Each of us have the ability to create one our own recipe for life and our own flavor of success. For some it is fortune and fame, for others it is surrounding themselves with those they love, and yet others define success as a destination. Personally I think life is a daily journey and though I value vision, planning, and goals, the recipe I follow for my life is to set the goal to live a well-lived life every day. I grew up a rural doctor’s daughter, and I am very aware that tomorrow is not guaranteed, today matters.
As I work on my personal recipe for success I seek to learn as I go. For many years I believed success would come when an event or accomplishment was achieved. I have value for achieving income benchmarks. I love to set goals and reach them, but after many goals achieved, I learned that striving for accomplishments is noble, but living this moment more valuable. Are you living a well-lived life today?
My life has the bumps and bruises we all go through. I’ve made choices I wish I hadn’t, I’ve overcome things that’s were not fair and other situations that simply were of my own doing…as we all have. When I met my husband, Les, I saw in his life a peace that was like none other. I realized in that period of my life that an inner peace was essential to my well-lived life recipe. That wealth was freeing, but daily life was richer when shared with other hearts, laughter engaged daily and I would learn to let go of fear, or at least push it aside in faith. I too often had the habit of believing the lies fear tells me and would allow those lies to interrupt my joy.
Personally I am fueled by beauty. Beautiful scenes, music, relationships, or visuals are a very replenishing space for me. I am fortunate that beauty can be perceived almost anywhere. It’s part of my recipe for success to recognize that I am happiest when I seek the beauty in all people and situations, and do not succumb to mindlessly going through the day or engaging the habit of criticizing myself or others. It’s such an easy thing to let one’s thoughts be undisciplined.
My recipe for success changes as I go. Each season of my life requires a fresh look at the ingredients. Like over baking a cake, I find that too much adherence to one method or another ruins the joy of daily living. This week snow completely changed my agenda, yet there was much grace and beauty to be found in the rest, and different page being an extra day or three in the hotel cause.
Recipe are best when they can be tweaked. What do you enjoy about your days? Who makes your heart sing and your day better by simply engaging them? Where in your work do you feel vital and alive? Recently I discovered a role at work I provide for clients is truly something I adore doing. Before I had considered myself only in that role of producer when another, more qualified producer, wasn’t available…however after reviewing films, I realized they are and joy I have producing products with my clients produces an effective process. After pausing to really take in what happened, I realized the best days in the studio is not when I hire the producer, but when I engage AS the producer.
The recipes changes and grows as we do. My experiences and engagements have brought me new awareness and no longer is the old recipe the best one. Isn’t that how our recipes grow too? We taste something better and we learn there are more options on how to makes our favorite dish. At times we make our favorites from scratch, and sometimes the short cut plug and play ingredients are okay to. The best recipes always allow for substitutions in my life…accommodating the life I actually live, not hold on to some rigid standard.
What is your favorite recipe for your day? Each day we’re investing a precious commodity of time into something or someone. How is your recipe coming along? Are you engaging ingredients that support your living a well-lived life? Are you being nourished by the methods and shared experiences your days bring? Is your recipe for life bringing you an existence that you want to live?
Perhaps it’s time to consider your daily life success recipe. Become aware and choose to explore “what is…” Happening around you and within you today. How about a time out each day to simply check in your self? May be that if you do, you’ll find what parts of your daily success recipe are working for you. And if you find your recipe isn’t working…wel, the very next thing is realize that you are the master chef in your life’s recipe and you can change what is on the menu…and keep testing the recipe until you find one that support your life…an leaves you satisfied as you end they day.
Personally, I’ve been re-writing my recipe for a well-lived life and I’m loving this marvelously messy new experience…. And it all begins with asking yourself…”what is working in my life?” “What isn’t’ working?” And “What would make today work..today?”
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