Constantly hearing about my cousins’ successes makes me feel like a failure
DEAR DEIDRE: CONSTANTLY hearing about my cousins’ successes is really starting to get me down and I can’t shake the undying thought that I’m the biggest failure of the family.
I know it shouldn’t matter, but I just can’t stop comparing myself.
I’m 27 and work full-time in a supermarket. For as long as I can remember, my cousins have always outshone me.
Truthfully, I’ve never been that bright. I always struggled in school and got below-average grades in exams.
My cousins, on the other hand, were always high achievers. They all went on to study at university and got great jobs. One of them is now a GP, with his own surgery.
When I hear my parents constantly talking about their successes, it really gets me down.
I feel like such a disappointment and worry that I’ll never go anywhere in life.
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DEIDRE SAYS: Comparing yourself to your cousins is only going to make you feel worse and worse.
Try not to measure yourself based on their achievements and instead start thinking about your own goals.
What is it that you love doing? Where do you think you could see yourself working?