Today’s Mandala Message: Success is More Than a Number in Your Bank Account
This week I’m working through Principle #56 “Develop a Positive Money Consciousness”. I set my intention today to ponder my belief that success is solely based on how much money I make. In an article posted on Teachable.com on limiting beliefs about money by Nicole Quintana-Wolf, this belief caught my attention first: #4. Money determines success—or failure. “This is simply not true. There are so many factors that contribute to success. While cashflow is one of them, it’s not as simple as money equating to success or a lack of money equating to failure. Failure is a very tainted concept that links to self worth. Observe carefully to see if this is a belief that you hold. And reframe it when it shows up. The number in your bank account has no bearing on who you are as a person. A powerful way to neutralize and shift this belief is through EFT tapping, paired with journaling, or talking with a loved one when it comes up.”
Growing up and even as a full-grown adult, my family put a heavy emphasis on money equaling success. Every time I talked with my Dad, one of the first questions he would ask is: “do you still have a job?” and when I became an artist his question became “are you making a living at that?” I understand why he asked these questions, he grew up during the depression and didn’t want us to suffer like he did. I get that but when it came to my art (and for the longest time I adopted this belief as well), I thought I was only success if I was able to sell my art. It didn’t matter how many pieces I successfully created, it only mattered that I was able to make money from it. So when I would do an art fair and I only sold one or two pieces, I would be devastated. I began to question my worth and the worthiness of my art.
For the last couple of years, I’ve been working through this belief. I still shows up once in a while and when it does I remind myself that I define my success by the art I’m able to authentically create. If it sells great, if it doesn’t that’s okay too. It will find it’s forever home eventually or I’ll transform it into another piece.
A good mindfulness practice would be to ponder how you define success for yourself.
So how about you? How do you define success? Does it depend on what you do or by how much money you make? If you do tie success only to money, can you broaden your parameters to include other indicators as well?
“Success is not
— Albert Schweitzer
the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing,
you will be successful.”
Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
All Things Mandalas
An Invitation
I invite you to color along with me this year as part of what I’m calling “The Year of Self-Exploration and Expansion” with all of my “Mandalas of the ___” (day, week, month, year). If you’re interested in more of a self-exploration approach to coloring, check out my “Coloring Mandalas as Meditation”. You can download this mandala at MandalaoftheWeek.com.
Mandala of the Day 