I think it is fair to say that we all know the importance of having a summer vacation. The combination of amazing weather and carefree days makes for lovely times ahead. This past school year has provided many obstacles and at the same time much ingenuity. Every school year we are competing in a winnable race that requires our full effort. When we hear the first school bell of the year ring, we should be hitting the ground running, and conversely, after we hit the finish line we should be slowing down and celebrating.
To add to this train of thought there has been much research done on the strong correlation between student success and summertime. With summertime quickly approaching we as an organization feel that it is imperative that we create awareness around this strong correlation. Several studies have shown that what students do during their summer holidays carries over into their school year. You may ask why is this piece of information very valuable? Well because when we acknowledge this it brings more light to the need to examine and apply transition periods. Although many people are aware of transitional periods there is a lack of focus paid to them even though we are all going through them at one point or another. In sports, athletes jog and stretch before they compete so that they can reduce their transitional period till they hit their peak, we should view everyone in academia the same way.
Summertime is a valley of opportunity in every direction and having the right conversations at the right time can make a huge difference. Summertime can serve as a springboard to some or quicksand to others. To ensure that we are doing our part to help cultivate bright and dynamic leaders during their newfound freedom we would like to bring the following to your attention. One of the conversations that we need to discuss with our students and staff is about comfort zones. Our comfort zone is a safe place to be but if we stay there too long, we reduce our confidence, willingness and capacity. Social media and Netflix are great sources of entertainment but they can keep us in our comfort zone. Unfortunately the more we watch, the more we get addicted. Furthermore this behavior makes our minds go inactive which impacts our ability to think and more importantly solve problems. Thinking is a skill set that we cannot go without. If you want to get out of your comfort zones, here are 6 things that you can do to elevate your mindset while enhancing your summer experience.
1. Set a Weekly Challenge that will push you to be uncomfortable.
This can look like many different things from taking a cold shower to having a difficult conversation. Don’t be afraid to be creative and bold with your weekly challenge. If you are consistent with your weekly challenge, you will be able to build momentum and witness your growth as an individual and a leader. If you need some ideas to challenge yourself be sure to check out flightunit’s 7 Day Leadership Challenge.
2. Have new conversations on new topics.
We are very fortunate to live in a world filled with millions of millions of things that are dying for our attention. Don’t be a victim of limiting your interests to what you are exposed to, be hands-on! There are many treasures out there waiting to be discovered and explored.
3. Travel to a destination that you have not been to before.
One of the greatest senses that has been given to humankind is the Power of Sight. While we are on planet earth one of our goals should be to see as many colors, shapes, and sizes as possible. Always remember that when our eyes are stimulated so is our mind. Challenge yourself to find interesting things to look at, don’t be afraid to get curious, enjoy and learn something new.
4. Look to establish some new friendships.
Meeting new people is a fantastic thing!! Whenever we meet new people we create a new life experience for ourselves. Don’t miss out on a chance that could change your life forever! Don’t be too shy to say hello and find out how someone day is going. Set a goal to be intentional about meeting new people.
5. Be proactive in finding ways to improve yourself and how you can have a positive impact on the environments that you enter.
This is a very important one because the more beautiful environments we can be a part of, the happier we will become. We are influenced by so many things, places and people so it is important that we do our part to improve our daily ripple effect. Allow your voice and actions to be a positive difference maker.
6. Sign up for at least one of flightunit’s: 7 Pillars of Leadership Workshops.
Our workshops are designed to enhance your perspective on life to improve your decision-making and problem-solving capabilities. Leadership is a mindset that everyone can possess if they are willing to be more mindful and purposeful. Furthermore, how we see things correlates back to how we think and this ultimately determines our actions and, in some cases, lack thereof. That said, we would love to support you on your amazing life journey so that you can create more inclusive, positive and vibrate environments.
As the saying goes “teamwork makes the dream work” and at flightunit we believe that dreams can and do come true. We also know that the unit that you keep around you has a huge impact on your well-being and growth. Today we would like to challenge you & all those around you to take 1 if not all of our 6 challenges, great luck! We hope that our tips helped to prepare you to come back in September renew, refreshed, and ready to set this world on fire!!
