5 Subtle Signs You're More Successful Than You Think

The last few months have been long and trying. We've all faced unique, life-changing circumstances and challenges — and they just seem to keep on coming. 

Inside this chaotic state of being, it can be difficult to feel that anything is going well right now, especially if you've faced a setback. But there are so many signs that you're doing a better than you give yourself credit for in your day-to-day life. 

If you can say 'yes, that's me' to any of the five statements below, you're more successful than you realize. Keep reading: You deserve the pick-me-up. 

If you have close friendships, you are luckier than most. A 2018 study found that almost half of Americans feel lonely. Meanwhile, 45% of adult Americans say that it is difficult to make friends and the average friendship lasts only seven years, making it difficult to call many people your "close friend" as adulthood goes on. If you have friendships that have withstood the test of time – or really, anyone who knows you or whose presence you enjoy on a Saturday night — you're successful in the realm of personal relationships. 

While money may not be able to buy happiness, it can certainly buy a certain level of stability that allows you to make choices and boost your feelings of freedom. Making enough money to make choice with your time (maybe taking a day off here or there), with your energy (maybe ordering dinner when you're too tired to cook or taking a slower job) and with your disposable income (buying things you want every once in a while) is a sign you're doing pretty OK. 

If you're comfortable enough in your life and confident enough in yourself to view setbacks and failures as a lesson, you're more successful than most. 

The happiest and healthiest people are those most likely to express gratitude for their everyday life and remain hopeful that even difficult days teach them something about themselves, according to Harvard. If this is your outlook, it's one that can bring great success.

People who engage in hobbies enjoy better moods, feel more interested and have less stress and lower heart rates, according to a study reported in Life + Health. Hobbies also contribute to a more balanced life, according to Elizabeth Segran, author of The Rocket Years, and can become more difficult to pick up as age progresses. So, if you have a hobby or routines that brings you joy, you're contributing a lot to your personal success. 

The same thing can be said for routines. Northwestern Medicine reports that having a daily routine that makes you happy can lead to improvements in mental health, better sleep and better time management. 

If you have a life that feels fulfilling or a general sense of purpose, you are on a successful path. Whether you find fulfillment through your family life, your career, your friendships or your personal goals, living with purpose is "the truest and straightest line to health and happiness," according to the Chicago Tribune.  People who feel they're living a meaningful life report less pain and reduced anxiety. Plus, feeling you have a purpose can significantly reduce stress and, in turn, discourage related substance abuse and depression.