Social media connects us to billions of people (and their opinions), but we as a culture have never felt more alone. We allow 10-second reels and sappy slideshow posts from others to dictate where we stack up against the rest of the world. It’s easy to feel “lesser than,” but everyone has shortcomings, hardships, or trauma. A mentor of mine said it plainly but best: “Everyone has crap to deal with. What matters is how quickly you’re willing to deal with your crap.” Take heart! You aren’t alone in your uphill battles. Check out these 15 things that are tough for most people (so go easy on yourself, okay?):
1. Getting out of bed
This seems funny on the surface, but if you’re battling depression, are nervous about a big presentation, or were up all night with a sick kiddo, getting out of bed can be exhausting. You start your day already feeling defeated, dragging yourself to the bathroom mirror. But all of us wake up with something heavy on our minds. We’re all ignoring our phone alarms with the same angst as you.
2. Living the healthy “80/20” lifestyle
Many health influencers encourage the “80/20” lifestyle, keeping 80% of everything consumed completely clean and recognizing that 20% of products and foods won’t meet the organic standard. That’s still a high bar to set, and not everyone has the time, finances, resources, or interest to keep 80% of all their foods, fabrics, and health products organic. (And some of us just want our carcinogenic soda as a treat.)
3. Finding a fulfilling job
Fresh out of high school or college, we know exactly what we want to do with our lives, but often, our dream job doesn’t actually exist, or it requires a level of sacrifice that doesn’t mesh well with our family dynamics or life circumstances. Don’t feel so pressured to nail the perfect job that offers total fulfillment. In life, fulfillment is typically multifaceted, coming from not merely a job title but the deeper sense of purpose that relationships provide.
4. Maintaining perfect friendships
Friendships can be sticky. Text messages can be misread. Conversations can be interpreted wrong. Time and distance can strain communication. Maintaining perfect friendships is impossible, so make room for grace. Give yourself and your friends the space to be imperfect.
5. Finding “the one” the first time around
Many times, we don’t know what we want until we know what we don’t want. This can be true in romantic relationships. As we get older, we grow and change and so do our likes and dislikes. Don’t be so obsessed with finding “the one” ASAP that you never give anyone a chance to love you.
6. Being the perfect parent (to people or pets)
Toddlers wet their pants—often in public where Mom or Dad don’t have a change of clothes. Dogs pee on the carpet when they’re left home alone and feel overlooked. If our children or furry friends aren’t perfect, how can we expect to be perfect parents? Put perfection aside and let love and grace be the goals in your household.
7. Getting along with all family members
It’s normal to feel an obligation to be chummy with every member of your family. After all, folks like to say that “Blood is thicker than water,” but the reality is that your family is made up of different personalities, and your personality can’t flawlessly click with everyone else’s. Make room to respect your family, but don’t pressure yourself into being best friends with every cousin in the clan.
8. Being kind to yourself
We prioritize being kind to friends and family, but how often do we take stock of whether we are kind to ourselves? It’s important to respect yourself—to even like yourself—because this allows you to navigate life’s seasons with an unshakeable level of confidence and calm. But this is easier said than done when you know all of your fears and faults. Take inventory of how you talk to and think of yourself.
9. Stepping away from social media
One of the easiest ways to be more kind to yourself is to know when to step away from social media and all the negative voices. Consider finding someone to hold you accountable as you take a break from Instagram, Facebook, X, or any other platform that’s posing a threat to your well-being.
10. Making room for hobbies
It’s easy to let work rule our lives if we’re tight on a budget or are pursuing an executive position, but how often do we make room for the fun in life? So many of us leave behind childhood dreams to invent something wild, write a book, or travel the world. Don’t forget those wishes and find ways to incorporate them into your life.
11. Being able to afford big, fancy vacations
Most of us can’t go to Hawaii every summer, and most of us can’t rent the fanciest cabin on Vrbo, so don’t let the travel Instagram accounts fool you. Great adventures don’t have to take place on the other side of the world or at an exotic resort. Perspective is key.
12. Avoiding the comparison game
In a world brimming with digital “look what I’ve done”s, it’s easy to stack yourself against a tower of Photoshopped accolades, but don’t fall for the lies. Most of us are hiding behind filters and watching our own towers crumble against the “success” of others.
13. Knowing when to walk away
Whether you’re a natural fixer or a recovering perfectionist, most of us want to finish what we start—and we want to finish well. But life is a little too messy for constant perfection. It can be hard to walk away from a job where employees aren’t valued, especially if you’ve been there for years. It can be even harder to walk away from a relationship that abuses your love. You aren’t alone in the struggle of knowing when to walk away.
14. Resting
Today’s culture is centered on what you can accomplish (and how well you broadcast it to the world). This means rest takes a backseat. After all, there are trips to take, promotions to earn, and relationships to seal. But if we don’t take time to rest and recharge, how can we give these things our best time and energy? Burnout will quickly wilt progress.
15. Trying again
Failure doesn’t feel good, so why try again at something where you haven’t succeeded? While this is an understandable strategy to protect our emotional well-being, it feeds our comfort zone. And when has our comfort zone ever pushed us to do great things?
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