The Sun is the center of our universe. It provides a natural and essential resource necessary for our growth. In order for life to continue, the Sun provides power and strength through its light. Every day, we walk under the sun, living our lives, oblivious to its importance.

I say this because we have our own “suns”. Every day we go through life intending to push ourselves to new heights and overcome obstacles that stand between us and the people we’d like to be. We find the strength to get through each day, wake up and do it all over again the next day. Within each and every person is their own “sun” that motivates them to be the best version of themselves, or at the very least, to continue living life to its fullest. That motivation comes from within, but it’s also rooted in something. Personally, my “sun” is God first, followed by my dreams of having a beautiful and happy family. As a result, the majority of my actions are influenced by my desire and ultimate goal to become a better man – one that my wife and children can admire and respect, while also being financially stable so that I can give them the world. Smaller goals, like attending my classes every day, attempting to go frequently to the gym, or even hanging out with friends, still take motivation. The motivation that comes from understanding myself and my overall goals, which include being educated, staying healthy, and physically checking in on the ones I care about (not just through text or phone calls) is rooted in identifying my “sun”. Understanding why I do the things I do makes it easier for me to continue to do them. 

Now sometimes I don’t understand the intentions behind some of my actions, and more often than not, those actions lead to consequences that set me back, further from the man I intend to be. Self-improvement requires learning myself and discerning how my actions lead me to where I find myself. If I didn’t like what I was doing, I would make those changes. But if I never asked myself why I made those decisions, then those actions may have never changed. I credit the shift in my mentality to discovering my “sun”. 

Sometimes we lose sight of our “sun” and our days seem dark. We feel like maybe our dreams aren’t worth the struggles we experience, and maybe we need a new reason to push harder. It is important to identify and understand your “sun” so that when days become gloomy, and it seems like it’s going to rain, instead of losing sight of the light, you weather the storm. Remain focused on your “sun” in order to achieve the reasons behind your day-to-day grind. There is a difference between actions that are inspired by the question of why not and actions inspired by the question of but why?  Recognizing your “sun” will help you apply a purposeful mindset to your everyday life, regardless of how dark the day may seem. So, what is your “sun?”