Winds of Change

I've heard of inspiring, motivational speakers who “change people's lives.”
I wonder: Can anybody really change your life? From what I can tell, the door to character transformation opens from the inside, and only YOU can change your own life.
When someone changes, it's because they have made a conscious choice to break from their individual status quo.
So who needs a motivational speaker? We all do.
Because we're not always ready for strenuous character building.
We often struggle to find the door, let alone open it.
Yet, when someone paints a convincing picture of your need to grow, and shows you how it's possible to reach your potential, you may find yourself inspired to pursue the work of change.
External factors can help guide us in a productive direction. For me, a sunny, beautiful day creates more emotional availability than a rainy one. When you are welcomed warmly into a synagogue, when you feel like you belong, you may find yourself more open to a transformative spiritual experience.
This weekend, we open a season – a setting – of internal change. The Hebrew month of Elul begins on Saturday evening, and Elul is a month devoted to character improvement. It's a daunting task, but G-d, our loving 'motivational cheerleader', encourages and prompts us toward self-betterment.
We blow the shofar every day of this month; and when we hear the call of that ram's horn, we hear the inspiring echo of the Divine, urging us to align ourselves with our wonderful potential.
And if we pay attention, there's something in the air.
The breeze you feel is urging the rustling of your soul. The sun's blaze is beckoning your inner potential to shine forth.
In Elul, the stage for self-improvement will be set. G-d will be the wind at our backs, subtly helping us to move forward. But the rest is up to us.
In the movie of my life, I can have lots of support from the ensemble, but the main acting is up to me.