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Inspired Action: Life is Always Guiding You. Are You Listening?

I'm Mary!

The Presence Path is about finding self compassion and walking your way home to yourself.  Living in your joy, creating and being true to your authentic self expression - is the key to create the fulfilling life you dream of.  Thank you for being here. I'm happy to share the journey with you.

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I am always amazed – although I shouldn’t be because it happens often enough to know it exists – when Life intuitively provides for the continuation of our joy, well-being and safety if we take the time to listen. And actually, even when we don’t listen, given the number of accidents and unexpected deaths around the world on a daily basis that don’t happen to us.

Life’s guidance shows up in so many unique, wonderful and surprising ways as I discovered again in a news report from Good News Network that is so good it’s worth repeating.

Tami Akanuma, 83-years-old, who lives in Miyako, Japan, saved her own life by following her dog Babu’s insistence on going out for a walk and taking a different route minutes after the big earthquake in Japan struck. Instead of going toward the beach as they usually did, the dog pulled her in the opposite direction up a steep hill and wouldn’t stop pulling, as if to rush her along.

Tami was surprised because the dog never wanted to go that way in the past. But she relented, flashing in the moment on a memory of an earthquake and subsequent tsunami 78 years earlier (78 years!) that destroyed the town in which she lived. Imagine! She was only five years old back then! Her intuition – her inner GPS that tapped into her life experience, along with her dog’s natural instinct for survival – and possibly even love for Tami – offered her information and guidance. Fortunately for Tami and Babu, she listened, took inspired action and started walking up the hill.

As Tami got to the top of the hill just minutes later, where an evacuation center just happened to be located, the woman turned around and saw a tsunami roar through the neighborhood below and wash away her home. According to Wikipedia, 339 lives were lost in this small city and only 30 of the 1000 fishing boats that support the livelihood of 57,000 people remain.

Every time I read one of these stories that shows the powerful guidance system that Life provides us for free, I feel excited, relieved, more confident, and determined to pay closer attention to my own inner voice, now lovingly referred to as Life’s IV – the energetic intravenous therapy that keeps me alive and well – when I listen and take inspired action.

One technique to connect to my inner GPS that I’ve found really helpful when I’m reading information, especially news information, is to notice the thoughts, memories, or messages that my mind gives me about my own life while I’m reading. These insights often come quickly – in less than a second – and disappear as quickly, but their impact registers in my body, usually from the area around my heart and up to the top of my head (also believed by some to be energetic communication centers, also known as chakras). Occasionally, they’ll show up in other areas of my body – my gut, my feet, an old injury, triggering cellular or muscle memories.

Some people dismiss this information as frivolous. Others are afraid of it so push it away. Some are so outer focused, they miss their inner guidance altogether. I’ve done all, but when I listen and take inspired action, I am always amazed by the results. What about you?

Life is always talking to you. Are you listening?

Read the story about Tami and Babu on Good News Network.

Share your thoughts in the comment box below. Thanks for connecting.

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My intention as a trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and coach is to help you reconnect to your wise, loving, intuitive self, follow your creative calling, and experience and share your creative gifts with the world. 

I bring 30 years of experience as an international inspirational speaker specializing in communications and stress management and over a decade in Marketing Consultancy. I am the author of "My Mother, My Friend," and "Living with Enthusiasm" and a contributing author to five best-selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books and "A Woman's Way to Success in Business." I have been featured in numerous national publications and broadcasts and have spoken on more than 1500 stages around the world. 

I believe there is a path to create the life you want and achieve your goals and dreams - at any age, at any stage. It is my honor and joy to help women find their creative calling and put their dreams at the forefront of their lives.


My intention as a trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and coach is to help you reconnect to your wise, loving, intuitive self, follow your creative calling, and experience and share your creative gifts with the world. 

I bring 30 years of experience as an international inspirational speaker specializing in communications and stress management and over a decade in Marketing Consultancy. I am the author of "My Mother, My Friend," and "Living with Enthusiasm" and a contributing author to five best-selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books and "A Woman's Way to Success in Business."

I have been featured in numerous national publications and broadcasts and have spoken on more than 1500 stages around the world, sharing how to stay inspired, enthusiastic, and healthy in changing times.

I believe there is a path to create the life you want and achieve your goals and dreams - at any age, at any stage. It is my honor and joy to help women find their creative calling and put their dreams at the forefront of their lives.


I would love to help you bring your creative spirit to life.

Learn more

A Lifetime of Experience, Travels, Challenge & Change

Mary is Director of Communications for the Center for Mindful Self Compassion and is a MSC Trained Teacher, Coach, Meditation Guide and Retreat Leader based in San Diego, California. You can find Mary creating artful photography and leading walking meditation groups on the beaches of Torrey Pines Reserve.

Mary's career experience includes over a decade working as a marketing consultant with business, government, nonprofit, and community organizations to create and complete mission-driven collaborative projects and events, and a 30-year career traveling internationally as a communication and stress management speaker and author. 

Working with latest research on stress, positive psychology, and brain/mindset learning into practical and powerful lifestyle strategies, Mary inspires people to make conscious choices and take inspired action in the midst of challenge and change, believing that all dreams are possible.

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written by mary marcdante

written by
mary marcdante

Living with Enthusiasm

Living with Enthusiasm is a powerful 21-Day Plan for turning your stress into success, funk into fun, and adversity into adventure. It's about going for the gusto.

WRITTEN BY MARY MARCDANTE

WRITTEN BY
MARY MARCDANTE

My Mother, My Friend

Every woman has things that she wants to talk about with her mother -- but can't. Big questions about health, aging and money, and even more personal issues about family secrets and Mom's relationship with Dad have made for extremely difficult conversations -- until now.

purchase the book  →

purchase the book  →