“Changing yourself” is something that is very hard to see happen, but sometimes very necessary. We are always attempting to better little things in our lives, whether that be our wardrobe, hairstyle, or Instagram feed. However, sometimes bigger changes need to be made. By “big change”, I mean a change that re-directs how we hold ourselves and alters our perspective on life. For these big changes to be made, they must happen from within. I have made a list of a few ways I am going to attempt to make these internal changes for myself this summer and I thought I could share them with all of you. Everyone has different aspirations for themselves, but I believe these five steps will lead us all to great things.

1. Read

It is extremely hard to find time during the year for leisure reading, but it is so important. Reading a good book has the ability to take us out of our reality and change our perspective. This summer, I plan to read books that will inspire me to follow through with the changes I am wanting to make in myself. The list of books I have made for myself this summer focuses on positive mindsets, relationships and goals. With reading these books, they will not only give me motivation to better myself, but also a sense of direction in case I’m not quite sure how to start.

2. Eat Healthy, Be Healthy

During the semester when we are stuck in our busy routines, it becomes way too easy to neglect our health. I have found that if I don’t meal prep on Sundays and workout early before my classes, I not only give up on my exercise for the day, but I also live off Chick-fil-a nugs from campus. This summer is the perfect time to prioritize our health so that when we head back to school in the fall, it will already be a part of our routine. While we have the time this summer to make healthy meals and hit the gym, let’s do it. Let’s spend less time on Instagram wondering why we don’t look like the swimsuit models that pop up on our “explore page” and make it happen. All it takes is for you to see and feel the slightest difference in yourself to get addicted to a healthy lifestyle.

3. Make New Friends

If we want to make real changes from within, we have to acknowledge that who we surround ourselves with plays a big role in who we are. Think to yourself, “Does your friend group encourage you to be the best version of yourself or not?” I’m not saying we need to completely find new friends, but maybe find one person who you know has the same morals and mindset as you. All you need is one person with similar goals to keep you heading in the right direction. Find your person.

4. Think To The Future

For us to achieve anything at all, we must have a vision of it first. Basketball players don’t learn how to dunk without picturing themselves doing it first, just like students don’t give important speeches in front of the class without running over how it will go again and again in their heads. For us to be successful and proactive, we need to have more genuine thoughts throughout our days. This summer during our free-time, we should prioritize time to just simply think. To think about what makes us happy, to think about where we see ourselves ten years from now, to think about our future. By doing so, we can get ahead on our long-term goals and hopefully find ourselves along the way.

5. Focus On Faith

Lastly, but most importantly, we need to work on our relationship with God this summer. This past year, more than ever, I can honestly say that my relationship with God was at an all-time low. College is such a busy time for everyone, and just like the other points in this article, it can be too easy to put our faith and religion on the back-burner. Because of this, we must work harder than ever before to keep our faith strong. We can’t just hop in the car on Sunday mornings with our families and get driven to church, the responsibility is ours. This summer is the perfect time to strengthen our relationship with our God that might have been once broken. We can't hear God speaking to us when our lives are too busy and loud. We have to slow down, press the pause button, and let God talk. So, let’s prioritize time in our days to just slow down and talk to him so that he can give us the strength to fulfill our aspirations and to be the best version of ourselves.

Let's lift each other up and have a great, proactive summer! (: