What Happens When We Strip

I was recently in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica and woke up in a state of pure bliss. Everything had seemed to be surpassing my desires. I woke up early and found myself at the beach around 7:30. I was reflecting on the thoughts, experiences, and special moments I had gained since my move.

Standing with my feet in the clear water, I stared at the ripples in the sand. At this point, I cannot tell you exactly what I was thinking. All I knew is that I had a strong draw to write. About what? I didn’t know, but the pull was there.

I sat down on a log and opened my journal to a random page to see what I wrote that day. I don’t know if I was looking for inspiration or if it was curiosity that drove me to do that, but it made me smile. Now, I love this journal, my best friend gave it to me and it’s perfect. She, along with the journal merely being available, have really encouraged my writing and there are quotes on every page. Therefore, in my absence of things to write about I simply started reading the quotes.

I lingered on one that I hadn’t paid much mind to, if any, when I read it previously. It was from Albert Einstein and said, “Strive not to be of success, but rather to be of value.” I just stared for the second time that day and let the powerful meaning of those words sink in.

It’s funny how some days we can pass by something, such as this quote, but for some reason on another day it can strike us like a blinding light too bright to ignore. Too often are we told to strive to be our best, the numerous ways of defining success, and to never give up until we reach it.

I want to make a difference, help people, affect change, be influential, and travel. These things I have always known. How to carry them out however, has always been a struggle to discover.

I remember being little and a part of me wanted to be famous. Mainly because I wanted people to listen to me. Not in a bossy way, but to tell them to do the obvious things to make a perfect world such as ‘be nice’ and ‘don’t litter’. Basic little kid dream, but there’s something so pure about that simplicity.

I by no means want to be famous now. I didn’t really then either, I just wanted to influence. I still do, but with a more meaningful message than to tell people to ‘be nice and don’t litter’ (although that may not be bad advice to follow).

Once I started becoming very serious with my swimming and schoolwork I quickly decided I wanted to be as successful as possible, to my standards. I didn’t need to be the best, but I always wanted to be better. However, this “be of value” bit really struck home.

Who doesn’t want to be successful? By whatever definition of successful you live by we’ve all wanted success at some point. But what if we don’t make it? Of course we must always, “try, try again” but there are plenty of opportunities to fail, no matter how many times we try. I’m saying this as an optimist. Even if we fail numerous times we have the chance to overcome, another challenge arises to tackle and conquer, we have the choice to execute the best attitude possible, and to be the best version of ourselves when our goals go unreached.

I used to think there was no better feeling than accomplishment. I still get a high off this feeling, I crave it, thrive off it, and it’s phenomenal. That being said, I am not discrediting accomplishments in anyway. I am challenging us to recognize that there is much, much more than that and to identify who we are once we are stripped of these achievements and successes. What remains are our qualities, our attitude, our efforts, and our raw beauty. We are more! We are enough.

Some of my dearest friends weren’t great at school, didn’t compete in sports, or have ‘prestigious’ jobs. Yet I can say I truly love them. They have given me the gift of their friendship, their words of wisdom they have shared both intentionally and unintentionally, and their wonderful, unique glowing lights.

My family? Wow! I don’t even know where to start. In short, they are the greatest blessing I have ever received and certainly not due to their successes.

Life is such a mystery filled with awe and wonder. An incredible life that I want to contribute to by being the very best version of myself. I will continue to put forth all my efforts to turn my dreams into successes, but the day to day living while achieving these dreams is what is important. Although I believe our roots and intentions go even deeper than that.

We’re ready life! Let’s go on an adventure and make the most valuable us possible.