Imagine for a moment that today is your last day on earth. Now, make a list of all the things that you feel you have accomplished, all the things that you are proud of, and all the things that make you happy. Is it your car? Your television? Your stereo? What’s on the list of the fundamental elements of a satisfied life? Most people list their relationships with friends and family, the contributions they have made to others’ lives, and the celebrated events of their life. Take some time to think about it and make a list.
It might be hard to come up with much at first, so if you draw a blank, don’t worry. Just make a note to come back to this in a week or two. Once you are able to loosen up your mind, the light-filled memories will start to come through for you.
As you claim these fonder memories and the relationships that have helped to compose them, you get to meet yourself again, and you start to take your life back. Claiming the successes of the past, and the important friends you have is reflective of a healthy you and the person you get to be again.
Many of us live as if the opposite were true. Instead of appreciating what is truly important and making that a priority, we collect material things and indicators of status or success without questioning just what success really means. The quality of your life is not necessarily based on what has happened or what you own. It’s how you think about what you have and what has happened. There is no objective way to tell if you have had a good life, a good day, or a good hour. Your life is a success based solely upon your own judgment.
