Feeling Left Behind? You Need to Read This Now
Feeling left behind in life is the distressing sensation that you are progressing slower or achieving less than your peers in areas like career, relationships, or personal milestones. This often involves comparing your current situation to others’ perceived successes and can lead to feelings of inadequacy, isolation, and anxiety about your own trajectory. Feeling left behind is that undelightful sensation you experience when you endlessly compare yourself to others, which can seriously hinder your personal growth. The feeling of being left behind strikes hard when almost all your friends and relatives have their life put together. Our society has established a clear definition of what success is. In general, it means having a high-paying career, a family, a house, and living an abundant luxurious life. Thus, in case you don’t own those things and your life remain stagnant—you are considered as unsuccessful. Suddenly, you realize that you are falling behind your peers. You start to question yourself about your situation. “Why am I still single?” “Why am I broke?” “Why am I not living my dream life?”, etc. Sounds like you? When you start to compare your life to other people’s, you may feel miserable and exhausted if the gap is significant. Disappointment may push you to consider yourself as a total failure, which always end up in a heavy depression. According to Forbes: Success can have different meaning depending on each individual. For some people, success is money; for others, it’s about recognition. Feeling left behind is a common situation, anyone can experience anytime in life. But, you have the power to overcome it. You have the potential to create your best life and live a better tomorrow. Remember that you don’t need to follow other’s path, but to thrive on your own personal journey. What Does Feeling Left Behind Mean? First, let’s understand what is “feeling left behind” all about. Our society instituted a clear milestone to achieve success. By a certain age, you are supposed to achieve certain things. This even starts at a very young age. So, we can feel left behind if we don’t follow those standards. Some parents have a tendency to compare their kids’ evolution to other children of the same age. If their child is unable to accomplish what others are able to—they start to worry. At an early age, the comparison is already there. Later in life, it will increase gradually. Most of the time, when you don’t get an A+ like your schoolmates, parents will often make you understand that you don’t make enough effort. In case, you have done your best, the lack of appreciation and encouragement hit on your confidence and self-esteem. Unless you are doing well like your peers, you will feel like falling behind. Sometimes, without knowing, those who are close to us push us to develop this feeling early in life. But, studies have shown that every child is different and doesn’t grow at the same rate. If parents start to continuously compare their kids to others, the feeling of being behind will eventually accentuate. This will generate lack of confidence. In the long run, you will be used to comparing yourself to others. Another example is when you reach age 25 or 30, and still haven’t yet achieved a well-established life. Therefore, you might feel left behind. This can happen to anyone, in disregard of age. Nonetheless, it’s essential to understand that this feeling is subjective and doesn’t define your worth or success per se. Why Do You Feel Left Behind? Self-Comparison Can Trigger the Feeling of Being Left Behind This feeling of being behind in life can stem from various factors, including societal expectations, personal goals, and external influences. One of the major reasons why people feel left behind is the social constant comparison. In fact, it’s natural to reflect on the progress you’ve made in life so far. But, if you constantly compare your life to other people, you might feel left behind. In fact, if you don’t have what others have: you will begin to develop that negative emotion. Nevertheless, people love to show off their success and achievements online. They keep posting the perfect ideal life. So, if you expose yourself to these external influences—comparison becomes automatic. What is more, is that if you don’t have the same lifestyle—you get depressed even more. Thus, if you continue to consume these contents, you will hurt your feelings even more. Therefore, you become sad, depressed, and hopeless about your future. The worst case scenario is if you give up on yourself. And also if you find that nothing matters anymore. Stop comparing your journey to others, since this will only magnify those feelings of lagging behind. Thus, you will appreciate more your own accomplishments. So, if you are feeling left behind, stay away from social media. People love to flex about their lives and show how successful they are on these platforms. The truth is it’s not always the reality but merely a world of illusion. Never blame yourself for not having what people have, but rather enjoy your own path. This life is ephemeral life, and your journey is entirely unique. In addition, you don’t have to fit in the box to please society. So, enjoy your accomplishments. Take time to reassess, clarify your true desires. What you truly want might impress you. Feeling Left Behind Due to Societal Pressure Feeling left behind can be a consequence of the societal pressure to achieve certain milestones by a certain age. Society often sets arbitrary benchmarks, such as having a stable career, being in a committed relationship, or owning a home, by the time you turn 30. Not achieving these things when you reach that age will cause you to be considered a failure. As a result, these achievements become mandatory and meaningful to some individuals. However, they are not the only markers of a fulfilling life. It’s crucial to understand that societal expectations should not dictate your worth. Furthermore, remind yourself that these milestones are
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