The True Meaning of Success

I came across this lovely poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson that reminds us what success really looks like:

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect 

of intelligent people and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure

the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty;

to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better whether

by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; 

to know that one life has breathed easier because you

lived here. This is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is far less about what we have collected and far more about how we have impacted those around us. It is far less about a focus on the future, and far more about how living a meaningful life affects our present. We can give ourselves permission to seek joy; to find the beauty in the every day. Like this post? Consider subscribing! Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@suezeng