What do you have around your house “just in case”? My mom used to have guest towels that we put out when company was coming, just in case they needed to use the bathroom.. I had a friend who got a business degree “just in case” she needed it, even though she was doing well as a working actress. I carry an inhaler just in case I have an asthma attack.

Maybe you carry a cell phone just in case you have car trouble. Being raised on the Gulf of Mexico, I was taught to have an emergency kit ready just in case of a hurricane.

Those are reserves. Those are things that you keep back, that you keep in reserve, things that you can count on to be there when you need them.

Over the past few years as a Life Coach, I have worked with a lot of people who were currently living their life being pushed and pulled as if they were in a pinball machine. Each person’s story was different, yet all had a common theme.

In order to be “choosey” in life, in order to put yourself in a place of control over your life, in order to make decisions on what you want instead of what you have to do, you only need one thing -- reserves.

Reserves means that little extra: a pad of time in your schedule, a few extra dollars in the bank, an extra key in case you get locked out, a back up babysitter, a corded telephone for when the electricity goes off. It means an extra pair of glasses in your purse, powdered coffee creamer for when then half-and half runs out.

Reserves are a stockpile to draw on, more than you need, insurance, back-up plan, escape plan, Plan B, safety net.

I think the very best part about having backup, having reserves, is on those days when you have a really bad case of the “I don’t want to’s”, you can get away with it. That’s the whole idea behind reserves. When you want it, you have it; when you need it you have it.

When you have more than you need at any given time, of any given thing -- from toilet paper to paper money -- you automatically have a sense of well being. You feel secure and safe. You feel like you can handle life’s curves. It means a lot less to worry about. And that’s really what we’re all looking for, isn’t it?

Children who have a reserve of support and love in their life are the ones who try out for the school play, who play sports that they’re not necessarily built to play. They have enough support to make a mistake, to work it out, to learn instead of quit.

With reserves comes freedom -- freedom to choose instead of being subject to your circumstances. Instead of allowing the circumstances to control your reaction, you are able to make a choice about how to handle the situation. When you have "it" (time, money, energy, love) to give, you're not constantly depleted, both physically and emotionally.

With reserves, you operate from a base of stability and security. You view every opportunity, every distraction, every action from a place of power.

Experience the power of making decisions based on security instead of worry, readiness instead of reluctance, abundance instead of lack. Begin creating reserves in your life today.

About the Author : Life Coach Kathy Gates specializes in helping people who are ready to create a simpler, less stressful, more joyful lifestyle. Visit www.reallifecoach.com to learn more.