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If you have had a fairly normal life…

Time to Read – not long at all

If you have had a fairly “normal” life, like me, then we are not alone.

The idea for this week came from Loretta Hope (Twitter @lorettahope) whom we met at a recent Princes Trust event in St. Helens.

She said that I frequently write about people who have come through very difficult childhoods, who have overcome adversity and show incredible persistence against all the odds on a daily basis.

“What about people who just get through the challenges of each and every day, while achieving small successes along the way?” Loretta said to me.

And she is absolutely right – I have always said that the term “success” should be defined by each person in their own way, in their own lives – which could be getting out of bed when you really don’t want to, putting up with a one to one with your boss, or doing small things that make a difference to others, no matter how we may be feeling in ourselves:

As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:

“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – this is to have succeeded.”

With my love to you all, as you enjoy the wonders of each and every day, and keep going…

David
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9 Responses to If you have had a fairly normal life…

  1. Hello everybody,

    My idea about “normal” life and challenging one, y compris with many difficulties, is the following:
    I think that the most important is to reframe the bad experience and to change the minus/plus sign on it.
    For exemple, I’ve recently met a Brasilian writer and psychoterapeut, Augusto Curry. He talk about KILLER FRAMES and LIGHT FRAMES, words, thoughts, ideas that could be positive or negative and they are automatically recorded by our mind and they are recurrent and finish being positive or negative anchor.
    On this idea, our bad experiences are forever recorded on our memory, it’s a fact, but we could make a so-called “re-editing” work on it, in order to transform them in an assumed and successfully life learned lesson.
    I have a “normal” life and a successful one and my past story is full of bad childhood and youth experiences. But, I’ve learned to make peace with my own weaknesses and others mistakes and that awareness give me peace and power to continue each and every day.

    So, re-frame your life episodes and follow the “lesson plan”!

    Bests,
    Ligia

  2. I quite agree.
    Normal people face normal things each day like paying the bills. Making enough money to get by. Little things that make a difference and ensure that you are successful for even a milli second.
    The little things add up to big things in the overall scheme of things for some people.

  3. Loretta looks very much like Drew off American X factor.
    And she is right. we all have daily challenges we have to meet.
    And they can be overcome and counted as success in some quarters.

  4. Drew is good, she will be able to change her life with a voice like hers. It’s all about the opportunity and well done to her for taking hers.

  5. Asking questions like that isn’t normal!
    Great post again David…we should celebrate people who just get on with their lives and achieve without having to have come through adversity and to have done something special.

  6. Being normal is great.
    Why would you want to be anything else?
    Normal people are just as adept at achieving, no question.

  7. Defining success is the hard part.
    Is it successful these days just to keep your job for instance.
    Is the company a success in employing people in a time of recession.
    I consider my day a success, not by being successful, but just by being.

  8. Little successes can include bringing up your children the right way, bringing home a wage that day, meeting up with friends and helping family members.
    All the things that are taken for granted are things that can be included as achievements.
    Getting the car though the MOT. Success!
    Beating a lap record in the Wii. Yes!
    Fixing the radiators on a cold day when it seems they are broken. How about that?!
    Saying hello to a sister who hasn’t spoken to you for a year. Wow!

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