I've had the honor and pleasure of working with and talking to various women on the right side of 50 since starting Life Balance After 50. I've loved creating content to help them on their journey as they navigate what's next for them. It's been rewarding also, to help people work through their fixed mindset barriers as well as their negative and false core beliefs.

What has struck me the most is how different every single woman's journey is from another. Our wishes, dreams, ideal day, week, and month. Our bucket lists. We come from and are dealing with so many different life circumstances as well.

Although we share some commonalities, especially as they relate to mindset barriers, imposter syndrome, and wondering if we are "too old to _____," our journeys are all so very different.

And so is each of our personal definitions of success and what might constitute a productive day.

HOW DO MOST PEOPLE DEFINE SUCCESS?

Merriam-Webster defines success in two ways:

1. The attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
2. A favorable or desired outcome

And, indeed, when I Google success, the first two pages are filled with articles and posts about achieving wealth along with what rich and famous people are saying led to their "success." We seem more interested in "How 50 Top Ballers Define Success" than how the "woman next door" might define it.

My wish is for each woman in this community to create her own definition of success and achieve it. Whatever that looks like for her.

SUCCESS FOR ME

For me, success is getting up each day when my alarm goes off, following my morning and evening routines, eating healthy foods throughout the day, and spending time with family as well as writing and creating content.

Success for me is also doing all of these things in spite of the anxiety which is a part of my life on some level each and every day. The thing might be as simple as babysitting grandchildren. Or it might be seeing 3 different work kids in a day.

I am also successful when I have kept my word both to myself and others. When I do what I say I'm going to do when I promised to do it.

These things have zero to do with money or fame. But, when these are done each day, they will get me where I need to be - whether that is financially or in some other realm.

Success is when I have had a day, week, and month of living in my integrity and according to my values. And those encompass all of the above.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

Write it out. In detail. If you aren't sure, here are some things for you to think about and reflect on.

VISUALIZE THE TYPE OF WOMAN THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF 50

Maybe you already are her! But, if you aren't, spend some time journaling on what that woman looks like and how she moves through her day. Is she active? Relaxed? Travelling? Staying home? Wearing business suits or yoga pants? Is her hair in a messy bun? Does she put makeup on each day? What does her morning and evening routine look like? Close your eyes and picture every detail that you can.

AVOID BEING TOO GENERAL IN YOUR STATEMENTS

Be fairly specific as you start to think about what success might look like for you. Instead of saying, "I'm successful if I'm happy," go back to your reflection above and get specific. What makes you happy? What can you put into place each day to help you achieve that?

CONSIDER POSSIBLE BARRIERS

Think about your typical day currently. What, if any, barriers might be infringing on your definition of success. Start to consider small steps that you can take to overcome those.

REFLECT ON YOUR VARIOUS ROLES AS YOU VISUALIZE AND JOURNAL

Depending on where you are in your life in terms of balancing life's roles, try to incorporate all of the roles that you enjoy and want to embrace when you are doing the reflection of the type of woman that you want to be.

If you are spending your days on roles that you feel are hindering your definition of success, start to think about ways to ease those out of your schedule and life. Shedding roles can also be a goal. Sometimes we have little control over this, but more often than not, there are changes that we can make, to move us in the direction of our success.

REFLECT ON YOUR WHY

At the end of the day, if you are living a life true to your "why," then you are likely feeling successful.

WHERE DOES PRODUCTIVITY COME INTO PLAY?

Productivity, like success, varies according to the individual and where they are on their journey. If I'm on vacation, I had a productive day if I lay on the beach and relaxed and read my book. That's the goal of vacation, right?

If you can look back on your day and feel that you have accomplished what you set out to accomplish, then you were productive. Whatever that thing might be.

MOST IMPORTANTLY

Your vision of your success and productivity is yours. No one else's.

Give yourself some time to really visualize and consider what this means to you as you move forward on the right side of 50.