Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
-Steve Jobs

How interesting it is that some of the most successful people in our society, when asked about how to get where they are, answer with the wisdom of the ages. Maybe they know something about acting with intention and accepting the gifts of the Universe? Do not make the mistake of thinking that the gifts of the Universe somehow do not include prosperity, power, or success. You might also want to avoid the mistake of thinking that this is what the gifts of the Universe are actually about. Neither assumption is correct.

When you are in alignment with your greatest good, when you are on your path and doing what you are supposed to do, all things are available to you. Being in the light and working with the Divine are not exclusive from material success, but material success is not the point of working towards the light. Being in the light and the feeling that being in the light engenders is the point of working towards the light.

If you are trying to figure out what success means to you, and how your reactions to your success and the success of others might be blocking you, here are some questions to consider:

Where do I dishonor my progress and achievements? Why? Where does that come from? Is that my voice or someone else’s?

What is the fear?

Where do I feel unappreciated?

Where do I push away positive reinforcement?

What would a celebration of my success look like? What about that makes me uncomfortable?

How do I feel when someone else succeeds?

What would happen if, just for today, I countered every negative thought I had with a positive one? What would that look like? What would that feel like?

 
A mantra for bringing in success and general receptivity might be “I open myself to the awareness of every minor and major victory in my life, and I give myself permission to celebrate them all.”

---

This post is part of a series called Monday Message, based on that day’s reflection from 365 Days to Enlightenment (authorized versions are currently out of print, working on a new edition). Check back next Monday for another one! You can also sign up for the Daily Message on my mailing list if you’d like to receive a new reflection every day. I also often post them to Instagram, if that’s a medium you enjoy.