What you can learn from your younger self….


You used to have so much passion and energy.

You were that kid that had high hopes, big dreams, and big love, living everyday to the fullest. Just having fun.

But things changed…

Life changed.

I know about this because I’m the same.

Kids have something most adults don’t have.

And we could learn a lot from them by paying attention to the difference.

They have zero limitations in their minds. Anything and everything is possible.

They’re bold. They live with passion.

They’re present. All- in on everything they do, not worried about yesterday or tomorrow, just giving each day their best because to them, each day is a new opportunity to enjoy life.

They’re not ashamed. They’ll tell anybody that will listen to them about their biggest dreams.

They don’t worry about what people think.

They’ll share their emotions and they’ll put everything they have into something.

They’ve got that spark.

That spark in life that makes everyday a special day, full of energy and drive. Motivated. Ready to go all-in, be unashamed, to love and fight for things.

That was us.

But what happened?

Why did we slowly start settling for less than we felt like we deserved?

Should all those good things really just go away as a result of growing up?

Is it being unrealistic to think that we should still have so much spunk and confidence?

It’s not.

If your self-talk is telling you all the reasons that it’s dumb and unrealistic, maybe your self-talk has been influenced by negative sources so much that now you believe it’s your own voice.

You’ve lost your spark.

Hope isn’t there anymore. You stick to the script, take care of your responsibilities, and box yourself in.

I’ve been there.

Here’s what happens to us all as we grow:

  • We get told “no” so many times that eventually, we tell ourselves “no.”
  • Those really supportive people from younger years are not so supportive of your “big dreams” anymore as you got older. They say that you should be “realistic.” It’s not their fault. They were conditioned the same way. But it still has an impact on you. Most people just live the pattern and play the role that was set out for them without even realizing it.
  • We see disappointment after disappointment until we feel so broken down that we stop shooting our shot because we don’t wanna miss anymore. The thing is: your individual losses are not a loss as a whole. They’re just a part of the process of learning and growing. You’ll be better from them if you keep coming back.
  • We get conditioned to believe over time that success, happiness, and fulfillment are only for a few select people. And even then, we are conditioned to believe that it’s dependent on your occupation. Too much focus is put on money.
  • We become domesticated and learn how to think, talk, and live like everybody else. The problem with that is that most other people are not fulfilled in their own lives, regardless of what they show you on their social media accounts.
  • Blame. We blame things on our upbringing or things that have happened to us and begin to feel like a victim to life. But people from all walks of life, in worse situations, have made drastic changes. So we have no excuse.
  • We become too concerned with what other people think. So many people out there are missing out on doing things they love because they’re too scared of what other people might think. But listen, other people are thinking about their own lives. At the very worst, they might say something bad about you and move on. Who cares? If you start to walk out your own path and somebody says something, so what? At least you’d be willing to do something. Usually, the only ones that talk down are the ones that are too afraid to live out what they believe. And you know why? The same reason. They’re too scared of what people think. So when they talk down about you, they’re just saying what they say to themselves.

These are all things that put out our fire in life. When all this adds up over time, we lose our spark.

We lose our excitement about life and its possibilities. And then we box ourselves into what only our conditioned eyes can see.

When you pair this common way to live against getting the fire back, it’s obvious which lifestyle you would prefer.

You’re familiar with the negatives of losing your spark. And hopefully you’re not numb to it.

Let’s talk about what life could look like when you’ve got your spark back.

  • You wake up, and whether you’re tired or not, you’re exited to start the day.
  • You see each day as an opportunity to grow, love, and learn.
  • You treat yourself and others differently.
  • You try new things.

Most of all, you have no idea how well your story will develop. But I can guarantee you this: As long as you’re steady, grounded, happy, and not forcing things, you’ll end up being a lot more fulfilled than if you never took a shot, never shared yourself, or worked on self-improvement.

So how do we get the excitement back into our lives?

First, you need to realize that there’s always hope for change. As long as you’re breathing, you can make a positive change in your life.

If you’re anything less than excited and fulfilled, it’s time to get it right.

This is your call to break the cycle.

To be different.

To stand for something that you believe in, regardless of what others think or what immediate results you have.

This is where you get your spark back.

What if I told you that by just reading this far is the evidence that there’s still some of that spark left in you?

I mean, if it wasn’t, why would you still be here? Reading.

You’re looking for the voice of hope.

You’re looking for a voice that will tell you the opposite of what you’ve been hearing and seeing from the world.

But you don’t really even need me to tell you. If you’re here, it’s because you already know it’s there. So the first part of bringing back that spark is telling yourself and believing in yourself.

And I want to help from there.

If all hope was lost, you wouldn’t even be here today. All the things that you’ve come through, and you’re still standing. There is so much good out there for you and the people you’ll come in contact with. Let that hope come back and eventually it’ll show up in your life. And then, you might even end up helping somebody else find their spark again.

Here are some things that I know will snap you into gear and bring excitement back into your life:

  1. Eliminate negativity. Whether it’s family or friends, the movies that you watch, or the music that you listen to, if it’s not building you up, spend less time with it.
  2. Practice discipline. Hold yourself to something. Start something new and stick with it. Maybe you need to work out. Prioritize it and stick to it. The discipline alone is enough to build your confidence. And when you start to see results, you’ll be on a whole new playing field.
  3. Positive influence. Be conscious of what and who you come in contact with. Start to find positive content that builds you up. Especially in the area that you’re focusing your attention.
  4. Action. Nothing beats this. Just by being brave enough to take action on something that’s different will give you a new mindset. And once you get started, you’ll build momentum.
  5. Let go of opinions and outcomes. You’re in this for the long haul. You’ve got plenty of time. Nobody starts at the top of anything. You know that kid with the spark? That’s you. You would encourage him or her to go for it. Whatever it is. So you should do the same for yourself.

I could go on and on about different things for you to do and the benefits they’ll bring.

I’m working on my first book and a few other things that I’ll be releasing soon that’ll go more in depth with these things, but this is plenty to get you started if you’re willing!

This is all you need to get your spark back!

 You just have to be willing.

Remember, if you’re anything less than excited and fulfilled in any area of your life, there’s no better time than now to start something new.

My main goal is to give solid advice on things I’ve experienced or gone through to help you get to a place in life that you’re happy, believe in yourself, and make the most of your life.

I appreciate every reader, viewer, and follower and I truly hope that I can play a small, positive part in your journey.

That’s why I’m here. I’ve seen so many ups and downs, and so much of it could have been avoided with some clear guidance.

But I went out and found the guidance myself through a lot of reading and trial and error. Now, I can condense the lessons I’ve learned and save you time on your way to greatness.

So I’ll be right here every week.

Find me on my socials @zachbanes, subscribe to my YouTube channel and email list, and check out the blogs on my site zachbanes.com.

Until next week, let’s keep pushing!

I’m your friend. I’m your brother. It’s ya boy,

Zach Banes