Our life is full of other people’s expectations.  They start when we’re quite young.  As infants our parents expect that one day we’ll crawl…then pull ourselves up…then walk.  As we get older, we’re expected to go to school, to graduate, to get a job and be successful.  But successful by whose definition?  At what point do we let go of other people’s expectations and decide for ourselves what success is?

In college, I thought I’d be “successful” when I graduated and became a physical therapist.  But then I realized I didn’t want to be a physical therapist.  I didn’t think I was a failure, but I definitely went against the expectation, and ever since have been struggling with what defines success for me.

Here’s a little of what I’ve come up with.  This is my definition of success for me.  Yours can be whatever you’d like:)

Success is having people in my life who love me for who I am – even if  I don’t know myself some days, or if I change who I am seemingly every day.

Success is being able to pay my bills, save some money, and still have money to spend on traveling.

Success is being able to modify my schedule so I can take a vacation whenever it is I feel the need.

Success is failing.  It’s recognizing the failure, getting back up from it, learning from it, and moving on.

I thought this would be a big long list, but I find it’s really quite simple.  And according to the list, I’m successful at this very moment, and have been for quite some time.  What a good feeling:)