Do you consider yourself to be successful?

[JourneyOfSelfImprovement]

And I mean that in whichever way you would choose to interpret it

I feel successful in my personal life - happily married with a lovely DSD and DD.

I don't feel successful in my job - retail manager but studied for a law degree years ago which was never put to any use and I do regret that now. Have started looking for alternative employment, feels a bit 'now or never'.

I'm trying to focus on things I can do that will just make me feel successful in myself (see username ). I need to get out of my comfort zone and increase my self confidence - I don't where my ambition and drive from 10 years ago have gone but I would like them back!

Hmmm . . . that's an interesting one. Sometimes I feel successful - I'm fit and healthy, I have a "good" job (by that I mean it pays relatively well, but I'm not massively enthused about what I do), I have a house that I'm happy in, I have enough money for everything I need and some of what I want, I have the loveliest of husbands and great friends. But I don't have children and after 3 rounds of unsuccessful IVF it's looking like we may never have them. The thought of never carrying my baby, giving birth, holding my newborn in my arms breaks my heart. But we can't keep doing IVF indefinitely - it's so expensive. And at that point, I don't think I'll feel very successful at all.

Not really. I definitely didn’t live up to my potential at all. I feel a bit ashamed about that.

But I’m very happy with my life. It’s not something I’m very vocal about though.

Yeah.

I’m happy. I have good balance. I am successful in moderate amounts at most things but not amazingly CEO style successful at any one thing.

Yep I do. V successful in my working life, happy, healthy, own property, have a gorgeous and hilarious DP, great friends, great relationships with my family.

Feel very lucky to have my life

Yes, great career, very happy with DH and family. But it's taken a lot to get here, the most important being that I now disregard other people's opinion of me.
It's very freeing, but difficult to do.

I consider myself very successful, although in my peer group I'd be looked on as not meeting my career potential, prone to dysfunctional relationships and perhaps rather unadventurous.

I've worked all my life, am justly proud of my children and have lots of friends. I'm confident I've made a positive contribution and now have time and financial independence to develop my own interests.

I spent a long time striving for all this, and in those years it felt more like battling through than succeeding; hindsight improves the view!

I’m not sure that ambition and the pursuit of “success” are necessarily the route to contentment or happiness, OP?
I was fairly anxious and driven when young, and escaped a poor childhood to make a good career as a hospital doctor and raise two wonderful DDs, but I think I’m happiest now that I’m retired, with no goals or pressures.
You are loved and valued just the same by God whether you are a princess or a lavvy cleaner. I think there’s a lot to be said for simple contentment with your life and enjoying whatever you have, rather then always striving to be or do something more.

You are loved and valued just the same by God whether you are a princess or a lavvy cleaner.

Not at work really no. I'm. On the mummy track and its frustrating. Not badly paid £(70k+)and flexible and part time but I was previously in. Much more senior role. When I see women at work who didn't take the mummy option aka part time and who have continued to progress in their careers I sometimes wish I had done the same But my children come first (many years of ivf) and I'm so grateful to have them and my fantastic dh that everything else pales into insignificance

Yes, great career that is out earning the degree educated peer group, I'm divorced and currently renting which is considered a minus on mn but long term I am successful

I’m happy and with purpose so that’s a success

What job do you do that can't be done by 'the degree educated'

Well I definitely think I have a great life at the moment, career has taken a step back whilst I have kids but in the long run it's all fine. I could stay at the level I am and in the house im in forever and still be perfectly successful, but equally I feel I'm not done yet. Perfectly successful for my time of life. I am particularly happy with my family and relationships. I do love working towards things - I need a project on the go. So lots to work on, but that's exactly how I like it.

Sometimes. I have a stable marriage, two happy, loving DC doing well at a good school, a big house in a lovely neighbourhood, a job I enjoy that fits perfectly with home life.

But I earn way too little, I'm overweight, my large house is in dire need of a makeover and I suffer from an illness which really saps my energy a lot of the time.

No. But I'm not a total failure. Mostly on paper I count as a success (shallow).
I grew up expecting to be a 100% failure so this is pretty satisfactory.

Nope not yet. I have lovely children and a caring husband but nothing comes easy to us. My career is at a cross road and my relationship with my wider family could be better. I have a 3 year plan to get where I want to be career wise, then I'm hoping things will fall into place.

Yes, I do. Good professional job that I enjoy and feel valued in, and very lucky to work part time so I have a good work-life balance. Happy personal life (married to lovely DH, great kids, good relationships with my parents and friends). Just wish I could get my act together and lose a stone or two in weight!

hmm, good question OP

I am very successful in my career, way beyond expectations. I have tended to put my career first before family though. I am nearing retirement now, so work/life balance was not on the radar for most of my working life. My tendency has been to work to live rather than the other way round. Hence financially quite successful.

Family wise: Great DH, great relationship. That, however, is more likely down to him more than me, in that he has always facilitated my needs re work, and picked up the slack for the family/home. DC I think did not do so well with my choices. I was not there nearly enough for them, and missed out on so much during their formative years. As adults, I am there for them, but for DD it certainly seems too little too late. For DS, it seems not to have had quite as much negative impact. DGCs - I am more successful there - love that job most of all. Even with them, I don't feel I had enough time to really 'be' there for them.

I worry that we women put too much pressure on ourselves to do it all. The constant juggling, and weighing, and worrying, are a huge burden. I try now to be as flexible as I can within my workplace, and give parents more slack and less rigidity, but still have to fight against the old saw of those who 'came back to work within 8 days of birthing twins, so suck it up.' mentality. I shall continue that fight. We have to.

Definitely feel successful because I’ve been able to make changes when life was not good.

I consider myself lucky in lots of ways and with a decent work life balance. If I were to have a "better" job, that balance would suffer so I wouldn't feel as lucky.