How do you know when you’ve succeeded?

I never used to know… I mean, for me success was this very far-off concept that could almost never be attained…. It was how I stayed motivated.

Have you been there, tossing the idea of success so far out into the future that its nearly impossible to get there?

I have a friend who- after triumphantly surviving a life-shaking illness and since that day when health returned, success is defined as “feeling fully self-expressed every day.  I don’t want to miss a chance to get my message across in my art as much as possible…”

Another friend’s success is winning an award, a great-big-famous award that looms in the distance.

For me, success is something else…

And for you, I bet it is, too.

But… do you know what success looks like as it arrives?

I definitely did not know!  And I suffered and struggled because I couldn’t see what I had staring me in the face.

If you aren’t sure what it looks like to succeed, you might miss lots of successes that move you forward…

So, today, a little artful visualization about success can cue up a season of awesome dreams-come-to-life!

Having thirty minutes to see John Currin at Gagosian in Beverly Hills was a luxury I didn’t have when I worked in jobs that weighed heavy on my soul and sucked up my time.  What was more interesting was that, as I walked through the gallery I realized that it was beaming sunshine in March, I had an exciting afternoon waiting for me… and the day had just begun on such a luscious high.

Having time to see a friend and have a juice & artisinal smoothie afternoon at the Punchbowl in Los Feliz ( their amazing juices:  try the sparkplug pinapple turmeric cayenne apple juice & the Rita Hayworth rose water, strawberry and coconut smoothie!) on Wednesday was another luxury.

What I noticed is that I stopped saying ” I want to do…” to my friend that I haven’t seen in 8 months.  I was only saying, “I’m doing..”

Something had definitively changed but I’ve been too caught up in living to notice it!!!

Success defined by Dictionary.com is: ” the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals.”

The thing is: success is as real as you can see the prosperity and the manifestitation of goodness around you!

I remember when I decided that success was a lifestyle, not just a series of things on a wishlist.  It was after the backlash of trying to “keep up with” a very fast crowd in New York.

Someone from Jersey told me at around this time when I was struggling with “I’m just not enough” syndrome at 23 years old that there’d always be someone younger, smarter and prettier than me…. but that this was the youngest, smartest, prettiest moment… right now.

Right now.

It was kind of true. Its all we’ve got.  Right now.

Every time I start looking at success as something to match other people’s lives… I lose all my feeling of “young, smart, pretty”  and sink into “its not fair” comparisons and regret and a whole lot of misery that is the opposite of success.

Crazy enough, I have been rewarded with the luxuries of that kind of lifestyle success (I make my calendar, I go to beautiful places, I play with art supplies, I design, I write, I am with my dogs, friends &  loves everywhere)… and I barely noticed at first because I’ve been so psyched and so deep in it!

Success is a way of life.  Not a thing far off in some unspecific wonderland.

What does “success” look like to you? 

Write down as many things as possible that signal your success.  List them.  Paint them. Take photos of them.

What does success feel like to you?

Does it feel exhilerating, calm, physically triumphant, ethereal…

In your version of success do you have a new haircolor, a new fitness routine, a new academic degree?

You can do these things now.  I mean, many movie stars changed their names long before they became movie stars.  It’s not uncommon that a new haircolor, makeover or otherwise can kick off a new chapter in life.  And you can do that part immediately!

What do you do during the day in your success mode?

What do you see yourself doing all day in a space of success? Do you work at home? Do you start the day with a ritual…? Where do you spend your time? Who do you talk to?

Can you see how much success you already have around you?

Now that its a whole lifestyle, can you see how much success you already have? Can you see how you can make small tweaks (like my dream of consitently waking up at 5:30am!) to make the day more successful in your own way… ?

Revel in it.  Design your dream life! xoxo Dana

 

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