A quick Story.. Turning 40 (a "pre"cording)
This is actually a "pre"cording, as today is my 40th birthday..
Here's the note I wrote on the plane on our return from Vegas:
"Hi, I'm Chad Zannotti. I AM ENERGY.. That's It.......
'Course, I've served others as a physical therapist for 17 years and hold a certification as a strength coach. I do my best to help others ignite a 'fire within' to drive after being the best person they can be. More importantly, I'm a dad to 3 amazing human beings and a husband to the most outgoing, caring, vivacious and fair girl I've ever met. Our family has an energy ball, Ziggy-Zen, our bichon, whom we all adore and who shows us tremendous, unconditional love 99.9% of the day. I'm living a truly blessed life.
I'm writing this blog to highlight my second sentence -- "I AM ENERGY".
I turn 40 in 12 days and, honestly, when I envisioned this time's arrival, I thought I'd be "slowing down", I'd be "on my way out", "Over The Hill" or any other antiquated phrases that are shouted out around this time of life. Well, I tell ya, I'm coming off a training with Tony Robbins and I discovered, truly, that I'm just getting started.
For years, I've been beating myself up, in my mind -- stressing, analyzing, predicting, obsessing, FREAKING OUT -- for NO REASON AT ALL!! And what's the take? ENERGY.
Yes! It takes energy.......
It takes energy to, while in junior high and high school, to look at yourself in the mirror and see the pock marks on your face, pimples that burst from your skin's surface, more abundant each day.... It takes energy to feel self conscious about your thick glasses and your 'Rec Specs' that allow you to play sports with 20/20 vision.... It takes energy to, at 7 years old, get frustrated when your mom tells you to go upstairs and lay out your sleeping bag and, in frustration, punch the floor, breaking your hand.... It takes energy to, when you want to have accomplished a goal by age 40, look in the mirror and see that same face, sans blemishes, looking back at you and inconspicuously stating, "YOU DIDN'T DO IT!" and suppress your irritation, your disappointment in yourself, the dismay, the solemness......... It Takes Energy.
Ya Know What? It also takes energy to be grateful, and to feel, deep in your heart and soul, the sense of genuine, authentic gratitude. It takes ENERGY to express thanks for the amazingness all around me and, at the same time, visualize an even more extraordinary life.. a LIFE where I call the shots.. a LIFE where I truly put my family #1 and I spend as much time with them as humanly possible.. a LIFE where money is coming at me in such abundance that finances are a non-issue.. a LIFE where I teach my children to help others and give of themselves to serve humanity to the highest degree.. a LIFE where others see just what the hell I'm doing and replicate in designing the LIFE..of..their..dreams.. a LIFE where every day is an adventure where I'm up at 5 am to move, reflect, sit in gratitude and LEARN.. a LIFE where I teach my children to ward off bad habits such as drinking, smoking, drugs because I eliminated them from my life.. a LIFE where I work with others to connect and show the generations to come that they can STILL be, do and have ANYTHING they put their mind to.. a LIFE where my ENERGY IGNITES THE FIRE IN YOU.
40? It's a GD NUMBER, folks! I feel better, physically and mentally, than I did when I was 18. I'm prepared to act on these impulses, hunches, 'vibes', nudges that I've been sensing for years to create an AMAZING ENERGY on this planet. Those of you who woke me up, finally, THANK YOU! I'm forever grateful. It's about to get real.
"This Life Is More Than Just A Read Through." - Anthony Kiedis