cultured fireman with whom I shared an interest in exploring ethnic restaurants and my still very special friend Paul Magnificent a sultry magician who eats fire, lays on nail beds, walks on glass and can dance your shoes right off.

At one of cocktail parties, my cousin Kristi met a man named Robert. She had a "false truth" to disprove. She had accepted that asking men out never produced any long term benefit. Once I tracked down his number and persuaded, her to call him, she asked him out. They are now married with two children. Kristi has learned value of not accepting things way they are and instead taking action to make them way you want them to be.

Besides romance, friendships, fun. So much fun. The benefit was not buying into a "false truth" that did not support me and what I wanted for myself in my life. Instead of moping and hoping I took action and changed my whole reality. Where are you moping and hoping? Right now ask yourself- have you been moping lately- if so what about? Moping is like struggle, struggle reduces your energy for success. Taking action is far better than moping. If you've been moping about anything decide to stop it, decide to identify and take action to disprove any "false truths" that are interfering with your success.

You are responsible for deciding what is true for you. Take action, to create truths that will best serve you and watch your self respect and confidence grow. Take action prove to yourself truths that support you in achieving success you strive for.