A couple of weeks ago, Maria from Ode To Femininity approached me (via email) about featuring me on her blog. Umm, yes please! We emailed back and forth a bit and she told me she was curious to learn about my secret for success as well as what some of my work necessities are. Easy enough…or so I thought. Although the second question wasn’t too difficult, the first one really forced me to take some time to think. Me…successful? Ha! The more I thought about the question, the more discouraged I became. How do I explain that my business has yet to profit and and I barely make enough money to pay my bills? After much contemplation I realized that maybe being financially stable, yadda yadda, is not what the word successful is all about. And so, with that in mind, I wrote my response. (Check back tomorrow for my “What are your essentials when working?” response!)
What makes you have a sucessful life?
It’s hard to determine whether or not someone is successful. Yes, you can measure success in terms of one’s position at their job, how much someone makes a year, where someone lives, etc., but to me, those measurements of success are completely useless. If someone is not living a happy life, then all that other stuff, is frankly, crap. I mean, if you looked at my job position, how much I make a year, and the place I live, I certainly wouldn’t be considered “successful”. However, I truly do view myself as successfully living a life I love, and that is what makes all the difference.
Although there is no recipe for happiness, these are the top three things that make me a happier person day in and day out.
1. Although this seems like the obvious thing to state, surrounding myself with my family, boyfriend, friends, and of course my fluffy Golden Doodle, Bennie, is probably the number one thing that makes my day that much better. I am very much a people person, so I make it a point to frequently interact with those who make me happy. It doesn’t have to be big things either. A snuggle sesh with Bennie is sure to put a smile on my face and make me realize how such a simple act can lift my mood instantly; taking a couple of minutes to chat with Maureen, my best friend from college who lives in Ohio, makes me not only realize how lucky I am to have her as a friend, but to have a friend who still cares about nearly every detail of my life, even though she is miles away and barely sees me face to face once a year; sitting on the couch with my boyfriend, Jake, watching a rerun of the Office together is sure to make us both laugh, as well as make me appreciate how special he is to me, in even the most random and seemingly insignificant moment; gathering at my dad’s house with my mom, sister and brother for a Sunday dinner–something I never really enjoyed when younger, but now something I savor–never fails to make me feel so content and at peace…all of these small, yet meaningful interactions with people who are most important to me are truly what makes my life fuller.
2. This may seem to contradict what I just said, but making “me time” is also extremely important in making me a happy person. I’m not talking just once a week either. Making time for myself each and everyday is crucial. It doesn’t need to be hours of time (although, a day of R&R and catching up on a few favorite shows never hurt!), a simple 15 to 30 minutes will do the trick. Some examples of “me time” would be going for a run by the water while listening to my new favorite tunes, curling up in bed with the latest YA novel (yes, I’m a sucker for Twilight, Hunger Games and the such), going to the nail salon for what is probably a much needed mani and pedi, paying a visit to my favorite wine and cheese store for a cheeky glass and slab of blue for myself later on, going to a yoga class to unwind from the stresses of my day, or simply meditating with some of my favorite candle scents burning in the background…mmm yes, I’m already relaxing thinking about it.
3. For me, feeling a sense of accomplishment absolutely correlates with my happiness. I love the rush that comes with learning a new skill or trying something I’ve never done before. At the same time, even something as little as crossing something off of my to-do list invigorates me. Therefore, I try to “accomplish” something everyday. I love finding a new recipe on Pinterest (I’m addicted, but who isn’t?!) and then cooking it later on that evening. Not only do I learn a new skill, but I also provide myself with a delicious meal (at least most of the time)…win, win! I was scared out of my mind when I signed up for my first fighter’s conditioning (boxing) class. Jacked people staring at a small weakling? No thank you. However, once I dragged (or, my roommate dragged) my butt to the class, I was so pumped that I found a new and amazing workout. I wasn’t so thrilled about how I couldn’t move at all for the next few days, but once I kept going back I felt amazing about learning all these new moves and getting in seriously great conditioning shape. As great as accomplishing new things is, I certainly don’t have time to do this each and everyday. That would be nice, but it’s just not realistic. Anyone that knows me well, knows that it is such a struggle for me to stay organized, however, when I am organized I feel so much better. So for me, simply making it a point to make my bed every morning, gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. What I’m trying to say, is you don’t have to accomplish something major everyday. It’s the little things that count and absolutely make a difference.
There are so many other things that really make a difference in my all around happiness, but this post would be way too long if I continued. My one piece of advice would just be to take a couple of minutes to just think about what it is that makes you a happier person and then to really try and make it a point to incorporate these things into your everyday life. Remember, it doesn’t have to be anything crazy. Just focus on the little things and I guarantee that these bits of happiness will add up to a very fulfilling and successful life.
PRETTY & FRESH 