The pursuit of Happiness

I have decided to do a  week on the "pursuit of happiness". As much as I would love to have Will Smith in all his handsomeness make an appearance on this blog..... I don't believe that is going to happen, sorry :)
I thought I would start with SUCCESS. No, I don't know why success popped into my head first, but I'm going to roll with it. So hang in there....... it's going to be a fun week!
What does it mean to be successful?
If you would have asked me a year ago It would have sounded something like this: success is measured by how much money you have ( I know totally shallow!) and by your possessions. (again totally shallow I know, but we all do it. We all look at who has what and how much)  Material things like: house, clothes, car you drive. Not saying  you had to be extremely wealthy..... but in my eyes people that had 2 nice shiny cars, a big two story house with all the bells and whistles, take vacations and the ability to have their child in every activity possible..... meant success, and I wanted it!

My view is very different now. Did you know that 90% of Americans are in the TOP 1% of the wealthiest people in the world? (yes even those on welfare and assistance plans ) Yet most of us live our lives paycheck to paycheck OR owing more than we make.  And we find ourselves wishing and hoping for MORE.......More money so we can..... get more, do more and live more!

But what has more given us? I know what it has given me..... It's given me LESS!  Less time to do the things I wanted to do with my life.

Less time with my kids
Less time with my husband
Less time with my church
Less Sleep
Less time reading and learning
Less time to myself
Less time exercising
Less time relaxing
Less time with people I love and care about
Less time looking into a friends face and hearing their voice over lunch
Less time being outside, taking in the colors and the smell and the beauty
Less time preparing and cooking a good healthy meal
and a whole lotta other less's

So what I really THOUGHT was more, was really so much LESS.  I realized this last year success to ME is not measured by material or wealth...... Success is how content and happy I am with my life today, right now Today I would consider myself Successful. I would like to consider myself Extremely successful and for that I have some things to work on. One of which I am going to share on here... I am making a promise to myself and my family that I will turn off my phone during the hours they are home. No facebook, No text, No emails, No calls........ for 1 week.  This shouldn't sound hard right? For me it will be..... really hard. But I know I can do it....... because I want MORE.
What is keeping you from more? I challenge you to look at your life, what is sucking you dry? What is keeping your from living the life of your dreams? What is it you desire?
Put legs to your desire go after it....... and reach it!

Jen

Next post..... GOALS!