What does it mean to reinvent yourself? It simply means to become renewed, to become a different person and experience something different.

We all go through a time of reinvention and most of us, seem to struggle to do it so well that we question the need to reinvent ourselves.

Did you know that the Eagle reinvents itself and does this by renewing its wings? By 40 years the eagle’s wings become insufficient for the eagle to fly properly and its beaks become so curved that it becomes hard for the eagle to eat properly. The Eagle’s feathers become so heavy that it becomes nearly impossible for the Eagle to soar to its highest altitude.

This is the point the Eagle decides to reinvent itself; it decides that it is better if it takes the takeout to shed its feather than to die. Although the process is so painful, the eagle is relentless in this activity and sees the need to go through the process of renewing and reinvention.

The process is very gruelling and somewhat bloody. They start by taking their talons to rip out their feathers, like pulling teeth out really. This is a very painful process.

Next, the eagle goes ahead and breaks its beaks by hitting on hard rock, crashing it against a hard surface to break it off. Imagine smashing your teeth again a rock. That must be so painful.

They rip their talon off, like pulling off their fingernails from the skin. Although this process leaves them very vulnerable to attack, they make sure they do this in a secluded place but stay up in the mountains.

The eagle realises that although this process could be hard and gruelling, the reward brings immense joy and satisfaction for the eagle.

Their beak eventually grows back and is, even more, renew than it previously was and their talon grows back  

Yes. By around forty years of age, the eagle’s beak has become so curved it has a hard time eating bigger meals like rabbits and fish. Now they are eating mice, which just isn’t as filling.

The eagle’s talons have become so long that they have a hard time picking up prey, and the feathers get so heavy it becomes hard for the eagle to fly. The beak grows back, looking like it did in their younger days. They can eat bigger meals again.

Their talons grow back, and because they are shorter, they can grasp prey better than before.

The new plumage is lighter, and because they still have the muscles from lifting all those feathers before, they are now stronger flyers.

They are new and improved. This allows them to survive another 30 years, provided they aren’t shot, preyed upon, or catch some disease.

But just like the Eagle, it is important we learn to reinvent ourselves. We must learn to shed the old ways for a new way. We must learn to shed old behaviours for new behaviours and experiences. Only then we will experience all the different sides to us.