Now that most of us have survived mentally, emotionally and physically from the RNC and DNC outrageousness, we can settle in for a few more torturous months and finger-pointing propaganda and rhetoric from both sides as they claim to unite the divided on their way to the presidency.

I know, I know, this is supposed to be a positive and motivational column. Hang in there with me as I will eventually get there, I promise.

So wait, what? Are we really counting on either candidate to really and truly unite the divided amongst us? I mean, we can't seem to find common ground on anything these days, can we? Sure there are the gatherings of protesters both passive and aggressive who seem to unite for certain causes or common beliefs, but as a whole, as a community, as a nation, will we ever be united again? Can we? Were we ever?

For me, I am not counting on our current president or any future president of the United States to unify us as a country. There are just too many issues, too many conflicts, too many people with too many opinions to accomplish such an onerous task. And after all, isn't our differences what makes the world go around? Opposites attract, so why can't we all just get along anyway?

What I am looking to the leadership of our great nation to do is to unify our broken healthcare, education and administration systems, to further unify us with our allies, to unify us with our military, and to unify our actions and our messaging to our enemies, that although divided on many things, we are still the United States of America.

History tells us that there has always been division. And one thing we know for certain is that history repeats itself. And we face threats of further division each and every day. We even have business strategies and personal agendas that rely on a "divide and conquer" approach. Social media condemns us or lauds us for our opinions, but even as the rants go viral and support seems abundant, the attention of our followers and friends wane as they are attracted to the next viral post, feed or video. Our unity is attacked every day and from every angle. Just think of the families and friendships that you know who have been destroyed by sharing their opinions and thoughts through social media.

So here is the positive and motivational message I promised. I hope it adds a little hope and encouragement in our divided unity.

Where does unity start and how do we protect it? Unity starts from within. It starts from within ourselves, from within our hearts and minds, and from within our family. A person who cannot be divided from their belief system will never be compromised or have their foundation broken. A heart and mind that are united, connected and stand firm against the attacks will not waver or fall victim to the last thing that they heard or propaganda that they read. And a family who stays united, even when they can agree to disagree on everything from politics to religion and everything in between, will never be torn apart. It's the commitment to unity, not the enticement of division, that binds us.

The path to division is easy, so easy. Bandwagons pick up more people along the way every day. Unity is hard, but the rewards far outweigh the brokenness and fallout of division. And unity starts with each and every one of us. To borrow an old saying, "We need to become the change we want to see." So let's let the leaders of our country lead us where they need to focus their attention and energy, and let us as individuals, as families and as a community lead ourselves and each other in the way of unity.

How about you? Are you divided and conflicted from within? Is there division in your family or in your business? Is there something you can do to work toward unity in your own life? I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can get past the enticement to division and make the commitment to unity, it really will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton is a resident of Castle Rock, the former president of the Zig Ziglar Corporation, a strategic consultant and a business and personal coach.