Success is much more than what you do, what you’ve done, and what you have.

When I was little, every time I would visit my relatives, they would always ask me what do I want to do when I was older.

When I told them, they didn’t judge my answer based off of my happiness, how much I’m helping the world, or how true to myself I was being, instead, they judged my answer based on how much money I would make.

Don’t get me wrong, money is important, but truthfully, is it more important than my happiness?

Is it more important than my impact on the world?

Is it more important than being true to who I am?

Of course not. 

So why define success through money alone?

What Success Really Is:

According to the Google dictionary success can be defined as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.”

Pretty simple right? Have a goal, make it happen, bam, you have experienced success.

But when it comes to making goals, when it comes to defining our aim and purpose, what measuring stick do you use?

Is your aim to be happy?

Is your aim to build a profitable business?

Is your aim to start a family?

None of these are wrong, especially if they speak to your truth, your impact, and your joy, but at the end of the day, it’s important to define your aims for YOU.

It’s important to let go of expectations of what success should look like, and instead focus on what YOUR success looks like.

How Do You Achieve Success?

A dream with a deadline becomes a goal, a goal broken down into steps becomes a plan, a plan complimented by action becomes a reality.

You’ve heard it before, but maybe you’ve also tried turning your dreams into goals, goals into plans, and plans into reality and things didn’t work.

I’ve been there.

So what’s missing?

Well, for starters, who you are when you accomplish your dreams is someone different than where you are now.

If all you are focused on is what actions you need to take, you are missing out on a huge piece of the puzzle: self-growth.

The Wealth Example

A common dream most people have is having financial abundance. Maybe you thought some of these thoughts too, but “When I’m rich I’ll hire a coach.” “When I’m rich I’ll finally sell my car.” “When I’m rich I’ll start my new business.” “When I’m rich THEN I’ll start investing more fully.” are totally normal thoughts that go with desiring wealth.

“I’ll start working out and getting up early when I’m rich.”

“I’ll have a better organization structure when I’m rich.”

“I’ll pursue my hobbies and take more vacations.”

“I’ll be happier and more fulfilled when I am finally rich.”

All of these things talk about who you will become. You will be someone who is open to help, who has higher standards, who takes risks on themselves, who lets their money work for them, who has discipline, who has more fun, and who is full of joy.

You probably feel like you can’t have any of those things now, especially not until you achieve your desire for wealth, but in reality, they are all things you can start working on now.

Your true aim isn’t to be rich, it’s to have all of those things you think a rich life will afford you.

Take out the rich part, add in some personal development and you will hit your points of success so much quicker.

Make your aim about building a life you love, about finding discipline, joy, opening to receiving, and anything else you think you’ll be once you are wealthy. 

Aiming for wealth isn’t a bad idea either, but separate your why you want to be wealthy from your goal to be wealthy, and see if you can tackle them at the same time. 

Let Me Introduce You to A Good Friend of Mine: The Sponge List

We all know the to-do list. They’re great for getting things done, making progress through action, staying organized, and focused.

You may even be the type of person who feels lost without your to-do list.

That’s okay.

I’m the same way.

It is true what they say, a dream becomes a reality by making it a goal, coming up with a plan, and taking action.

Your to-do list is your plan broken down into action step. You completing your to-do list, or at least the most important items on there is how you make your dream happen.

But, you also know it takes personal development and growth too.

Which is where the sponge list comes in!

A sponge soaks things up.

Energetically, we all have a sponge part of who we are. You may notice this through your friendships, social media, workplace environment, or wherever you pick up bits and pieces of what you are around.

If you are around people who exhibit traits you want to stay away from, you’ll find yourself having to ring yourself out often, but what if you can set your intentions for soaking up what is actually good for you?

That way you don’t have to clear out as much, and what you pick up actually serves your highest purpose.

It serves all those goals you are going after and all the success you are trying to make happen.

This is what a sponge list is all about.

A sponge list is a list of all the traits, qualities, or energies you want to soak up.

The funny thing about the list of traits you’ll achieve after you are wealthy is that those traits are what are going to help make you wealthy (however you define that!) along the way.

