is success overrated?

ditch the societal expectations and chase joy instead.

How do we define success?

Well, I think every person will answer this differently but to me, essentially it comes down to happiness, joy, and fulfilment. Whether that be spending time enjoying a coffee or accomplishing something you have spent years working on, success is there for you to feel whenever you want it.

I’ve worked for years to chase a feeling of success that isn’t possible in my reality. Success shouldn’t be reaching a desired number on a scale, a promotion at a job that makes you miserable, or getting engaged to a person who treats you badly. Success shouldn’t come at the price of your wellbeing, if you have to harm yourself to achieve it then maybe it is not meant to be.

We are more than the societal pressures of what is “expected” of us because of our age or gender or any other identifiers. To me, success is measured by deep conversations with friends who love me, reading a library book, creating art that I’m proud of, writing something worth reading… the list goes on…

I figure, if I can create a life made up of these little wholesome, snapshots of joy, then I will have made it. Maybe success is learning to let go of what society expects of you and instead to chase your wildest dreams and childish fantasies. Maybe success is inviting all the past versions of yourself to a picnic and finally making peace with who you’ve been and who you are now.

I guess when you really think about it, success can only be found living in the present because happiness, however fleeting, demands to be felt fully. Therefore, I wish to be content with the adventures I’m having rather than constantly measuring all the mountains I have yet to climb.

I guess what I’m trying to say is I am learning to shed what people want me to be, to forgive my past self, to nurture my present self and I’m doing all of this for the future version of me who will be so thankful that I fought so hard to be here.

Thank you for reading.

A picture of my friend Laura that I drew in 2024 because I couldn’t think of a relevant photo for this article and stumbled across this old piece :)

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chatty author note:

This article is actually formed from an entry from my diary that I wrote a few months ago, and I listed some things that would make me feel successful, so I thought I’d share a few of those:

• to write for a video game company some day

• to publish a book

• to learn and grow as a person mentally spiritually emotionally

• to fail again and again, but keep standing up. to show resilience and strength. to fail and hop onto the next lily pad until I’m gradually at the other end of the pond if you will

• I think if I knew people felt safe and secure and could breathe easier in my presence, to be the reason someone can keep going, to be a source of light and strength for other people through my art or writing. To know my being alive has helped to keep someone else here, that would make all of this worthwhile.

So, now, I invite you now to tell me in the comments or via email;

what is ‘success’ to you?

With love,

Adina Zina ꨄ︎

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