Awaken Your Day - Oct 14 - To Better or Not

"To try to be better is to be better."
- Charlotte Cushman, 1816-1876

For a long time, I could not understand this simple statement.
I was too burdened by looking at the overall mountain of effort it was going to take to get myself from where I was not happy to where I would be happy. In fact...I was so overwhelmed that I actually failed to even visualize what my "happy" destination looked like.

Imagine thinking about achieving success...and not realizing that while I am longing for success, the picture in my mind that was supposed to be inspiring me, was only the image of the letters...spelling, "Success". I don't even think I went so far as to "dream" the letters in vibrant, energizing color!!

Sometimes we need things told to us in the simplest of expressions.

"To try to be better is to be better."

Make an effort. There, you are now in a better place than you were. Simple enough.

First recognize where you are that you are not content with, identify with this moment, this place, this state of affairs, what ever it is you wish to be past and "better." Now, you voice it out loud...you accept this as your starting point, you admit to yourself that this is where you presently are positioned...you breath deep and accept this confession to yourself. It's okay, we have to start somewhere and we get nowhere sitting in a chair reciting the Lyrics to "Oh Woe is Me".

And now, to take control of the situation since you have embraced it... you simply take one step of effort into some form of action... you are now trying to be "better"... and in this little beginning effort ... you have achieved something I believe in very strongly.

You have just taken 51% control. You identified the issue at hand, and you took one step forward into some action... and you now have controlling interest in your solution. You have already made advancements into Better. The next step is to be happy about that, and let that energize you to take another step.

One step at a time, while you know you have controlling interest in the task at hand.
Doesn't that feel, Better?

I look forward to seeing some names registering to the 51% club. We will discuss this philosophy more in the weeks to come. It's good to be a member of this club. I like it.

Until later...good morning.
Pierre Couturier
Husband, "Da...Dee", Author and Friend
www.thecardconnection.ca

Awaken Your Day - Oct 13, 2010 - Don't Forget the Obvious

It is so easy. So easy that we all do it. Sometimes, often.
It is so easy, to forget to be thankful for some of the obvious things in our lives.
Surely we do not intend to take these things for granted. However, life's activities have a tendancy to pile on ... and our focus gets derailed somewhat...and our obvious, yet oh so important pieces get hidden under layers of "life stuff".
Even when these pieces are right there in front of us.

So I thought, since Thanksgiving was just here, I might ask you a question...
Did you just go thru the motions of another holiday, saying "Thank You" only at the table during Grace, and then rush thru the festivities...?
Did you find a moment and stop, and actually look around your life and identify a few things you are truly thankful for?
Did you pause to FEEL thankful?
Did you take but a moment to actually embrace your gratitude, and let the feelings that come with such a moment make you feel better.... like a full breath of fresh air on a cool morning.

No?
Then I suggest we share a moment now.
You know the drill, as we have done this before, and we will do it again, for it is a simple gesture that carries alot of meaning.

I will start.

I am thankful I get to fly to work, instead of driving a treacherous hiway, for it brings peace to my wife's already worried heart...and thus, it is one less negative thing to think of while I am away.
I am thankful that each of our families, my wife's and mine, love and accept each of us fully into their lives and look at us as One. Not everyone has this comfort, and i know that many other parts of our marriage are made easier by this love and acceptance.

I am thankful for turning 40, and not feeling older.

I am thankful for every life lesson I have learned, and that I do not have an Ego that guides those lessons.

I am thankful that I like who I am, and that I don't feel I need to act like someone else to be accepted.

I am thankful that I have learned to think more rationally, instead of reactionary. It makes a difference in the quality of my moments.

I am thankful for well placed pictures that allow you to have captured a moment, and then to escape to it, as often as you like.

I am thankful that my wife taught our son to say "Daa-Deeee" and for how fast my heart beats when he smiles and runs to me.

And yes, my biggest obvious, is that I am thankful for my wife and son and every storyline that led them to be my life, and all I can do to compliment theirs.

Anyone can just easily say, "Thank you for this...and that"... but i am asking you to Feel Your Gratitude...and in so doing, you will revisit the Why of your Gratitude. Pick a few, pick many. There are no rules.

Take care.
Have a wonderful day, and Thank you...for stopping by.
See you tomorrow?

Pierre Couturier
Husband, Da Dee, Author, and Friend.
www.thecardconnection.ca