Redefining success — less hustle, more heart

Hello! Welcome to another edition of ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better mental health, one newsletter at a time.

Success often feels like the race we never agreed upon. The deadlines, the comparisons, the constant chase to do more. But what if success wasn’t about speed or status, but about direction and purpose? This edition invites you to pause and redefine success on your own terms - with more meaning, less pressure, and a little more breath.

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One relevant recommendation:

The Success Compass (short activity)

When we think about success, it’s easy to measure it via productivity, money, or milestones. But often, these don’t match how we actually want to live. Try mapping your Success Compass to notice what success feels like for you. 

Two Quotes on Purpose and Success:

Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist, expressed that:

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist, once said:

“The good life is not a fixed state of virtue or achievement, but a process — a direction toward becoming more deeply yourself.”

Three TherapyShorts from TST

1. When Success Feels Like Survival
   Many of us learned early that being “good,” “productive,” or “useful” was the safest way to be loved. Over time, this survival pattern shifted to chasing validation more than fulfilment. Pause and ask, “What am I hoping this achievement will give me? Is there another way I seek it today?” Sometimes, success isn’t another milestone. It’s softening the need to earn your worth.

2. Reframing Growth Beyond Goals

   We are conditioned to equate growth with doing more. Sometimes it’s learning to stay still, say no, or not rush into the next thing because healing often happens in the pauses. “What would growth look like for me if I removed ‘more’ from the equation?” Maybe it’s slowing your mornings, taking a break before burnout, or letting yourself be “enough” for one whole day. Purposeful success grows from grounded presence, not constant striving.

3. The Courage to Redefine “Enough”

   We often measure our worth by how much we do – how many people we help, how many boxes we tick, how productive we are. But what if success isn’t about doing everything, but doing what’s true? Reclaiming “enough” begins when we gently ask: “What am I saying yes to that no longer aligns with me?” Try this micro-step: Each morning, name one intention – not a task list, just one feeling you want to move toward (e.g., calm, curiosity, connection). Let that guide your choices for the day.  

A QUICK QUESTION…

What’s one habit that makes you feel successful on your own terms? Vote here!

Last week, we asked you when you’re struggling, what voice shows up first, and the responses were… (drumroll please)…

With care and compassion,

The Social Therapist

P.S.: Did you find your purpose?