I’ve had the pleasure of working with all kinds of people
over the last fifteen years.
After all this time, I still get surprised, depending on
whom you talk to, how life and success are measured so differently.
Each person has his or her own hierarchy on what they feel
is important and what things portray success in life.
Here is a list of items I
have collected over the years of some perceived success indicators:
1. The amount of money I have in my bank account
2. Where I live and what kind of car I drive
3. Family heritage
4. Number of actual friends
5.Number of friends on Facebook
6.Job title
7. Awards and/or honorable mentions
8. Days in a row I fasted
9. Days in a row I detoxed/dieted/ate completely vegan
10. Days in a row I was able to live in a space of peaceful
bliss
11. Number of people I gave Sh*t to just over the last
month, proving that I am reclaiming my voice
12. Number of consecutive hours I prayed/meditated/practiced
Yoga
13. The amount of invitations I got for the holiday season
14. How many exotic trips I went on last year
15. Popularity and good looks of partner
16. Number of times my cat/dog/hamster declared his or her
love for me by licking my face just before breakfast
17. Number of people I assisted last week
18. Dollar amount spent on charitable functions
19. Again, I have the best “worked out body” in the gym
20. Winning competitions
21. Being a good team player
22. I was parent/teacher of the year
23. The ability to grow orchids and other rare plants
24. Amount of acting jobs booked in 2012
25. Proximity to celebrities
26. Popularity of spiritual guru
27. Number of people that are in love with me
28. Number of marriage proposals
29. How many bestsellers I read last year
30. VIP treatment at local restaurant/bar/golf club
As you read through this list, do some of the items of how
people measure success reflect your own? Do other ones seem silly to you? Take
a moment to honestly evaluate how you measure success in yourself and others.
Now, if you put your items on a list and ask yourself if
they hold up in the face of soul contracts, spiritual evolution and the
organic, at times, messy and chaotic life on planet earth, you might find that
it is time to overhaul the way you measure success.
Here are some of the ways I measure success these days (list
is still a work in progress):
1. Did I do the best I could in the situation?
2. Am I using the situation as an opportunity to
heal/grow/learn?
3. Am I fully present with the people around me?
4. Am I following my heart/intuition/divine guidance by
making this decision?
5. Did I find a healthy balance between work and play over
the last month?
6.Is my lifestyle allowing me to optimize my health; mind/body
and soul?
7. Are my boundaries in the proper place?
8. Can I speak my truth in the face of criticism?
9. Did I apply the right amount of diplomacy in this
situation of disagreement?
10. Am I taking full responsibility for my stuff while not
taking on the projections of others?
11. If I died today, is there anything I’d regret?
How does this list resonate with you?
As always, use your discernment and figure out what items
work for you and freely add or subtract.
It is normal and human to look for guidelines as to where we
stand and how we are doing. Make sure your measuring devices still work for you
and support your divine plan for this life. But really, how many lives do you
want to spend building castles that you have to leave behind, because as you
might have noticed (as an old/ancient soul), the line "hey that used to be
mine!" makes you look like a nut job when you want to reclaim that castle
in a new body and as far as I know, that never worked for anyone. (Well maybe
for some highly evolved reincarnations of important Lamas when their disciples
come looking for them!)
Anyway, this might be a good motivation to work on things
you get to take with you and to maximize every moment you have to the best of
its potential.
Have fun and good luck!
