Back to Normality After the Summer Holidays

Hello, everybody! It’s Kevin Brittain here, your running entrepreneur, back again with another entry in our daily journey. Today, I’m here with my eldest son, Leo. We’re diving into a topic that resonates with many of us: getting back to normality after the summer holidays.

As someone who thrives on cyclical routines, I understand how life can sometimes feel a bit monotonous. For those who have holidays at the same time every year and follow a set schedule for work and personal tasks, you’ll know what I mean. The highs of looking forward to those breaks can be exhilarating, but the lows of returning to routine can be just as strong.

This topic is especially relevant today because Leo is experiencing it first-hand. After enjoying nearly seven weeks of freedom during his summer holiday, Leo is now returning to the structured environment of school. It’s an adjustment many kids, and even adults, find challenging. When you're away from the institutional timeline and have complete control over your time, the return can feel daunting.

Interestingly, Leo articulated his feelings quite well. He mentioned how much he enjoys the freedom that holidays bring and how returning to school feels like losing that autonomy. This yearning for freedom is something I can relate to deeply. It's what drove me towards entrepreneurship. In the early stages of building a business, freedom is scarce. You're often working harder than you would in a traditional job. However, once you establish a business supported by reliable systems, processes, and a good team, you earn a level of freedom that few others experience.

Yet, even in entrepreneurship, the notion of complete freedom is somewhat of a myth. As my mentor Rob Moore says, merging your passion with your profession is a way of life. This means I'm always somewhat connected to my work, even when on holiday. But that’s a trade-off I accept for the greater flexibility it provides.

Now, back to Leo. I explained to him that while school and routines may sometimes feel restrictive, they teach us valuable lessons and skills. School is crucial for education and social development, but it also represents the institutional framework that many people follow throughout their lives. The challenge and the opportunity lie in understanding that this framework isn't the only path available.

I encouraged Leo to think about the value he can add to others’ lives. If he can do that, he’ll create opportunities for himself where he won't have to follow the typical 9-to-5 grind that many people endure for 40 or more years. It’s vital to understand that while the "usual" path offers stability, it’s not the only road to success or fulfilment.

To summarise, life is filled with ups and downs, things we want to do and things we don’t want to do. The key is to recognise that the conventional path isn’t the only way. Hard work, value addition, and questioning the status quo can unlock new opportunities and freedoms.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you're embracing routine again or finding your path to freedom, remember that life is what you make it. If you believe in my mission of saving children's lives by attempting the ultimate ultra-marathon of run vlogging on consecutive days—a distance equivalent to a lap of the world—barefoot style, please subscribe, share, like, and comment on this post. The more people we reach, the more lives we can save. Stay positive, stay happy, and I'll see you again tomorrow.

Kevin Brittain