"Stepping out" can mean so many things. We can say things like "I'm taking a leap of faith" or "I'm getting out of my comfort zone." While for me lately has been a little bit of both. I have been stepping out and stepping into new and exciting things.
I realize that I have neglected to continue to publish content to this page and as a result feel as if I have failed. But I am reminded that a 100% of people that don't try - fail a 100% of the time.
To say I have failed would be an overstatement. I have tried and that does not make me a failure. It doesn't make me feel all that successful either. And that leaves me wondering what success really means and if I need to be reminded of what success - by my definition - means.
To me success is something that has to be defined by the individual and the individual alone. Meaning, you decide what success looks like and what failure looks like and be careful not to define your success or failure in absolute terms or by the terms of the people that do not try.
It is scary stepping out and trying new things. Failure is not something that any one of us ever want to feel. But - again - it's all in how YOU define it.
I have family and friends that see success and failure in one term - numbers. They define success and failure by how much money you make, by how many followers/subscribers you have, by how much approval you gain from others and how many others you need to have approval from. - Whew that felt winded...
The truth is for me success is defined by the opposite of failure. Success is when you don't join that group of people that don't try. So you don't make money. So you don't have a million followers. Did you try? Did you fall on your face? Did you get dirty? Did it hurt? Did you learn something? To me a yes to any of these questions equals success. Success is trying. Success is learning. Success is doing it. So I should feel successful even if wasn't by much.
You can work your life away and feel like a failure. Or you can get up each day with a purpose to try. You can try to help someone. You can try to change the world. You can try to build Rome. See where I'm going? It isn't going to happen over night, but each day provides an opportunity for a win. A loss only happens when you don't go for a win or you don't even try.
Tomorrow will come with or without you. Today is the only day you've been given and if you didn't get that 1 million subscribers or make a profit but you did your best then today is a win and a success in my book.
Don't give up on something or feel as if you are a failure if you go 7 months without writing an article for your blog (Sorry for that by the way). Don't feel failure if you miss your goal of losing 5 lbs. Don't feel failure if you didn't meet your goal of making a lot of money. (By the way "a lot" is a subjective term and a dangerous one at that because it is allusive.)
Feel success when you gave it all you had and even if you didn't meet your goal for the day - you tried. Too many people don't even try - but you did! You win! And remember today or any day for that matter is not defined by our successes or failures. You won't be remembered as the guy who made millions or the gal that got a 1000 subscribers over night. You will be remembered in how you did it and what you did. You'll be the guy that robbed a bank or the gal who burnt her hair with firecrackers (just kidding - but I've been there.)
How do you want to be remembered? The guy who saved lives or the gal who had compassion on a stranger? The guy who wrote the book that changed the way we do (insert your passion here) or the gal that invented (new way to underwater basket weave or whatever you love to do). Or the person who never tried.
So get up off the couch, step out, and succeed today at what will matter tomorrow. Maybe success today is not writing a blog, or posting on social media. Maybe today's success is defined by something else - family time, crafting, meditating, exercising, skipping desert. What's your definition of success? Are you up to stepping out tomorrow? Or today? It isn't too late if you're still breathing.
Showing posts with label positivity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positivity. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Why I Quit
"I quit." Words that come associated with many types of responses and emotions. One might receive applause as they turn from their undesirable behavior with the words "I quit." Words that might be admonished when attempting to achieve something of greatness. These same words might be met with confusion when said following something of partial indifference or something of liking.
I have received all types of reactions to my decision to "quit." Even my own brain warns of the way I might feel without this not-so-cute and life-suck that has become what most people consider to be their biggest player in social interaction. I hear thoughts like "how will you stay connected?" "How will you get to see the pictures of your family?" How will you keep up with the news and share the good news in your own life?" "What will you do to pass the time while waiting for the elderly lady to figure out the credit card machine in Sprouts?" (That really happened by the way.)
With all my doubts and all my concerns, I know the truth and the truth, I am told, will set you free. The truth is that this is probably the worst way to "stay connected." In fact it allows us to look through the windows of peoples lives and watch the highlight reels of their lives play out on their TV's. All the while allowing us to believe that we are inside with them being a part of their lives. This is a lie.
The truth is that my family will send me pictures, granted now I have to solicit them a little more often or be a part of the their actual lives so that I can take my own pictures.
The truth is that people I am really connected with already share their news with me because I am important to them and they important to me.
