When you feel like you are falling behind in life – read this

There will always be times when you feel like you are falling behind in life; like you are not doing enough or what you do is not good enough. For me, that moment came when I watched my friends graduate while I still had one more year to complete after taking a two semester break for personal reasons.

It was a painful moment for me, being amidst happy faces or scrolling through social media, only to be reminded that I could have been there as well. Passing congratulatory messages and asking about future plans while I could only speak about classes I am still taking made me feel like I was rushing against time.

I was angry at myself for being a failure and envious of others. Slowly, I found myself being constantly depressed and anxious. It took me every bit of energy within me to remind myself that I am in fact not falling behind anyone, and that there is no deadlines in life.

If you are in the same situation as me, let me remind you of one thing: stop comparing yourself to others. No good ever comes from comparing oneself to others. Everyone runs at a different pace and is destined for different greatness. That includes you. The only time you are not good enough is when you give up and stop trying, because then hope is for sure lost.

While external support is important, only you can lift yourself up. Find within yourself the courage that is able to diminish all self-sabotaging thoughts and just move forward. Take pride in even the slightest steps you take in becoming better every day. It starts the moment you wake up early in the morning and only focus on good habits.

Even the smallest things such as brushing your teeth or taking a brisk walk on a regular basis can lift your mood immensely. One good habit at a time could in the long run accumulate towards a good life. Change your way of thinking. Instead of comparing yourself to others, be joyful for their accomplishments and learn from their success. Cultivate a positive mindset by counting your blessings instead of pondering on what is missing.

Lastly, never stop loving yourself. There might be mistakes you made that cause you to be behind your goals. But even those are not reasons for you to blame yourself. Show the same compassion towards yourself as you would towards others after making mistake and take that as a moment of learning.

Loving oneself is perhaps the hardest thing you will do, but only then will you have the confidence in your own ability and destiny. Look at your own reflection in the mirror and remind yourself of the good in you, and everything you know you could be. While your thoughts could be your own worst enemy, they could also be your number one support system and key to success.