Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 6th July 2023

Wherever you look, it feels as if everyone is living their best life. But are you? Look around. Do you feel like there’s anything substantially different from where you were a year ago? What about two years or even five years ago? If not, it’s easy to feel like you’ve been left behind as everyone else excels in their career, relationships, and more. It’s enough to assume that – somehow - you’ve become a loser with nothing going for them, but that isn’t the case. Still, it’s never nice to feel like you’re behind in life, and if you want to change this, here are some ideas to push you to the next level.

Discover What You Want From Life 

You won’t catch up if you don’t know what you want from life. Take a look at where you are now and consider your options. It's overwhelming to think too far into the future, so focus on short-term goals instead. Do you want to change jobs? Do you want to move out and get your own place? Are you interested in boosting your fitness or seeing the world? These are goals you can outline and work towards over the next few months to put you on the right track.

Put Yourself Out There 

If you don’t put yourself out there, the chances of you catching up are ultimately zero. It’s understandable to be worried about putting yourself out there for whatever reason, whether you’re applying for jobs or getting back into the dating pool, but it will always be more effective than sitting at home waiting for something to happen. Things don’t come to you. Instead, you must find them yourself. 

Learn Something New 

You can also boost your chances of getting a better job or meeting more interesting people by learning something new. This could be a new skill or something that boosts your career prospects, such as taking a course that could win you the promotion you’ve always wanted or at least give you more responsibility at work. If you’re worried about the time and money it could take, there are plenty of free online courses that are accredited and come with a legitimate certificate, such as the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing offered by Google. 

Stop Waiting Around 

You might feel like you’re behind because there are various life essentials you have missed. This could include learning to drive, something everyone benefits from, even if they don’t want or need to drive. Depending on your location, researching driving lessons Surrey can prepare you for the types of roads. You can also look at reviews for driving lessons Kingston and similar areas to see which school provides the best experience.

Be More Active 

An active lifestyle will make a huge difference to your citation, even if it doesn't get you anywhere. You will look and feel better and you won’t spend all day mindlessly scrolling through your phone or computer. There are a variety of activities to explore, even if you hate going to the gym, so consider going for walks or joining local clubs that can also offer a great sense of camaraderie and help you meet new people. 

Focus On You 

You may have spent a lot of time worrying about other people. Maybe you ran errands for your neighbours or cancelled plans to accommodate friends and family. Perhaps you always did what other people wanted to do but never had the same done for you. While this selflessness is admirable, it also means that you have continuously put yourself second, so it's no wonder you feel you’re behind in life. It’s difficult to change your habits and start focusing on yourself. It might even feel selfish, but it’s something you must do if you want to make positive changes. 

Upgrade Your Style 

If you want to feel the part, you must look the part, so learning how to elevate your style can make a significant difference to how you feel. This won’t immediately get you to where you want to be, but it can boost your confidence and give you the drive to go after what you want, whether a new job or a better situation.

Work On Yourself 

However, you cannot expect people to love you or want to give you a raise if they don’t think you’re ready for it. Working on yourself will make you more desirable and show that you have what it takes to be better; you’re doing so before their eyes. Much is also said of therapy and taking accountability for mental health, and working with a therapist can help you identify issues, work through them and come out a better person that deserves everything they have coming to them. 

Switch Up Your Social Circle 

If you’re lucky enough to still have a vast friendship group, you probably feel like you don’t need to hang out with anyone else again. However, these same people could be holding you back. Being able to recognise toxic friends can highlight why you’re still doing the same things you did five or even ten years ago. There is no opportunity to grow, so switching up your social circle can transform your fortunes. Don't ditch your friends altogether, though. Be more open to others and see how they can influence a positive mindset. 

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others 

With Instagram and LinkedIn, it’s no wonder everyone feels they are behind. You must remember that these platforms only show the best bits. No one wants to show off their failures, and this makes the content on these platforms performative at best and downright untrue at worst. Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to yourself. In a year, look back at today and see how far you’ve come because that’s all that matters.

Lagging 

It’s easy to feel like you’re lagging, but everyone’s lives move at different speeds. For some, it takes years to find the perfect person and the ideal career, whereas others stumble into good luck immediately. Remember that you still have plenty of time to catch up and get ahead, and these tips will help you achieve your goals.

Discover What You Want From Life, Put Yourself Out There, Learn Something New, Stop Waiting Around, Be More Active, Focus On You, and Upgrade Your Style.