We are all born with a natural compulsion to get somewhere. From an early age, we begin to master specific skills. We learn how to take care of the baby doll the best, drive a toy truck on a road, put together a puzzle, match the animal with the sound it makes, or develop the coordination to finally hit that ball with the bat or figure out those damn shoelaces. From there, we start school and are expected to learn even more. Whether it be to add numbers together, figure out the lost art of the written word, or even just to follow directions or respect authority, we are expected to receive passing remarks and advance to the next grade, next school, and next degree. Even when we are finally done with school, we strive to climb the professional ladder, or further our personal lives with a spouse, home, and family. This leads to the subconscious perception that our lives are a graphed line that lead somewhere…but where?

It’s true that there are things about our lives that naturally move us forward to a known end. Our age, for example, continues to change us as we grow older, and we all know what “the end” is. But otherwise, our lifeline is full of peaks and divots that we have to work through to get us somewhere. Metaphorically speaking, we want the peaks and divots, of course; for, we all know what a flat line means, no bueno. Ultimately though, how do we ensure that aside from our professional lives and fulfilling our societal norms, we are still headed to where we want to go in our personal world? And, how do we know when we have arrived?

In my opinion, two things are at play here. First, we have to recognize ourselves as wholly independent from anything else. Because before we are mothers, fathers, spouses, friends, entrepreneurs, bosses, subordinates, dancers, athletes, or artists, we are just us. You are just you before you are anything else. Secondly, we have to accept that how we treat ourselves and the expectations we have of ourselves reflect and project onto everyone we come into contact with and every single thing we do. So, how do you create the best life? Create the best you.

I bring this up to further explain what Team TATE is all about. It’s about all of us defining our own transformations, and then Together Achieving [that] Transformation Everyday. So, what is your transformation?

My transformation is learning how to love myself, to take care of myself, and to commit to living a happy and free life everyday. My transformation is defined by eating healthier, being more active, more positive, open, loving, forgiving, letting go of physical and emotional weight, and using vulnerability as a tool to allow myself and others to see and know the real me. Your transformation might be similar. Maybe you too are sick of feeling trapped. Maybe to feel free you also want to lose some weight and live healthier. Or, maybe it’s more about your blood pressure or cholesterol. Maybe you just want to feel sexier. It’s also possible that your transformation has nothing to do with a physical ailment. Perhaps you want to let go of a negative relationship that you’ve been unrealistically relying on for too long. Maybe you’re just trying to be a better person, a better spouse, parent, or friend. All of our transformations are different and personal, but underlying all of them is the want or need to have higher expectations of ourselves and to actually meet those expectations. It’s important that you define your transformation for yourself so you can strive to achieve that transformation everyday.

The point is, I don’t think transformation has an “end.” I think it begins the moment you make the decision to have higher expectations for yourself and it continues every time you commit to meeting those expectations. Therefore, we can actually be our transformations every single day. Make every decision be one that falls in line with your best you. Treat yourself as good as the best you deserves to be treated. Treat others the way the best you would treat others. Work as hard, love as strong, have as much fun, and live as freely as the best you would. Team TATE is about satisfying our natural compulsion to get somewhere, but it redefines the notion that we have to wait to arrive. It may take some time to see the physical body that you want or get the reciprocation you hope for from others, but you can already be the best you in so many ways. Don’t sell yourself short by waiting. Commit to being the best you today, right now.