Meet Mark J. Platten | Author, Speaker, Course Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark J. Platten and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark J., how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I’ve always made my family my first priority and created work that allowed me to be there with them for all their events and activities. I’m pretty sure there aren’t too many of us who, at the end of life, will be saying we wished we had attended one more meeting.

That being said, there are times of sacrifice (to make sacred) where I’ve worked 12-14 hour days to launch a new product, or write a book, because I know for me to achieve my dreams, there are times I need the tenacity and discipline to do the work. Luckily, I grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa, and hard work comes to me pretty naturally.

My connection to nature is paramount in my life balance. I can feel within when I’m out of center, when my energy is not where I want it to be. That’s the indicator for me to get into nature and ground myself, soften into my heart, release the tension and be in gratitude. This resets my system and I”m fresh and ready to go when I return to work.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve lived in two worlds, like many creatives. On the professional business side, I started out as a US Air Force Officer for seven years, then worked for the US Forest Service, followed by teaching Natural Resources at the Collegiate level, then moved to owning my own construction company, being the lead Natural Resources Specialists for a multinational development company, and most recently, am faculty at Colorado State University.

In the other world, I’m an ordained interfaith minister, Reiki Master, men’s work leader and program creator, intensive nature connection teacher, author of “The Art of Connecting With Nature” and co-author on four other books from men’s work, ancestors, sacred paths, and rites and rituals. I’ve created an online course “It’s Not What You Eat, But How That Matters” and will be doing a full month of January intensive. And, I’ve been called to create Haiku and recently had one of my Haiku selected for an international anthology.

It’s not about what’s been easy, but what my heart and soul have asked of me. I’ve had so many peers in my “business” world ask how I could leave the military, academia, or Federal work because for them it was security, retirement, and prestige. On the subconscious level, those are also important to me, but I’ve always heeded the call of Spirit pulling forward into a bigger, better version of myself where I can be of service to more and more people and non-human beings.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were coming for a visit, we’d head out to a wilderness area or the National Forest and find a spot close to water and hole up for the entire time doing ceremony, connecting to nature, healing ourselves and the land, journaling to capture what’s going on in my interior world, meditation, sacred fire work, shamanic drumming sessions, and deep, brotherly conversations about where the world is calling us and what steps we can take to turn those into reality.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife, Ahriana Platten

Website: https://markjplatten.com

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