Our lives are not measured by the steps we take, but by the path we leave.

I'm a reflective kind of guy. I don't mean shiny, although I do need SPF80 just to go out in the sun. I mean I like to look back upon the path I've made and think about where I'm going to go next.

I like to do it twice a year... New Year's and my Fiscal Year, also known as my Birthday. It very enlightening to summarize one year's time, as well as look at the half way mark to get that sense of belonging right where you are. Owning the moments... the ones that got you here, and the ones that lay ahead.

When I think about my one year accomplishments, it's astounding to realize that the majority of them actually took place in the first half of this year. It's as if the last half of last year was leading up to what unfolded since January 1.

It was the very last few days of last year when I sat down to write the novelized version of DARE to be your BEST. Every day I immersed myself in it and hardly noticed that three months had gone by when the last few words were captured.

"But only if we DARE."

(I'm not really giving anything away by telling you that)

As if on cue, a status update from a Facebook friend said "I just joined the Next Top Spiritual Author contest, check it out!" popped up on my phone.

"But only if we DARE" popped into my head.

So that moment I jumped right in and committed my energy and love into the contest. what an amazing experience it has been. I put together a book proposal, got onto radio shows, started new joint ventures and made friendships that will far outlast this contest.

The fact that I've made it into the top 25, out of 2,800 original participants ain't bad either. (PS It's up to the judges now, so no more emails from me about voting). What really made the news special was when Round 3 was announced, I was actually at a private retreat with the mentors who inspired the characters in the book. How cool is that?

So now I'm back to my "Sacred Hour" of writing every day, and am immersed in the second draft... realizing just how much I missed these people. The bonds I've formed with my characters are as strong as my friendships among the other participants. To the mind and heart, there is no separation, right?

So what about you?

More than likely it's not your birthday today (I know one other exception to that... Happy Birthday!!) yet we are half way through the course of the year.

Are you half way to your goals for January 1, next year? What do you need to add, subtract or adjust?

I changed course a couple of times this year, and have gotten farther because of it. So it's far from "too late". Even if you make fewer steps this year, you can still take big strides.

"But only if you DARE."

Keep the light on!
Stu