The Definition of Success

I've been thinking a lot about success lately, and what it means to be successful.  I imagine that most Americans -- if not many people around the world -- would define success in monetary terms.  One would be considered successful if one had a big house, a nice car, lots of money in the bank, and a "comfortable" lifestyle.  One would be considered a success if he or she had a good sounding job, like a doctor or a lawyer, the CEO of a business...most people wouldn't look at that "successful" person and consider his or her private life to help define whether success had been achieved, or not.

By that definition, that definition that so many of us use to rate other people (and to rate ourselves, let's be honest) I'm probably a pretty unsuccessful person.  Other than some freelancing over the last fourteen years, I've been a Stay-at-Home Mother and have made zero in income.  I drive an eleven year old car with 106,000 miles on it, not to mention a few dents...My house is nice, at least I think so, but I don't live in a million dollar mansion with granite counter tops and the ever trendy stainless steel appliances in my kitchen -- things everyone seems to want to have.  I don't generally take vacations.

I've asked younger people to define a successful person. My daughter told me a successful person is one who is happy.  By that definition, I am the most successful of everyone I know.

I am very happy.  I have two unbelievably great kids.  I have a loving husband.  I am able to write, to volunteer as I want to, and virtually every afternoon when the school day ends, I am waiting at home for my girls to come share every minute detail of their days with me, if they choose, or to grumble that things didn't go well today and to just sit in silence with me while they come to terms with it.

Being able to raise my girls from start to finish, from sun up to sun down, to go on their field trips, be their class parent in elementary school, attend conferences, and take them to after school activities makes me hugely sucessful.  Helping them through their toughest challenges, their disappointments, and then seeing them overcome difficulties are the big moments in my life. In my wildest dreams, I could not have been more successful.

Sadly, society doesn't interpret my life this way.  I have no career.  I'm still driving that same car.  I don't have that huge house.  I've never been to Hawaii. Or Europe.  Society should pay more attention.  People are successful when they feel complete in their lives, whatever those lives entail or whenever they achieve goals after hard work.  I feel complete and have achieved some goals after hard work. What about you?