Redefining Success
Redefining Success: Reflections on my First Blog Tour
My first and possibly last blog tour is almost over. I’ve written 27 different posts for as many blogs, each one written to suit the particular blogger’s interests or focus, while also sharing something about my experience writing my book, and/or about my book. In addition, I’ve been doing a lot of social media outreach on Twitter, FaceBook, etc. It’s been an intense experience! It was fun to find that my energy level and creativity rose up to meet the challenge. I got very focused and met all the deadlines. And it was exhausting, too.
A couple of weeks into the tour, I had an unusual dream of pushing past a resistant barrier with all my might, and cranking up my will power to a new level of fierceness to banish that resistant force. This dream showed me that I had fallen into the grip of the “pusher,” the part of my superego that always demands more, and insists that I keep working endlessly. Social media is perfect for the pusher. There is always more one can do: more social media networks to join; more tweets, photos and posts to write and share; more retweets and shares to do for others. It truly is endless!
I got so stressed out, I was getting heart palpitations and went to the doctor to get my heart checked. (It is fine.) With the help of my counselor, I relaxed and regained my center. I was able to continue to work but from a grounded, balanced place. That certainly made it more fun!
Another trap I started to fall into was worrying about whether this blog tour was being “successful.” Friends kept asking me about this, meaning was the blog tour increasing book sales. So far, the answer is no. On the other hand, there certainly a lot more people who have heard about me and my book. With the giveaways that are a part of the blog tour, my book is in the hands of a bunch of people who otherwise wouldn’t have known about it.
Also, Tiffany H., a book reviewer, gave my book, Dark Innocence: Book One of the Star-Seer’s Prophecy, a great review.
“I gave this book 5-stars on Goodreads, and it deserves every single one of them. While this is a fantasy book, it is also so much more. … I could not stop reading this book. Not only was the story fantastic, but you could see each little step of self-healing, discovery, acceptance, etc. It made you think about all of the stories you hear about on the news, all of the children who have horrific childhoods and how they, too, need this journey to be able to live fulfilling lives as adults later on. It’s beautiful and sad and hopeful and inspiring. Can you imagine a world where we face our fears, take responsibility, and forgive not only ourselves but one another?”
I love this review, and not just because it is a 5-star review. More importantly, the reviewer clearly understands the message of my book, and this touches my heart deeply. So, what is “success” for me in regard to this blog tour, and my book? When I feel into this, what feels like success to me is:
– A warm, friendly feeling of appreciation
– A sense of community
– Gradual, organic growth, not sudden, overwhelming fame
– A feeling of sunshine coming out from behind the clouds
– Teary joy of readers truly understanding the message of my book
– People experiencing healing for themselves from reading my book
(as one reader shares here.)
– No rush, going at my own pace
– Being glad for each little success.
Long after I wrote the entire trilogy, I received that the purpose of my books is to help transform our inner and outer culture of blame, judgment, revenge and punishment into a culture of understanding, penitence, forgiveness and healing. The story came through me with its own karma, dharma and charisma. I can only do my best to offer it to the world, and to remain unattached to any quantifiable definitions of success.
I will be contemplating if there is a way to generate a community of healing and support, inspired by my books. If you have any inspirations or ideas about this, please let me know by commenting below.
Redefining Success for Yourself
What does success feel like to you? I suggest closing your eyes, relaxing and breathing for a little while. For the moment, set aside the outer definitions of success as fame or fortune. Let your heart open, and then feel into what success feels like to you. Write this down. Notice how you feel when you think of success this way vs. the ‘fame and fortune’ type of success.
I’d love for you to share what success is for you here. I’m sure we could all learn from each other, and help to redefine success in our culture.
Love this post and what you’re doing! I saw you in Jodi’s authentic connecting! 🙂
Hi, Carrie! Thanks for your comment! What’s your definition of success?
For me, Success Is Closely Tied To Living A Meaningful Life, To Know That I Can Make A Difference. To Be in Right Relationship To The Planet, My Loved Ones, And With Spirit. To Be Open And Receptive To Beauty And Grace.
Love your definitions of success, Hannah! Thanks for sharing.
There is inner and outer success for me. Like a job well done and completed is more of an outer success although it can be inner too. Outer and inner are often connected if not always. What we do outwardly often reflects who we are inwardly and who we are inwardly is often relflected in what we choose to do outwardly. I’ve stated before that for me success was peace of mind. That’s often about getting the balance right between inner and outer. My ultimate sense of success from my inner perspective is when I feel a true connection with my higher power and God self. When I can feel this connection I feel that in heaven on earth and don’t want to be anywhere else. My creativity helps my outer to feel connected to my inner and when that’s happening, whatever I do feels to be a success regardless of the outcome, or more appropriately put, feels like a real blessing.
ps sorry re my typo: ‘When I can feel this connection I feel that in heaven on earth’……should say…’When I can feel this connection I feel a sense of being in heaven on earth’.
And for me this explains the ‘heaven is within’ stories told by many wise ones in the past.
Thanks so much for sharing, Leanne! I love all that you wrote, and particularly the part about how creativity is a bridge between out inner and outer lives. That is so true for me in writing my books!
Rahima, I love what you wrote, here. The fact that you went through this “blog tour” journey and kept the desire for your inner wholeness at the center says so much about what we all need to remember when thrust into the need to do promotional activities in any form. What it takes to trust that we have what we need, and are what we need, is itself related to the journey so powerfully related in your wonderful book. Thank you for bringing your heart into this part of the journey, too. May your very real definition of “success” be your own experience in relation to “Dark Innocence” (and the 2 other books in the trilogy to follow).
Thanks so much, Naomi! It is so important to keep centered in our hearts when doing our outer work in the world. May you also experience your definition of success in all that you do!
Nice article, Rahima. I’m glad you’re feeling successful with your book and blogging, and that others are receiving it well.
I *love* this. Thank you for your honesty and open-ness about your process. Success to me is a day in which my I felt my heart-smile, consistently. The external of the day might change, but when the internal is consistently gratitude, love, joy, peace…add in laughter, movement, creative expression, connection…whew…success times infinity!
Wonderful! Love your definition of success! May I adopt it? 🙂
What a great question! Diving into “what is success” can be explored from so many facets. When I look for a common thread through all the directions I am inclined to see two in this moment – success means enough and success means I being me.
Oh, yes! What a world we would have if everyone adopted your definition of success!
living Authentically and in alignment with your personal Integrity, which inevitably requires going past your comfort level. What form that takes is different for each of us as individuals, but if you can get to the core of those aspects of your innate self without buying into the seemingly overwhelming pressures we’re subjected to to be otherwise, you’ve got Success written all over you (from the inside, at least, and isn’t that where it counts)!
You are so right, integrity and being your innate self is key to a feeling of success, and that inner feeling is what is important.