Return to the New You

Would you believe me if I told you that the next 8 weeks could change your life forever? What if I suggested that these critical summer months could change your whole family forever? The fact is, they can. If you choose it to be -right here, right now – you could forever impact the future that awaits you.

When I was 14, I walked back into my school, after having enjoyed what I thought was a much too short summer vacation. I remember the kids. All of them were sporting new shoes. A few had new hairstyles. Some had grown what seemed like three inches. But one or two of them had clearly changed more than just their appearance.

It was obvious to me then, that a few of my fellow students had used the past sixty days to engage in a little personal development. They had built new friendships. They had explored new interests. They had pursued new talents, or further developed existing ones. They adjusted their attitude, reduced their distractions, shed harmful influences or embraced powerful motivations.

As the months went by, I watched as the new shoes become worn. The summer tans faded away. The new hairstyles became old and the physical growth became a matter of routine. But those kids who had sought out opportunities for personal growth, continued to develop and amplify the advantages that they had gained over those short summer months.

What we develop on the outside, is guaranteed to fade. But what we develop on the inside, will pay dividends for a lifetime. -Author’s Note

Regrettably, most of us devote more time to the planning of a week at the beach, than we do planning our own personal development. It’s not that we lack the ability, it’s just that we’ve allowed ourselves to sink into routine. So here’s my challenge. Take this chance to change that. Do it now. Give yourself 20 minutes to ‘pro’ and ‘con’ your profile. Create a simple action plan and go for it.

On July 4th, declare your independence from the vices, habits, bad thoughts or bad investments that have been holding you back. Use the following weeks to seize the future that you deserve. Spend each day working towards your goals. Devote more time to your family. Infuse more quality in your time. This summer, I want you to Live, love, laugh and learn.

Use this break in routine, to usher in the new you. Then on Labor Day, sit back and marvel at those same ole’ people trickling back into your school, office, salon or workshop. You’ll see a lot of new shoes, a bunch of new hairstyles, a few more inches here or there, and so on. But if you want it, there is more in store for you. A new future maybe, a new ‘you’ if you want it. You need only choose it to be.