Success and Failure
Hey Guys!
Today the format is a little different. I have picked some of my friends to interview and get their take on success and failure. they all have their own blogs about beauty, style, relationships, and lifestyle which I will link below. I am all about keeping my mind open to new ideas and new understandings on life. Sometimes the best way to learn is to learn from people in your life that look and live a little differently than you do. The moment that your friends all look alike and think alike is the moment that your world has become too small.
Monica, 32. Born in Hammond, IN | Event Planner. Adventure Seeker. Speaker. | www.monicajwilkinson.com |
LA: What does success look like to you in your own life?
M: Success looks like PEACE. There is nothing more important than my peace.
LA: What does success look like to you as far as when you look into other people’s lives?
M: People who have peace with themselves and are comfortable in their own skin.
LA: What part of your “ideal dream life” are you happy didn’t come true?
M: Ummmm…. I thought I would marry a few people. I’m glad it didn’t work out. I would have been miserable!!
LA: What is your favorite part about your life right now?
M: I love the peace that I have in my gifts, my appearance, and my relationship. I love the fact that I am pleased with the woman I have become. I am grateful for my journey.
LA: Can you give me an example of a failure in a relationship and what you learned from that experience?
M: I had a 1 year fall out with a friend because I thought she was too selfish and she thought I was too demanding. Once we both matured a little more, we both realized that the issue was simply that we had different expectations and needs within our friendship. We had different love languages. Once we realized that and were willing to compromise, we forgave each other and got it right! Now it’s all good!
Onyinye Chi, 26. Born in Lagos, Nigeria | Photographer. Fashion. Makeup. | Youtube.The Chi Essentials. |
LA: What makes you happy/fulfilled?
O: Creating always makes me happy. Sometimes you run into roadblocks and have to work through them and that isn’t fun, but seeing the outcome and knowing the effort you put in is always rewarding.
LA: What does success look like to you in your own life?
O: Success, to me, is freedom of resources (time, money, choice, etc.).
LA: What kind of life did you dream you would have at this age?
O: Growing up, I only wanted to be rich. I didn't have career goals or life goals outside of that which, in hindsight, is sad.
LA: What part of your "ideal dream life" are you happy didn't come true?
O: I had the opportunity to have a career where money was the only reward. I'm happy I had the courage to turn it down.
LA: What is the most important character trait to have when you face Failure?
O: Resilience.
Mariah Houghton Rideau. Born in Pittsburgh, PA. | Singer. Speaker. Lifestyle Blogger. | www.mariahhoughton.com |
LA: What does success look like to you?
M: I honestly feel like success looks like confidence! When you can be a confident person, not comparing yourself or life to other’s, not constantly needing material things to feel good, that’s when you’re successful. Opportunities, jobs, and stuff are all temporary and replaceable, but when you can be consistently confident in who you are and put your success in that, you have so much more freedom in your life.
LA: What makes you happy/fulfilled?
M: I’m my happiest at home with my husband, cooking breakfast and talking about everything and nothing. I love traveling, working and hustling – but I’m the most fulfilled in the simple moments in my life. I definitely feel the most content in those moments of recharge at home.
LA: What is the most important character trait to have when you face failure?
M: Optimism, which is something I’ve struggled with the most in my life! But if you lose your hope every time you fail, you’ll end up defeated. Failure is one of the greatest gifts in life because it can make or break us, but we get to decide. Failure can be those nudges that we need to push us closer to our destiny! But if we get negative and adopt a mindset of defeat then we just end up wasting our life! Stay optimistic! Train your mind to keep moving forward even when the situation seems hopeless, there’s always another step to take. Optimism tells you to put one foot in front of the other.
LA: Who do you turn to whenever you feel like you've failed big time?
M: For sure my Mom. She’s lived 52 years of life and I’ve never seen a more generous and kind lady, ever. If I feel like the biggest failure ever she’s my first call. Every conversation with her I’m lifted up so much – and she does that for anyone who talks to her. I think the biggest thing she’s taught me in the face of failure is to have a really solid sense of perspective in life. Every thing I go through that seems like the end of the world to me, is something she sees as a story to tell someone who may feel the same way. To her failure is just a hurdle to jump over. She's shown me that just because life is hard, it doesn’t mean you can give up!
