It takes a lot of work to condition your mind and not feel down when it seems like you’re lagging in life in terms of accomplishments among your circle of friends. But just as easy is your confidence plummeting when you find out one of your acquaintances just hit another breakthrough.
Age-related pressure originates from a plethora of systemic social norms, outdated ones at that. On one end, the tradition you’ve grown accustomed to may dictate at what age you should get married or have kids. Also, your family strives to preserve a heritage, perhaps a lineage of doctors or lawyers across all generations.
Concerned friends would tirelessly reiterate that you do not have to be someone society dictates you to be. Despite this comforting advice, and even if you strive to find your purpose, there is that strange feeling of inadequacy and that there is no other viable route than to fit into society’s expectations, after all.
This feeling could mess with your mind. But amid all these paralyzing thoughts, you still have to strive for that sense of self-value. Amid all the age-related pressure that does nothing but disrupt your life flow, here are practical tips for living by:
Make Do With Your Income
It is so easy to get side-swept from your goals, specifically financial ones, when you are bombarded all around by marketing gimmicks tapping onto your most painful insecurities. With all these money-makers reminding you of your status, which you aren’t necessarily the proudest of, you’re running the risk of maxing your savings intended for grander life plans.
At the end of the day, it is your choice to live as modestly as possible now and to make sacrifices so you can fully enjoy your hard-earned money later. You decide whether you splurge on luxury items like branded apparel and top-of-the-line gadgets which you know you cannot afford twice or forego these shopping sprees to make timely payments for your investments. It is up to you whether you stick to a sustainable budget or impulsively spend your earnings to the point of having to penny-pinch days before payday and ultimately leaving you with zero savings.
However, if you want to reach greater heights in life, you can make do with your income now. Live only within your means and prioritize your needs over anything. See pockets of opportunities to grow what remaining money you have instead of automatically fantasizing about non-value-adding purchases you can make with it.
Start Investing
At some point, it should dawn on you that you might never be that person everyone looks up to for a degree they earned or a multi-million business they built. You should realize that it is okay. More than anything, you want to live a morally righteous life and at least be financially stable. Age-related pressure makes more sense if your motivation for feeling such a way is you don’t want to shame yourself for not being capable of sustaining your needs.
As early as you can, start investing in assets that will eventually appreciate, like real estate and precious stones, but exercise caution to not cross paths with deceptive investment scammers. More than your credit company, get in touch with mortgage lenders, insurance brokers, and financial advisers.
Money isn’t everything in life, but drowning in debt isn’t something you want to be if your main goal is to find your purpose and, in turn, feel fulfilled even if you did not turn out to be how they wished you to. If you secured yourself a stable job and you’re well on your way to owning a house, it helps you be more laser-focused on bigger goals.
Amid the Intrusive Thoughts
It is tempting to compare yourself to your peers even if you are well aware that we all have different timelines for every milestone. Sometimes, it is the only thing that occupies your mind until you lose all motivation to work on yourself. And you ultimately resort to thinking that you can never become anything even if you tried.
However, remember we are all given time and how precious you treat it should be enough of a wake-up call to stop wallowing in despair and, instead, focus on yourself. It’s true what they said about being in your 20s; it’s the time to be the most selfish, but not in a wrong way.
It’s when you should listen closely to your heart’s desire, that one thing you’re so passionate about that you can endure sleepless nights for it, and you don’t fear judgment for doing it because you know it’s something that can help mankind. It’s something you can see yourself doing for life, and you would not feel like you’re forced to do it because you love doing it.
The Bottom Line
To be swamped by age-related pressure is not a fun ride. To see same-aged peers on your feed accomplished or happily married can be depressing no matter how much we deny it. Unfortunately, it seems we all have to go through it, so you should brace yourself and have faith in yourself no matter the odds.
