Success Vs Happiness

Below is a copy of a Blog I wrote back in 2016, I wanted to share it with you today as I still believe strongly in what I wrote back then. Yes a few things have changed in my life since then. I have had another child, my beautiful little girl, Emma. She is always hungry and copies her brother all the time. The happiness both my children give me (Jamie & Emma) is more than anything I have ever experienced in my life so far. How you personally define success and how you personally define happiness is entirely up to you, but recognize the difference. Success is where I always thought happiness was, don't be fooled Into thinking they're the same, because they are not.

If you are still looking for that one person who will change your life, take a look in the mirror. (2016)

When life is busy, or all your energy is focused on a special project, it's all too easy to find yourself off balance, not paying enough attention to important areas of your life. While you need to have drive and focus if you're going to get things done, taking this too far can lead to frustration and intense stress.

That's when it's time to take a "helicopter view" of your life, so that you can bring things back into balance.

This is where the Wheel of Life (or Life Wheel) can help. Commonly used by professional life coaches, it helps you consider each area of your life in turn and assess what's off balance. As such, it helps you identify areas that need more attention.

I know your all reading this thinking what the hell is this idiot going on about, well if you have never done one I strongly recommend it, you might be as surprised as I was. For one reason or another I have always felt I've had something to prove in life, lots of negative shit went on around me when I was young and still clouds me to this very day.

Before doing this simple task I thought my life was in balance and everything was all hunky dory but when I looked at my life wheeI I quickly noticed that my work life had taking over my whole life. Tattooing is a funny thing, most of my clients think I live a rock star life style with money coming out my ears but the reality couldn't be further from the truth. Long hours at the studio tattooing and then when I've finished I have to draw clients designs for the following day, emails, paper work, paying bills and all the other juicy stuff running a tattoo studio throw at you. I regularly have physiotherapy for my back and wrists and my eyes often have small burst blood vessels clearly visible after a long tattoo session, pain killers are my new best friend, but is it worth it?

Damn right it is, I fxxking love it, but how can I do all of this and still keep a healthy balanced family and social life around my work and will it make me happy? What is happiness? What makes you happy doesn't mean it will make me happy. When my son Jamie smiles at me and laughs that makes me feel happy or the day I married my wife those are things that really make me feel happy.

How you personally define success and how you personally define happiness is entirely up to you, but recognise the difference. Success is where I always thought happiness was, don't be fooled Into thinking they're the same because they are not.

Here is a photo that makes me feel happy of me and my family at Christmas I hope it brings you a happy smile also,

Wishing you all happiness -- and success.

Michael Rose