Where Do You Find Success? | Fall colors |
Wednesday, September 22 is the official first day of fall, but we are having fallish-feeling days in West Michigan now. I love it. Fall is a time of change. The days are cooler, The kids go back to school. Mother Nature paints the landscape in gorgeous colors. The apples turn a brilliant red and are ready for harvest. The transition from summer to winter sparks a change within me, one of reflection and review of my life.
| Succeed! |
The Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop question for the month of September stirred much contemplation about success. The question was—“How do you define success as a writer? Is it holding your book in your hand? Having a short story published? Making a certain amount of income from your writing?”I have to admit I felt the exhilaration of pride and success when I held my paperback book in my hand. I mean, opening the box of books from amazon was akin to the excitement of opening Christmas gifts when I was a kid. I feel that way with every one of my published books. So many folks think of success as related to their job. I find we all look for success in our work, but also in our purpose for our lives. Does success have to be a ground-breaking event to be considered a success at all? Does it have to be as big as being part of the team that landed on the moon? Developing a vaccination to keep us safe from COVID infection? Discovering the components to build the World-Wide-Web? Success to me comes in small and large packages that evolve throughout my lifetime. Some days my success was measured by how many times my daughter’s diaper was dry because she used the potty, when my third grade student figured out the math problem on his own, the bride loved her wedding flowers, my husband and family told me how much they enjoyed the dish I had prepared for dinner, the publisher of my first book offered me a contract because “she loved my voice,” the first time I ventured out to the grocery store during the shutdown and I returned and remained healthy!
As I look back on success, I discovered none of them had to do with money. Success is measured in your heart, not in your wallet. During this difficult time in our world, when you are feeling down, reflect on the moments you felt success in your life. Let that feeling flow through your body for a moment. Then use that resurgence of strength and move on with a bounce in your step to achieving your next success, big or small. |