The Peace of Success

How do we measure our accomplishments? Is it by the praise others give us or by worldly position? Maybe the yard stick is how we feel about ourselves or the good works we do to help others. But actually, the real basic measure of our success in life is the contentment and peace we feel on a day-to-day basis when we know we have been tested and come out victorious. When we gauge our successes by what others say we are never satisfied because once the warm glow of a compliment wears off we need another fix. The same holds true when we look to the things we own to show how successful we are. Things are transitory. They wear out and break down. Successes do not.

We need to understand that our successes reside in us. These are the things we have accomplished that no one can take from us. They are the building blocks of future successes and the elemental components of confidence. If we find ourselves looking for outside sources of stimulation to remind ourselves what we have achieved we are displaying a lack of faith in ourselves. By understanding that our victories are ours not just on the battle field but in every moment of every day we can find a peace of mind and heart that is hard to come by in this world.

The accumulation of victories and successes can form a vault of treasure that can sustain us through hard times. When we know we have overcome a hardship, on our own or with the help of others, we know we can overcome again. This understanding that we are survivors, that we are the unvanquishable hero of our own tale gives us the strength to laugh in the face of dark times and loss. We have crossed one river. We are capable of crossing others.