Hello to all on this last Thursday of May. This month has sure flown by.
My thermometer says 62* right now, and it is a wee bit foggy around here. It must have rained a little over night, as there were some new puddles on the drive. Yesterday we had a nice soft rain for a few hours. I am sure the garden just loved it! Those are the kinds of rains I like. Staying cool again today - but things will surely change for next week!
What do you consider a successful life?
Some definitions are - favorable or desired outcome, positive results, the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence.
I guess everyone has a different idea. In MY opinion it has nothing to do with fame or fortune. Some people think it is about the paycheck, or the title or the stuff attained.
I think that being successful means being able to live a good life in your own way. Having decent health. Having family and friends to love. Having enough. Living in a good way and doing good and kindness to help others. Peace of mind. Quality of family life. Being happy!
That is a success to me.
Failure - defined as lack of success, the action or state of not functioning, deficiency, inability to perform normal functions well enough.
Well, I guess I can agree somewhat - but MY biggest thought is that failure is never having tried!!!
If you never try again after something goes wrong, that could be a failure. Always try again and do your best!
I really don't like the word failure. It is just so negative.
People think that because a situation turns out in a certain way - you failed.
Example: I have a divorce in my life. Was I a failure at that? Some say yes, I don't think so. I tried really hard, I did the work, I loved, and it just wasn't meant to be. I LEARNED a lot! I don't see that as failure.
I took that learning and those lessons and used them to make life better.
Some people think you will never know success if you never know failure. Interesting thought.
I know we all have down-falls in life. We all have had disappointments. We have all had to start over at times. Life doesn't always turn out as planned!!!!! Boy is that a fact.
The meme above is so very true. No matter what we are in life, no matter what our age or our opportunities - we can change things. Get up each day with the attitude that life today is going to be great. Make it happen.
It may be totally different that you had planned for your life (stuff happens), but it can still be good. It can still be successful.
Irish playwright Samuel Beckett once said, "Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." I like that!
If you aren't 'successful at something' then 'fail' with a lot of grace, style and class - and be successful at being a better person! Hold your head high, try and try again, think positive, look at yourself in the mirror and know you are really somebody important, go after what you want with gusto! You know what? That makes you successful in my eyes!
Never give up!
What are your thoughts?
I look forward to reading.
Be happy and have a great day. Make yourself and someone else smile today!
A successful life? Dad always told me "you can do anything you want but you will finish what you start". It never occurred to me to do anything else.
ReplyDeleteI had a career I loved and still treasure. I've always had meals, a roof, clothing. I love the home we bought 34y ago-paid off 16y ago. My retirement motto "I do what I want, when I want, if I want". That doesn't mean a mansion, a fancy $90k car, European vacations and fancy cruises. Those do not interest me. I do travel, visit friends, new places....in the USA. I love to garden, read, make quilts (mostly donated to Sleep In Heavenly Peace because my family is saturated with them).
I am 64, healthy, walking a lot thanks to my 2 fabulous knee replacements and I feel like 40 again. I appreciate every morning I wake up, not taking this life for granted.
As for failure? Eh, for most things in life, there are do-overs 😜 I choose not to have regrets. They can suck the life out of us!
I am Blessed. I have a successful life.
I love your dad's saying. Yep, that is true. If you start it, finish it.
DeleteIt sounds like you have it figured out. Your motto is wonderful - I agree 100%
Same here, nothing big and fancy or super expensive - but a very good life.
I love your attitude - it is one everyone should have. You have that right, most things can be do-overs, so never have regrets. I truly don't regret much of anything, all the 'stuff' in life, made me who I am today. I kind of like me!
Anon - For me the hardest thing as I age is letting go of regrets. I have tried hard to forgive myself for the unfortunate things I did or did not do in the past.
DeleteJ - holding on to regrets does no good for you or anyone. We all have done things that we aren't proud of - but the past is over. Today is for living and loving.
DeleteAnother excellent post! Some people were raised to think that failure had no place in their lives. (What will people think?) There again, was the success in their eyes or someone else's? IMHO, if I live by the Word, and pray that His will be done, I can't go wrong. He knows our life, He knows our future. If we do the best we can, with all that in mind, we will be successful. A lot of our success has to do with our mindset. I too, am divorced, and it wasn't an easy decision to make but the best one. There are worse things in this life besides being divorced.
ReplyDeleteThe gardens were all damp when I went out this morning to cut cilantro and gather some strawberries for breakfast. No fog here and heavy fog was predicted.
Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks - I think it gives us some pause in thought.
DeleteI agree - live by the Word. Yes we have free will, and we don't always make the best decisions, but if we go back to God, things will be good.
Sometimes the best decisions are the hardest ones to make. And I agree whole heartedly, there are many worse things than being divorced.
We had some light fog in the area - and it was pretty wet. Not a bad day.
Agree with your definition of success. With the caveat that a healthy amount of money just fuels its fire. Comfort. Cushion. Money. We can’t villainize money when it makes life easier and easier is happier, for me. As for divorce - hardly a failure. I’d consider a divorce a success in fact. You completed something. Done. Moved on. Success!
ReplyDeleteOh sure, money does make things easier that is for sure. But if I were uber rich and didn't have the other stuff - that would not be success in my book. Some people think those with most, have it all sewn up. Not necessarily true.