The truth is there is so much more valuable things to spend my time on while waiting in the checkout line in Sprouts. Or, crazy idea, I could actually be playing a part in the life that I am living rather than hiding behind my phone and playing in a world that is fake and manipulated by both the people writing the posts and the people controlling the content.
The truth is that this thing we think is so great for our lives has become something that many, myself included, now believe they can't live without. Similar to that is that is the microwave. Also true story, lived without one of those for 3 years. You learn how to actually cook things like popcorn. People think it is unfathomable to not have a microwave just as they do about Facebook.
The truth is that over the past couple of months, I have found myself actually blocking or hiding family, friends and many of those other people that my brain says "you must stay connected" due to the negativity and constant verbal and visual abuse to my happiness. I have no shame in this.
The truth is that Facebook has now become so flooded with ads and manipulated by the developers to pick and choose from my "friends" who's posts and items that I see that I no longer have any control over MY Facebook. It's flooded with negative messages, fake news, and other types of language I wouldn't allow anywhere else in my life. Furthermore, the pictures that I am longing to see are being hidden by the political and capitalist agendas of those that own, run and control this platform that I once enjoyed. So I guess the real truth is - I no longer enjoy it.
With that said, it is time to say "I quit." I want real relationships. I want real information. I want real communication. I know that by creating a blog, I've only found another way to hide in another form of social media. This may be true in part. However, when writing on here, I am not filled with discouragement or sadness. I am not filled with anger or disgust. And another truth may be that this too will be short lived and I may at some point in my future delete and discontinue.
It is time for me to seek out more positive and productive messages, conversations, and relationships. None of which, I feel can be accomplished through Facebook.
Thank you for listening.
With all my love,
God Bless,
Jessica
I have received all types of reactions to my decision to "quit." Even my own brain warns of the way I might feel without this not-so-cute and life-suck that has become what most people consider to be their biggest player in social interaction. I hear thoughts like "how will you stay connected?" "How will you get to see the pictures of your family?" How will you keep up with the news and share the good news in your own life?" "What will you do to pass the time while waiting for the elderly lady to figure out the credit card machine in Sprouts?" (That really happened by the way.)
With all my doubts and all my concerns, I know the truth and the truth, I am told, will set you free. The truth is that this is probably the worst way to "stay connected." In fact it allows us to look through the windows of peoples lives and watch the highlight reels of their lives play out on their TV's. All the while allowing us to believe that we are inside with them being a part of their lives. This is a lie.
The truth is that my family will send me pictures, granted now I have to solicit them a little more often or be a part of the their actual lives so that I can take my own pictures.
The truth is that people I am really connected with already share their news with me because I am important to them and they important to me.
The truth is there is so much more valuable things to spend my time on while waiting in the checkout line in Sprouts. Or, crazy idea, I could actually be playing a part in the life that I am living rather than hiding behind my phone and playing in a world that is fake and manipulated by both the people writing the posts and the people controlling the content.
The truth is that this thing we think is so great for our lives has become something that many, myself included, now believe they can't live without. Similar to that is that is the microwave. Also true story, lived without one of those for 3 years. You learn how to actually cook things like popcorn. People think it is unfathomable to not have a microwave just as they do about Facebook.
The truth is that over the past couple of months, I have found myself actually blocking or hiding family, friends and many of those other people that my brain says "you must stay connected" due to the negativity and constant verbal and visual abuse to my happiness. I have no shame in this.
The truth is that Facebook has now become so flooded with ads and manipulated by the developers to pick and choose from my "friends" who's posts and items that I see that I no longer have any control over MY Facebook. It's flooded with negative messages, fake news, and other types of language I wouldn't allow anywhere else in my life. Furthermore, the pictures that I am longing to see are being hidden by the political and capitalist agendas of those that own, run and control this platform that I once enjoyed. So I guess the real truth is - I no longer enjoy it.
With that said, it is time to say "I quit." I want real relationships. I want real information. I want real communication. I know that by creating a blog, I've only found another way to hide in another form of social media. This may be true in part. However, when writing on here, I am not filled with discouragement or sadness. I am not filled with anger or disgust. And another truth may be that this too will be short lived and I may at some point in my future delete and discontinue.
It is time for me to seek out more positive and productive messages, conversations, and relationships. None of which, I feel can be accomplished through Facebook.
Thank you for listening.
With all my love,
God Bless,
Jessica
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