In a world which is seemingly obsessed with positive thinking, positive action and success we can feel like failures as people if we experience sadness, a dead end in our plans or a broken relationship. People are neither simply successful nor failures.
It is our actions, behaviors and judgements which are central to a success or failure. Those central elements will be influenced by either the presence or absence of luck, opportunity and education and both physical and mental health.
We judge ourselves to be a failure when we compare our life unfavorably to that of our peers; we judge ourselves to be successful when we compare our lives more favorably to that our peers.
Success and failure are merely snapshots of a given moment in time. Neither are permanent and both are fluid – they are what they are just as each of us is what we are, a combination of successes and failures. Comparing ourselves to others is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, a constantly changing illusion.
Accept where you are, enjoy the moment. Remind yourself that hard times don’t last forever and that things change, don’t compare you to others – be you, be unique.