Home
>
Success
>
Creating Meaningful Success

Creating Meaningful Success

'No man is an island' the saying goes. The implication is that humans cannot exist alone. I would take the island aphorism a step further and contend that no one can be successful alone. Merely existing day-to-day is not enough. Success must be an essential part of our lives. Individual success builds our personal power, increases joy & fulfillment and grows a strong sense of self-esteem. Regardless of how we define our individual idea of success, it is impossible to manifest that desired outcome alone. Fortunately, women are collaborative by nature. We work well on teams and in efforts for the benefit of others. So why is it so difficult for us to act on behalf of ourselves?

Let's look at some of the reasons why we allow ourselves to go it alone:

1) We don't want to ask for help. For many of us, we were told that we could do anything. With that mantra drilled into our minds, it can be a difficult paradox to admit that we may actually need help with something.

2) We are lonely. We feel as if there isn't anyone who can understand what we are going through so we inadvertently make the problem worse by isolating ourselves. However, if one woman feels this way, chances are others do too.

3) We don't want to admit that we aren't perfect. Many of us fear others realizing that we don't have it all together. In reality, however, not one person in this world has it completely together all the time.

4) We often lack confidence. Confidence is an attitude that is a direct outcome of our self-esteem. When we doubt what we want or doubt that we are capable of achieving something, we are often reluctant to enlist the support of others.

5) We don't want to admit that we don't have all the answers. For example, women at work often overcompensate out of a fear of looking unintelligent or unprepared by learning everything possible. This is a waste of energy. Inevitably, a question will come up that we cannot answer.

Instead of inviting a dangerous drift towardfrustrating discontentment, consider taking two steps to set yourself on an authentic path of success:

1) Find a support team. Identify someone with whom you can talk the nitty-gritty. The simple act of self-disclosure will boost your outlook enormously. A support team will also help you offset and minimizes any failures while also championing your vision. I recommend someone outside the family. Family members are too emotionally tied to us. They often cannot champion our success or share our challenges without translating our words into actions that affect them. Don't forget to ask for what you need from your support team. Do you want them to just listen or offer feedback and ideas as well? Let them know how you would like to be supported.

2) Change your mindset:

a) Replace 'perfect' in thoughts & actions with 'authentic'. Perfect is stagnant, contained and invariable while authentic is fresh, limitless and unique.

b) Recall past successes to help remain mindful of the fact that you are terrific at certain things so you can definitely be terrific at other things too.

c) Allow yourself to ask questions instead of allowing fear to dominate. Each time you ask a question, you give yourself permission not to know. When you do not know, you open yourself up to the powerful world of possibility and learning.

We are each magnificent women. But by falling into the 'me vs. the world' trap, we set ourselves up for disappointment. When we limit ourselves by our beliefs, doubts or behaviors, we diminish our opportunity for success and growth increasing our chances of disappointment. Disappointment is emotionally & physically draining and not least of all a huge waste of time. Evaluate what these changes yield in terms of your own success. Pretty soon you will be inventing your own success aphorism!

Elizabeth Johnson is a life coach who specializes in women's empowerment through authentic living. She works with women exclusively who want something more- confidence, faith, choice, direction, money, time, power. Elizabeth helps women recognize that everything in their life is a choice and by putting themselves first, clarifying their passions and values and by building self-confidence, they can have the life that they want. Her business, E. Johnson & Company offers personal growth workshops & seminars, coaching for individuals and groups, life / work planning services, speaking engagements and facilitated retreats.

Contact Elizabeth at info@ejohnsonandcompany.com or at 860 435 6008 for more information or for a complimentary consultation.

Visit info@ejohnsonandcompany.com and subscribe to Elizabeth's monthly ezine, 'In The Pink' and receive a free copy of the survey special report: 'Women & Confidence 2005'!

affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.