Artful, Heart-full Success: What's Your Secret?

“If you dare nothing,

then when the day is over,

nothing is all you will have gained.”

― Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

Success...some musings

I've been doing some thinking about what success means to me.

When we say "I want to be successful", what are we looking for? Happiness, Stability, fulfillment of our core values? Satisfaction?

Thoughts and Motivation on Regaining – and Keeping – Them After Misfortune

“I wish I were happy.” We’ve all been there. We look back on our childhood memories, or those of an old boyfriend from ten years ago, stare at old photographs fondly, and dote on what we mistily-eyed regard as “better” times, thinking, “I was happy then…why can’t I be that way now?”

I still miss old times; after all, don’t we all come across childhood photos, and wish that things could be as simple as a fourth-grade talent show or a Polaroid snapshot of a family dinner? I still go through family albums occasionally, captivated by that innocent childlike “happiness” beaming from every smiling red-eyed kid in the pictures.

But what exactly is happiness? Does it come and go, but still feel the same way in your heart every single time? Or does it grow, evolve and mold into different forms at each stage of your life? Can you ever get it back once you lose it?

On Lifehack.org there was an article about the 50 habits of successful people. What do you think?

I'm going to define it as a small metaphor. Success is finding satisfaction in the little things. Nature, family, values...and it's also diving into that one project you've been intimidated by.

Case and point: I bought a lampshade for $10. I wanted to do something with it but had no idea what to do. I wanted to branch out artistically. I made a mixed media lamp. And that was my small success for the day :)

I wrote a poem about success I'd love to share with you. Let me know what you think -

What does success mean to you?

Success

By Amy Oestreicher

Success is getting up and starting the day

Success is getting through a different way

Success is accepting a hard way to feel

Success is embracing what’s now and what’s real

Success is making yourself smile when you’re down

Success is a soul-nourishing lunch date downtown

Success is a good talk with your family

Success is a small step towards self-discovery

As you go through this weekday’s lengthy routine

It’s easy to put up a filter or screen:

“It’ll never get better, I can’t do this right –

All I do is struggle from day until night.”

Don’t let small slips taunt or make you lose hope

Or tempt you to quit or unhealthily cope

Just focus on one action that you can work towards

That may turn a wall into wide-opened doors

Courageously passionate, keen and consistent

As long as you press on – be brave and persistent

Do not get discouraged from one awful instant

Don’t pity yourself or become numb and distant

Because you succeed when you never give up

Your own back is patted, half-filled is your cup

Tell yourself “Perhaps I could have done things better,

But I will just exhale, get myself together,

I’ll process what happened, forgive myself, then

Take one more breath and start over again.”

Success is acknowledging how far you’ve come

When you’re hungry from more, remember where you started

But don’t get hung up on one thing that went wrong

Learn from events, then keep moving along

Having passionate dreams is exciting but rough -

Whatever you do might not feel like enough
We all need a confidence boost sometimes

When struggles appear without reason or rhyme

So listen up, your inspirations not far -

Do you know how strong and determined you are?

YOU’RE your own hero in this wondrous story

Each tiny success amounts to epic glory

Name three things that you did today that surprised you

Did you let your intuition guide and advise you?
Did you execute plans with a slickness and slyness

Or initiate some random act of great kindness?

Remember that no one is perfect or steel

We’re just flesh and blood, and our struggles are real

We’re fragile like glass, though we’re tough like tree bark

We’re specks in this world, but we can make our mark

So do one thing meaningful, something inspiring

Do something with all the skills you’re acquiring
Keep your mind open – face NOW with a “YES”

Just being receptive to all life’s success

Succeed by giving thanks to your little errors

Succeed by confronting life’s fears and small terrors

If you keep beating up yourself for your faults

You’ll run ‘round in circles – a get-nowhere waltz

Lift up your chin and keep moving ahead

Don’t curl in a ball and crawl back into bed
You struggled – so what? Each blessed moment is new

What you choose to do with it’s all up to you.

So decide right now, do you want to succeed?

Allow your own progress at a steady speed?

Your mind has the power to defeat or commend you

Don’t let your thoughts discourage, hurt or offend you

Know that you’re trying your best to reclaim

Your beautiful self – there’s no guilt here or blame
There’s bound to be thorns in a garden of flowers

We can’t do it all right in 24 hours

So focus on ONE thing that you did today

To flaunt all your values in one bold display


Just asking for help is a way to succeed

Success is examining what you truly need

So start off this morning and boldly express

That you are the picture of health and success!


“...maybe sometimes it's riskier not to take a risk. Sometimes all you're guaranteeing is that things will stay the same.” ― Danny Wallace, Yes Man