What does success look like to you?

I am addicted to success. There, I admit it. For as long as I can remember I have tried to achieve my way into feeling like I belonged or thought that if earned one more accolade, I could prove my worth. I’ll chalk that up to coming from a family with high expectations. I am slowly learning to give up this habit and stop comparing my version of success to that of another person’s version.

It is easy to get caught up in watching others do amazing things that we begin to think we need to be doing all of them, too. Especially in the age of social media, where so many share only their highlight reels. We see a friend starting a family or getting married; another building their dream home; a family member traveling to all corners of the world. Maybe you see a high school classmate that landed a great promotion or a stay-at-home mom that takes her children to the library every week for story time. Our brain tricks us into thinking that we have to do and be all these things in order to feel successful or accomplished.

But why should we live to check off boxes on someone else’s list of what it means to be happy and prosperous? Ask yourself - am I doing this for me or someone else? Is this what I feel called to do? Is this living out a meaningful life? What does the word success actually mean to you? Success isn't cookie cutter and it doesn't look exactly the same for any of us.