I know someone who:
believes that she’s “behind” other people her age. She has Lupus and a history of abuse, and, at age 20, feels that she hasn’t accomplished anything she “should” have by now.
I was once in a car with a bunch of meatheads, one of whom was so dedicated to his diet that he refused to taste a grape-sized piece of fruit because some app he was following told him to cut back on the sugar. We passed an obese jogger, this car full of meatheads and myself, as she struggled up a hill.
The fruit non-eater said, quietly and without any sarcasm, “Get it, girl.” This, from a man who practically lived in the gym.
Imagine if that jogger looked at the meatheads and thought to herself, “Those guys are in incredible shape. I’m fat. I should just quit.” No! That’s not how any of this works.
Keep climbing that hill. Don’t compare yourself to others, because others haven’t been through what you have. And to my friend who suffers from Lupus, I’m proud of you and your strength. The only direction to move is forward.