What Is In Your Coffee?

Check out some of these interesting coffee statistics…

> Specialty coffee sales are increasing by 20% per year and account for nearly 8% of the 18 billion dollar U.S. coffee market.

> 50% of the population, equivalent to 150 million Americans, drink espresso, cappuccino, latte, or iced/cold coffees.

> Independent coffee shops equal $12 billion in annual sales.

> Over 50% of Americans over 18 years of age drink coffee every day. This represents over 150 million daily drinkers. 30 million American adults drink specialty coffee beverages daily; which include a mocha, latte, espresso, café mocha, cappuccino, frozen/iced coffee beverages, etc.

> Men drink as much coffee as women; each consuming an average of 1.6 cups per day. Women seem to be more concerned about the price than men. Among coffee drinkers, the average consumption in the United States is 3.2 cups of coffee per day.

> 35% of coffee drinkers prefer black coffee / 65% prefer to add sugar and/or cream

> Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day making the United States the leading consumer of coffee in the world.

Coffee is a must have for many people. Their day can not start until they have their hot coffee. The whole day can be “off” for some if they do not get their morning fix. Many will go out of their way or wake up much earlier just to get their coffee. It is their morning fuel to face the day.

So my metaphorical question is…“What is in your coffee?”

What do you do each day that starts your day out right? What are the habits or routines that you have that ensure a strong start to the day? I believe the first few hours of the day are the most important. They can set the attitude and direction of the day. A bad start is hard to recover from. How many times have you ever felt empty before the day even started? I think we all have at some point or another. It is hard to recover from a bad start, though it can be done. However, a good start can give you energy and motivation for what the day has in store. When you start off the right way you can face the challenges a little stronger.

Instead of rolling out of bed in a mad dash to start the day what about waking up a little earlier to set the tone? My challenge in life, since I am not a morning person, is to be INTENTIONAL about my mornings. I have to force myself to get up and get going, but the rewards are always worth it. I love to spend time reading, studying, praying, going over my schedule for the day/week, and simply focusing myself to get the most of the day. Pouring into myself is the most important thing I can do to start the day off right. It gives me what I need for the day.

We need to make sure we are getting our morning coffee in order to make the most of each day. So what is your morning coffee? What do you do that prepares you for the day? Here are some tips on what I believe you have to pour into your C.U.P.

C = Courage

You and I have to live a life of courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is moving ahead in spite of it. It takes courage to face each day and the challenges that will arise. Courage will give us the strength we need to step out and make the bold decisions we have to make. Start your day off by raising your courage. Read something inspirational, open up your Bible, spend time in prayer asking God for courage, and talk positive to yourself. Don’t start your day off by listening to depressing news and doom & gloom articles about murders and tragedies. I am not saying we don’t need to know what is going on, but for goodness sakes don’t start your day off with that kind of tone, save it for later if you must have it. Would you rather start your day off? By hearing about someone who followed their dream and is making a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people or an innocent person that was brutally killed the day before in a tragic series of events?

U = Understanding

Seek first to understand then be understood. Start each day with an attitude of understanding. Determine that no matter what happens you will be a person of understanding. Understanding is about putting yourself in the shoes of others. It is about humbling yourself to see the needs of others and looking past yourself. The more we can have the attitude of understanding the more we will connect with others. Live life by the code of understanding. Face each day with the idea that you will always seek to be an inclusive person not an exclusive person.

P = Purpose

We must face each day with a sense of purpose. We have to find the “why” in what we do. If we lose purpose we lose motivation. Find purpose in the small things not just the big things in life. See the purpose in your job and your activities for the day. Determine that you will live a life of purpose on purpose. Don’t just coast through your day make the most of every interaction and opportunity. Those that live a life of hope are those that live a life of purpose. It is when we lose sight of our purpose that life becomes dull. We were created for purpose, so make sure your focus is right for the day.