Thoughts...

I don't know what the laws state on me typing out someone else's words, but these really spoke to me last night as I was reading from Eckart Tolle's a New Earth, so I wanted to share with those of you who read my blog.

The world will tell you that success is achieving what you set out to do. It will tell you that success is winning, that finding recognition and/or prosperity are essential ingredients in any success. All or some of the above are usually by products of success, but they are not success. The conventional notion of success is concerned with the outcome of what you do. Some say that success is the result of a combination of hard work and luck, or determination and talent, or being in the right place at the right time. While any of these may be determinants of success, they are not its essence. What the world doesn't tell you - because it doesn't know - is that you cannot become successful. You can only be successful. Don't let a mad world tell you that success is anything other than a successful present moment. And what is that? There is a sense of quality in what you do, even the most simple action. Quality implies care and attention, which come with awareness. Quality requires you Presence.

I love this because yesterday was NOT a stellar day, but this shifted how I was thinking about my day and how I've been seeing my life this week. I'm needing my home to be a little more tidy than it has been being, the dogs have been bringing in mud on their feet and Stella won't stay pinned up in the back, I didn't want to make dinner, but we can't afford to eat out this week, I had to do my paperwork which constantly reminds me of the person at my office I don't like and how she affects my attitude towards my work, and most of all I wanted to work on my quilt, but there just wasn't time even though the kids had gone to church with my mom. I felt frustrated and crabby. I realized how often I let myself slip into not getting my way mode and how I think to myself if we had more money I could do this, or if we weren't so broke, I wouldn't have to cook or I could hire someone to clean my house (how cool would that be?). I get hung up on wishing we were more, but the reality is we have great lives and we don't go hungry and when we are present in what we are doing and we see it for what it is how liberating that is. We are all successful if we believe we are successful in everything we do, both the good and fun stuff and the un-fun stuff like cleaning and cooking (I need to find a way to see that as fun stuff - I could make it into a game). I have a home to clean, there are plenty of people out there who do not own their own home and I have pets to love and take care of that only want the same from me, I have locally raised food to consume if I have more I have more to take care of. If I put quality into these things they suddenly have so much more meaning. To me success is really not measured by dollar signs or rewards it is the fruits of my labor, so I guess in that I have re-realized this I'm back on track and feeling my own personal success... my own presence with all that is and somewhere along the way in the next few days I will squeeze in some time to work on that quilt and I'll really appreciate it when I get there, but in the meantime, I'm going to appreciate what I have to do and that WILL provide me with the space and inspiration to be creative and to have creative time. The ultimate in success.

Once again, touched by this mans wise words.