Hello!
Happy Wednesday!
(It seriously feels like it should be Thursday. Why is it not Thursday?)
So, there’s this article that’s been circulating on Facebook. Have you seen it?
It’s called, “20 Signs You’re Succeeding In Life Even If You Don’t Feel You Are.”
It’s actually pretty interesting.
Success is not always measured by how much money you make (not enough!) and what kind of car you drive (a paid off one, thankyouverymuch!) or other physical things/objects.
Success can be measured by intangibles. Bet you never thought of that, did you? I know I didn’t.
Out of the 20 signs, there were a few that really resonated with me. Like, they made me stop and think about how much I’ve grown and changed over the years (thank goodness!) and what really drove some of those changes.
(And just so you aren’t confused, I’m numbering them the way they are in the article. I didn’t forget how to count.)
1. Your relationships are less dramatic than they used to be.
Boy, oh boy, is that true! And she’s not just talking about your relationship with your significant other – it goes for friends, too. That drama may be fun when you’re young and every feeling is just so magnified and love hurts you down to the follicles of your hair but, sheesh, who’s got time for that when there’s kids to raise, jobs to go to, bills & mortgages to pay, and LIFE to be LIVED? And those friends that just reek of drama? You know the ones – the ones who are angry about anything and everything, the ones who complain about all manner of things (even if it’s their own damn fault), the ones who pull the “woe is me” card all the time. I mean, I get it – been there, done that, got the scar/stitches on my heart/psyche but…..isn’t it time to let it go? Grow up a little? Leave the teenage drama for the teenagers? #justsayin
3. You have raised your standards.
I don’t know when it happened but it did. All of a sudden, I expect people to behave like mature, normal human beings (see #1) and I hold them accountable for their actions. I mean, I don’t make promises I can’t keep and I treat people the way I want to be treated and I want the same in return. I deserve it. And, if you want to act a fool, ain’t no one got time fo dat!
5. You have moments where you appreciate who you see in the mirror.
Well, I’ll be honest. It definitely took some time to get to this point. Too MUCH time, if you ask me. Seriously, I was 38 when I decided I was okay JUST THE WAY I AM. That, coincidentally (or not), was when I got my first tattoo. For me. About me. She’s (me) got my back. I wish I had realized that I’m pretty awesome back when I was younger. THAT would have saved a lot of grief, stress, broken hearts, time with people who didn’t think the same thing and weren’t worth it. But, all of that made me who I am today so, in retrospect, I’m okay with it. And now that I like me, I do more things for me and I enjoy them!
I should add, I was 38 when I got back into running and ran my first marathon. 🙂
8. You don’t complain much.
The article states, “Because you know there really is nothing to complain about. Unless you really have gone through some horrific life experience and had unimaginable losses, most of what we all experience on a day-to-day basis is just mundane. And successful people know that. And they live in a space of gratitude.”
Exactly. (also, see #1)
Life’s too short to complain, especially about something ridiculous or that you can’t change. (in the article, see #17 and #18)
16. You don’t care what other people think.
Well, I’ve mostly got this one. I spent so much time worrying about what other people thought that it’s kind of a hard habit to break but, yeah, Dr. Seuss said it best:
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
I actually have that written on a sticky note above my computer at my desk. Sometimes, it helps to have that reminder so I don’t fall back into old habits. One
Worrying about what other people think isn’t likely to change their opinion, anyway. The only person’s happiness you are ultimately responsible for is your own. Make yourself happy. You deserve it.
Talk to me: What do you think? Which signs do you see in your life?
A Hungry Runner 
One doesn’t simply drop the Wine Wednesday post for dat!
Joking 🙂 Always happy to see a new post here, regardless of the subject.
I ready that article when you shared the link on FB – can definitely related to everything you listed here.
I wish I was such a smart cookie as to understand it all earlier in life, but that would have taken a considerable amount of fun out of the time when I was young and silly 🙂
I know, right?! Just wasn’t feeling the Wine Wednesday post today. Had that stuff on my mind so I figured I’d go with it. Maybe I’ll break the rules some more and do a Wine Thursday. Haha!
But seriously, I don’t think we should know all that when we’re young. Some, yes (self-appreciation would have been nice at an earlier age) but the rest, no. You have to live and experience things to learn from them. Makes growing up more fun that way and rewarding when you figure it out. 🙂
What a great article! Thanks for sharing this. Very inspiring!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I thought it was inspiring, too. I really appreciated the way it forced me to think a little differently about how to measure success. I’ve never really been a material person (although, I must admit, I wouldn’t complain if I could own a pair of Louboutin pumps or that Michael Kors bag I keep ogling at the department store) and so much regarding success is defined by material possessions. But, those items don’t define me and I’ve always been happy with what I have – a family that I love and loves me back, cuddly cats to snuggle and warm my lap, and dogs that practically jump with joy when I walk through the door (want to feel loved? get a dog!). The rest (house, food, wine) is all a bonus. 🙂
What a great article! I think that is so true – we so often judge “success” on material things or status symbols, and now on how we’ve grown as human beings over the years!
I need to work on #2 and #14 but the rest I got down pretty well. I’m doing quite well. What a boost! Thanks for posting this. I had seen it pop up on my FB feed but hadn’t read it. #behappy
#14 is definitely difficult. I’ve been lucky in the sense that I found my soul mate but I struggle some with the friendship love. I’ve been burned too many times that it’s hard to trust sometimes. Plus, as a military family, we move ALL. THE. TIME. so I’m constantly moving away from the true friends I’ve found. It’s a challenge to have to start over and over and over. Add being an introvert into the equation and I can be in a new place for a year before I say I found a real friend. But, I cherish the friendships I do have and those keep me happy. Plus, it’s exciting to go visit or have visitors! 🙂
As for #2, I used to try to tackle everything in my life on my own all the time. That ended pretty much around the same time my husband started deploying and I had 2 small kids at home and I was active duty Navy AND trying to go to school at the same time. Holy moly, I got over that stigma of being weak if I asked for help in a hurry! 🙂