Charlois

This post is out of the regularly scheduled order but I want to cover some important ground.  For the past week I’ve been at a Behavioral Care Unit in Morehead, Kentucky.  I’ll get into the details momentarily but first I want to say something. I have no shame in checking myself into a unit such as this.  I have a severe mental illness and flare-ups happen the wisest course of action is to get help before it’s too late.  We would get treatment for any other illnesses, why not for the mental ones.  If you are struggling, get help, don’t let the stigma stop you.

With that said, this has been coming on for a couple of months.  Up until May 10^th, I was doing very well.  We had started talking about backing off on the frequency of my therapy sessions with the goal of being maintenance only by the end of the year.

Then, in May I left with my x, for a 5-day vacation.  I struggled with all the stimulation the whole time.  Being my first trip away from the Manor in over four years, (not counting hospital trips, which there were several) I was not prepared for what people on the outside deal with on a daily basis.  So, when I got back, I had a session with my therapist to process it all.

With that trip I was out of sync with my life and other stressors started building to dangerous levels.  Projects that should have been a joy became oppressive.  Over several weeks the stress continued to mount; nothing seemed to be working.  Finally, on July 3^rd, I was involved in an altercation with a fellow resident.  It wasn’t pretty, and it sent me over the edge.  The staff called EMS and I was taken to St Claire hospital in Morehead.

I am now somewhat stable, with a new awareness of my situation.  I have a plan for moving forward, which includes working on my three primary projects, and doing more self-care.  What I was reminded of was that none of us are immune.  With the right mix of situations, any of us can be pushed over the edge.

So, remember, even if you’re living your best possible life, be on guard.  It only takes an instant to put us in a bad situation.  Here is to living the good life.

God bless, and happy journeys.

Robert A. Charlois III

It has been said before, one of the best ways to participate in a self-improvement program is to read.  The question then becomes, do you know how to read?  Reading is a very complex activity, which many people really don’t do as well as they should.  It has been estimated that the average person reads on about the 6^th grade level.  This is not adequate for the needs of someone who is desiring to become their best self.  The answer is, most of us could benefit from a reading development program.

From time-to-time I have worked on improving my reading skills, and intend to do so again, starting in a few days.  In the past I have focused on specific aspects of my reading; speed, vocabulary, comprehension, breadth, etc.  This time I’m putting together a comprehensive program that addresses the whole reading process.

The program will consist of a variety of approaches:  three books, an online study, and a reading practice, will all be a part of the program.  It should be understood that this is the program I will be following; you may use any of it that you desire, however I recommend designing your own program so as to get the best results.

The three books cover various aspects of reading.  The first, “Rapid Reading Made Simple,” covers elementary reading.  It focuses mainly on mechanics:  vocabulary building, speed work, and comprehension tools, all things taught, (or should be taught) in elementary school.

The second book is more about the strategy of reading.  While it contains additional practice with the basics, the main focus is on “reading with a purpose.”  “Work Smarter With Speed Reading,” is a little misleading.  It does cover some speed-reading techniques; however, the main thrust is on reading with a purpose and plan.  This is meant to speed you up by focusing your efforts on primarily reading material relevant to your needs.

 The third, and final book, “How To Read A Book,” by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren is the classic text written nearly eighty years ago.  It gives treatment to the four levels of reading: elementary reading, inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading.  It gives one chapter to each: elementary, inspectional, and syntopical reading, then dedicates six chapters to analytical reading.  The reason appears to be that the authors view this as the most important aspect of reading, and should be accomplished by the time students graduate high school.

These three books will be read concurrently along with work on the online study and reading practice, conducted over a sixteen-week period.  The online work can be found on “The Daily Stoic” website found under our resources page.  Just go to their online store and find the “Read To Lead” link.

As far as the reading practice, it will consist of utilizing the Britannica, Great Books of The Western World and the introductory reading plan for that set of books.  That plan consists of fifteen readings with accompanying study materials.  In addition to that study, I will be devoting more time to my usual reading.

The three books I’ve mentioned may be found in used copies on the web.  The How to Read a Book is the only one that I know of that is still in print.

If you are serious about improving yourself, I suggest developing your own reading program.  There is no better way to grow than by reading.

Robert A. Charlois III

One of the key features of the Charlois Philosophy is the constant process of personal growth.  Without the movement toward self-improvement, we are not truly living The Charlois Life.  I for one am continually seeking ways to grow as a member of this universe.

One of the first things we can do in this regard is examine our lives.  Plato said, “the unexamined life is a life not worth living.”  I don’t know if I would go quite that far, however, growth happens as a result of reflection.

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately.  In fact, I have over emphasized the reflection and not done enough of the growth exercises.  The two must go hand in hand. 

June will see a change in my activity.  I plan on being more active in regards to my development.  There is much I want to accomplish in my life, and not enough time to do it all.  Especially if I take the laid-back approach.

One of my goals is to be a model that inspires people to strive to be their best selves.  The only way to do that is by living the Charlois Life.  So join me and let’s see if we can change the world.

Robert A. Charlois III

One great way to increase your personal growth is to read.  Most of the world’s knowledge is available through reading.  That is why we at Charlois believe every person should avail themselves of the opportunity to read as much as possible.

Whether it is to learn something new, or to travel to a distant land, or even to just escape; it is all possible through reading.  And the more we read the better we get at it.  This makes it even more beneficial.

