THE FOURTH OF JULY

Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, has been a federal holiday since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress, the government at the time for the 13 colonies, voted in favor of independence from England. Two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fi reworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

The tradition of setting off fi reworks on the 4th of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the fi rst organized celebration of Independence Day. Early settlers brought their love of fi reworks with them to the New World as a tradition on the 4th of July. We now celebrate as John Adams would have hoped “with pomp and parade, bonfi res and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other”. Here in Southlake, we have one of our own traditions: Stars and Stripes on July 3. It’s one of Southlake’s most anticipated celebrations including food, music, fun and fi reworks. The event is always held on the 3rd of July in Southlake Town Square so that families can spend the 4th celebrating their own traditions. There is always fun for the entire family! You’ll fi nd plenty of activities and entertainment throughout Southlake Town Square, including balloon artists, jugglers, live entertainment and bands, stilt walkers, strolling characters, temporary tattoos, and so much food!

WORDS PJ TRACY

Hope you had a Happy Father’s Day, gentlemen!

I believe being a father has been one of the most rewarding but challenging things I’ve ever done in my life. Having the opportunity to watch your children grow and excel in life is huge. On the flip side, making stressful decisions and watching your child struggle is so difficult. The natural instinct is to step in and handle the situation, but a lot of the time we have to let go and let them learn those life lessons for themselves. Fathers have a huge leadership role to play when it comes to their family and also their children.

I’ve spoken with many fathers that have put themselves aside, especially when it comes to their health, so that they can establish a career that can support their family. They end up exerting a lot of time and effort into managing everything from work to family members, household duties and many other responsibilities, while putting their personal care on hold. It’s also a common trend for males to feel like they can always bounce back quickly while neglecting their health for long periods of time. These actions and decisions eventually pile up and end with the man of the house in a much worse situation.

The situation: the “dad bod” (including gaining excess weight, feeling fatigued, having high stress levels, and running into multiple health issues).

Establishing simple routines for your health will be the best thing to keep yourself on track to be a healthy, available father. I know adding something to an already busy schedule seems impossible, but once you honestly look at the time wasted throughout the day, you will realize you can do it. It will not only increase your energy levels and decrease stress, but it will help you to be more effective around the house – no coming home exhausted, stressed, and feeling like you have to force yourself to interact when all you really want to do is decompress. Setting healthy habits and routines to be healthier and more capable in the long run will also set an example for your child to be the best version of themselves.

The concept of the “dad bod” is a funny one to me. The dad bod is the social acceptance of being out of shape or unhealthy. It’s tough to articulate why society puts things out there like this when, ultimately, if you aren’t healthy, your body is being damaged, and money alone won’t be able to fix that. Think about this: you’ll spend money on your health no matter what, so why not invest it into your long-term natural health instead of into a pill that regulates your unhealthy lifestyle? As a father, making sure we take care of ourselves is huge because if we don’t, we won’t be able to take care of anyone else.

Setting this example for your child is enormous. It will set a standard for what being healthy, capable, and able looks like. Those actions will linger and impact your kids and your grandkids to be just like you: a father with a strong work ethic, balance, and personal self-care. What a fantastic legacy!

PJ is the owner of True Results in Keller, TX. They service all surrounding areas including Keller, Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, North Richland Hills and Fort West. He is married with two children. PJ has an absolute love and passion for helping others achieve their goals, especially taking them further than they ever thought they could take themselves. www.trueresultskeller.com