Success

A good friend and I were chatting about life the other day, sharing our pearls of wisdom, and she brought up something that a friend said to her that was extremely offensive. We'll call this good friend of mine Pearl.

Pearl is a 25-year-old working girl who put herself through college (and finished in four years might I add) and continues to fully support herself financially. She has an infectious personality and is a wonderful friend. In my mind, these are characteristics of true success in life.

I will say that although Pearl is working, she's not 100% happy in her job. It's well paying and she's a good employee, but it's not what she wants to do with her life. She's still in the midst of finding exactly what it is she wants to do.

Pearl and I have this in common, which I think is one reason we relate so well. We're both in jobs that are "fine," but it's not what we want to do forever and it's more of a stagnant place in life rather than one in which you can grow.

So, Pearl's friend - a spoiled brat who, at 24-years-old, still lives off of her parents money, with no current job, and recieves "good luck on your interview" Coach purses from her daddy - made a rude, ignorant comment to Pearl about not being successful. Rude Friend is one of the most selfish, shallow people I've ever known. She's not someone you'd like to call a friend.

While we were discussing the comment, Pearl made a great point: If she was happy in her current job and wanted to be there and stay with the company, then she would be considered successful. But since she is unhappy with where she is at the moment, that is considered her being in an unsuccessful job to some. This doesn't make sense, and it's not fair.

Apparently, Rude Friend consideres herself successful because she's just finished her Masters Degree, yet still doesn't have a job, is not financially independent (and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon) and thinks she is better than anyone that she knows. This is success?

I've been financially independent from my parents for three years, have moved to a different city on my own, have fully supported myself, made decisions for my own life without the approval of anyone else, and dealt with life's blunders ON MY OWN, yet because I have a job that I am unhappy in and not sure of the direction of my career, I'm considered unsuccessful to many people.

Personally, I think there is nothing more successful than a woman who can do anything on her own - including without a man. That includes financially, mentally and emotionally. I really believe that it doesn't matter what your career path is or may be or how unsure you are of where you want life to take you; if you can take care of yourself, really do it on your own, and be a great friend and know how to be selfless for others, that is true success.