Awaken Your Day - July 31 - Are You Rechargeable?

"Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left."

- Hubert Humphrey

There is a weekend on the horizon.
One more day of work...just one more day.

I have two things to consider today, both with the same question to follow.

Oh my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts.

We often encounter someone, or ourselves, that is at this point in the week, somewhat drained.

They wonder if they have enough energy to enjoy the time they get to themselves.

"Where is all that energy I had at the beginning of the week? I felt like 100%!"

Well... let's see...

Work related stress - 20%

Household chores- 10%

Raising children - 15%

Finances and planning - 20%

World News - 5%

Daily unnecessary stress ( traffic, line ups ) - 10%

Left over positive energy to build momentum on - 20%

The question is .... Are You Rechargeable?

"Oh, my friend, it's not what they take away from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left."

Example number 2:

You have a goal. A dream. Something you believe in and are working on. You started with energy and passion. 110%. Where is it now? Why can you not keep it going? But...But...But...

Let's see.

Not surrounded by like minded people - 20%

Pessimistic attitudes - 20%

Fear - 25%

Distracted or unfocussed passion - 20%

That maybe leaves you ( and I, and so many like us ) with 25% Belief in yourself from where you started. For many, that is being generous.

The question is ... Are You Rechargeable?

Along the way, and along the day we face so many actions and influences that nibble away on our passions and energies. Call them distractions, call them excuses - it does not overly matter. What we need to stay in charge of is our awareness to this life fact. Some of us are in better control of our energies and some of us are still learning how to get to that level. We stand together.

Red Rover Red Rover...we call Inspiration over.

Are you Rechargeable? Do you slowly give up each time you take inventory of your Passion/ Energy level? Are you at a point where you come around the bend for another try but this time you are only starting with 80% total? Then 65%? Then wondering why you try?

Awareness, acceptance or adaptability to setbacks, control over those things that we know will continue to attempt to drain our energy. These are your tools. Don't act surprised ... just use your tools.

Are you tired?
Are you a Victim ... or a Victor?

Are You .... Rechargeable?

Good morning.

All systems go.

Pierre Couturier
Father, Husband, Author, Entrepreneur, Friend ... & Believer.

Awaken Your Day - July 30 - To Grow or Not to Grow

"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
- Anais Nin

Sadly, many of us do not even know that we are living so tightly in our familar and secure bud.

I am an example of one who wishes he had explored a little more. I do not mean all of a sudden one day I wish I just decided to go bungee jumping or skydive. It is extreme thoughts like that that discourage many people from the simple act of thinking of what "blossom" might mean to them because they see it as a drastic change.

I just wish to encourage you to take some time NOW to grow. Grow in any amount, at any speed that suits you. But Blossom you should...Please.

Take a class.
See something new.
Read a book.
Try new foods.
Learn to swim.

Just open yourself to something you want to experience. Expose yourself to new sights, sounds, smells.

A day, or many days do come.... when we far too often say, "I wish I would have..."

I did it this morning, and now it is time to erase a wish from my "Is it too Late?" list.

Good Morning.

Pierre Couturier

Awaken Your Day - July 28 - A Duel

Quick, short and simple today.

I challenge you to a duel...or should I say I invite you to participate in a duel. Between the "Have" and "Have Not". Between the "I Want...I Wish... I Need" and the "I Have...I Did.... I Acheived".

Everytime you see something today that you want, or you think of something you need ( training, material thing, feeling ) I want you to list - yes...actually write down - something that you have already achieved .

For example - I wish I could have a new car. And... I bought and have paid off my old car.

Our mission today...is simply to recognize the skills we have already displayed to get to where we are and to have attained steps and things that we wanted in our lives. Once we recognize that we already have the skills to achieve, we can begin to push ourselves to reach for the next level of our goals.

In recognizing our achievements we stand a better chance of harvesting further belief in ourselves and our abilities to grow further.

Good morning, and may you be pleasantly reminded by a large list.

Pierre Couturier

Awaken Your Day - July 27 - 39 Fresh Start

Milestones.

Not just to reach for, but also they act like a rest area on the dream trail to pause and reflect. You have heard me say numerous times that we need not look ahead and be discouraged by the mountain of a journey before us, rather we need to look back with enthusiasm and express boistrously, "Wow, look how far I have come!!"

Hitting a milestone in age always causes one to reflect; and often that reflection hilites regrets.

We cannot do this.

My wife asked my yesterday if I was happy with where I find myself at this stage of my life. I told her I am thrilled where I am with my marriage, and our child, but I admitted that I had a few things I would have liked to have put more energy too. In saying that, I was happy to realize that I was not dwelling on regrets of incomplete attempts; instead I was calmly identifying those few things where I could improve my effort for the next push - but the dream was not dissolved. My awareness was and is my companion.

I have far too many blessings to be feeling self pity, or self anger for things I did not complete.

Milestones.

I turn 39 years old today. 39. I find it hard to believe. Where did the time go? What have I done? What do I long to do? How much time is there left for me? Have I found my skills? Have I touched my inner belief ? Can I share my passion? Am I successful?

39? Really?

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." - John Barrymore

I have defied the odds in my lifetime.
A few times. Definitively. Luckily.

So I am only mildly surprised as I discover how I feel this morning, and ... for the first time, it is really sinking in. I do not feel 39.

I do not feel lost. Nor panicked. And I do not feel like it is a race now to accomplish something because of this number. No. Instead I feel quite different than I expected. I know I am where I am because of decisions I made along the way, and I know that where I will be tomorrow will depend on the decisions I make now, moving forward from this marker.

It may have taken me this wonderful journey to now, to properly see the vibrant picture layed out before me - but at Mile marker 39 - I truly feel like I am just warming up.

How fitting is it for me, that this next stage begins on Opportunity Monday?

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen....we are starting the engines.

Pierre Couturier
Father, Husband, Author, Entrepreneur, Friend... and Believer.