There are two ways that we can look at the success of those around us.  The healthy way is to be happy for them.  Their success gives us evidence that great things can be had, and if they can achieve it, there is a possibility that we can, too.  Another perception is to be envious of their success, and to act as if they have somehow taken out of a limited pool, and there will now be less for the rest of us to receive.

In keeping with the law of circulation, we cannot give what we do not have, so our own success will give us the opportunity to share with those around me.  I am fortunate to have friends that are both successful and generous.  My experience has not been one where my friends have been stingy with the benefits of success that they have accumulated.  I try very hard to be aware of opportunities I have to share what I have.

These concepts are not exclusive to accumulation of financial success, but also include emotional, spiritual and physical abundance.  Those that give of their time and knowledge to others in the hopes of making a difference in their lives isnpire us with their experiences and knowledge.

I have found that being thankful for having an example rather than being envious  has set me up for recognizing the opportunities for creation of wonderful things in my own life.  Our minds don’t know the difference between imaginings and reality.  Having a vision of my future in my mind helps create the reality, and being around those people gives me an example to build my individual dreams upon.

I love to spend time with people that have achieved things I would like to achieve one day.  I enjoy basking in the reflected glow of their light.  I also love to share my light with those who want to experience some of the things I have experienced, and who celebrate with me.  The more light there is, the more examples we have of joy and achievement, the more we have to share.

I spent much of my life striving to meet goals, and finding that rather than celebrating the achievement, I just moved the goal post defining success to a further point along.  I missed taking a moment to appreciate how far I had come, rather than looking at how much I had left to do.  There is nothing wrong with taking a few moments to appreciate an accomplishment before moving on to the next goal.

I recommend considering where you may have been jealous of the success of others rather than inspired by it. See if there’s a lesson there for you that may help you reach the goals you’ve set for yourself, and maybe stretch those goals to something even more amazing.

Spend some time today celebrating your achievements.  It doesn’t have to be something big and remarkable.  It may be as simple as having spent a few moments doing something to feed your soul rather than something on a list of duties and responsibilities.  Take a few moments to appreciate the life you have.  I wish that for each and every one of us.