I’ve been talking to a lot of people this week about the fear of returning to their pre COVID life.

Jobs they hate, long hours, commutes they despair over. Many of these people embody the cultural vision of success; well paid jobs, beautiful homes, luxury holidays and an abundance of material symbols of success.

Yet they are not fulfilled.

‘The definition of failure is success without fulfilment.’ ~ Tony Robbins

The pandemic has given us an opportunity to reevaluate our lives.

I personally enjoy my work but part of that pleasure is having free time. I’m figuring out how to upscale without giving away my sanity.

There is a coach I admire and she’s doing so well by our cultural standards of success. Recently she confessed she spent 12-14 hours a day at her computer working. For her that might well represent success but not for me. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life. I’d rather earn less.

I’d rather earn less than work for 14 hours a day at a computer at the expense of my health and general well being.

In our culture ‘more’ equates to power and status but it is wrong to link these things with contentment.

Studies show that when people have enough to be comfortable they are content, and having more than that does not increase contentment and can actually decrease it.

Sometimes we have to hustle to get to a place where we are not fighting for survival but when you get there, what does that place look like for you?

Perhaps we need a redefinition of what success truly looks like in our culture. The over worked, overwhelmed burnt out model driving a Mercedes just isn’t working, and it never really did for many people though, there are exceptions.

I’m not suggesting we don’t take on responsibility but to remain conscious of actions and to work in the direction of a life truly valued, rather than one that has all the trappings of success and none of the fulfilment.

If you are in despair at the prospect of returning to your life beyond quarantine perhaps it is time for a conscious reassessment?

It is not the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit.

Written by Alexandra.
Edited by Deepa