“A successful life is doing what makes you happy. It’s the continuous pursuit of attainable goals.”

I came across this quote yesterday and thought it was oh-so-well-said. And it made me think of what success is not. Obviously, success is subjective. However, most people’s version of success is tied to lucrative jobs and what those lucrative jobs can buy you.

And while I don’t disagree with that, I do think most people are missing the Big Picture of success, which is meaningful, sustainable happiness. Key word here: sustainable.

The Humble Brag Gets Old

Getting a promotion, getting married, having a baby, and being a first-time home buyer are all wonderful life milestones that deserve celebratory champagne cheers. But those moments are all fleeting. They’re a big rush to the finish line and an even bigger rush to brag about on social media.

Society makes it seem like there are one set of successes to strive for and once you’ve hit them all? Congratulations to you, you’ve had your moment, now your life is perfect, The End.

No. That is not how real life operates.

What about the smaller, less Instagram worthy wins? Like hitting an impossible deadline with a project you’ve been slaving over or watching your toddler dress herself for the first time?

Those are the types of everyday moments that elicit feelings of a different type of happiness. Those are the personal, more private wins that belong to you, where you don’t find yourself reaching for your phone to capture (or measure) their significance.

Create Pockets of Joy

My challenge for us this week is to notice the smaller wins, and appreciate them.

Maybe you ran for 40 minutes this morning when you usually give up at 30. Or you sat down to play with your kids because you wanted to, not because you felt obligated to. Maybe you didn’t hit the snooze button.

The small wins matter. Being more mindful of them is a good way to keep us excited about things other than Labor Day.

Because if we put all of our energy into hitting the big goals, we’ll miss out on the moments in between that matter more.

Conclusion

Let’s celebrate more and put less pressure on ourselves to “have it all.”

Keep your eyes peeled for little pockets of joy in the everyday. And don’t be scared to create your own.

The mantra for the week is:

Surround yourself with people who pull the magic out of you, not the madness.

Per usual, thank you all for reading! May your segue into the weekend be enjoyable and stress free.

PS! If you like reading books, here is a link to 10 Books on Happiness. I haven’t read any on this list yet, but they all look fabulous.

Own your you-ness.

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Be you.

XOXO,

Ashley