Dad Bud

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Finding the light in the dark. Last week I wrote about not being afraid of the dark, frankly because were too old to be afraid of the dark. Darkness being a struggle, difficult time, or an unknown. Before you start heading into the dark and truly pushing yourself there, you’ll need to equip yourself with the ability to find some light. We all have darkness and we all need to practice finding the light. Practice, practice, practice. You’ll need to practice this as much as possible, for if you struggle finding the light in any situation in your current life it’ll be a struggle to step out of your comfort zone to embrace the darkness of the unknown. I’ll give an example of how I practice finding the light and remind myself weekly. I write this blog on Monday evenings, probably one of the most hated days of the week for many people. General society dreads Monday’s. Monday means back to ...

Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body. - Seneca Difficulties, struggles, darkness.  The former two often emerge from darkness, from the unknown, from being in a vulnerable state, and from stepping out of the light into uncertainty.  We generally hang ourselves up on the difficulties and struggles of life. The tough times, that deep down actually serve to strengthen us overall. Stepping out of the light, what is working and what doesn’t need changing can also create a very uneasy feeling. Disrupting what is functioning to experience and grow in life can be unsettling. Vulnerability and doing it with purpose isn’t easy, it exposes you to possible failure - difficulties and struggles. The more we begin to understand how the darkness can not only lead to lessons learned but to some amazing places, the more often we’ll be willing to step out of the light into the darkness.  We’re too old to be afraid of the dark, avoid difficult times, ...

“It’s mind over matter.” That’s how I recently described running, long distance running, and particularly marathon running. I said this on live TV and truly do believe it.  Really, this pertains to most, if not all, physical challenges or goals. I’ve written much about this, focus highly on the mental aspect as I know that as humans this is where we struggle most. Our mental state or ability to control our mind is really the biggest aspect to achieving amazing things in life. Your body will tell itself it’s done much sooner than it reaches anywhere close to done. The mind protects ourselves from pain, that’s how the body works. One of the greatest aspects of running, or endurance activities, is being able to confront the little person inside who wants to quit. When you are struggling the most to continue on, learning how to talk ourselves through that physical pain threshold is exactly where greatness starts to happen.  Everyone hits those spots, EVERYON...

Non est ad astra mollis e terris via. There is no easy way from the earth to the stars - Seneca It’s that time of year.  All kinds of ambitious New Years Resolutions and goals to live by for the new year. Amazing as it is to see so much positivity and willingness to achieve great things for the year ahead, I can’t help but get disappointed in the whole process. I’ve mentioned before, I love the idea of making positive steps in your life but dread the fact that most people wait until a new year to make these necessary changes in life.  I’ve come to accept this time of year and the process of setting goals for people, I’m ok with it and actually have begun to join the party myself. In thinking further about it all, I do believe there is one element, or many, that is likely the culprit for my frustrations with these in most people. “I want to give back or volunteer more”, “I want to get in better shape”, “I want to exercise more”, “I want to eat healthier”...

“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself? ” Epictetus  We are all procrastinators. In one form or another we are all delaying, postponing, or holding out on something that we want to achieve in life. Many things we want to achieve in life that never see the light of day. All of us, every single one of us, me included. Procrastinators. It sucks and sucks the time out of the life we have. We know what we need to do but we delay and don’t make it happen.  “I’ll start tomorrow”, “I’ll get that done next month”, “in the new year”, “I need to start.....” but it never happens. Not always never, but more often than not it’s never.  I’ve been caught in this many times over the years, I still do every single day. You do too. Great ideas, ambition, well thought-out plans, and attainable goals that go to waste for one reason or another. Vanished as if they never existed. They don’t always vanish though. The need to be healthier,...

While we wait for life, life passes. - Seneca Untapped potential, the stuff we are all sitting on and not fully engaging. Yes, all of us.  Everyone has greater potential they are yet to or may never open up. Even those achieving great things could do greater things with their lives, nobody is living the perfect life...as perfection doesn’t exist. We all have moments, days, weeks where we completely watch life pass us by and never really push to achieve the greatness that lives inside us. Precious moments often wasted un-achieving and limiting ourselves, letting life lead us rather than leading it ourselves.  I’m just as guilty, we all are. It isn’t that you will spend every waking hour stretching yourself or driving towards dream after dream. It isn’t that your life will be so epic there will not be any room left for achievement. It isn’t that you’ll do more than any other human in the history of time.  It is however that we need to be aware of thi...

Words may inspire but only action creates change. - Simon Sinek This week’s post is entirely dedicated to you and your actions, not my words.  Best piece of advice, help, guidance, and support I can give is to leave this blog post for you to write.  Not so simple question: What’s Your ‘Why’? Why do you do the things you do? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Why do you exercise or believe you should stay fit? Why do you eat vegetables or healthy food over cookies and chips? This is a thought-provoking question and one that will take some deep, inner soul-searching. Mine is here, in a recent post of mine.  https://www.instagram.com/themattboudreau/p/BrI9I96Bt5-/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=135c9n6rlped2 So what’s yours? What’s your ‘Why’? Write it, share it privately, share it publicly, share it out loud, share it with a friend. Simply put it down and go from there. I’d love to hear it and help support your ‘Why’. We ...