Success means happiness -- Happiness doesn't mean success

I will say that I want a challenge. That sounds like a strong person's viewpoint. However, when it comes right down to it, how many of us are looking for yet another challenge? Sometimes it feels like getting everyone's homework done, getting to all the practices on time, keeping the floors clean enough to walk on, washing enough laundry to have what we need when we need it, packing lunches that are worth opening for everyone every day....I could go on. I haven't even gotten to paying bills, staying on top of everything at work, and keeping that pile at bay -- birthday party RSVPs (and subsequent birthday gift purchases), all those articles I mean to read, forms that need to be turned in to the right organizations on the right dates (I'll stop now, I promise).

So back to the challenge. What I think I really want -- and so many moms want, too -- is to feel successful at the end of something—anything. My son puts together his Lego sets, and even I feel good when the finished project sits there looking just like the box and all the pieces are accounted for. I recently created an online calendar of all the birthdays/anniversaries in my husband's family and emailed out links to everyone to join in to participate in adding family party dates, etc. It felt great to send out that email announcing to everyone. [That was a great project, and so useful, too. I can't until people can start using it to post the family parties and setting up the food lists and such.]

Then I think about how wonderful life felt at my daughter's fustal game. All the parents had such fun talking about how the team has progressed, getting excited as they made a good play. It was sweet to see someone's younger brother reach up and hug his mom when he realized his big sister scored a goal. We met up in the hallway after with parents we knew from another team, and I'm talking about attending the fundraiser trivia night the following weekend.

As I think about it, that feeling was far better than anything I can feel after saying I organized 4 years' worth of files of paid bills, or even that I was able to organize the Parent's Group to hold a silent auction to fund the teacher appreciation week activities. Creating a memory that I'll hold for years to come is more worth my time and my energy and my focus than having a to-do list with lots of checkmarks.

Happiness is not pointing to a success and being able to claim it.
Success is appreciating the happiness that is my life.