Your sponge list is your opportunity to get started on that.

If you want discipline, to be able to work on your health, save money, stay focused in your business, or whatever you need, add discipline to your sponge list.

If you want happiness, joy, and fun to be more present in your life, add THAT to your sponge list.

If you want confidence so you can take risks on yourself and go for your big dreams, add that to your sponge list too.

Ease, relaxation, joy, accomplishment, pride in yourself along the way, self-growth, positive mindset, bigger picture mentality, organization, love, abundance, gratitude…

Whatever it is that you want to grow into, add it into your sponge list.

And make a new one each morning, right alongside your to-do list.

Set it aside, and then at the end of the day, pull it out again. Take some time to reflect on how much you have allowed yourself to open up to these new energies and where you want to open up more. Reflect on where you want to grow from there, and start your next sponge list for tomorrow, which you can add to again in the morning.

Each day, take time to do this, really thinking about who you want to become and what you want to absorb more into you.

It will go along way and is a great booster to any plans you are already making and accomplishing along the way.

Detoxing and Clearing Out

As you practice your sponge list more and more, you begin to change.

And become “as within, so without” as you change, so does the world around you.

People change, places change, and your alignment with them change.

This is something to be aware of as it’s all apart of the process. You have your dream and you are working towards success in accomplishing your dreams, and with that, a lot about your life will change.

Think back to the wealth example, or a different aim if you are looking for something else.

Is there anyone who you don’t see being able to move forward with you into your new being?

Is there any routine? habit? Object? Environment?

You don’t have to change these things now, but these things will change. Change isn’t bad, but it’s something to be aware of. It’s something that you should know is apart of doing something so huge for yourself.

When these changes start happening, the old is going to leave first. It’s important to know through this that you aren’t doing anything wrong. You are exactly where you are meant to be, the universe is just clearing out what is no longer serving you so that you can welcome all that you are attracting and bringing in.

If there are relationships, environments, or things you don’t want to change, incorporate their growth alongside with you into your dreams, plans and sponge list. You don’t have to say goodbye to every relationship. In fact, your growth may trigger the growth of those around you.

You may end up being really surprised at how people change with you. In fact, they may even help inspire you to keep growing too.

As you start to soak in the good, there is less room for anything bad.

This is a good thing, completely natural, and the process of getting rid of the bad won’t last forever.

You are detoxing, so trust the flow, and welcome the growth.

You’re taking your dreams and you’re making them a reality, and you are growing as a person along the way.

It’s a beautiful process, and you should be celebrated for it, you beautiful butterfly!

Be easy on yourself, proud of yourself, and happy for you. All those traits that come with being successful, incorporate them in every way you can!

Want to Work With Me on Your Sponge List and More?

You have a couple options, feel into what feels right and go with that one!

1. My one-on-one coaching program: Raise Your Vibes.
   Hands on and working with you through the practices that make the biggest impact in your life, connecting you to your happy, to your freedom, and to living your life purpose in a joyous and easy way. Click the link above to book a discovery call!
2. My natal chart readings.
   Diving into the different components of you, validating, healing, celebrating every part of who you are according to what has been divinely written. Feel into it, these are usually best booked when the ‘feeling’ is there. And if it is, you can go here to book.
3. Coming Home to You, a monthly group program co-run by me and one of my favorite people and intuitive coach, Jessica Sutter. This is a place where you can dance and be present right where you are, expanding, growing, forgiving, loving, healing, being, whatever you need. Each month, we show up and work with one theme that will be relevant to your own world, and we have a reading session, where we pull cards and consult the stars to share any guidance or messages that you may be ready to here. To join, go here: and then send me an email at katie@knowyourvibesastrology.com with your facebook profile so I can add you to the group!
4. Lastly, Love Letters to Myself. This is a free group co-run by me and Jessica where you have the space to write a love letter, or any other type of letter, to yourself each and every day. Whatever you need to say, you can say it here, and we will be there to hold, witness, honor, and love you along the way. Forgiveness letters are great in this group too!