Redefining Success & Being Here Now
“You can’t keep putting away what you want for some imaginary future, you just gotta suck it up and go with your gut.” — Megan (from Movie Laggies)
This line really hit me as the movie ended and the main character seemed to have found herself in love with not quite the man she imagined. Yes, typical you might say, but there was more to it. It was a story about finding oneself, and finally freeing yourself from expectations of who you thought you should be, and what you should do.
I’ve spent the past weeks reflecting a lot on what success means to me, and it definitely has changed in the past year. I no longer strive to be perfect and want to prove myself to anyone, I enjoy the peace and ease of simply being. It’s not to say that I don’t have any ambitions or goals set out, but I put more focus on how I’m feeling, enjoying the process, the joy rather than the outcome.
It took a lot of work to get there, and sometimes I fall into old habits of wanting to ‘earn’ this recognition or approval to feel good about what I’m doing. But I try to remind myself and come to know on a deeper level that the behaviour is driven by my false beliefs of seeking safety or assurance externally in order to feel loved, secure, and I no longer accept that. I try to stay grounded in my sense of knowing that my inner guidance is supporting me throughout and I truly deserve the things I desire and want in my life.
I choose peace, joy and expansion.
Who is it to tell us what we should want or do in our lives? At the end of the day, we only have one life and we deserve to live each moment to the fullest. But things come into our lives and we get caught up with being ‘enough’, achieving endlessly to satisfy external sources. Who are we giving power to? Take a moment to digest this and you might identify a few people or things that you constantly seek for approval.
Acknowledge where you are right now and be in this moment. You are exactly where you need to be. If you need to hear it again, you are exactly where you need to be. Through my own journaling and mindfulness practice, I’ve learned to feel centred and at peace with myself with every step I take towards building success. And that means having more fun, joy and fulfillment in the process.
“My actions are my only true belongings.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
There is so much wisdom in what Thich Nhat Hanh says and his teachings have enlightened me in cultivating more mindfulness each day. We often strive as if to accumulate things and recognition, but truly, what we own in our space comes from the actions we take each day and how rich we feel emotionally in our lives.
If you’ve enjoyed this piece and would like to learn more about mindfulness and journaling, here are some of my other work:
