The last several months have been quite a whirlwind, between making the decision to quit school & also trying to find a new job that will turn into a career, it feels like I’ve been running around in circles with no progress. At 26, I was feeling completely behind in life, and I refused to have another quarter-life crisis. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the span of these days & I’ve realized I’m so much stronger in every aspect than I realized and than I ever have been before. I’m still constantly looking for something to keep me busy & no matter how hard I want to, I can’t seem to sleep late & spend the days doing absolutely nothing! During this time, I thought so much about what it would take for me to finally have that feeling of success.
*UPDATE: Lots of you know, I have found a full-time job, but am definitely still not where I want to be on my success scale.
Quarter-Life Crisis
How many of you guys had a quarter life crisis? Make any crazy decisions? I know they’re real yet I know to some of you, freaking out about turning 26 seems ridiculous. I just feel like I should have myself together by this point in life!
Many people ultimately measure success by how much money you make or how high standing in society you are. Over the last year, I’ve realized it’s so much more than that. I admit, money sure does help when times are hard & it seems like more money would bring instant happiness. Of course we all know, sure money can aid in happiness, but it certainly does not create it.
Beyond the Paycheck
It appears that so many are worried about how much money they make or how big their house is. Lately I’ve learned that my success can be measured by how happy I am with the life I’m living & by the steps I take every day to make the best of every moment in my life every single day. I know not every day is perfect and days at the office are often super difficult & just plain draining. But I also know there are people in this world who love their job & who love the career they’ve chosen.
I’ve learned that success is best defined by each individual person. To me, it’s measured by genuine happiness & a feeling of accomplishment day in & day out. We show it in the way we carry ourselves from the time we wake up until the moment we fall asleep. I know it may be so much harder to see success so simply when you have a family to raise, mortgages to pay & a day job you’re not in love with. Can we all take a step back & revisit one of the scariest words we try to live each day? What if we redefined what this word means to each of us, in hopes of easing in to simpler, more fulfilling lives?
Can you all give any advice? How did you find your passion? What is your passion & how did you know?
Creating Your Routine
From my experience, success & leading a fulfilling life have so much to do with your morning routine. I used to work at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, working a 9-5, Monday-Friday & for the most part, it was pretty great. I loved getting up at 5 am to go to the 6 am Pure Barre class, walk for 3 miles, shower & head to work! I always carry teeth whitening strips, a green tea bag, my mascara & eyeliner with me & with those few things, I’m always good to go! Each day I have a cup of green tea. It seriously helps me feel like I can conquer the world! Crazy right? But really. On days that I didn’t go to Pure Barre or the gym before work, I was sluggish and irritable. Very quickly, I realized how important that ‘me time’ before work every day really was.
We are all constantly connected via email, Facebook, Instagram, or whatever forms of social media we like best. An hour every morning completely for me is always the best way to start my day. Being disconnected from the outside world allows me to start the day feeling my best!
What are some of your morning routines that help get you going every day? Do you have a go to, no fail item/workout that you must have every morning?
Success is What You Make It
Your takeaway from this one: success is what you make it. Try not to let anyone make you feel inferior about where you are in your life compared to theirs. Everyone is on their own path to success. Work on yourself without worrying about how you measure up to the guy next door. At least that’s certainly what I’m trying to do.