DeleteYes, moving on was a great success!
I'd love to be Uber rich. Kids would get meals in schools, beds in their rooms, clothes without holes, dental care, healthcare, and a post high school education of their choice for the ability to earn a living. Otherwise, what good is money? It seems this century, there is a tipping point after which it becomes greed for more not, what good can I do!
DeleteIt would be lovely to do those things for others - but I didn't have all that - nor did many, and I think I grew up pretty darn good. I had a great upbringing, but there were limits.
DeleteI have gotten to a point in life that I see post high school educations for a lot of people a waste. They don't seem to be using their educations, and some of what they are 'learning' is just not learning in my opinion. I think we should also lead young people to vocational/trade schools as well.
I like helping others as well - and just living a good life myself. That is what $ does for me.
I view vocational/trade school as post high school education. My first career at 19yo was a 1year vocational program. There aren't many independent life-supporting jobs that don't require education after high school.
DeleteDoes anyone have an update on Linda at Practical Parsimony - hasn't posted for almost a month....
ReplyDeleteDani, she posted a comment at the Out My Window last week. She mentioned her shoulder still hurting. Her last post on her blog she talked about computer problems.
DeleteYou know you are famous in my book.
ReplyDeleteLOL - what a sweety you are. All I want is to do good in this world.
DeleteMistakes happen. We make bad choices. We have to back away from some things. It's called Learning through Experience. Fortunately the Good Lord forgives. :)
ReplyDeleteMaryB
Yes mam, learning experiences. I really do hate the word - failure.
DeleteWe seek and He forgives.
Some people have a lot of material riches, fame and acclaim in life, yet they seem crushed by it all. Others have a lot less, but keep their enthusiasm for life alive, despite the knock-backs. To me those are the people who have successful lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%. Just look at Hollywood - so many disgruntled folks. None seem happy. I like that phrase - enthusiasm for life.
DeleteThere are certainly disappointments and set backs in my life, but like you, I don't consider them failures. Just bumps in the road that I can (and have) learned from.
ReplyDeleteThere are also things I know I could never do, like bungee jumping and skydiving. I don't consider those failures either, just knowing myself well enough that my fears would cause harm to myself or others. Those are the extreme things...but there are other things that are less frightening that I wouldn't attempt.
My success was never about money, it was more about doing my best and being proud of my efforts. Occasionally I'd get some recognition but that mattered less than how I felt about the work I'd done. I tend to think that when one looks inward rather than outward, one will be more satisfied in life, whatever that may look like.
I so agree. Sure there are lots of things that I would never do either - but no that isn't a failure. It is "I'm smarter than that"!!!!
DeleteYour success sounds wonderful. You have it right! Looking inward is so right. Our hearts are so full and when they are 'right' we are very rich indeed.
I consider what other people think of as a failure, as a new learning experience. I am not too sure what I would consider successful, I do know it is not owning the best of everything or having lots of money in the bank. The most successful people I know are those that are giving, and loving.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
You betcha! New learning experience - yep!
DeleteGiving and caring says much more than tons of money.
Love that meme. And I agree with you about success / failure. The older I get the more I admire people who do good for the community, not just those who make the most money
ReplyDeleteThanks, I did too. Doing good takes a good heart - that is worth so much in my book. Money can be had by anyone.
DeleteI agree! I consider our life a success because we are living without hardship, drama, envy, or greed. I think being in a position to be generous is the best of all indicators that life is good!
ReplyDeleteYes mam! Those are all indicators of a life well lived.
DeleteI have a divorce too and was told at church that is why people don’t talk to me. (?, OK 😂 Their loss! ) You can see I’m ok with that. 😂 I don’t let it ruin my idea of a good life. I love my life and being single works for me as I can do those things I really enjoy like puttering around our home, thrift stores, yard sales, gardening, and no one tagging along who doesn’t want to do those things. That is a successful life to me, doing what I enjoy. 😉
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh - that is nuts! Nothing wrong with being single. You have chosen what works for you. That makes you a great success.
DeleteI think success means a loving family, friends, a plain but paid off comfortable house, able to pay your bills, and the ability to go swim in the summer at a lake. I know the last one is odd…. lol. The moderate to severe at times mental illness of a family member has made family time for all of us together impossible. That makes me sad but it is a reality. I am also not going to sit and whine about it bc I deal with people at work every day who are victims of abuse, have lost their children or other loved ones to murder etc. Their cross to bear in this life is much greater than mine. I love looking at other folks photos of travel but I hate to fly, don’t like crowds etc. so I only fly across country once or twice a year to see grandchildren. That’s it. If it is not within driving distance otherwise, I am not going. I willl do armchair travel. Really, I am a homebody. Also, I really like swimming at the state parks in a lake… lol. I will do pool, Gulf, or River if ai have to but prefer a lake. It cost $2 in our state parks to enter if you are 62. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteBeing a homebody is my life as well. It sounds lovely for you. I am sorry you can't get with family a lot, but yes, all families have a cross to bear. There is always someone out there with a worse problem, and they are in a worse place.
DeleteI have flown, will never do it again!
I have a niece who is a health/body instructor and her mission is getting people moving and bringing them to God. Her folks buy her a yearly pass for National Parks as part of her Christmas gift. Neat that you prefer the lakes to pools.
Enjoy your summer.