Defining Success, Achieving Balance, and Loving Life

Michelle from Scribbit wrote a great post about following dreams.  Is the right thing to follow your dreams regardless of the sacrifice?  Are you guaranteed to have success because you worked really hard and sacrificed so much?  Do we have the inalienable right to be spend our days doing only what we want? 

One of my kiddos said that winning gold medal wasn't worth missing so much time with family and friends.  I thought that was a very mature statement for one so young.  Does this child have goals?  Absolutely!  This child works very hard at school and at developing her talents.  There is a great understanding of the definition of success and that there needs to be a balance between different areas of life.  Out of all my children, this one also understands that not everything that needs to be done in life is going to be our favorite thing to do.  Housecleaning isn't my favorite activity, but it needs to be done and I can choose my attitude.  I can look at cleaning my home as a gift to my family, a way to love and nurture them - and I can do it with a spirit of love!  So even if  I'm not living my dream, I can love what I do because I'm doing it with an attitude of love.

How do you define success?  Is it a gold medal?  Or maybe it's home cooked meals?  Whatever it is, if it's part of a balanced life and done with a love for the activity or those it benefits; it can be achievable!