Thoughts on Success

We live in a world that likes to define people by what they do. This can pose challenges to stay at home Moms as what we spend our days doing often has no immediate visual results. I can spend hours cleaning and within ten minutes of the kids arriving home from school the house looks almost the same as before I started. So how to we feel successful?

My Sister and I were talking a little while ago and without really thinking I made the comment, "you know your a good Mom if your kids are healthy and happy." After I thought about it I realized that comment is in no way true. I've had years of a not so healthy kid and it was not a reflection of my parenting skills. My kids have also often been unhappy, not because I was a poor Mom but because they made poor choices. So what is a sign of good parenting? After some thought I have determined that it isn't something that can be seen. In my opinion a good Mom is someone that daily, consciously tries to be one.

I think the key to feeling successful is to stop looking for outward signs of success and instead look inward. Reminding yourself that you are a daughter of a God who knows you better than anyone and loves you. Remembering that our time here on earth is a time to improve and grow, to travel down a path toward becoming a better person, not to reach perfection in one mad dash. I guess it is not so much what we do as it is who we are. I am reminded of the story in the Bible of the people praying in front of large crowds or those that were fasting and letting everyone know. Christ said that they have their reward of others looking up to them as being so great or holy. He went on to say that those that pray in secret and fast with happy faces will have a greater reward for He knows all that is in our hearts. When we spend more time working on our hearts and less time worrying about what others see or how they might be judging us we find peace and happiness within ourselves. Something that I think we are all looking for.

So my goal is to forget what the world is telling me about how I should look, what I should be or do and instead enjoy the smiles of my boys, relish the love of my husband and spend some time talking with my Father in Heaven. I think everything else will fall into place (don't worry I'll still work on keeping the house clean and healthy food on the table).