Do you ever feel like you are constantly behind others, such as friends or family? Some of us struggle with the feeling of being behind in life. There will always be others that finish school, have kids, make a lot of money, and buy a house before us. This feeling is normal and okay. Do not let these feelings keep you from succeeding and continuing your own path.

It is okay to take time for your mental and physical health before continuing to pursue your goals. Underestimating what we have achieved deteriorates our self-esteem.

Stop comparing your path to others, especially those who have not experienced the things that you have. We all work at our own pace and accomplish things at our own time. There is no right or wrong decision, just like there is no right or wrong path, no two paths will ever be the same. Those of us who are working towards goals at a slower pace tend to learn from our mistakes, take more risks, and succeed later in life.

Ways to stop feeling behind in life:

Stop comparing yourself to others. Social media causes a lot of anxiety and creates unrealistic images of perfect lives that are not actually perfect. Remind yourself that people only post the good, not the bad. Just like taking a filtered picture to make yourself look better. There will always be others that accomplish things before we do, that doesn’t mean they are any better or further in life. We compare ourselves to others our whole lives, it is time to give ourselves a break.

Be thankful for what we do have and what we have accomplished. Remind yourself daily what you are thankful for. Write down what you are grateful for each day. This can help us see what we have already accomplished and what we may have that others do not.

Live in the now. How do you feel about where you are right now when not comparing yourself to anyone else? Are you proud of yourself and your accomplishments? We tend to be proud of how far we have come until we compare ourselves and our situations to others. How are you feeling physically and mentally, are you taking the necessary time for yourself? It is okay to focus on your own goals. It is okay to live your life the way you want to without having to explain yourself to others.

Look at the positive side. Celebrate your uniqueness and what qualities you love about yourself. Did you do a good job at work this week or even work on your mental health? Do you have goals for the future? These things are wins and things you should celebrate. Most importantly, find what makes you happy!

Go out there and take risks, make mistakes, but learn from them and keep moving forward. Know that the feeling behind in life and that your path is meant specifically for you. We must realize that living with a parent is okay, not having a large income is okay, and not going to college is okay. If you are working on bettering yourself and making sure you take care of your mental and physical health, you are on your own right path.

Do not let others social media life dictate who you are or how you feel about yourself. Be thankful for how far you have come and what you have already accomplished. You have done amazing things and will continue to do so. If you or a loved one are having a hard time with this period in your life, do not be afraid to reach out to a trained professional for help. Therapy is a great tool in helping us feel “unstuck”.