How To Measure Success In 20's Life

It’s official… I’ve reached my mid twenties. And it’s made me question, am I successful? How do I measure success at life? *

(*Note) You'll find a re occurring theme of rhetorical questions, however this seems to be my life at the minute. One. Big. Question. With no right or wrong answer which leaves me back at square one in limbo of feeling anxious and exhilarated.

What throws me each time is that when you reach your mid 20s it seems to be the first time there is not a set age norm or expectation to rate our successes on. Therefore I decided to do what I do best (other then teaching/dancing/being dramatic) I categorised, made lists and compared my situation based upon the people I know to determine if I am a successful mid twenty being.

Living Situation:

Me personally, I have lived away from home since I was 18 (minus the small periods between contracts...as performer life normally goes). I have lived in various beautiful parts of the country and even ventured as far as China (which is a whole other blog in itself), and now I have finally settled; I'm living with my other half in his dad’s house. My ambition is to own my own home but of course self employed life doesn't make it easy but I feel confident it will happen in the near future.

I have friends who own their own houses, friends renting, friends who are seeing the world in hostels or cruise ship cabins and even friends still in their childhood bedroom.

Children:

Me personally, I don't have any children of my own. However I am called ‘Auntie Lauren' by numerous kids. I teach copious amounts of children whom I adore and see grow and develop every day. My other half has two beautiful children that I do not see as step children (as they already have a wonderful mother) but are still a key part of my life. I know I am destined to be a mum, anyone who knows me would back me up, I'm super maternal... when the time is right it will happen.

I have friends with multiple children, no children and some who simply have zero interest in children (normally animal lovers whom one day will take righteous place as crazy cat/dog lady).

Job:

Me personally, I feel like since I’ve left education I have never really 'worked'. I feel so fortunate to say that! I have been paid to scare people for a living, to dance on stage, to teach and educate children and to even stand and smile in a cap in front of a car (promotional life can bring you the most bizarre jobs). Has the pay been incredible? Not really. Have I worked my way up in a company and got a great pension? Nope! But I am now slowly finding my feet cutting myself some slack and trying to build a steady foundation in a job I enjoy... PS I had a moment of madness and got a full time salary job a couple months ago; I lasted 3 weeks!

I have friends who have insanely cool jobs that they hate, friends who have minimum wage jobs that we would deem as monotonous that they love, and friends still in education trying to find out what they even want to do in life.

Happiness:

Me personally, I would say I am generally a happy person. I have my down days, as does everyone, I have my moments of absolute breakdown where I re-evaluate my whole life and stress to the point of ridiculousness; but on whole I am happy. I am healthy, I have a roof over my head and provide food on the table for myself so I have a lot to be grateful and fortunate for. I have an unreal family and close friends that I may not see on a regular basis but are there for me no matter what. I am truly lucky in that sense.

I have friends who have taken their own life, been through traumatic times, horrific accidents and some friends who have never felt grief at all and couldn't be happier.

See, the thing about our 20’s is no matter what category I make, or list I write, or comparison I come to, there is no right or wrong. No better or worse. Life isn't a race so I need to stop wishing my 20’s away to sit in a cottage I own with a vegetable patch, my own child and wearing a pinafore baking homemade cookies. We each have our own path. Our very own yellow brick road with different needs whether that's to be more intelligent, to be braver, happier or just simply to have a somewhere to call home.

We are all doing the best for our own journey.