Content Warnings: None
Dear Reader,
There’s something both comforting and unsettling about the moments we spend by ourselves, particularly when those moments stick us in a cycle that feels harder and harder to break. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my own mental challenges: I’ve often found my anxiety tied to seeing others succeed, where no matter what we do, it seems like everyone else is moving forward, accomplishing things, while we’re standing still—or worse—falling behind. Maybe you’ve been there, too.
It’s tough. We’re constantly comparing ourselves to others, whether it’s on social media or just seeing someone’s success in real life. Then, we think, “why am I not doing that? Why can’t I be as driven, as productive, as anything?” It can make it feel like even trying isn’t worth it because the mountain looks too steep to climb.
And yet, even as I write this, I know deep down that the person I want to be is someone who lives a life full of moments that matter to me. Someone who feels joy not because I’m measuring up to someone else’s standard, but because I’m moving toward my own version of fulfillment.
Writing has been one of the ways I work through these thoughts. It didn’t have to make sense to anyone else; it just had to be honest. When you write, you aren’t performing for anyone else, it’s a conversation with yourself. When I started journaling, I found myself wanting more than what I had allowed myself to become. I wanted to read more, learn more, explore more.
Writing helped me recognize that I didn’t want to stay where I was. And that honesty led me to some pretty uncomfortable truths. Like the fact that I wasn’t as happy as I pretended to be. Or that I wasn’t okay with the excuses I kept making for myself. But through writing, I found something more important: a willingness to change. Not because I was chasing someone else’s idea of success, but because I was tired of feeling stuck.
I know that might sound cliché or oversimplified. But what I’ve learned is that the smallest action, even something as simple as writing down a single thought or taking a walk outside, can break the cycle. And yes, it’s scary. Because what if you start and don’t succeed? What if you don’t get anywhere? But the truth is, the act of starting or moving gives you something back.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s okay to struggle, or it’s okay to feel like you’re not measuring up. But don’t let that be where you stay. Your journey is yours, no matter how slow or complicated it is. Even if you don’t see the results right away, you’re growing, you’re learning. I believe that for both of us.
Take care.
