What If You’re Not Behind
Rethinking the Race Against Time
You know the feeling.
A creeping sense that you should be further ahead by now.
You feel like you’ve fallen behind.
This could be in your career, personal life, or ambitions.
That others are racing ahead while you’re stuck, still figuring things out.
It’s an exhausting way to live.
Many of us feel this pressure.
We measure our lives by invisible timelines.
We compare ourselves to highlight reels of people we hardly know.
But here’s the thing: What if you’re not behind at all?
What if feeling “behind” is just an illusion?
This thought may rob you of peace, joy, and the chance to enjoy your present moment.
The Myth of "Falling Behind"
Society tells us there is a schedule for life.
By your 20s, you should have a clear direction.
By your 30s, you should be thriving.
By your 40s, you should have it all figured out.
But where did this timeline come from?
And, more importantly—who is actually living by it?
The truth is, life doesn’t move in a straight line.
Some people find success early; others stumble upon their calling much later.
Some relationships bloom effortlessly, while others take years to unfold.
Some seasons of life feel fast and expansive, while others are quiet and slow.
There’s no universal map.
No official checkpoint system.
Just different people walking different paths at different paces.
And yet, we pressure ourselves to keep up—without ever asking, “Keep up with whom? And for what?”
Your timeline is yours alone.
What if you measured your life by depth instead of speed?
What if, instead of feeling like you should be somewhere else, you trusted that you are exactly where you need to be?
Think about the people whom you admire.
The artists, the writers, the entrepreneurs, the thinkers.
The ones who built meaningful, fulfilling lives.
Most of them didn’t follow a perfect linear path.
They had detours.
They started over.
They found their purpose late.
They walked unconventional roads, ignoring the pressure to rush.
And yet, they arrived—on their own terms, in their own time.
So why not you?
Reframing "Being Behind"
Instead of asking, “Why am I not there yet?”—try asking:
✔️ What am I learning in this season of life that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise?
✔️ What opportunities exist for me right now that I might be overlooking?
✔️ If there were no “race,” what would I actually want to pursue?
When you release the pressure to "catch up," you free yourself to actually enjoy where you are.
And if you think about it, isn’t that the point?
A gentle reminder
Wherever you are right now—whether you're thriving, rebuilding, exploring, or still figuring things out—you are not behind.
You are living a life that is unfolding in its own beautiful, imperfect way.
Trust the timing of it.
There’s no finish line, no grand moment where everything suddenly makes sense.
Just days like today, where you get to decide, moment by moment, how you want to experience your life.
So take a deep breath.
Step out of the imaginary race.
And give yourself permission to move at your own pace.
Because that’s the only timeline that truly matters.
What’s one thing you’ve been rushing that you’d like to slow down and enjoy more?
Let me know, I’d love to hear.
Wishing you peace and patience,
Until next time,
~M