Today marks the culmination of two celebrations of Independence for our Country: Juneteenth on June 19th, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans; and today, the 4th of July, marking the 13 colonies of America's separation from Great Britain.
Both occasions were monumental, as they symbolized a significant change in the fabric of democracy in two different time periods for two different groups of people in the same country - both seeking the same thing... liberation and independence.
However, no God-given right comes without responsibility or obligation. No dream can be fulfilled without waking action and fervor. These monumental occasions in our country required our ancestors to reinvent themselves in order to be fruitful with their newly gained independence. Reinvention does not come without challenge, injustice, defeat, or setback. However, we would not be where we are as a country if they did not push through the barriers, whatever they were, to prove that true freedom exists in the power to create your own path by reinventing yourself and renewing your mind, regardless of who or what says that you can not do so.
As you celebrate the culmination of our Independence holidays for this country today, reflect on these 6 ways that you can work toward reinventing yourself this year to experience true independence in achieving your goals and living out your purpose!
- Identify the areas for change: Take a closer look at your life and identify areas that need improvement. This could be a career change, a new hobby, or a change in mindset.
- Set goals: Once you've identified the areas that need improvement, set specific and achievable goals for yourself.
- Learn new skills: To reinvent yourself, you'll need to acquire new skills. Take classes, attend workshops, and read books on topics that interest you.
- Surround yourself with positive influences: Surround yourself with people who have similar interests and values as you. Get involved in communities or groups that align with your new goals.
- Take action: Reinventing yourself requires action. Start making changes and taking small steps towards your goals. This is probably the most important step, but the least executed. We can write the list. Make the plan. Attend the class, webinar, or conference. Graduate. Survive. We do all of these things, and fail to take action. Our ability to reinvent ourselves is not not a lack of ability. It is a lack of execution. It doesn't have to be perfect. Like NIKE says... JUST DO IT!
- Stay motivated: Stay motivated and committed to your new path. Remember why you started and celebrate your progress along the way.
You may ask, what in the world does this have to do with real estate? Well, EVERYTHING! Ownership is one of the greatest freedoms we have in this country! And right now, people are crushing it in real estate and creating a wealth all their own by re-thinking real estate in ways they never thought possible - in homeownership and investments - creating generational wealth to pass down to their generations, long after they are gone. How are they doing it? They are reinventing themselves. Changing the way that they think. Throwing off old mindsets and habits, and grabbing the bull by the horns!
If you really want to celebrate independence, you will find that your greatest power is the power to reinvent yourself, and accomplish what you never thought imaginable. If you commit and consciously implement these steps into your daily plan, by this time next year, Juneteenth and 4th of July will hit differently for you, and you, too, can feel what our ancestors felt to hear the hope of freedom ring.
-Akia White, Broker/Owner of Fourth Stone Realty Consultants LLC