Success Never Goes On Sale
A new year makes us focus a bit more. After all, we’re getting older and not younger. With that realization of mortality comes the sobering reality that life is not a dress rehearsal. We become more cognizant of our decisions and indecisions, understanding that both have profound effects on our lives. We read articles and see videos that inspire us for all of thirty minutes, then we’re back to business as usual. We are unchanged. We want a better self, but are unwilling to commit to the process to achieve it. The process is usually hard, slow and uncomfortable and we have a proclivity towards things that are easy, fast and convenient. I’ve learned that the more promises we make to ourselves and break, the more our self-esteem suffers. Your subconscious mind knows that it cannot trust you to see things to the end. This awareness manifest in our reality as low self-esteem, lack of hope and motivation.
Four months ago, my husband and I sold our home in Virgina. It was a time consuming and grueling ordeal that lasted over 45 days. During the time our house was on the market, it had to be clean. Not regular clean but “Mary-Poppins-spoon-full-of-sugar,” clean. We had to stop “living,” in the house. And by living, I mean no cooking on days the house was being shown and definitely not on weekends. We were all confined to one hang out spot in a home with 3 floors and plenty of space. We had to be ready to leave our home within an hours notice no matter what was going on. Saying that it was uncomfortable would be putting it mildly. It completely changed my relationship from my beloved home into just a house. A piece of property that was frequented by visitors who would often stay for an hour and still not buy it.
After the dust lifted and my heart palpitations subsided, we had moved and settled into our new home. I knew something magical had happened. I was legitimately a better housekeeper in general. I’m not saying I was a slob before, but the difference was apparent to me. I wanted my home really clean, not just for company but for my family as well. I had this difficult process of thoroughly cleaning everyday for an extended period of time to thank. I had dropped everything and focused on staging and selling our home. I was changed. It’s amazing what we can accomplish once we commit. We sold our home at a great profit and we’re currently reaping the benefits of sticking it through to the end and not giving up.
I’m not making any formal New Year’s Resolutions this year. I do have a few things that I want to accomplish and I understand clearly that success never goes on sale. There is never a discount on things that are really worth it. We’re either willing to pay or not. My best advice to you and myself is to simply start. If you want to work out 30 minutes a day, start with 5 minutes. Pair down a task until there is no resistance or apprehension towards it. Don’t be afraid to approach your work in unorthodox ways, do what works for you! Who cares if you have to take a walk outside every 20 minutes to give yourself a mental break or you schedule your work in 30 minute increments? What matters is that you’re putting quality energy and intention into your projects. Knowing that you’re doing your best work will drastically improve your approach and outlook in regards to your work. Cheers to a future filled with learning, loving, compassion and productivity!