How do I deal with feeling behind in life compared to my peers?

The feeling of being 'behind' in life is incredibly common, especially in a culture that promotes specific timelines for success—graduate by 22, find a career by 25, get married by 30, have kids by 35. But these timelines are largely arbitrary and don't account for the reality that everyone's path is different, influenced by countless factors including family background, mental health, economic circumstances, and personal values. Social media has intensified this comparison trap by providing a constant stream of others' achievements and milestones. You're comparing your internal experience—complete with struggles, setbacks, and uncertainty—to others' carefully curated external presentations. You don't see their failures, their Anxiety disorder, their financial Psychological stress, or their relationship problems. You only see the graduation photos, job announcements, and vacation pictures. The truth is that there's no universal timeline for a meaningful life. Some people find their calling at 20, others at 50. Some people marry young and stay together forever, others find love later in life or choose to remain single. Some people have linear career paths, others zigzag through multiple fields before finding their fit. Your worth isn't determined by how quickly you hit certain milestones, and being 'behind' often means you're taking the time to figure out what actually works for you rather than following someone else's script.