Declaration of Transformation
Happy 4th of July!
It's Independence Day! A day we set aside to remember and recognize the American colonists who had a vision of an independent nation. A day to reflect on those who chose to sever their ties from Great Britain's rule and why they did so. These American colonists made a bold, intentional statement. Things were going to change. They knew that these changes would not be easy, but change was necessary if they were to have freedom to determine their future. It’s a powerful document, a strong statement, and a great lesson for us all.
My Daily Morning Vision
Above my desk, I have my “Daily Morning Vision” posted. It’s a personal document and a daily reminder of who I aspire to be. It’s a statement of my mission, my values, and my whys. It's the future I'm seeking. It's a messy document that is continually evolving as I edit and add to it. Here’s a sampling of my vision statements.
Be the kind of person who takes daily next steps to build an intentional, optimal, and compelling life (design a plan, make daily progress, enjoy the process)
Mission Statement: love, enjoy, inspire, encourage, and positively impact
Areas of Intention: faith, family, fitness, finance, career connections, commitments, contributions
Live life better. Look for ways to help others do the same. Cherish others.
Freedom and Autonomy requires Discipline and Patience.
Show up and keep showing up. Do the work. Every day.
Be grateful, be well, be the change I wish to see in the world.
Live the Way of Jesus - love, compassion, encouragement, forgiveness, empathy
Choose to enjoy today. Choose to be here now. Choose to live the dream.
Each of these phrases have deep meaning to me. It’s far from a perfect vision and I’m far from a perfect man. But this is my daily vision. This is my daily declaration.
Do Not Conform, Be Transformed
There is power in making a declaration no matter how great or small. As long as we follow through. And as I evolve, so does my vision, and so does my document. I’m a big fan of Paul and this morning, I read chapter 12 of his letter to the Romans. After reading this passage, I added a new phrase to my imperfect but ever evolving document. Romans 12:2 inspired me to add “Do not conform, be transformed.” If you have a couple of minutes, read that whole chapter. It’s packed with good stuff.
The Lesson of Transformation
As I reflected on that passage, I started thinking about the significance of today’s date and those early colonists. I thought about their vision of the future and the necessary path they would need to tread. These were imperfect people with an imperfect plan, but they saw a need for change, made a statement, and acted on. In the same way, I’m an imperfect man with an imperfect plan. I saw a need for change, I made a statement, and I am acting on it. Every day. The colonists were looking for a better life. I’m striving to live a better life. If we want to make meaningful change, we cannot conform to our current ways or patterns, we have to be transformed. Daily. By the renewing of our minds. And each day, we can do so with a simple, yet powerful, declaration of transformation. So today, choose to make a declaration. Today, choose to be transformed.
Choose to live life better.
And choose to enjoy the day.
