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Welcome to AYD, and may this be the start of great things to come.
Pierre

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"What can we do, starting today, to build lasting success?"...."We all want to be part of something. We all want to feel great about the choices we make."

Thursday, September 27, 2012

AYD - September 27, 2012 - "I Did It !"

"Nothing is so embarrassing as watching someone do something that you said could not be done."
- Sam Ewing

You can think of a time when this may have happened.  You can think of how you might have felt.  Really, it may have been simply at the time that you did not know the How, so when you attempted you felt it could not be...BUT when you were shown How...you enjoyed finding out that it could be done.

Often times in life we must be somewhat careful with messages we received.  So much of the meaning is interpreted by an emotion driving perception.  Do not focus on the wrong feeling.

I am reminded daily of how wonderful life must look thru the eyes of a 3 year old.  In my case, our son.  We see moments that we envy in the way a child's mind works, because we see moments where they are not bothered so much by our adult distractions.  This whole topic will be big for me in the coming months as I learn more about the value of their take on events, and how we should adopt some of that innocence again.

But for today, I just want to focus on achievement.  I see a young boy trying to do something for the first time ... maybe after he has seen another child have success.  A new toy, a puzzle, or bouncing a ball.  I see his discouragement and disappointment when it does not go perfect that first time.  I see his little heart breaking.  I see how easy it could be, how easy it is for so many of us, to just give up and feel adamant that it cannot be done or that WE just cannot do it; and whether you deny it or not, even adults sit in a corner and pout.

I see the frustration.  I can relate.  And I want to do what I can to take it away, before he accepts this set back as defeat.  I offer to help, and we do the task one step at a time ... and I witness his success grow a little at a time, and with it his interest to keep trying.  And finally, I get to share in his joy as his voice expands and his eyes light up and he proudly exclaims, "I did it!"  And then he is so eager to go show his mom with a bounce in his step.

We can do that.  We can choose to open our minds to another angle, or approach, right when we are ready to give in and accept less of ourselves than we can really achieve.  Today's statement might trigger your thoughts to think of one particular act, or task, that we then connect to the "lesson".  What if you thought of it in relation to your goals or your dreams.  We try, we hit an obstacle, for whatever reason, we start to swallow the hurt that we cannot find that successful moment ... but someone in this world is doing it, that is, achieving their dream.  They are working toward it, and making it happen.

When you think it cannot be done, when you feel your most discouraged, when your bottom lip sticks out and frustration wants to comfort you into feeling so much more of the same - that is just your dreams telling you it is time to take a breath... to step back, focus, remember why you wanted to do this.  Pause and watch someone else for reinforcement.  Break it down...and try again.

That is what we tell our little ones.  And they get back up and try again.
When it comes to our dreams in life...they can be achieved.  They can be done.

Strive for the moment when you can be like a child, and gush with joy, from the wonderful moment when you can say, " I did it !"

Good morning.
Pierre Couturier
Husband, Daddy, Author... and Striving to be a kid again.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

AYD - September 26, 2012 - In the Moment, In the Task

"He that is everywhere is nowhere."
- Thomas Fuller, Chaplain to Charles II of England

If you are like me, there is alot going on in your head, from alot going on in your schedule, with the lot going on that you must get to.  But does there need to be all this stuff?

It may just be that my schedule and my To Do list are a product of my own bad habits in planning.  I make lists so that I dare not forget anything that in the moment I am adding it to my list, is important.  Funny how something so important, makes it to my list, but then I find it on page 6 of that list a week later after I keep adding to the list.

I then find that in reviewing my list, I overwhelm myself with seeing my long list.

And so, I am all over the map of priority.  I am all over the map on overlapping interests, tasks, duties, plans and before you know it, I am back in my chair at home at the end of the day asking, "What did I really accomplish today, other than revisit my list?"

If you are all over, you are spreading yourself thin, and if you really think about it,  you have not moved forward on the progress scale with any significance or momentum building achievement.

Take time to focus on one thing.  When you Think about your list of To Do...do not exhaust your action energy with reading it all over just to get all wound up in where to begin.  Pick a starter task... and apply your all.

If you can sequence your tasks or thoughts so that accomplishing one thing, give you a head start on the next or eliminates duplicate effort...then great.

And now, apply your energy, and at the end of the day, recognize and record your progress.

Gold star for you.  And amazingly, tomorrow looks bright already.

Good morning,

Pierre Couturier
Husband, Daddy, Author, List Attacker

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

AYD - Sept 25 2012 - Think and Step Forward

"Thinking is hard work; that's why so few do it."
- Albert Einstein

Today, I challenge you to take 5 minutes to yourself, and Think.

Focus on You for those five minutes.

Focus on one topic within your happy self.

Think about something you achieved.  Think about the effort you put in to get to that goal.  How you felt along the way.  The two steps forward.  The one step back.  The gains and the set backs.  The rush you felt as you neared completion.  The joy you felt when you succeeded.  Focus on the journey and all the stops along the way both physical and emotional.  Is the path you walked well mapped for you to walk it again?

Think about someone that brings you Joy.  A spouse, a child, a friend or a relative.  Think about the first thing that comes  to mind as you open the door to the thought of them.  Think about the first feeling you feel, and why.  Is there a memory that introduces your feelings to you?  If so, where did that feeling come from?  Walk backwards with the good feelings and find that moment when you first embraced.  Like one of those scenes in a movie where it quickly rewinds and takes us back to the start, so that we understand how we arrived at the Now in our story...Retrace those good steps and revisit the wonders of How and Why you are gifted with these Joy feelings each time.

These steps I ask of you, are to show you the moments and elements that have meaning, and to maybe rekindle your understanding of why they matter.  How our Good has evolved.  If we Think, with intent, we can arrive at a prize moment;  be it from memory, or from new creation of a new idea or plan for more success.

Success is a place with many wonderful apartments to visit.  Think with focus, and you will discover that you might just have keys to the whole building.

Good morning,
Good day,
Successful thinking.

Pierre Couturier
Thinking Husband, Thinking Daddy, Rethinking Author, Thinking...and seeing how I arrived here.