What exactly does it mean to experience success. It is my belief that each of us have our own definition of success. Only I can know what it is that truly makes me happy. I must be the one to set my goals, write them down and work on them in baby steps. That cliche that 'Rome was not built in a day' most definitely applies to being successful.
Now, of course, there are little things that keep me going in order to feel happy and successful, such as having a productive day decluttering, clearing the laundry or even making a delicious meal. These are the little things that lead to the big ones. I know that I am not happy if I do not stay on top of things. This is not being a hard nosed OCD kind of person. I just like to make my lists, prioritize what would make me the happiest if I achieved checking off items on my list. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Usually, there is a very good reason why I don't. This is not a cop out. I have learned to be kind and realistic with myself. Nobody is perfect. I like to think of this as a motivation to become better instead of an excuse.
My biggest goal is to complete my novel. I am getting there; word by word, paragraph by paragraph, page by page and chapter by chapter. It is hard work. It is my hard work and it is something that I enjoy immensely. It is a matter of not comparing myself and my time frame to others. My life has other events taking place that I must change the priorities for the day.
For example: I can't live in our home with dirty dishes in the sink, laundry piled up, dust balls rolling across the floor, mail piled up to go through and sort, etc. I have to take time to do these things and make the time to sit and write. Plus, I want to do other things such as read, write a blog each week, work on a crossword puzzle, attend a concert or see a movie with my husband, shop, and the list goes on and on.
When I am working on my novel, it has to be a time that I can concentrate so that I get my time line of what is happening as the story unfolds in the right order. I actually learned this the hard way and had to go back and add a chapter in to pull my story together. I try not to look at it as a delay in my success but as a stepping stone toward my success.
Success is always under construction. It is not a simple black and white issue. I can visualize my success, no matter how large or how small each success may be, knowing that I am working on what makes me happy is a positive way to achieve my goals.
The last couple of weeks, my actual novel writing has slowed considerably due to adding a new member to our family.
Maggie Mae, our 2 1/2 month old new Goldendoodle, is entertainment in itself. And if you have ever gone through puppy training, it can be brutal for a few weeks. One really positive thing about this is that it is true: Two doodles are better than one. I say this because our 2 1/2 year old doodle is teaching her the ropes, in a good way I might add.
Maggie has us trained on when to get her outside to do her business. This means that I can't be engrossed in my writing because I must keep a lookout for when she goes to the door or very gently rings the tinkle bells to go out. The exception to this rule is when she finally crashes out asleep for 1 - 2 hours. This usually happens once in the morning and once in the afternoon. And for the most part she sleeps through the night up until 5:30 AM. This means that a nap needs to happen for me and for my husband. It is a matter of team work. It is how we get things accomplished in our home. Luckily, he also does not like things to pile up so together we make it work.
We can feel our success in all aspects of our lives. Eating healthier is a goal for both of us and we are losing weight at a steady, although a slow rate. It is a good thing to think big, however, this is not going to happen overnight and it is important to not let this weigh down our motivation to get to our goal. (yes, pun intended) Taking those bags of clothes that are way too big is definitely a big motivation.
There is no time for procrastination. It is a time for being persistent. It helps to reach milestones, even the small ones. Take deep breaths and even possibly rearrange your priorities for the day. Set up positive mantras that will see you through.
Knowing that success in whatever your goals may be is just ahead. Reflect on what you desire, know your own personal limitations so that you don't set yourself up for failure. I know that I can't get my novel written by a specific date, so I am more open to setting small goals. With everything else going on in my life, I try to do a positive balancing act. I know that I can't change certain aspects of what is going on in my life at this moment in time. Each day brings a different view of how my day needs to flow. It is a matter of being flexible and staying positive. Most importantly it is crucial to always:
Remember, success is a journey not a destination. Words from Arthur Ashe ~
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