How do you measure success?

I have been having this conversation a lot lately with different people, just trying to see what people see as success. I know that comparing yourselves to others is a terrible thing to do, so I have been working on try to define success for myself and hopefully that can push me a little further and be a little more motivated to go after exactly what I want.

So how would I define success? Let's have a little throwback.

I remember when I was younger my goals were so strictly laid out and I really truly believed that these things would happen (can I get an LOL).

When I was 16:

- Finish university at 22 and get a good paying job
- Meet someone at 23, get married at 25 and have kids at 27.
- Live in St. John's permanently
- Have a big house with a dog

That was what I thought would make me have a successful life. These were my aspirations and the things I wanted to achieve. Oh so young, so naive.

Currently:

- Finished first degree at 24, currently completing another one.
- Have met someone, but they live a 2 hour plane ride away
- No kids, not engaged, not married
- I do live in St. John's, but have since changed my mind.
- I did work one grown up job
- I don't have a dog and I certainly don't have a big house.

Watching my friends that have kids, real person jobs, working on their PhD does make me feel like I am behind. I absolutely have no regrets about the things I've done, the places I've done, the people I've met. They have all been life changing for me in different ways.

Going new places, doing new things is what makes me happy. I have realized that there is definitely not one definition of success. For me, being happy is what it means to have a successful life. I have my days where I question things, and I really want to stop doing that. I want to be really okay with the here and now and not be dragged down by my insecurities. I have actually accomplished a lot of things in my life and that makes me happy. I would consider that a success.

What do you define as success?