Redefining Success

Do you ever struggle with success?  Like, what makes for a “wonderful” day?  How do you define a “good” workout?  How does a workday become successful?  Why would a get together with friends/family be fantastic?  When I workout I have a less than helpful habit of measuring it in comparison to previous endeavors, and a voice in my head says I’m ONLY successful IF I run as fast, or faster, than usual, or hold a strength building pose for as long, or longer, than last time.  Are there parts of your life where you can relate to this?

I find when I let my ego measure success, I inevitably get frustrated and down on myself, because that’s where a “compete and compare” mindset inevitably leads us.  Letting our hearts inform us, though, brings a deep sense of wellness, goodness, and wholeness in all situations.  I’m finding redefining success with key words like presence, acceptance, connection, being, feeling, and silence makes a world of difference!

The “measures” of prosperity in this bliss brightening paradigm become things like feeling connected to self, others, and something beyond, accepting what is with a smile, dwelling in and savoring the silence/stillness between thoughts and breaths, and being present in the now (if even for a second).  One of the simplest ways to do this is to smile and feel a slow, smooth, and expansive inhale and exhale, as if your WHOLE BODY is pulsing with breath, while pausing to relish the space between inhales and exhales.  What do you think?  What practices and definitions around “success” aid you?  Today, I invite us to practice redefining and experiencing success in the most delightful way!