Over the next week I’m going to be writing a lot about reading and ways to get the most from it.  But as a beginning you might want to pull up the “Resource” page and click on the “Daily Stoic.”  The offer a study called “Read to Lead.”  Check it out.

God bless, and have a great day.

Robert A. Charlois III

I recently took a five-day road trip to Ohio to visit family and friends.  Since it had been over four years since I had spent a night away from the Manor where I live, I was in for a shock.  The world I left had changed, or maybe it was me.

When I came to the Manor I was in a state of mental instability.  I had a distorted view of the world.  My reality was affected by psychosis and manic / depressive mood changes.  In the past four years things have changed for me.  I’m more stable because the environment I live in is more stable.  I get my medications regularly, as prescribed and the rest of my basic life needs are taken care of as well.  So, I experienced a blow to my reality when all that was removed.

It was a good experience; I learned a lot about myself.  That is key for someone trying to live the Charlois Life.  In our way of doing things, we examine our experiences to see what we can learn.  That is what I did; I asked questions of myself, and family / friends.  I sought answers as to what I experienced and how I can grow from the experience.

I discovered that the world is hodge-podge of stimulation.  For me it was overwhelming.  I wanted to run away and hide.  But I didn’t.  I exercised my coping muscles and learned new ways of maintaining within the confusion.  The biggest realization was, I can survive even in the midst of upheaval.

So, join me in examining ourselves and the situations we find ourselves in.  From this we will grow and become the best version of ourselves.

Robert A. Charlois III

We are having difficulties with the blog.  If you’re having trouble accessing it bear with us as we try to resolve the issue.

Please check in often as things can change quickly.  We are looking forward to serving you.  God bless.

The Charlois Philosophy team

Watched an installment of “Minute with Maxwell,” the other day, and the theme word was, “better.”  It hit home because one of the leading attributes of the Charlois Life, is too be the best you can be.  In the clip, a guest speaker put forth the idea that we should strive to be better today than we were yesterday.

Think about it, if we all lived by that idea, how far could we get in the time we have on this planet?  Add to that the progress we could make as a species if we all tried to be better.  There would be nothing out of our reach.  The abundance of the universe would be showered upon us.  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

I know in my own life the benefits I receive when I’m trying to improve.  Maybe I don’t advance as far as my intentions are, but I am better for the effort.  So, if you want to be blessed with abundance, give it your best shot.

Think about the possibilities.

Robert A. Charlois III

As last reported, The Charlois Co., LLC is officially established.  However, that does not mean we are open for business.  There is still much work to be done; researching suppliers, writing a business plan, and other groundbreaking activities are in our future.

There are some things we hope to solidify.  The Co. will be made up of many different businesses.  Charlois General Trading will be a general merchandise store that focuses on quality for ethical prices.  Then there will be Leonardo’s Books and Personal Growth Center.  It’s aim is to be a self-help destination, again with ethical pricing.  There will be others as we grow but for now that should keep us busy.

Eventually we want to hire staff that will be provided a nice compensation package.  This will help those who are entering the workforce for the first time, or, those who may be having difficulties for other reasons.

While these will be for profit businesses, portions of those profits will be directed toward benevolent causes.  Again, helping people have a better quality of life.

Check this site every Tuesday for updates on our progress.

Robert A. Charlois III

It has been just a little over a year since we went live; actually, it was March 19^th, of last year.  In that time a lot has happened.  There have been 91 posts, several additions, and a whole lot experimentation; and we’re just getting started.

During the upcoming months we will be continuing to fine tune the site.  First off will be the new calendar. Mondays are to be set aside to talk about the foundations of Charlois; what we stand for and some of the principles behind the organization.  Tuesdays will be dedicated to “The Charlois Co., LLC”; the business side of the philosophy.  Wednesdays look to be a chance for us to reflect on “The Charlois Life;” a popular topic.  Thursdays we focus on “Fellowship of ALL God’s Children,” the non-profit arm of Charlois.  Another popular category, “A Charlois Book Review,” will continue to be covered on Fridays.  Finally, the most read subject, “A Charlois Pastoral Reflection,” will continue to occupy Saturdays.  

Keep in mind, we are new to this and we’ll make mistakes along the way, however, it is our desire to be an organization that “helps improve lives, because we care.”  Everything we do on this site, and throughout all of our endeavors, is meant to help each person grow into the best version of themselves that is possible.  As that happens a life of abundance is sure to follow.

So, read these posts, add your own comments, and help us become the best we can be.

God bless, and have a great day.

Robert A. Charlois III

Wednesday, April 12^th, 2023

There is a lot to report this week.  First of all, The Charlois Co., LLC, is now an official legal entity.  The papers were submitted to the Secretary of State, Kentucky, on Monday, April 10^th, 2023.  We still have the operational agreement to file, but the fist step is complete.

What this means is, now we have to figure out the details of the business.  Doing some research, (a lot actually) and writing a business plan.  Over the years I have worked toward setting up a business.  There have been many ventures, but none that have lasted.  After years of trying, I have learned a lot.  Therefore, I’m going to take this process slowly. It may not seem like it with me filing for the business license, but that just solidifies my desire.

There will soon be a link to the dedicated web page on this website.  On there will be more information and updates as they come up.  Be on the lookout.

Robert A. Charlois III