Have you ever googled yourself? 🙂 It’s honestly NOT as fun when you have one of the most common names out there. A few years back before my (day job) career started taking off, I had to go through 42 pages on google search before finding any reference of myself under my name.
I tried it again today…I found myself on page 4.
Page 1 was almost entirely filled with Susan Lee M.D.’s of varying specialties along with a fairly accomplished concert violinist. Page 2 had a Susan Lee who is a probation officer. Page 3 had a Susan Lee who is a writer (wahoo…) but alas not me (whomp whomp). When I finally got to myself, it was a reference to a speaking engagement I had done at a diversity conference. That was a good moment and memory.
I’m not a doctor (my poor parents), but I’ve made something of myself in my career as a HR Executive. And for awhile, that was enough. I was accomplished and proud of it. I started writing, and though my path hasn’t been the straightest nor fastest one, I feel I’m moving toward that sense of accomplishment and I’m proud of it.
But as the world has changed so drastically in 2020 and, to be honest, it’s been a helluva rough road emotionally and mentally for HR leaders trying their best to navigate how to support people during such a challenging time, I sometimes let myself dream of what life would be like if I just gave it all up and lived a very simple life in a tricked out van. Ha! (I’ve got 100’s of hours of youtube tutorials on how to build out a van under my belt now…not kidding). 🙂
Could I feel successful if I didn’t have a fancy title and a regular paycheck? Could I feel successful if I never sold a manuscript to be published? Could I feel successful if I met up with an old high school classmate and told them that I was basically unemployed and homeless? I don’t know.
But it’s a question I’m really trying to ask myself now. If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that life is short, it can be uncertain, it can all change in the blink of an eye…and we have to grab on to happiness wherever we can find it. Maybe this is all a random pipe dream, but even just considering what life could be like if I redefined “success”, gives me a little bit of joy.
So, what does success look like? And I have I had it wrong all along?
*Here’s a video of one of my favorite van conversions. I mean, there are nicer ones for larger sized vans, but for the smaller 144 Sprinter (which is easier to drive and park), this buildout is impressive (It has a shower!).