Stop Watching Others Succeed and Go Succeed Yourself!

I was watching an epsiode of Shark Tank last night.  There was an 18-year-old girl who had developed a company called Simple Sugars.  It's a line of skin care scrubs.  She started working on it at the age of 11, in an attempt to find something to help her own excema.  Now, fresh out of high school, she has a booming business and is featured on a national TV show.  Her business is about to take off!

I was emotional watching her, as I am with many of the people who have found success that that show, or other shows, feature.  I just find it so moving to see someone actually go for their dreams, and make it!

I watch quite a bit of TV.  I always have.  I enjoy it.  It's largely relaxing for me.  But I also enjoy watching feel-good stories like the one I mentioned.  I find them inspirational and motivational.  So the question then becomes, when am I going to stop watching others' success stories and go write my own? 

I mean, I am working on my own story all the time.  We all are, whether we are doing so purposely or not.  I am open to opportunities happening, I feel that I follow my heart, and that I do go for my dreams.  But am I doing enough? 

                                                      

Surely my hours spent watching TV, even inspirational shows, could be more effective if spent writing my next novel, marketing one of my current ones, doing something else career-driven, or going to the animal shelter. 

Then there's the whole "Divine Timing" thing.  I blogged about that a few days ago, getting the concept from Danielle LaPorte's blog on The Daily Love the day before. 

I really don't believe in pushing.  If it feels you're pushing, trying to force something to happen, then I don't believe it's good for you.  I believe in following the Universe's Divine Timing.  Letting go and following the flow. 

                                                  

I had a day like that Friday.  I had the day off from the florist.  I had planned to spend hours writing, or working on my craft in some way.  At least that's what I wrote in my calendar. 

Then Friday actually came, and I didn't feel moved to do what I had planned.  At first I was a little stressed by this, but then I remembered, "Divine Timing."  There's a reason I'm not feeling compelled to act right now.  Trust that.  So I did.  The day passed and I wasn't all that productive.  Though who's to say?  Maybe it was a productive day, I just didn't see the effects of it right way.

Anyway, it's still days like that that make me wonder... Am I doing enough to make my dream come true? 

                                                   

When you see success stories of others, they talk about working so hard, devoting their life to their dream, and they eventually succeeded.  But surely they had slow days too.  No?  Surely they, too, had a day now and then where they just relaxed and watched TV.  Right?  Or is it just me? 

I don't know.  But I think when it's truly the right time for us, we will feel compelled to act.  To do something.  And when we don't, it's because the Universe is lining stuff up for us.  Getting things ready. 

I also haven't blogged in the past four days.  Perhaps you've noticed.  Nothing spoke to me to blog about.  I did write one blog, yesterday, about sugar, but I didn't feel it was strong enough to publish.  I didn't feel moved by it.  And Friday, the reason I couldn't seem to break away from the TV was because I was riveted by the whole Boston thing.  That's what I was really doing on Friday.  Watching coverage. 

So yeah.  It's not like I wasn't present on Friday, when I didn't feel like "working."  I was intensely present in present events.       

But back to success.  Perhaps the key is just being present.  Being in tune with your inner Spirit and guide. 

                                                 

Some people believe in pushing for things to happen.  In working, and creating, even when you don't feel it.  I don't agree.

I think what's of utmost importance is listening to yourself and following your inner guide.  And I believe that guide shows up through our feelings.  The trick is being in tune with it.  Being in tune with your Spirit as a guide, and not your ego as a guide.  Both will express themselves, and the Spirit will tend to be quieter and more subtle whereas the ego will be overt in expressing its feelings. 

You have to learn to see past the ego's shouting and don't take the ego's feelings for your own... and see into your inner Spirit and the feelings that lie there.   

So for now I'll continue watching others succeed and be inspired by them.  And I will keep my focus on my Spirit and follow my heart, and feelings.

                                           

                                                    

As Christopher Morley said, "There is only one success -- to be able to live your life in your own way."

I couldn't agree more! 

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