When you hear the word “success,” what do you think?
Do you think about your career?
Your daily tasks?
Do you think about your current situation, and all the ways in which you could improve, or all the goals you have for yourself that you have no clue when you will have time to get to them all?
Do you think about your relationships?
Romantic, friendships, or otherwise? Do you think about your family? Possible offspring?
Do you think about your health?
What about your mental health? Have you had enough water and sleep today? Healthy eating? Exercise?
How does your faith play into it all?
Do you have a connection to the divine, the supernatural, the Holy One? Do you think that is all hulabaloo and codswallop?
When you think about your life, what is it that you want to achieve? How will you achieve it?
Now take a step back.
How many of those ideas are because of your gender?
How many are because of a societal norm? Familial pressure? Which ones are innate, and which ones should we question?
Once we understand what we consider success, do we have the systems in place to actually succeed?
If we look inside ourselves, are we doing enough? Are we maybe doing too much? If we look to our support networks, do they know what our goals are? Are they clear on how they can support us? If we widen our view to the broader community around us, in what ways can those people become our village? How does our faith community support our goals?
How does our workplace influence our lives?
When we go to work (if that is part of our own success or necessity), is our workplace encouraging us to grow toward our goals? Do we have an environment which allows us to be both productive and healthy? To have time for our personal hobbies and projects? To be there for those we love?
What systems must we put in place in our governments? What more can be done?
Join the conversation. Share your story. Question our social norms. Together, we can build a world for holistic success.
Send your story, your reflections, or your approach to [email protected].